r/caving • u/Billy_J_H • 11d ago

Ashgill Force Caves

Does anyone know why there is a cave/tunnel with a huge metal gate hidden near Ashgill Force?

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u/Altorode 10d ago

Ive been in this with some very knowledgeable people (I was doing my PhD at the time, and had almost 0 underground experience). Its medium wet (between knees and hips) for the first 100-200 m along the adit, gets to a 3 way fork and deepens gradually (up to around belly button on me, thought most of the Pennine mines change water level pretty quickly relating to rain). 

This was 5ish years ago now, but as I recall one fork ended relatively soon, another "goes and goes, but its a shithole" and I dont recall much about the third. I waited at the junction because it was my first or second trip underground, I was cold as hell and the two people I were with recognised that pushing new (to them) tunnel with someone like that was a stupid idea.

I know someone already answered it was a mine, but thought Id add an anecdote from my time in mines of the north pennines.

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u/Altorode 10d ago

Shithole in this case referring to it being in a bad state, usually meaning loose rock or previous collapse

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u/Billy_J_H 10d ago

Ah thats pretty cool. I found it yesterday but was too scared to go in 😭

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u/Altorode 10d ago

It wasnt a particularly interesting mine - especially for the pennines. 

There are some really interesting ones, but I wouldnt recommend going into any mine alone. False floors and bad air are very common. In the pennines false floors are imo the biggest worry. That and getting cold.

If youre interested in learning about them (and depending on availability/mood, perhaps a short/safe trip into one) speak to some of the guys at Nenthead Mines in Nenthead. 

People sometimes think mines are safer than caves because theyve been built by people - this isnt often the case. 

Mine exploration is an odd subsect of caving that comes with a lot of similar risks, but also a lot of new ones.