Nenthead

The idea was to take a trip into Caplecleugh (pronounced Caplecluff) Mine and from this get into Smallcleugh mine. Time permitting to drop down some shafts and exit via Rampgill mine.

We got underground at 10:30, after many moans trying to get into wet suits. The first section was straight forward and easy going though the water levels were just a taster of what was to come. After passing the old explosive store we started going up an incline, it was so steep compared to those normally in mines that it was sign posted top and bottom to warn miners not to use it if wagons were negotiating it. The going was still relatively easy but there were increasing amounts of debris on the floor. We soon came to the junction where the level is cut by the Browngill Cross vein. This junction was a good example of how the miners used dressed stone to build arched tunnels to support the roof but also to store waste rock or 'deads' on to save removing them from the mine. The pipe work to carry both compressed air and water for the air and hydraulic equipment was still in place and the remains of an old wooden ore cart could be seen.

West or right leads to a shaft down to the Browngill level of the Whitesyke mine in the adjacent valley but our way was East or left following the Browngill Vein. Numerous shafts led up to workings in the Great Limestone. The story is that when the mine was reopened and these workings explored they were littered with dynamite. The going was now a lot harder with shoulder high water and some interesting wriggles down into flooded tunnels. However very soon, well perhaps not, standing out beautiful and white in our lamps was the laddered rise (shaft) that led up to the sublevel below Smallcleugh. It was white due to the build up of calcite on it over the years. The sublevel contains the cast iron wheels of an old wooden ore cart. Our way was up another laddered rise into Smallcleugh mine itself. Here route finding proved a problem as my memory was very vague and the survey was pretty useless. However we eventually found our way into the First Sun vein and the crawl into wheel flats. From here the way out was via the main horseway. Two points of interest in this route are the narrow path to one side of a deep shaft, no traverse line, and then an interesting walk balancing on some old rails over a hole in the floor. As we were already an hour over our call out time we headed straight out to let Paul know we were OK and get into some dry gear. The descent down the shafts to Rampgill would have to remain for another day.

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	Swaledale Outdoor Club

Nenthead

Bob Wilson