When I visited the "Lost Word" chambers on the Oakeley boundary last time, I noticed a trickle of water very obviously disappearing into the ground, just inside the cross-cut level which connects the 2 sets of galleries, (presumably both runs of chambers are in the back vein – the northern one however is largely inaccessible) Having said that, there is another run of smaller chambers still further north, which may actually be beyond the back vein.
Anyway, was just wondering in view of Graham Isherwood's comment on a previous thread discussing the lay out in this area, if the water is actually disappearing down into the fault? He thinks that the fault runs along the northern wall of the first set of chambers ie the southern set where one enters from lake level.
On breifly examining this phenomena, couldn't see any obvious cracks, although I didn't really have that close a look The water just seemed to be soaking down to somewhere :confused: Have since wondered where it will be going. The crosscut tunnel, more or less at this point seems to have a band running up the wall, as if the rock has changed? Maybe the water is finding its way down through less consolidated rock at the point of the fault, but if so, down to where?
'I wonder how many breakfasts, and other meals we have missed inside that nasty clockless, timeless hole?'
'The Hobbit'
J R R Tolkien.