Sir Francis Level · AditNow Community

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theyorkshireminer
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie Topic Starter

6 years ago

Hi, planning a trip down Sir Francis. Not been down for a few years and have heard rumours about lower water levels and bad air. How true are these? Is it still passable or is air quality extremely poor now?

Thanks in advance.

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Pete Monkhouse
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

6 years ago

Was on the trip there last June, air was fine. Water was chest deep. Must go back!

Steve Holding
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

6 years ago

There some years ago with an oxygen meter - the air felt fine but the oxygen did drop below 16.5%. Suspect that the oxygen level is often low but travelling slowly through the water it is not noticeable.

Spires
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

6 years ago

Sir Francis Level featured on the BBC earlier this year on the regional "Inside Out" programme. Paul Rose (Presenter) was taken by a group (cave rescue?) who had a meter (oxygen?) with them. The party had waded through the water and the alarm on the meter went off and the trip was aborted. Rather annoying for them, as not much further to go to reach engine chamber.
I organised a trip for PDMHS way back in 1996 and we reached the engine chamber, very impressive. I had taken my camera and fortunately got some great pictures (slide film). An excellent trip, well worth the long wade through the deep water.
Hope you have a good trip.
Cheers,
Paul.

Big-G
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

6 years ago

I was walking up that way a few weeks ago, and there were warning signs posted about poor air quality, one at the main entrance, and one at the red hatch. There was a name and mobile number of the guy who posted the signs, but can't remember the name now ??

Is the trip open to anyone if you don't mind me asking ??

Cheers,
Graeme.

cchilton-666
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

6 years ago

The name on the signs was Pete Roe

Big-G
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

6 years ago

As a newbie......is Pete local to the area, or a regular down the mine or of the group ?? When I was walking up there I was wondering why he would put his name and mobile number on the warning signs for all to see ??

rikj
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

6 years ago

Quote:

As a newbie......is Pete local to the area, or a regular down the mine or of the group ?? When I was walking up there I was wondering why he would put his name and mobile number on the warning signs for all to see ??

Possibly Pete Roe of Swaledale Mountain Rescue, but that's just a guess.

Big-G
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

6 years ago

"rikj" wrote:

Quote:

Possibly Pete Roe of Swaledale Mountain Rescue, but that's just a guess.

After doing a bit of research, that sounds like a good shout........thanks for that. 🙂

Alber
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

6 years ago

#10

good suggest;D

pringledude
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

6 years ago

#11

The reason the air quality has dropped is that it has been caused by the improvement of air flow in another mine. This mine has had a recent dig and been opened up hence the air flow situation. That's as much as I'm allowed to say!

I go mine exploring as it's easier than doing housework...

ttxela
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

6 years ago

#12

Always somewhere I've wanted to see but not got around to yet. Has the air quality dropped to a point where visits are difficult/inadvisable?

Big-G
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

6 years ago

#13

"pringledude" wrote:
The reason the air quality has dropped is that it has been caused by the improvement of air flow in another mine. This mine has had a recent dig and been opened up hence the air flow situation. That's as much as I'm allowed to say!

Ha........I've noticed there's a lot of secret squirrel stuff going on in underground exploring forums !! ;)

I would have thought that with all of us having similar interests, it would all be one big happy family. It appears not ??

I wonder why some people can know there's a dig going on, but others can't ?? What's to be gained or lost ?? Surely, it's a benefit to all ??

Morlock
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

6 years ago

#14

"Big-G" wrote:
[quote I would have thought that with all of us having similar interests, it would all be one big happy family. It appears not ??

I wonder why some people can know there's a dig going on, but others can't ?? What's to be gained or lost ?? Surely, it's a benefit to all ??

Access to a sensitive site could be lost due to third party 'complications'.;)

Big-G
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

6 years ago

#15

"Morlock" wrote:

Access to a sensitive site could be lost due to third party 'complications'.;)

Very diplomatic Morlock 😉

robnorthwales
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

6 years ago

#16

"Big-G" wrote:
[quote I would have thought that with all of us having similar interests, it would all be one big happy family. It appears not ??

I wonder why some people can know there's a dig going on, but others can't ?? What's to be gained or lost ?? Surely, it's a benefit to all ??

There are several potential problems
1. A landowner may be happy to give people a chance to excavate and record findings, but not want loads of the general public going on their land.
2. The dig might be totally illicit. The landowner might not know about it (or want it to happen), and the people doing the dig are hoping to connect to, or establish a connection with, or dig out another opening into (that opening being on other land, owned by someone more open to such things).

In either of those cases, the influx of people going for a nosey could lead to bulldozers or lots of steelwork

That's 2 possible cases. There are loads of other possibilities

Madness takes its toll, please carry exact change

John Lawson
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

6 years ago

#17

In my opinion the landowner has a lot to loose and nothing to gain by allowing groups of people to carry out digging on their land.
If you look at it logically, if an accident occurs, then the land owner could find themselves likely to face some sort of retribution.
Hence, digs that are undertaken are always carried out secretely, and I for one say good luck to these people, for how are new finds to be made otherwise?

Big-G
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

6 years ago

#18

I was thinking of Gunnerside in particular, as it’s the theme of the thread. I wouldn’t have thought Gunnerside Gill belonged to anyone ?? And I would have thought that anything underground wouldn’t belong to a landowner ?? But hey-ho, I’m a newbie and don’t know much about underground adventures 😉

Morlock
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

6 years ago

#19

I suspect someone will comment shortly regarding land and mineral rights ownership.

Have a rummage through this lot.

https://whoownsengland.org/2018/08/12/revealed-the-aristocrats-and-city-bankers-who-own-englands-grouse-moors/

cchilton-666
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

6 years ago

#20

Robert Warren Miller Owns Gunnerside estate I would hazard a guess that includes Gunnerside Gill