SCMC "Digging Scene"

Like any Club exploring underground, a point is eventually reached where it is necessary to dig through a roof fall or boulder choke.

In such cases, you dig a hole and use what ever materials are handy to make it safe, then hope for the best and press on.

On long-term digs, a lot of effort goes into transporting props and supports underground, while desperately trying to find nooks and crannies to stuff the spoil into - anything to reduce the distance you have to drag or shovel it!!

Not all digs are like this. One fine spring day at Pimhill in Shropshire, a certain Club Member took a fancy to a spot on the hillside and started digging into the soft sandy ground....

Two metres later he hit the top of a tunnel entrance, which gave access to several metres of nice hand cut passages in white and red sandstone

This passage linked to a rubbish filled shaft that the rest of us had been attempting to explore (!) A bonus was the discovery in the level of a previously unknown colony of Natterers and Lesser Horseshoe bats, how they got in there without a shovel no one knows!

Credits
Thanks to:
The Landowners at Pymhill and Ritton Castle for allowing us access to their property.

Pictures: Pymhill - Peter Eggleston/I.A.Recordings. Ritton Castle - Mike Worsfold.

A more disappointing dig, was one undertaken at Ritton Castle Mine, a very promising level was discovered, which ran in a direction that suggested a connection with nearby workings.

A long term dig was started, through a shaft collapse in the level. It was one of those digs, that seemed to have filled-up every time you return to it! A dedicated group of members typically made 2 visits a week for several months:

After several months of hard work, the shifting of loads of sand and rubble, numerous bent and broken props later, the blockage was cleared, only to find the passage was a blind heading a few yards past the fall!

Oh, well you can't win them all!!

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