UK 2022 - Lead Mines and Pit Ponies

When overseas on excavating trips I always try to work in little expeditions on days off.  I mean, who really needs to rest and do laundry?  I'm fortunate to have friends of like inclination and we do have some interesting times.

On an "in between" weekend day in May I found myself trekking about with Kate and Bob in the hills near Alston.  The whole area is riddled with old lead mines and it was a fine trip walking the ridges above the River Nent.

There is a lot of interesting history associated with these mines...for me the most fascinating aspect is the 'pit ponies'.  These stumpy little critters spent much of their lives underground hauling pony sized carts of ore and rubble.  The last of them were only retired a few decades back.

Here is what seems to be a pony entrance to a mine complex.  These were usually at the bottom of the hills and went straight to the lower levels.

This one you could peer into a ways.  It seems to have a locked door, and if I have my locations down right it is still visited on occasion by people seeking unusual mineral specimens.  Crystals and such.

Here's a couple more entrances of similar dimensions.  The level of natural or man make blockade varies quite a bit.

There were also upper entrances to the mines.  These were straight shafts down from the higher points.  Men and sometimes ponies would be lowered down with winches.  As these are pretty severe hazards to sheep and cattle the efforts to block these are more deliberate.

A couple centuries of mining has interesting effects on the landscape.  Of course you see areas where mine collapse has caused big depressions in the surface.  Also areas where creeks and the river have been channeled and straightened to aid in ore washing.  But the most dramatic change is all the mine spoil that has been dumped everywhere.  This is not actually all that unsightly, and is fantastic habitat for rabbits.  In the loose dirt they dig bunny mega cities.

There was plenty to see, and a great deal more that calls for further exploration.  Here's a guide to the area that looks quite intriguing.

Signing off from England for another year.....