I have a colleague who will be spending a week in Cornwall later this year, and fancies a spot of caving or mine exploring. He fancies a bit more than your usual tourist stuff, but has no other experience.

Any suggestions for an organisation that would do e.g a 3 day underground course? or a club doing some have-a-go sessions?

Chris.

I have to say...whenever i've requested info (when i'm down in Devon or cornwall on family hols...) i've always found our cousins (with one notable excpetion) in the south-west to be a rather tight lipped bunch...
Is i'm back for a fortnight myself soon...i'd be interested to hear about any good trips myself

Chris,

have you done the obvious and asked on either of the uk mine expo forums??

wormster said:

Chris,

have you done the obvious and asked on either of the uk mine expo forums??

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I haven't yet, because 'caving' (or potholing) is a more established pastime than mine-exploring. So I figured that a normal punter will look for a caving / potholing type place, even if the reality is that they end up down mines! However, it is a useful suggestion that I will try out.

Thanks,

Chris.

jasonbirder said:

I have to say...whenever i've requested info (when i'm down in Devon or cornwall on family hols...) i've always found our cousins (with one notable excpetion) in the south-west to be a rather tight lipped bunch...
Is i'm back for a fortnight myself soon...i'd be interested to hear about any good trips myself

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Tight-lipped?  I'm deeply hurt.

There's a few good trips down here but few organisations who offer beginners trips.  You could try the Carn Brea Mining Society, Trevithick Society or Plymouth Caving Group.

Cligga Mine is the "standard" trip as it's not difficult, nor particularly unstable and it's a through trip.  One of the most interesting was Tywarnhaile but there's no access now.  There are also reasonable trips in the Cape Cornwall - Cot Valley area (at least 20 adits, some fairly extensive, and a pull-through trip in Wheal bellan in the same area).  There's also other which can involve hairy abseils, etc.

Give me an idea where your mate is going Chris and I may be able to offer more info.

Slightly off topic - sorry guys,
anyone have any idea what the current carnglaze caverns were called in its heyday as a slate mine? There seemed to be a few metal(?) mines nearby too??

Cheerz

Barney said:

Slightly off topic - sorry guys,
anyone have any idea what the current carnglaze caverns were called in its heyday as a slate mine? There seemed to be a few metal(?) mines nearby too??

Cheerz

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I think it's always been called Carnglaze Slate Mine.  There are a few metal mines nearby, one a few hundred yards down the road towards Trago Mills, which is an adit about 1/4 mile long with good ochre formations but little else as it was only an extensive tin trial (St Neot Mine).  Apart from this there are  several short adits on generally unproductive lead lodes and Wheal Whisper tin mine (near Warleggon) which is a large overgrown opencast with several short workings in it.

Back in Sept,I made a solo entry into Hawks point mine on Porth Kidney Sands at Lelant.The entrance is up a short scramble and almost hidden behind a WW2 pillbox.Deciding that discretion was the better part of valour as I was alone I returned after approx 100 ft and left it going. Is this a mine worth returning to with others and are there any extra dangerous hazards to watch out for please ?

http://www.aditnow.co.uk/mines/HAWKES-POINT-Mine/

This doesn't tell you much more about the place, but it is at least on record.