I visited Unity woods a few years back and found it fascinating. I will be going back on Saturday and wonder if there are any guided walks about the area I could follow. Or any knowledgeable people who fancy a bimble on Saturday afternoon?

It's worth getting hold of one of Brown and Acton's "Exploring Cornish Mines" books. One of them has Unity wood in it. Take a big torch so you can look down the well guarded shafts.

There isn't that much to see. As you go into the woods, you've got 2 shafts which are on Killifreth Middle / South lodes. The big one with the concrete rectangle is Skip Shaft, the next is footway and then there is a weeny shaft which actually goes into the workings on South Lode (pokey and slopey). The rest of the shafts are on Unity Wood lodes themselves...and are on the OS maps. William's Shaft (which is a massive engine shaft) is not on any OS maps. This had a n 80" engine and 18" pitwork (pretty large) The engine house and bedstone and everything were ripped up. The shaft is capped with a metal grille and granite lintels underneath. One end you can see down it....get your torch out.

Try and stand on a hedge and see if you can see Trefusis Shaft, which has got a wall around it. It was all looking like it was going to be obliterated.

http://www.flashearth.com/?lat=50.247831&lon=-5.178272&z=19&r=0&src=msa 

It's the only open shaft into the workings of Trefusis Lode aka West Poldice mine. The bit "up there" was called WP and the bit on the hill, with the engine houses was called Unity Wood. The area is quite complicated. Look out for well crystallised cassiterite amongst the early tips and holes in the woods.

On here in the documents section is a note about Killifreth from E Bawden (historic doc about the viability of KF and the woods). That will tell you quite a lot.

Have fun and whilst you're at it, have a poke around Creegbrawse. (use an OS map and take a whack-stick)

Thanks guys for your comprehensive replies. I will re-read them tomorrow in detail, got my works do in a moment to attend.

Cheers ! Am more interested in surface working these day than underground as I am trying to set up my own company here in Cornwall manufacturing mineral process equipment.

Cheers ! Am more interested in surface working these day than underground as I am trying to set up my own company here in Cornwall manufacturing mineral process equipment.