Long Rake Mine

Location
Grid Reference: SK 15287 80819GPS

Using OS map: 2km West of Bradwell. Locate Potter Barn above Batham Gate (Roman road). Long Rake is marked as Mines(dis) c200m to the West.

Access
Call Mr Stephen Hadfield on 01298 22139. Give 48 hours notice but shorter notice has been accepted. A charge of 50p per person is made and should be left in the location specified by Mr Hadfield.

Description
Easy to find. Head through gate from Potters Barn. Steel lid in most obvious depression near fenced-off Batham Pot.

The surface anchors are looking a little dubious, bringing your own 2m scaffold bar is a good idea. The scaffold bar inside the lid is looking very rusty. In March 2008 a loose rusty bar and iron spike/steak were also in situ, not to mention the dodgy 'guitar belay'. We hedged our bets and combined all 3 and it did the job.

The main route down to the bottom has been completely equipped with resin bolts by the DCA. Most of the spits we came across looked very corroded. The resin bolts have been well placed and the rigging is generally simple, although a bit exposed in places. All deviation cords were in situ in March 2008. The most recent CCPC rigging guide appears to be perfectly accurate.

The initial pitches are narrow but easily negotiated. Once past the overhang the mine takes on much larger proportions. The large chamber above the streamway at the bottom of the mine is mostly natural and if you can picture it before it was filled with deads and ore dressing waste it must have been huge.

The base of the natural cavern follows washed out bedding planes and, lower down, a clay wayboard. The boulder choke that takes the stream can be decended some distance with care.

The potential for extention down here is huge. Take care of the miners remains found in the bottom of the mine, they are important relics. The mine is fairly sound when following the main route but becomes quite crumbly in other areas.

A fantastic trip in an impressive mine.

History
reopened by SUSS members who had got bored with digging the nearby Crematorium Pot