Heard rumours of this happening two weeks ago but the landowners have threatened before over the years so didn't take much notice.

However, the mine was sealed in the last few days with several tonnes of rock 😢

Special Skillz only to visit now...


🔗Personal-Album-7282-Image-71177[linkphoto]Personal-Album-7282-Image-71177[/linkphoto][/link]

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Have the local bat people been notified?

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Have the local bat people been notified?

No but they should be told, there are deffo bats in there...seen them many times.

There could easily be humans in there too.....if you were off on a four or five hour trip that crap could easily have been tipped in while you were underground 😮

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I was in a few weeks ago and saw roosting bats. I am quite prepared to be witness to this and attend court if necessary.

Do we have any bat people on here?

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Looks like an interesting place from the 28DL report.

I take it that isn't the only way in??

I take it that isn't the only way in??

There's a 100 foot airshaft complete with chimney, not sure if there are any more?

It's a shame when this happens.

Oh the power of the internet and freedom of information :confused:

Was it never possible to communicate between mine explorers, bat groups and owners? It works elsewhere in the country to good effect if done sensibly. Looks like it's too late now though. 😞

Was it never possible to communicate between mine explorers, bat groups and owners? It works elsewhere in the country to good effect if done sensibly. Looks like it's too late now though. :(

I don’t know about that Peter.
There were bats in there and the landowner has sealed it up so it’s an absolute offence to which there is no defence.

If a successful prosecution is brought the £1000 a day or whatever it is fine may act as an incentive to restore it to its former state.

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It's a shame when this happens.

Oh the power of the internet and freedom of information :confused:

Though it feels like longer the internet has only really existed in its current form for about 4 or 5 years. Off the top of my head I can only think of one mine within 60 miles of me (at least 3 major mining areas) that has been purposefully blocked in that time and the authority who filled that in didn't even realise that anyone was going in....
The internet is an easy target but it probably doesn't cause most of the problems its alleged to have.

Was it never possible to communicate between mine explorers, bat groups and owners? It works elsewhere in the country to good effect if done sensibly. Looks like it's too late now though. :(

I don’t know about that Peter.
There were bats in there and the landowner has sealed it up so it’s an absolute offence to which there is no defence.

If a successful prosecution is brought the £1000 a day or whatever it is fine may act as an incentive to restore it to its former state.

I am well aware of the law, but I was musing on whether this might have been avoided through better appreciation of the issues of access, permission, conservation etc by all interested parties. A collaborative approach before the event is far better than an adversarial one afterwards.

There are some who think that "quiet trespass" is the least troublesome form of exploration, but it doesn't always work unfortunately.

Not being my patch, and not being an area I know anything about, it's probably best to leave the issues to those on the ground. I am just stating my initial thoughts.

Gutted! Bought a gas monitor during the summer for extra peace of mind. Agreed with mates not to visit during the game seaon due to the pheasants roosting close by. Trying to keep on the right side of the gamekeeper. Just started mapping the tunnels and photographing the relics etc. What a damn shame. 😞

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Interesting about the internet and how things have developed.

I was going in adits and poking around sites by myself before I saw people dropping shafts on the internet, joined the local caving club and the rest is history.

I'm aware of the teething problems the internet caused with various unsavory types causing a rumpus by putting up photos of sensitive places publicly.

I think it's settled down now and those who were originally putting themselves and mines at risk have dropped off the radar and everyone else seems to have fitted into/been accommodated into the various local scenes and are aware of the various issues. It's most certainly why hardly anything gets put openly on the internet and sites which do, are pretty arcane and obscure.

Anyway, it's bought a lot of people closer together in the last few years and hopefully it will be possible to stop ignorant types destroying history and flouting the law.

Is the land public access?

Who was responsible for the cap job?

Are they approachable?

Clearly, it would be in their best interest to unblock it quicksharp and get some sort of grille put on so they don't get the bat-nutters sending them invoices.

I find it distinctly odd how it is perfectly acceptable to bulldoze and seal up unique history and geology. Yet our key are some poorly-adapted sodding creatures which aren't actually that endangered. At least Cornwall Council are coming around to doing things properly by considering the archaeology and scientific value of these sites....

It's a sad thing that little is done to control private "idiots".

Anyway, I'd go and have a word with the bloke first to see if he doesn't want to have a fine and if he does, get the bat nutters on the case.

It's a shame when this happens.

Oh the power of the internet and freedom of information :confused:

Though it feels like longer the internet has only really existed in its current form for about 4 or 5 years. Off the top of my head I can only think of one mine within 60 miles of me (at least 3 major mining areas) that has been purposefully blocked in that time and the authority who filled that in didn't even realise that anyone was going in....
The internet is an easy target but it probably doesn't cause most of the problems its alleged to have.

That's a fair comment. However, I still worry that many mines would go unnoticed would it not be for the posting of some fantastic pictures and placing them in the public eye, thus tempting people to go down them. This surly can only have the result of increased traffic to the mine, creating a higher profile and thus increasing the risk of the landowner bulldozing the adit to avoid liability. perhaps I'm sounding slightly paranoid, but this can and does happen in North Wales. But you could be right, the landowner in this instance may not even have realised that people were going into the mine.

That said, I'm not condoning the landowners actions at all.

I think the landowner or at least the workers would have been aware as there was quite a worn track leading to the entrance. And animals don't usually leave boot prints.

Personally I think it is due to the possibility of the game being disturbed. They have big shoots on the estate which bring in a sizeable income.

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I am grateful that at least on my patch we talk to each other and respect each other's priorities, and don't call each other "nutters".

I am grateful that at least on my patch we talk to each other and respect each other's priorities, and don't call each other "nutters".

If you think you can discuss anything with certain EU people, (the main cause of current problems) you are sadly mistaken. This applies to ALL areas they choose to operate in. 😠

I'm sure we're implying no more than they are nuts about bats, just like we're nuts about mines.

Its extremely unfortunate when things like this occur, but all we can do is try to self-regulate and not post totally public pictures or comments about places we know to be sensitive.

Type in "Church Mine North" into Google Images and you get pages of underground images which is not beyond the capabilities of even the least internet savvy landowner or council worker and what's there would be plenty to set a bottom flapping.

Its a simple test to try for anywhere.

I am grateful that at least on my patch we talk to each other and respect each other's priorities, and don't call each other "nutters".

If you think you can discuss anything with certain EU people, (the main cause of current problems) you are sadly mistaken. This applies to ALL areas they choose to operate in. >:(

Nonsense. Utter nonsense. Surrey Bat Group, WCMS, and mine owners in Surrey muck along pretty well together. I don't recall ever meeting anyone from an EU body when discussing or visiting a relevant site.

It was sealed because people couldn't keep their mouths shut and wanted all the 'glory' from photographs online.....the 'look at me' types. (The location has been accessed discretely for around 30 years.)

The landowner got fed up of the exposure online.

(its all on private land by the way)

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