Hi all,
New video up, and it's another Ancient Lead Mine Explore! This time, it's the rather fun, smaller mine, called Tyne Bottom, in Nenthead, UK. This is my first experience of deep water in a mine 🙂
The following history details are curtsy of mineexplorer.org.uk:
Tynebottom Mine was first worked by the Earl of Carlisle and Company from 1771 to 1798, and then by the London Lead Company from 1798 to 1873. There are two adits into the mine, and both intersect the North Vein. The two levels are known as Wisen's Level or more commonly as Tynebottom A, which is the level from the footpath and the Sun Vein Level or known more commonly as Tynebottom B that emerges near the river. Only a small part of the mine is accessible now, but it is very extensive and has a number of surface shafts along its principle veins - Windshaw Bridge Vein and the North Vein. The workings on the Windshaw Bridge Vein extend over 1000m and on the North Vein they reach 600m. Towards the forehead on the North Vein there are shaft connections into Whitesike Level via Bunkershill and the Clay Levels.
The mine is used by outdoor centres for commercial trips, the trip being in through one of the adits, across the North Vein Flats and then out via the other adit. NOTE: access to the adits is from the Pennine Way footpath, this however crosses private land and there is a little known agreement where explorers should leave a payment of £1.00 / per head in an envelope at Bridgeview cottage (opposite the green) in Garrigill. If approached by the land owner please be respectful and bite your tongue if you feel the need for arguments. The situation is fragile and that last thing needed is a sealed entrance.
[youtube]watch?v=WXPTItAcUwE[/youtube]