Tag: Coniston

By Dave In Day Trips

Extended Coniston Through Trip

Dougle Dave, James, Jasmine, Chris G, OG Sophie, guests Sam & Nic 

For a change of speleological scenery, this weekends trip was the Coniston through trip, taking in the extra pitches of the Levers Water Mine to Paddy End top level extension. 

After some toe curling emails describing the joys and dangers, the hardy undeterred team met at Walna Scar car park, which was doing its best to emulate Leck Fell. The seven of us set off on the 1.5 mile trek to Levers Water, a good pre trip warm up, some folks choosing to throw snow balls. 

Once rested and kitted up we slid down to the funnel to the lovely adit mouth built by CATMHS on the Levers Water level. Some gardening unleashed a fair amount of water into the adjacent stope. I had promised a dry trip… the team quickly but gingerly filed down the level, admiring the blue lagoon and wonderfully coloured pitches working our way to Brow Stope. 

From here we explored the Top Level extension, taking in earthquake and cobalt passage, not lingering in earthquake given the recent movement, we went the 300m right to the dead end, because why not. 

Heading back towards the standard through trip route over MAGS catwalk, we realised we were missing two, these determined mine explorers attempting to leave no working unseen were quickly rounded up and shuffled over the stemples of MAGS. We made quick progress down the large top-middle pitches, and here another side mission to view the wonderful wheelbarrow and candles was made while the trip leader had a pasty. A 30m pitch rigged down from open winze. It’s a great sight, but once is enough.

with time getting on the group made short work in getting down the final traverses and pitches to hospital level and so out back to a lovely rainy day. 5 hours underground and 8 pitches  

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By Tom C In Day Trips

Coniston Coppermines

Dave, John, Miranda, Tom

Upon reaching Levers Water, Dave noticed a group of 10 heading in, so we gave them a little time to get ahead of us, but by the time we reached Arete Chamber we bumped into them. A friendly bunch from The Caving Crew. We had a bit of a natter and they kindly let us overtake them. 

Off we headed across the MAGS stemples of doom, and into the Top Level Extensions. Pausing at the cart, we decided the traverse rope across to Earthquake Passage was looking in decent nick and that it’d be rude not to. So into new ground for us, enjoying a few artifacts and some nauseatingly deep holes in the floor.

We headed back up and over the stemples, and the Crew were still enjoying the first pitch. Once again they kindly stood aside for us and we leapt onto the second pitch. A whistle-stop look round a few side passages as we were all overstocked on photos of the lagoon and the blue rock. Down in Pinnacle Chamber, Dave made a scramble up into a hanging stump of a level and found some lovely mine pearls off the beaten track. Down onto Hospital Level and on our way to the Black Bull for a post-blue-Bluebird

Photos by Dave

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By Ray McGarry In Day Trips

Coniston Coppermines

Tom, Chris H, Yolanda, Vikki, Ray

A sunny Saturday saw 5 of us squeezed into a Berlingo and heading up the much improved track as far as the Youth Hostel. A steep walk up the hillside beyond and we were soon embarking on a leisurely pootle down through 5 levels of the Coniston Coppermines, from Levers Water down to the Hospital Level.

As usual, not far inside the mine we took a quick detour to visit the Stemples of Doom! Apart from a few longer-than-entirely-comfortable steps, they’re not too bad to cross, and they are protected by a traverse line. Some people prefer not to look down the gaping void below though.

A short bit of easy passage and a couple of pitches soon brought us to the jewels in the crown of this particular mine: the Green Pool and the Blue Boulder, expertly photographed by Chris. The photos below show the colours as they actually are… not some artificially enhanced version!

Another short section of passage then leads to the final pitch down into the Hospital Level. This pitch always has a lot of loose rock at the top, so it was strictly one person moving at a time. Once down to the Hospital Level, it’s an easy journey back to the surface.

A satisfied crew then made their way down to the Black Bull for a celebratory pint, apart from Chris, who unfortunately had to head straight off.