April 10, 2024.
ALDERLEY EDGE, WEST MINE AND THE DRUM AND MONKEY AT ALDERLEY EDGE
Distance: Two miles.
Difficulty: Not for the faint-hearted.
Weather: Wet and windy outside; dry and mild underground.
Walkers: Mickey Barrett, Mike Cassini, Colin Davison, Alan Hart, Chris Owen, Jim Riley and Keiran Rooney.
Alternative walker: Jock Rooney with Milly.
Apologies: Andy Blease (in Anglesey), Peter Beal (entertaining), Tom Cunliffe (sunbathing in Keswick), Julian Ross (Denmark), Keith Welsh (Cornwall), Simon Williams (daughter's 21st birthday), Cliff Worthington (decorating)
Leader: Kieran Rooney. Diarist: Hart.
Starting point: Opposite car park for Wizard pub restaurant, Macclesfield Road, Alderley Edge SK10 4UB.
Starting time: 10.05am. Finishing time: 1.05pm
This was a brave new concept for the modern Wednesday Wanderers. At the suggestion of cave rescue expert Keiran Rooney, we agreed to dispense with the usual hills and valleys, streams and woods, meadows and moors. Instead, he offered to lead us underground to explore the mine workings beneath the high-priced luxury homes of Alderley Edge.
Your diarist described it last week as a forthcoming adventure. But it was far more than that. It was a physical challenge, which tested the nerves and took most of us out of our comfort zones. It also took us to a fascinating world beyond our imaginations.
And gentlemen abed in Anglesey, Cornwall, Denmark, Derwentwater and Keswick shall think themselves accursed they were not here and hold their manhoods cheap...
Courtesy of Keiran and the Derbyshire Caving Club we were allowed to explore the labyrinthine tunnels and caverns which had been created by miners 150 years ago.
In doing so we had to stoop, crawl, climb and scramble through this alien territory.
Your diarist is especially grateful that the visit gave him an opportunity to take up abseiling in advance of his 79th birthday later this year.
Before setting off we were issued with hard hats and head torches as we assembled opposite the car park of the Wizard pub-restaurant at a building known as The Surgery where the equipment was stored.
Its name goes back to the days when horse racing took place in the nearby fields a century ago. A vet kept his medical kit in the tiny building to treat any equine injuries.
The building is now owned by The National Trust and leased by Derbyshire Caving Club.
From the Surgery Keiran led us along paths through the woods until we reached the enclosed shaft leading to West Mine (20mins)
The Magnificent Seven ready to begin their adventure
Led by Keiran we descended into the mine workings by ladder and followed him as we marvelled at the sights for some two miles and more than two hours.
We reached depths of around 150 feet following in the footsteps of miners who had preceded us from 1857 to 1877.
With picks and shovels they excavated copper, lead, silver and cobalt, using winding gear and rail tracks to raise the minerals to the surface.
The mines closed when it was no longer viable because of exports from abroad. They were re-opened for arranged tours in the early 1900s.
All the tunnels and caverns were man-made after geological experts were able to predict where in the sandstone rock the desirable minerals could be found. Small charges of explosive were used to expose the ores and the caverns were created by the miners when they extracted the valuable materials and the waste.
Luminous blue spoil
Keiran
(right) keeping a watchful eye on his team
Abseiling down to a lower level
After having a troglodyte-style lunch underground (120mins) we climbed back to the surface (165mins) and walked back to our cars (185mins)
We then drove to The Drum and Monkey, off Heyes Lane, Alderley Edge SK9 7LD for pints of Unicorn and Dizzy Blonde cask bitter at £4-40.
We were heartened to hear from Jock, who had been walking above ground with Milly, that the rain had persisted throughout our dry underground adventure.
Next week's walk will start at 9.40pm from outside The Soldier Dick pub on Buxton Road, Furness Vale, High Peak SK23 7PH. If you are travelling towards Buxton turn right immediately after the pub and park in Threaphurst Lane. We shall be heading over Whaley Moor through Lyme Park to The Dandy Cock, Market Street, Disley SK12 2AA for a livener around 12.20pm. We will return along The Peak Forest Canal and expect to reach our cars at 2.15pm.
Happy wandering !
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