The Hoffman Kiln

Roo Walters recently 3D laser scanned the Hoffman Kiln near Stainforth and having heard about it on the 'Help your fellow caver' thread Badlad and I thought we'd check it out. 

http://ukcaving.com/board/index.php?topic=20238.0


Made for a fascinating visit and can't believe we've never been before.  If you are in the area and have an hour or so to fill I'd highly recommend The Hoffman Kiln.

http://www.cravenmuseum.org/archaeology/fact-sheets/the-hoffmann-kiln/



Situated very close to The Settle to Carlisle Railway - and for good reason....

   

There are plenty of information boards and we met a local woman who had a leaflet, not sure if still in print.



It's big - very big!



I can feel a photographic challenge coming on - which I of course won't win 

           

You can go inside, climb on top, walk along it and find all sorts of interesting things....



There are even some abseiling plants growing down in the lower kilns

Looks excellent.

There are even some abseiling plants growing down in the lower kilns

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That would be a wild strawberry!

Another recommendation for the Langcliffe lime kilns here! It's a great wet day outing and at this time of year You can always combine it with a trip to Sainforth Foss (a mile up the dale) to watch the salmon leaping.

I once went to a splendid overnight party here called The Frazzled Pig Speleo Stomp organised by The Count.

I of course explored one of the small tunnels and ended in what I assume used to be the old furness.

Alex said:

I of course explored one of the small tunnels and ended in what I assume used to be the old furness.

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The "furnace" is the big tunnel in the pictures, what you explored was the flue, which goes in towards the centre and joins with all the other flues to go go up the chimney (now demolished, and visible only as a heap of bricks on top). So presumably when you thought you were in the furnace you were actually at the base of the chimney. I've been quite a way along one of the flues, but if I remember correctly it was blocked with fallen debris before it got to the chimney.

The way it worked was to have two big fires 180 degrees apart, both circulating in the same direction. They'd load limestone in front of the fire, and clear the lime from behind the fire. Thus it was a continuous process, and more efficient for an industrial process than the usual lime kilns you see in the Dales, which were loaded from the top, fired, then allowed to cool and be emptied before they could be used again.

It was one of our favourite summer evening walks when we lived in Langcliffe; I even did some wedding photos in there for some caving friends! There's some nice glass in places, presumably where the heat vitrified something in the brick lining (?) Keep walking along the path and you come to the old quarry which is (very) visible from the Horton-in-Ribblesdale road. Very impressive spot, and locals talk about a large shaft having being unearthed during the quarrying days. Supposedly the quarry manager was lowered down, but came out somewhat frightened and ordered it to be filled in with quarry waste. I never got to the bottom of it (as it were), but intriguing.

The Langcliffe area, particularly to the east towards Malham, has huge potential; there is big passage under there I'm convinced; some explored but not reported that I know (sorry, sworn to secrecy on pain of death). The end of Gorbeck Cave particularly deserves more investigation IMHO. Dye tested to Malham Cove...

There is of course another, slightly less impressive (but still worth a look after breakfast on a Sunday morning) Hoffmann kiln, in Ingleton. It's at Mealbank Quarry just beyond the Scout Hut. Head out of Ingleton on the Chapel-le-Dale back road (Oddies Lane) and there's a track to the right just after the houses and before the steep hill. There's also an old tunnel left over from the railway if you really fancy some local 'dark' history... The kiln used to be open to enter but the entrances were blocked up some years ago. There may still be ways in, but I've not checked.

Dave

psychocrawler said:

I once went to a splendid overnight party here called The Frazzled Pig Speleo Stomp organised by The Count.

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If its the "bash" that I'm thinking of, then I supplied the frazzled pig!

andys said:

psychocrawler said:

I once went to a splendid overnight party here called The Frazzled Pig Speleo Stomp organised by The Count.

Click to expand...

If its the "bash" that I'm thinking of, then I supplied the frazzled pig!

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Indeed! I still have the ticket with gold lettering.

Tickets ?1
Troglophiles Anonymous
Present
The Frazzled Pig Speleo Stomp
Plus Bar-B-Que
Sat 15th Aug 10 pm
Meet at Brass Cat
At 823662 is track - follow arrows quietly

There was a follow up do at some 'druids stones' near Masham.

psychocrawler said:

At 823662 is track - follow arrows quietly

There was a follow up do at some 'druids stones' near Masham.

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And as I recall, the "follow arrows quietly" bit was only partially successful since someone must have spotted us and we later has a visit from the local constabulary. But a quick check must have satisfied them that we were harmless and the WPC started bopping with the rest of us!

Bump - because the photos are back from the land of Photobucket (bastards) adverts  ....and because if you haven't been, and are at a loose end in The Dales, go visit, it's well worth the trip.

If you go at the right time, you might see some of these (this was taken in the middle of June):

Bee orchid by John Forder, on Flickr

Thanks for posting the photo Fulk - never seen one, so may have to pop back next June