Its been a long time.....

Well, yet again i have failed to keep the blog updated. Since the last time i posted, i have been to around 45 new mines, dug one out and started digging another, smashed two camera lenses been caught by the police once in a derelict building and been over to germany to explore some nazi and soviet bunkers...
Anyway will now add tons of photos to make up for the lost time....

super duper shaft project

ok over the last couple of days we have made a great start to clearing the shaft. we can now access the mine without rope rubbing constantly on sharp metal, but we still have miles to go.

loads of timbers, scrap metal and all sorts has been hauled to the top of the shaft and cleared. the plan is to clear it, clean it, restore it, and cap it with access still available.(only there so farmers cant chuck rubbish over the top of the fence into it...)

Recent updates

After going to pridhamsleigh cave a few weeks ago with my camera i realised that i was lucky to have my dslr lasting as long as it has. since then i have bought a new camera, one that is waterproof and shock proof so that it can deal with the conditions. the images from this may not be as good however it could save me from loosing a lot of money.

Since the last post i have been to Pridhamsleigh cave twice, kit hill three times and looking at various mines in gunnislake once. here are some pics:

South Bedford

Pridhamsleigh Cave

Kit Hill Quarry adit 02/11/14

After many attempts of gaining access to this mine we had found a way in, the only problem being the freezing cold water inside. Luckily for me i was prepared for this with my wet suit. upon taking the plunge the vast network of mining remains revealed themselves, various levels above and below adit level however the levels below obviously flooded.

upon following the adit straight through i came to a shaft unlike any other i had seen before. ladders and platforms piled in a heap on the platform surrounding the flooded shaft.

unfortunately this was the end of the journey for me today as negotiating this shaft alone would be down right stupid. i will be back soon, with others and ropes in order to carry on further into the mine...

Bovisand tunnel 26/10/14

Another trip to the 450m tunnel that I previously mapped out. With further research, there are still no records of the tunnel but I believe that it fed the Bovisand harbour with fresh water from a reservoir, therefore explaining the large cast iron pipe running through it.

An extremely awkward explore as you are constantly crawling, one knee on the pipe and the other foot on the ground with very little headroom. May only be 450m but feels like miles with only one way in and one way out. Overall nearly 1km of crawling.

Gunnislake mines 22/10/2014

I have now done this trip twice, however the first time I had forgot my camera. On the Devon side of the gunnislake bridge heading up river there are three adits within close proximity of the car park. All interesting and very wet... And in the future I will be taking a dingy and wetsuit...

It has been a while...

It has been a while since i last posted on this blog, although that does not mean i have stopped exploring. I have been to various places in the last couple of weeks, the best being Quarry adit on kit hill. Although this was not explored to its full potential due to high water levels, i will be returning soon.
I think time for another change has came. So much is left unexplored due to water. I am now learning to dive with the intention of starting mine diving. Although the risks involved are high, the fact of setting foot where nobody has since the closure of the mines and the photography opportunity will be worth it.