Hi Might be a bit of a controversial topic but looking to gain access to sealed mines in north wales and looking for suggestions to which ones would be worth the effort to access many thanks

If you are looking for advice about breaking into gated or sealed mines you have come to the wrong place! >:(

If you want honest information about sites then ask specific questions. Most sites that are closed have reasons that will be known to people here.

The comment 'might be controversial' means the poster knows fine well it is :lol:

....which ones would be worth the effort....

They're all worth the effort! 😉 :lol:

Any particular ones in mind?

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Just make sure it's not coal, explosions and asphyxiation are not pleasant ways to snuff it. 😉

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Step 1: research.
Step 2: locate.
Step 3: gain landowner permission.
Step 4: dig.

Just basiclly looking to explore new mines and like the idea of the unexplored maybe best to join a caving club live by Rhosesmor is there any clubs in the area

Just basiclly looking to explore new mines and like the idea of the unexplored maybe best to join a caving club live by Rhosesmor is there any clubs in the area

UCET?

http://www.ucet.org.uk/ 

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Just basiclly looking to explore new mines and like the idea of the unexplored maybe best to join a caving club live by Rhosesmor is there any clubs in the area

UCET?

http://www.ucet.org.uk/ 

There are others but they are the easiest to join.

I think the remaining 'unexplored' mines in north wales would take a commitment level most are not willing to put in.

I've been places and thought to myself 'surely no explorer has been here before' look down and you'll probably see a variety of different footprints :thumbsup:

Research is definitely key.

The days of being able to wade into unexplored levels ended in the 1970s but in the 1980s it was still readily possible to find unexplored shafts. However for the last thirty years mine explorers have tramped the hills carrying hundreds of feet of rope and ironmongery and the days of open unexplored shafts have mostly ended.

The key to finding unexplored workings is to study maps, plans and archive records and to carefully examine workings. I have done this during surveying trips - when surveying you move more slowly and examine the workings in much greater detail than when on a 'normal' trip.

A couple of examples:

In the 1980s in a large and very well trodden mine, pushing aside a few loose blocks got us into a few hundred feet of unexploreed early C18 workings and descending two winzes from there got us to another scrabble, beyond which was almost 2km of unexplored late C19 workings, the floors of which were a mass of hobnail boot prints. Exploration and surveying took a couple of years.

About 15 years ago when surveying to the bottom of a series of loose winzes in a very rarely visited mine, moving some blocks at the bottom of the last winze got us into a mid C19 adit apparently previously unexplored.

About five years ago a friend descended a shaft that everyone had dismissed as flooded. to find a level going off just at water level and he found a few hundred feet of unexplored workings.

Having enjoyed a couple of very interesting trips into the very extensive workings associated with a major drainage level in NE Wales it appears that the groups active in its exploration have much scope for entering unexplored workings though the distances and trip lengths are getting very long. If you join the appropriate groups in NE Wales where you live, there should be genuine scope for exploration of unexplored workings.

There are a few places I know of in North Wales where there are shafts in obscure places. I guess most have been looked at (and I have looked at some) but you won't find any information about them on-line. Quite a few clubs keep their knowledge of underground places for themselves and just joining the club doesn't mean you gain access to the 'crown jewels' - you may have to wait a while.

Some places are not talked about as there is no formal access and the landowner takes a dim view of people entering or documenting the site. There are others where there is 'free' access but no-one has bothered or draw up plans (or the plans have been made by a club and kept to themselves).

The difficulty facing the mine exploring community is the fact that people are getting old, memories fade and if information is not passed on it will be lost. On the other hand there are plenty of idiots with facebook accounts who want to make a name for themselves posting pictures of interesting out-of-bounds places and risking the wrath of landowners who are apt to backfill any entrances. I don't think there is an easy solution other than passing on information to people you trust and even this is no guarantee that stuff won't leak out to undesirables.

I concur about joining UCET, I am not a member (yet) but they do have a few sites they are digging and they have opened up a couple of mines with the landowners permission. They could do with some new blood who like the idea of digging and gaining access to new areas.

Dave

YOU ABSOLUTELY HAVE TO JOIN A CAVING CLUB AND DO THIS WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE JUST SHOWING UP TO NEW SITES WITHOUT PERMISSION FROM THEIR ACCESS OFFICER IT IS POSSIBLE THAT ACCESS AGREEMENTS ARE IN PROCESS AND YOU SHOWING UP AND JUST HELPING YOURSELF COULD DESTROY YEARS OF WORK AND NEGOTIATING :guns:

;)

Really ? When so many clubs 'hoard' their sites (there's one near Chester in particular I'm thinking of, and it's not UCET), then it would be almost impossible to find out just who has the 'access agreement' for a number of sites in North Wales without having plenty of insider knowledge.

In such a case, there is no real alternative to just going for a wander.

Oh, and all caps IS SHOUTING. AND NOBODY LIKES BEING SHOUTED AT ALL THE TIME.
That, along with your attitude of 'who do you think you are', would make me, for one, even more inclined to ignore the 'advice' of some shouty, all-the-big-I-am, person.

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YOU :guns:

;)

Do not feed the troll!:thumbdown:

Robnorthwales - He's being sarcastic.

FPoP - UCET are a good club, very much pro-open access. Not empire builders or hoarders.

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If there is such a thing as a bad club, then they don't last long - clubs need members and people don't stick around much as members if they don't provide good enough reasons to do so.

The point being that the vast majority of clubs, large or small, will be worth contacting for signing up to, if that's what you want.

The vast majority of mines I have been to have been through contacts of one sort or another with clubs.

UCET meet on Thursday evenings and end up in the Glan yr Afon pub at Dolphin around 10pm (which is close to you).

Say "Hello" on the forum and you can be copied into the trip for the week (sometimes it is a cave, sometimes it is a mine).

If you joined (it's a non-profit club but you need insurance which the club will do for you - £17 per year) you "pick and choose" your trips. You can also suggest trips.

There is a bank of knowledge publically available on the forum and another in the members section.

It's a very "open" club with a "hands off" approach to power and red tape.

www.ucet.org.uk

:)

Ian

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The Knowledge Bank is a very useful resource.

I don't know about North Wales specifically, but i'm certain theres still plenty to be re-discovered.

I suppose i've been around the block a few times now (since about 2007) but in that time i've had the opportunity to visit many completely 'new' mines and explore new ground re-discovered by myself and the folks on here.

The only 'trick' is hours researching, hours scouring hill-sides and meeting other people.

Also never believe 'theres nowt there' until you've seen it with your own eyes. ::)

The only 'trick' is hours researching, hours scouring hill-sides and meeting other people.

Also never believe 'theres nowt there' until you've seen it with your own eyes. ::)

It's worked for me on most of my discoveries - especially the second line.

Though I always believe Nellie Kirkham...;)

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