Trip to Gors Mine -- 15th March 2012

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Trip to Gors Mine -- 15th March 2012

Group: Dave, Roger

We saw some references to Gors Mine on the NWMAT site and also noted that UCET had a trip down there and it looked quite interesting. So the two of us headed up to Babell and took the minor road nearby, parking at the side of the road where a footpath crosses the road. After changing we took the track heading west and followed it for a few hundred yards. There was a stream on the left, crossing it by a collapsed fence and ascending the slope a few yards led to a narrow hole with a piece of rebar mesh chained over it.

Once inside the main passage was quite spacious and headed into the hillside. There were some calcite formations in the roof and after a short distance a flooded winze complete with ladder was found on the RHS. Heading on, a side passage led off to the right, this had a flooded hole in the floor and a length of scaffolding. A big rock in the middle of the hole provided a way onward, but the passage ended abruptly shortly after this.

Carrying on the main passage there were some calcite formations in the roof and some ribbing on the walls. Further on was a junction with passages to the left and right. The passage to the left was blind after a few metres, the passage to the right had a deep wet hole spanning its width. This was crossed using the convenient length of scaffold pole found earlier. It had a side passage to the left which led to a deep loose hole which would need gear to cross, but over the hole the didn't seem to go anywhere, although there might have been a short passage on the right. Retracing our steps, the other passage ahead also stopped after a few metres.

Heading back to the junction and following the main passage onward led to a shallow pool on the floor followed by a pretty set of gour pools and formations. By very careful footwork it was possible to proceed without trashing the formations. A bit further on a flooded hole on the left hand side is encountered and further on again there was junction with a short blind passage to the left and right. The right hand passage had the bottom of a blocked shaft visible in the roof. Ahead the passage terminated at a bare rockface.

We headed back out, took a few more pictures and headed back to the car

One interesting point about the mine is that there is no evidence of any pumping and yet the lower levels must be below the stream level. Its hard to imagine where the water wound drain to naturally. There is no evidence of any mineralisation so this may just be a trial which was extended more than usual...

Total trip time about 1.5 hours