Just over 3 years since I last had a look at this firestone level,
so with a few hours to spare in the afternoon, we headed up to the level with a
mind to lowering the water and to see how far it goes in. Spending about half
an hour, we managed to dig out the water drainage channel resulting in a water
level reduction of around 40cm. The portal beckoned.
Entering the level,
things looked good and the way in was clear apart from the ochreous silt lining
the floor that we had to dredge through. The arching was in good condition
until about 80m in where we came to a fall. It was possible to get past it
without any digging. On the other side of the fall our hopes started to fall
apart as we could now see another fall ahead, some 20m on. One bonus thing was
that the water level on the far side of the fall was not that deep, so it must
be seeping through easily. When we reached the second fall, this turned out to
be two falls close to each other. On the first bit the roof had come in and you
entered the chamber formed, then there was a metre or so of arching and the
final third fall. Crawling right up to it, it was possible to see via a gap
into the open chamber above.
Disappointment and encouragement at the
same time. Whilst crawling up to the final fall, the space got constricted and
a strong draft could be felt flowing inwards! That means a number of things,
there is a link (however small) to one of the intersecting surface shafts, or
if they are choked there could be a link to the Top Sill Level, or a mix of
both. |
