Mawgan Porth & Bedruthan Steps

[Niche]

Not exactly the epicentre of underground exploration, I know, but the sea caves here ignited my passion for caving and I have a couple of queries.

Mawgan Porth:

It is well documented that there was a failed attempt in the 18th century to build a canal from Mawgan Porth to St Columb Major and on to Porth - they made the mistake of never puddling it with clay! Local history books speak of a shaft being sunk into a cave on the North side of Mawgan Porth beach, in order to hawl up seaweed etc for loading onto barges. The banks of the canal are still clearly identifiable for quite some distance along the valley and now come to an abrupt end where ( I presume) the cliffs have subsequently collapsed. I had long thought that the shaft had also dissapeared - there is certainly no evidence of it entering any of the major sea caves (some of which are of quite impressive length.) However I remember about 20 years ago scrambling up some loose rocks about halfway between Trenance Steps and low water to a low horizontal opening where there was a pool of very rusty red water going back into the cliff. Last year I found it again, and though I hadn't brought any caving gear on holiday with me, I took a torch to investigate. I quickly decided against crawling through the thick red gloopy sediment, and satisfied myself with lying at the entrance to peer in. I might be wrong, but the back wall of the pool looked to be built in masonary. Does anyone know whether this is the remains of the shaft leading up to Eddyson's canal?

Bedruthan Steps:

On the same holiday I went to relive the excitment of my first "through trip" at Bedruthan and I noticed, to the North of the steps, an adit at the foot of the cliff with other openings slightly higher up. Does it go very far? And is it safe to explore?

Next time I holiday in Cornwall I shall bring my gear and would love to visit some mines... if anyones up for a trip. (hint, hint)

 

[gus horsley]

Hi Niche

Here's a bit of info:

The adit at Trenance is Trenance Mine, a trial dating from about 1850 for lead.  It's choked a little way inside but didn't go far.

There are other workings in the vicinity, including an impressive series of short levels on a lode to the east of Watergate bay.  When I entered them there were fine deposits of ochre on the floor which i managed to avoid and dozens of young rock doves.

I'll post more information in the next couple of days.

Gus

 

[Niche]

Thanks for the information, Gus. So I take it I didn't find the bottom of the shaft associated with the canal and that it probably has collapsed long ago. I'd be fascinated to know more about the mine near Watergate - is it on a similar line to the two small levels on the cliff staircase at Whipsiderry? The last time I went in them I remember having to be careful what I was standing in! Any insights yet about the adit at Bedruthan?

Thanks,

Nick

 

[gus horsley]

The adit at Bedruthan Steps doesn't appear to have a name and is a short trial on a highly brecciated lode with spots of chalcopyrite and galena.

The adits at the NE end of Watergate are referred to as Beacon Cove Mine, on a lode containing siderite.  It was also tried from a couple of shafts inland which don't connect with the adits.  It's not the same lode as the one in Whipsiderry which is on another siderite lode.  The adits there have been gated to stop the tourists from creating unwanted deposits!  The lode crops out in Flory Island (the big stack in Whipsiderry) and contains some interesting specimens of siderite and melanterite as well as workings which are reputed to date from the iron age.

Probably the most interesting underground workings in the area are in Colon Woods near Porth reservoir.  Here there is an adit by the stream (short but with bats), a descending level in an opencast and two open shafts, one of which descends 80ft into a stope.  there's been a surprising amount of work done considering there are no records.

Send me a pm if you're intending to come down this way as I live in St Columb Minor.