After a good trip to Rhiwbach, what do people want from the next trip or two?

I suspect that there may be a desire for not walking across a hillside which is subjected to horizontal rain and gale-force winds!

Any thoughts / dates etc.? (I might suggest perhaps the weekend between Christmas and New Year...)

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What area would be a good start :thumbup:

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Pretty much anywhere 😉 AN members are countrywide, and whilst it's easy for Vanoord and I to set up N Wales trips that gives it a bit of a N Wales bias.

We wouldn't want to overdo 'organised' trips (using the term organised fairly loosely because they're mainly opporunities for people to meet each other and see mines outside of their usual area rather than big organised events) because that would risk trips being undersubscribed.

But the last few trips have been well attended, 12 for Rhiwbach, the Boulby trip full, Parys and Great Orme well attended etc.

I'm going to arrange another Boulby trip for next year (well away from Dochol's trip in November which I believe is fully subscribed) and look at a few more across next year ranging from the beginners' trips (which have gone down well) to guided and organised tours (such as Boulby).

But a few more random ones across the country would be great as well.

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The north:

.Smallcleugh Lead Mine
I would reccomend Daylight Hole, but it's not a very nice place dispite being easy to access.
. Culd also do some introductory walks around Coniston/Tilberthwaite area, - might not be loads underground without aid of SRT but there is much to see.

Wales:

Penarth?
Prince Edward?

Scotland:

Not sure tbh, There is that Harelawhill mine near Carlistle, probably many more I just don't know much about them.

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It has been a few years since I have been underground at Moel fferna. It is a pleasant walk up in good weather, and quite interesting on the surface.

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It has been a few years since I have been underground at Moel fferna. It is a pleasant walk up in good weather, and quite interesting on the surface.

Moel Fferna could be an excellent one, SRT only (wouldn't want any epics getting non-SRTers in and out), although a couple of options would exist there:

Moel Fferna for SRT people, Penarth for non-SRT, or
Take electron ladders (not my idea that, a group went recently and used them - although I would still want to rope people not used to ladders)

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last time i went to moel fferna was a nightmare there were only 8 of us and it took 4 hours to get us all out due to none srt'ers still a fantastic place though. also just to mention before anyone else does Milwr tunnel is totally out of the question as United Utilities have shut it even to the Key-Masters and Gatekeepers Grosvenor Caving Club. its game over for the most spectacular prize of all im well gutted 😞

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what a shame about Milwr Tunnel

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what a shame about Milwr Tunnel

Yes, AN was on the waiting list for a trip (nothing posted because we were abiding by their access requirement to not publicise trips openly) so it's a disappointment - but nothing like as much of a disappointment for the GCC people. I can imagine they're gutted.

GCC suggest Hendre Flourspar mine as an alternative - been there once (with Marty) and it's a very nice mine, good for photos (a fair few people here will have been there I would imagine, various groups have been) but it's not quite in the same league as Milwr!

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We were very lucky when we went to Moel fferna in approx.1993 in that we were able to enter the mine by a tunnel of about 4ft dug down from the roof of the addit to the famous bridge of death. As the first 25 ft or so of the addit had slate slabs as roof so as they could extend the tip when the mine was working.
It was dug by a crowd from Plas Tanybwlch, Maentwrog. We were unable to find it when we went the next time as water had washed shale down to hide all traces of the hole.
A rope from the tree has been our way in since.

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what a shame about Milwr Tunnel

yes unfortunately United Utilities have pulled the plug (no pun intended) probably due to the new Health and safety manager they have who probably doesn't like the prospect of us kind of people wandering around the place, you could just imagine the stuff hitting the fan when someone gets hurt and puts a claim in. all this of course all hypothetical and this is a risk in every mine we go in. the tossers! spoiling our fun.

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what a shame about Milwr Tunnel

Yes, AN was on the waiting list for a trip (nothing posted because we were abiding by their access requirement to not publicise trips openly) so it's a disappointment - but nothing like as much of a disappointment for the GCC people. I can imagine they're gutted.

GCC suggest Hendre Flourspar mine as an alternative - been there once (with Marty) and it's a very nice mine, good for photos (a fair few people here will have been there I would imagine, various groups have been) but it's not quite in the same league as Milwr!

Aye, I've seen Miles' pics of Hendre Spar, noticed one pic of a dwarf sized wagon lol.
Anyway: it looks like a good playground for photography, especailly with the ligh shaded walls easily lit up, unlike those in some slate mines which seem to absorb a lot of the light.
But Milwr Tunnel was very different from any mine I've ever seen photos of before;
This mine in France is pretty similar though:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/esprit_de_sel/sets/72157601325001085/ 

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Would be nice to do a photo day in Hendre, last time was a bit rushed (2nd mine in the day), but some results are in this album http://www.aditnow.co.uk/album/Hendre-Fluorite-Mine-2-User-Album/ 

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looks pretty good that french one Lap Redlion is yor man for spar mines im sure he would be able to sort a trip out for a few people in Derbyshire 😉 i will ask him

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AGGH that's a shame about Milwr, somewhere I wanted to see.

Si, hows about Drws y Coed?? you've still got to show me drainrats amazing blue crystal flow - and there are those unplmmed bits that we had a look into a couple of years back.

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Is Hendre Spar the sort of mine you can just turn up at?

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Oh yes! Forgot about that.

Wouldn't mind also making another trip into Wiltshire at some point, only seen Box once.

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Ahh.. never been there, looks great though.

Does anyone here actually know of any easily accessible mines in Scotland that might come under 'easy-trips'.
All the ones I've visited are either collapsing, or flooded.

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Is Hendre Spar the sort of mine you can just turn up at?

of course you can probably a little wet inside now due to the poo weather were having but its all laddered and dead easy you would probably see the lot of it in 4 hours still very good easy mine tho

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Is Hendre Spar the sort of mine you can just turn up at?

of course you can probably a little wet inside now due to the poo weather were having but its all laddered and dead easy you would probably see the lot of it in 4 hours still very good easy mine tho

Thanks for the info.
Might see if my dad is interested and take a look there some-time soonish...

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