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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