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Lat/Long: 54.588518, -02.960930
OS
Grid ref: NY 38000 21905
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I was the first car to arrive at the small car park at
High Row, the east end of the Old Coach Road. A vehicle and
trailer then arrived with 3 men and a quad bike. They loaded
some fencing materials then ser off along the Coach Road on the
quad bike. |
Puddles on the Coach Road. |
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The sky was mostly clear as I set off west along the old
road. Yesterday’s rain had left many large puddles. At Groove
Beck I used the footbridge as the ford was just a bit high.
Further on the men were there working on fixing a new post and
wire fence. My objective was to investigate an old mine shown a
1890s edition of the Ordnance Survey map. It is not shown on any
other paper edition. |
Fitting a new fence. |
The Old Coach Road looking towards
Clough Head. |
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I’d planned to reach the Barbaryrigg Sheepfold then head across
Mother Syke to reach the mine. Approaching the area I changed my
mind when I saw the open terrain before me. The moss would be
very wet so |I decided to keep left and follow the base of the
steep slope to the left. It proved to be the right decision. The
ground was tussocky but not too wet. Traversing the base of Wolf
Crags I saw the mine’s spoil heap above me and on reaching the
top saw the partly collapsed mine entrance. It was in a cleft
that ran steeply up the crag. I was able to get part way into
the mine to take a photo but the water on the floor was too deep
for my boots so wasn’t able to get any further. There echoes in
the distance so it probably goes in much further. On the OSM
(Open Street Map) there was also reference to old Wolfcrag Mine
at a different location. It was higher up the crag so I
scrambled up but the grid coordinates were too steep to get to
so retreated to a safer grass slope and continued up to the fell
top. |
Mine spoil heap. |
Mine entrance. |
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Wolfcrag Mine. |
Climbing Wolf Crag. |
Airbus fly-bye. |
There were nice views across to Blencathra and I was able to
watch a Military Airbus plane fly west to east. Over the summit
I continued south across rough ground I came to the main track
up Great Dodd. I was here last week and it was the same horrible
route with wide detours to get round the flooded sections. |
Fenceposts ready for fitting. |
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Descending to Groove Beck the track improved and by the time I’d
reached the Old Coach Road the ford was low enough to cross
easily. Being late morning there were many people on the track
and by the time I got back to my car the car park was full. |
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