It has been a long while since we have last been in Nentsberry
Haggs and having starting drawing up a set of plans for the mine I was wanting
to check a few things out along the drive in from the adit, so a quick micro
mission was planned for Friday evening to have a look at Haggs Vein, which is
what the horse level into the mine follows. I have seen some cross sections of
the mentioned vein and Cowhill's, Carr's, Brownley Hill East and Wellgill Cross
Veins all intersect with it, this was of most interest.
By the time we
got ready it was around 19:00, cold and very blowy outside the adit. Getting
underground was a welcome pleasure - it was most definitely warmer. We entered
via the new gate (note that there is a bolt and nut on it that needs to be
undone and redone) and headed in, wondering how our dig was holding up. Armed
with new knowledge from the cross sections, the first part of the horse level
is driven under the Four Fathom Limestone, and this can clearly be seen as the
massive blocks above your head. Reaching the dig, all was stable with it with
no material had come down. Passing through the dig, we entered the deep water.
At this point the Four Fathom Limestone starts to rise above the horse level,
which explained the gradually higher workings that we could see above. After
200m or so, we came to some stacked deads on the right hand side. This is
actually a flooded shaft going down to the Nentsberry Haggs Low Level. Passing
the deads, a little further on the right you can see a dog legged back filled
passage that connects with it. This is the little diamond area and shaft that
is shown on a number of plans. Another 200m took us to the Cowhill Cross Vein
junction; going down that branch we reached a rise that gives access to the
Four Fathom Limestone (the strata on Cowhill Cross Vein moves up on the fault)
and further on there where two sumps, which tried the Three Yard Limestone
below the horse level. Back on the main horse level 100m on, we came to the Air
Drift junction. This looked to be back filled or collapsed. Another 150m and we
reached the intersection with Carr's Vein and shortly after that Brownley Hill
East Cross Vein. The boundary with Carr's Vein is marked by the appearance of
the Great Limestone above the horse level, the result of a massive throw down
on these two veins.
At the Brownley Hill East Cross Vein intersection,
there is access into the Great Limestone by two rises and the workings extend
by around 100m to the northwest and 200m to the south east. We climbed up and
had a look along the south east branch. Part of the workings here had a number
of natural fissures that can be seen in some parts of the Great Limestone
around Alston Moor, there were stacked deads and we also found the remains of
what looked to be an old Mont d'Or style cheese - very odd or we just have the
wrong end of the stick on that one. Once back down in the level, we had a
Christmas port drink.
We continued up the level remarking on the number
of calcite formations that can be seen, until we reached the left and right
junction that marks the Wellgill Cross Vein. Here the Great Limestone shifts up
again on the north east side. That was as far as we were going to be going this
evening, we needed food. By the time we got out it was 22:00, and coupled with
getting back to base, cleaned up, we finally ate some nice dinner just before
23:00. It was washed down with two bottles of red wine - it's
Christmas. |
