Lake District Itinery

BertyBasset

BertyBasset

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I'm up in the Lakes for a few days the weekend after next for a bit of mine sight-seeing, casual exploration (wellies & lamp only), and a bit of a spoil heap rummaging. Not done much at all in the Lakes so am looking at a max bang per buck itinery. Staying up at Bassenthwaite.

Any ideas?
 
Plenty up Copper mines valley above Coniston. There's also the Slate quarries on Old man for a bit of easy exploring. I think Coniston copper mine you'd get a bit wet just with wellies.
 
@ChrisJC knows the area better than myself !

There are a couple of nice slate caverns that are definitely worth seeing .

The excavator museum is breath taking ! They also sell 2nd hand books & have a nice mineral display and mining museum ?

Wythburn is an amazing mine the top adit is knee deep but a lovely tub just inside , it’s a fair walk though .
 
BertyBasset said:
I'm up in the Lakes for a few days the weekend after next for a bit of mine sight-seeing, casual exploration (wellies & lamp only), and a bit of a spoil heap rummaging. Not done much at all in the Lakes so am looking at a max bang per buck itinery. Staying up at Bassenthwaite.

Any ideas?
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Sorry to be a party pooper, and I may be out of date with my information, but if spoil heap rummaging equates to mineral collecting, I thought this had been banned in the Lakes without a permit (see Cooper's "Robbing the Sparry Garniture").
 
I’ll have to have a look into this myself as I was not aware . If anyone has a link please post it ? Does this mean the whole of Cumbria also ? As in “boarders” I have heard of such things for scotland but never the lakes ?
 
I believe a permit is required for the 3 zones in Caldbeck Fells (and you have to file a report)

If that's now a thing in the Lakes as well, fair enough. Wouldn't be suprised as National Trust has similar restrictions across the country. No biggy anyway, I'll take an actual camera rather than phone with me and do a spot of photography.
 
Coniston is good, slate and copper, as is Carrock (Wolfram), but you need a key for that. Tilberthwaite Horse Level. Goldscope is a must TBH, and there's a fair bit of interesting old stuff up the valley past Goldscope. Not extensive though. Interesting geology around the head of Buttermere. All the slate around Hodge Close / Cathedral Cavern. Access is a bit of a challenge in a lot of places, e.g. Greenside, Force Crag, Carrock.

Chris.
 
Don't be an idiot like me and nearly get locked in Carrock. Bought an adjustable (it's not a bolt) but someone left the gate unlocked so I went in for a look not expecting to see anyone else. On the way out there was a group coming in who luckily asked if I could get out.
 
Carrock Mine near Mosedale if you haven't been before.

Edit: whoops, others suggested while I was typing it
 
Wad mine in Seathwaite is pretty interesting, plenty of stuff to mooch around on each level without any srt kit. And any wad you find is pretty light so not a bugger to carry
 
There's also the neolithic axe factory in Langdale, another stiff walk up. Admittedly I've not been there since the early 1970's but interesting geology and some mining context, I'm also not sure about current access, rather unconstrained 50 years which probably wasn't that wise even then.

Jim
 
No access issues at the Langdale Axe Factory.

And the Wad Mine is a good shout. I believe there are bolts in-situ, so it's a nice bit of SRT exploration.

Chris.
 
ChrisJC said:
No access issues at the Langdale Axe Factory.

And the Wad Mine is a good shout. I believe there are bolts in-situ, so it's a nice bit of SRT exploration.

Chris.
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Bolts and I believe largely rigged inside based the CATMHS trip earlier this year, not sure if the through trip is finished rigging though?
 
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