Having recently been to the other side of the Caplecleugh High
Level which cannot be reached via the adits we wanted to survey the adit route
to see how far in the collapse actually is. Caplecleugh High does not seem to
get much press, and it is easily dismissed as 'only goes about 500m and then
there is a fall', from our trip there is definitely more to it than
that...
Our route in was a bit on the slow side as we started the survey
and this time round the photographs were taken on the way out. We entered via
the top adit with the concrete steps, and at the bottom headed in along the
smooth concrete spillway of the level. The spillway is still in very good
condition and the first part of it has wooden sleepers and planks in the place
of rails. Every so often a little alcove can be seen. The level varies in
height and involves lots of duck walking which tests the old calf and thigh
muscles. At about half way the planks give way to actual rails, and there is a
siding with points. Eventually after 360m from the steps the smooth spillway
finishes and you enter the first area of collapse in the shale. From here you
carry on in partially concreted passage until you hit 'standard stone arching',
at this point a shaft to the surface was seen. Just past the shaft is another
fall, and after this to our surprise we came to a junction. The level continues
to the right, but straight on was sealed at one point as there is the remains
of a smooth concrete wall which has been broken through. We stopped for lunch
here.
We carried on along the right hand branch through a section of
falls and then entered into a passage which was a mixture of concrete and stone
arching. Shortly another fall was reached and we climbed up into the chamber
left behind. Here there was some old stoping above, the whole area looked
rather unstable with cracks and loose looking shale rocks. The way went on, but
time was running short and we still had photographs to take and to finish off
the survey to the main adit. The most striking thing that hit us here was that
there was a strong air flow going in - is this to another surface shaft further
along or to sumps linking into the back end of Smallcleugh or even
Caplecleugh?
Turning back we had a quick look along the other passage at
the junction, there were a few falls but mostly it was sound. After maybe a
150m or so a sump was seen on the left with a branch to the right which looked
like it ended in a fall. Also past the sump the level seemed to go on, but it
was getting smaller. Retracing our steps we headed for the portal. After
reaching the bottom of the steps again we continued our survey to the main
adit. There is a bit more to the Caplecleugh High level than 'only goes about
500m and then there is a fall'. In total we surveyed around 615m of level, with
more to go at. |
