A slate mine on the opposite side of the valley from the much better known Honister mine.
It consists of mainly surface workings at the top, connected to valley floor by a long incline (red line on the map below) with a number of tunnels leading into the hill.
Like Honister itself, it hasn’t featured on here before, but then there isn’t anything particularly spectacular to see.
Background: Slate has been quarried here for centuries, with an incline built in 1879 to get product down to the valley below.
The incline had a winding drum at the top with carts running on rails - as full carts descended they pulled empty ones (or maybe just a heavy counterweight).
It was extended further downhill later (dashed line), with this section operated by an electric motor at the bottom with a return wheel at the top.
An aerial ropeway was added in the 1920s, and remains of all methods of slate transport can still be seen.
The mine finally closed in 1966 due to ‘difficult roof conditions’.
Explore: Easy, just walk up the hill looking for holes (aka adits or levels).
Pictures are mostly phone as my camera lens kept fogging up.
The incline and approach.
Thing for moving carts sideways off the track.
Remains of a cart.
The first hole was typical of most of the lower ones - it went in about 50 yards before the rails disappeared under a pile of rocks.
On up the incline.
The next hole with a short tunnel under some stacked waste leading to a cavern, again with a collapse further on.
Another one.
And another.
The fifth one was more promising, with a strong breeze blowing into the mountain suggesting it might not be completely blocked.
However the passage at the end looked a bit lethal so I reluctantly gave it a miss.
Back outside, a view showing how sections of the incline have slid off down the hill.
The wheel for the lower part of the incline.
Pylon for the aerial ropeway.
Another hole leading to a cavern full of large boulders.
continued
It consists of mainly surface workings at the top, connected to valley floor by a long incline (red line on the map below) with a number of tunnels leading into the hill.
Like Honister itself, it hasn’t featured on here before, but then there isn’t anything particularly spectacular to see.
Background: Slate has been quarried here for centuries, with an incline built in 1879 to get product down to the valley below.
The incline had a winding drum at the top with carts running on rails - as full carts descended they pulled empty ones (or maybe just a heavy counterweight).
It was extended further downhill later (dashed line), with this section operated by an electric motor at the bottom with a return wheel at the top.
An aerial ropeway was added in the 1920s, and remains of all methods of slate transport can still be seen.
The mine finally closed in 1966 due to ‘difficult roof conditions’.
Explore: Easy, just walk up the hill looking for holes (aka adits or levels).
Pictures are mostly phone as my camera lens kept fogging up.
The incline and approach.
Thing for moving carts sideways off the track.
Remains of a cart.
The first hole was typical of most of the lower ones - it went in about 50 yards before the rails disappeared under a pile of rocks.
On up the incline.
The next hole with a short tunnel under some stacked waste leading to a cavern, again with a collapse further on.
Another one.
And another.
The fifth one was more promising, with a strong breeze blowing into the mountain suggesting it might not be completely blocked.
However the passage at the end looked a bit lethal so I reluctantly gave it a miss.
Back outside, a view showing how sections of the incline have slid off down the hill.
The wheel for the lower part of the incline.
Pylon for the aerial ropeway.
Another hole leading to a cavern full of large boulders.
continued
Last edited:
