Announcement Date: August 11, 2018
MODERATE UNDERGROUND – Five members gathered in Nenthead on a warm sunny morning for a trip into Rampgill level. Unfortunately, Mick, who had organised the trip, was suffering from an injured arm so reluctantly withdrew from the underground trip. Our guides were three members of the NMCS. Even though there had been a prolonged dry spell, there was still a fair amount of water issuing from the portal. We were advised that the water wouldn’t be over welly-depth for the first part of the trip but would get deeper later on.
Our first destination was Brewery shaft, which housed a hydraulic power system to generate compressed air for the drills. The compressor plant was far out of sight at the shaft bottom but pipework and cisterns visible at Rampgill level were an essential part of the scheme. Continuing on past the shaft, we followed the level along Scaleburn vein to where a set of stone steps leads up to a higher level. Some original miner’s graffiti is carved into the walls of the upper level but was difficult to read, however after some experimentation with lighting from different angles, it became a bit clearer.
Returning down the steps, we then passed through a short crawl, where a collapse had been dug through, to reach the underground horse whim chamber…
A full report and photographs are available in the November 2018 newsletter, issued free to all members.
