A question aimed at PDMHS folk.

JAM

New member
I went up to Snake Mine (in the dark), Hopton Wood and found 2 shafts. One was at the other end of a access tunnel under the mangled stone building and looked to be about 30 - 40 ft deep. The other one was positioned about 25ft NW "asuming you are facing the access tunnel" and I couldn't gauge the depth. Anyone have any clue on it's depth ?

Cheers
Rich
 

AndyF

New member
I did have a survey, but can't find it now.

Think you can get down 2-300 feet, but there is no official access.

Try the mining museuem in Matlock, they will have the PDHMS pulication with the survey
 

JAM

New member
Andy  :beer:  The stone drop test had me guessing about that. No official access; does that mean we have to sneak in under cover of darkness ?  :halo:

Will Matlock have the access detals too ?

Cheers
Rich
 

AndyF

New member
Jam said:
Andy  :beer:  The stone drop test had me guessing about that. No official access; does that mean we have to sneak in under cover of darkness ?  :halo:

Will Matlock have the access detals too ?

Cheers
Rich

YEs, Matlock should have the survey. Im sure it was in  PDHMS publication

...sneaking in... I couldn't possibly recommend that...  :halo:
 

owd git

Active member
ayup Rich, knock @ the farm /plant hire across the first field they're nice people.  will want you to have insurance. surveys  under 'snake lead mine' on t' interweb. you'll need 100 M. rope an' a spare fool to prussic that one, you've  got me number!    :D O. G.
 

Inskia

Member
I thought the access arrangement was still via WMRG who occasionally winch the main engine shaft (I was on a trip there they arranged in Sept '08) but will happily stand corrected if that info has been superseded.
I'd suggest contacting Wirksworth Mines Research Group, several of their members read this forum so will probably reply anyway - there was an earlier thread about this mine on UKC, (see http://ukcaving.com/board/index.php/topic,7510.msg99490.html#msg99490).
(And, OG, my apologies if you're a WMRG member as I should probably know you!).

 
Thanks for that Owd Git I've been interesting in having a look for a while at Snake Mine but had been under the impression there was no access...
If its a case of having a long rope, a green insirance card and a friendly chat with the farmer i'm in!
I'll report back full details after i've had a trip...(probably next week)
 

Inskia

Member
Jasonbirder
I believe the previous landowner used to get fed up with people trespassing on his land to look at the shafts and the access became somewhat 'delicate' so it is worth double checking.
I know the landowner changed relatively recently so there could well be a new arrangement in place now.
I'm sure OG and/or someone from WMRG can confirm. It is also worth bearing in mind there are artefacts in the mine that any visitors need to be aware of to avoid damage.

 
Thanks for the feedback :)
Sounds a bit ambiguous...
Unless anyone has anything definitive - we'll just ask politely! Hopefully the landowner won't mind a friendly conversation - and if there really is still no access i'll let everyone else here know and that'll put the discussion to rest...
It goes without saying that care is needed around delicate formations and artefacts...I think that applies to every site everyone on UKC visits!
 

Inskia

Member
Been doing a bit of asking around & I believe OG is right - contact the landowner (as I understand it WMRG don't control the access but have traditionally had an 'ad hoc' arrangement for occasional visits).
So long as visitors are aware of the artefacts and know to look out for them that's the important thing - I'd likewise expect everyone on UKC to respect both natural & "man-made" features in caves & mines.
Be aware that the (fairly narrow) main engine shaft isn't straight (far from it, it kind of corkscrews) so you would very likely encounter some nasty rub points & I can't think of any in-situ bolts/suitable features for deviations or rebelays hence WMRG using a winch.
IIRC the climbing shaft is in several (ginged) sections & is only minimally bolted (NOTE: bolts are of some vintage now - use at your own risk). You could use ladders but not SRT due to a plethora of rub points.  First couple of shafts are not particularly difficult climbs but ginging/deads not very stable so it would be unwise to climb on these. :eek:
 

owd git

Active member
Hi Inskia, yea, i (being a polite but cheeky b***er) simply knocked a while ago. to ask who owned, Etc. and was told as you have already posted,  (y) cheers. O. G.
btw i'm not with wirksworth mines group but would jump at the chance to have a winch down if it was happening any time. (said i was a cheeky b***er! ) ::) O. G.
 

JAM

New member
I think the best way of getting and keeping in the good books of the land owner would be to offer to place solid state shaft covers over the shafts. That should prove we are responsible children adults. ;)

This site could be turned into something like that found at GLM, via gellia. With a bit of work.

Rich
 

owd git

Active member
yeah, then someone would lock it and be all custodial or try charging, why fix wot ain't broken? :confused:
Owd Git.
 

JAM

New member
Probably because it needs it, 6 pieces of decaying wood ain't good enough in my book.
A Derbyshire Key wouldn't prevent anybody from NOT accessing it.

Rich
 

owd git

Active member
without wishing to appear brusque, or rude Rich, there are hundreds of open.l et alone partially protected shafts in this area. and whilst we are interested in access, exploration and a good trip in such we are a small minority of the population. this mine is under private property. the buildings and shaft accesses (plural .) are safe for joe public to walk his dog on nearby footpaths, oblivious of troglodyte pleasures abounding below fido's 'rest stop !'
whilst the timbers are of some age (poss' pre  cambrian! ) they'd stop a sheep or pet dog from achieving terminal velocity ,just prior to terminal breath.
Tho' a really good lid would be smashing. and cost a shekel or two,eh (who wants the bill?) i'll tender for the contract in these hard times.
derbyshire leadmines project? pdhms,  negotiation, access agreements, controll. the stuff of nightmares.
beyond a 'casual' insured agreement of access.
worries of aforementioned ginging  at points down the main shaft.
security of artifacts.
too many casual visitors.
i feel i'm on a hiding  to nothing for expanding so, so i'll invite reply.
thanks for fetching the topic to forum. see what comes of it (y)
cheers Rich. O. G.
come on brains i know you'll have a view /valid input.
 

Brains

Well-known member
Who, me?  :-[
IMO as long as the shaft(s) is safe and the owner / tenants are happy then leave it be.
I don't really want another GLM with looked doors and relatively high fees to be shepherded around a sanitised underground experience, kept to the beaten track and shown artifacts collected together from who knows where.
In this case the shaft would seem to provide a fairly high degree of protection to the in situ artifacts, being ~100m deep and not a simple drop.
Replacing sleepers with better ones could be good, but once lids and the preferred Derbyshire key access are introduced it begs the question of who will repair the ginging, etc. If a locked lid is put in then you have all the bag of worms of who controls the key?
Now the site is getting the oxygen of publicity, I dare say there might be more traffic and a better lid will needed perforce, if so get the DCA on board sooner rather than later - as at Hillocks bison beams could be arranged with the council for delivery, and the engineering skills and stock at DCA's disposal could be utilised most effectively.
Would you want a solid lid to prevent things being dropped down the shaft, or grilled for ventilation and lemmings?
 

owd git

Active member
Sorry Brains ,just noticed you were online as i was posting. you did have an opinion tho' and sportingly offered it. Ta.
As was. the main shaft is walled in from public access.
on private property.
and has some protection from inadvertent access.
lest we open a can of worms, those who seek access are fortunate to meet no objection as far as i know.
why rock the boat?
you've P.M. Rich. (y)
O. G. 
 
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