It has been a long time since we have been to this area of
Smallcleugh. It is a long trip and took just over 6 hours for 5 people. Bogg
Shaft is in the deepest part of Smallcleugh near to where the Longcleugh Vein
intersects the Middlecleugh Second Sun Vein.
At the collapse on the
intersection of Cowhill Cross Vein you crawl through to carry on along the
Middlecleugh Second Sun Vein, until a junction is reached with Longcleugh Vein.
Taking this junction you start to go down an incline until a large rise is
reached. Climbing up this to bypass a collapse, you go into the workings above.
Another climb and you reach Bogg Shaft. There was an amazing amount of water
coming down the shaft due to the amount of rain we have had recently and also
one of the pipes has collapsed. Passing this very carefully we reached the
other side of the workings - lunch was had!
After lunch, we carried on
further along the workings and climbed further up another shaft, which we at
first we thought was the Middlecleugh Level, but doing a bit of further
research it turned out to be the Caplecleugh High Level. There are some more
shafts here that go up and these may possibly reach the Middlecleugh Level.
From the workings after Bogg Shaft it is possible to drop down an ore shoot to
carry on along the Browngill Vein, but this is the end of the Smallcleugh and
the only way forward here is to drop down into Capelcleugh Level - wet suits
please. |
