Expedition 177 - 18th August 2007
Fee Donald Mine

 


One of the wettest of all our trips, not a good introduction to the new explorers, please believe me, it isn't always like that. The turnout was quite impressive, considering the awful weather forecast: Benjamin, Kerry, Kerry L., Matthew, Matthew D., Robbie L. and Thomas, with Barry, Claire, James, Laura, Michael, Pamela, Philippa, and Richard L. as adults and Ellie and Honey accompanied by a new dog whose name I didn't catch but it could have been Deiseil.
We assembled at the Ariundle official car park and it was hardly raining at all, we were able to follow the old Miners' Road right through the woods without getting wet, stopping to see the Gatekeeper's House and a few other features on the way.
The real rain had been waiting until we got past the top bridge and out of the shelter of the trees, then it came down hard and didn't stop until nightfall. We squelched our way up the track eventually getting to the big spoil-heaps and stopping to enjoy a wafer. The keener explorers were at work finding some nice galena crystals in the rocks and a herd of cows was watching us, clearly wanting to stand on the firm ground near the mine.
The twins wanted to see the mine workings further up the hill and so we did some more climbing and finally found the old adit, which had been almost completely blocked by rocks. Nearby was an old open shaft surrounded by a rickety wooden fence which, of course, the explorers had to examine. This would make a fine visitor attraction if covered with a sheet of armoured glass with a light at the bottom of the shaft, but it's worth avoiding in its present condition.
The boys found a few nice quartz and feldspar specimens for Pamela to carry and then we all scrambled down the slope back to the path and eventually to the Ariundle Centre for a well-deserved lunch. Young Robbie, less than a week after starting school, ran most of the way up to the mines and back and then ran round the tables for most of the lunch time, he could well be in the 2020 Olympics.
It was too wet for photography, I picked out a very good drawing by Thomas showing the open shaft.

John Dye



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