For the second day looking around the mines, we lost Robin, Kate & Caiti but gained Fran, Emma & Aiden.
The plan was for a mainly horizontal trip in Rampgill.
We went in the entrance next to the main car park, and passed "Brewery Shaft". This is an impressive shaft about 100m deep with a stone shed over it on the surface from which the shaft can be illuminated.
It used to have a 90' tower above it which, with the 100m drop, was used to generate electricity & compressed air.
We continued along the main passage to "Whiskey Junction" where we turned left & passed the "Engine Shaft" on our way to the "Norpex" workings.
This section has suffered a number of collapses and is now well shored mainly with scaffolding & aluminium sheets.
It used to have a collection of hydraulic gates to keep unwanted visitors out, but these have now been cut open.
We passed "Ramsey's Sump" and turned left at an area of new shoring to "Rampgill Shaft".
This pit can be crossed on some pipes with a wire traverse line.
On the far side is an air box and, at the end of the passage, a wire ladder leading up into a higher level.
We returned to the main passage and passed through the "County Gate", we were in Cumbria.
We climbed one of the many ore chutes/man shafts into a higher level where there were several artefacts including some dynamite boxes, tracks & ore carts.
This was the end of the trip & we headed out the way we had come.
Thanks again to Andy for navigation & Paul for ensuring everyone stayed in a group.
Team: Andy, Klaudia, Liam, Phil, Dave, Ros, Dave, Ade, Lukasz, Fran, Emma, Aiden & Paul
Time: About 3h
