Other Caving & Mining Sites

There are a variety of web sites covering Caving and Mining subjects, and the number is growing every day. Most of the sites have links to other underground sites, here are just a few to get you started on your virtual subterranean tour. They have been roughly divided into 3 categories.

Sites awarded 'gold' stars are definitely worth a visit either due to their content or the extensive number of links they offer to other underground web sites.

• Man Made Sites
• Cave orientated Sites
• Underground Magazines, Books, Software and Specialist Sites

3D Models of Cornish Steam pumping engines, based on the East Pool Whim engine.

Bal Maidens and Mining Women - a web siter exploring the different roles undertaken by women and girls at mine sites around the world .

Bath Stone Group - Owners of Stoke Hill Mine, Limpley Stoke, Bath. Working Stoke Ground Bath Stone. The firm, formed in 1980, reopened the mine and now have the reputation of the premier Bath Stone producer. They actively encourage visitors to see their mining operation, so get in touch if you fancy a visit.

British Mining Database Adrian Pearce's site which holds part of the British Mining database, plus a number of articles that have appeared in SCMC Journals.

Camborne School of Mines (CSM) - Now part of Exeter University

Carn Brea Mining Society - Cornish Society committed to the preservation of mine sites and their associated buildings. Hosts of InterNAMHO 2000.

Coal Mining History Resource Centre - home of the UK's National Database of Mining Deaths & Injuries, run by Ian Winstanley based on his research into Mines Inspectors and nespaper reports. It covers the period from 1850 to the present.

Cornish in Latin America - A fascinating web site devoted to the Cornish in Latin America, it doesn't just cover Cornish mining migrants it has a useful timeline of events, photogalleries, letters and diary extracts, plus a searchable database for those doing family history research.

Cumbria Amenity Trust Mining Heritage Society - a group involved with the history of mines, preservation and exploration in Cumbria.

Derbyshire Caving Club and Alderley edge Copper Mines - a combined site featuring information about the Caving Club and the fascinating Alderley Edge Copper Mines.

Earby Mines Research Group - museum of Yorkshire Dales lead mining, based at the Old Grammar School, Earby, UK.

Florence Mine Heritage Centre - the last deep working iron ore mine in England, also open to visitors.. WELL worth a visit.

Friends of Williamsons Tunnels - a site dedicated to an amazing network of tunnels under Liverpool. Built as a 'job creation scheme' in the 19th Century, the Friends are trying to raise awareness of the tunnels to prevent destruction.

GAG (Grubenarchäologischen Gesellschaft) - German Mining Heritage site which covers artificial caves, mining exploration and mining history. An interesting site to visit to find out about Fahrkuenste (Man Engines), which are being researched by Thomas Krassmann (English translation available).

Great Orme Explorations Society - Caving, mines, archaeology, history, exploration and discovery, on you've guessed it ... the Great Orme, Llandudno.

Haig Colliery Mining Museum - Cumbria's last deep coal mine

Hendrecoed North Wales Mining History - a project which aims to document and make public aspects of the mining history and associated I.A. of north Wales, inlcuding the Merioneth manganese mines.

Heroes of Mine - A brief history of Mines Rescue in the UK

I.A.Recordings Home Page - dedicated to the recording of past and present British industrial activity on film and video, this group have made a unique collection of video recordings over the past 16 years. Their archives include quite a lot of underground mining activity and video records of SCMC exploration efforts.

Ian Cooper's Mining, Underground and Photographic Site Ian has taken a number of superb pictures in mines around Shropshire, Wales and Nenthead, (plus steam road and railway shots) some of which are on display here.

Kelly Mine Preservation Society - Kelly Shiny Ore Mine, Devon. A detailed study of a little known UK mining area.

Laxey Mines Research Group - A tour of the Mines on the Isle of Man, above and below ground.

Limestone Mines in the Netherlands - On this site you will find an index to all the 200+ limestone (marl) mines in the Netherlands with location (on map and coordinates), description, tourist information, old drawings / maps aerial pictures etc.

Martha Mine, Waihi, North Island, NZ - web site of Waihi Gold Mine, but includes a report on an amazing feat of engineering - moving an intact Cornish beam pumping engine house!! Well worth a visit.

Mine-Explorer - a site of notes, photographs and lots of information on many of the disused mines in the U.K.

Mining History Network - The Mines of the Bristol and Somerset Coalfield An interesting Mining History site, complete with a Bibliography of British Metal Mining History, details of Mining Historians and useful links to mining orientated sites.

Mining History Research & Exploration - Mike Munro's research and exploration site, covers a lot of Welsh sites.

National Association for Mining History Organisations - formed in 1979 to act as the national body for mining history in the UK and Ireland. There are now over 50 member organisations, including societies, museums, firms, etc..

National Coal Mining Museum for England - based at the Caphouse Colliery, Yorkshire, the site gives an introduction to the museum, its activities, special events and educational facilities.

Northern Mines Research Society - a major mining history group in the UK.

Parys Mountain Underground Group - contains information about the historic Parys mountain copper mines near Amlwch, plus a virtual tour of the area.

Peak District Mines Historical Society - one of the major mining history groups in the UK. Covering the mines in the Derbyshire Peak District, they are also responsible for preserving lead mining sites such as Magpie Mine.

Slate Industry of North Wales - a brief introduction to the Welsh Slate industry.

Souterrains home page - contains information on man-made underground sites in a wide variety of different countries, plus details of numerous 'mining' groups, museums and places of interest, plus a useful 'Mining Lexicon'.

Shropshire Mines Trust - Site of this Charitable Trust which aims to preserve Mine buildings in Shropshire (UK).

Speleo.it - Speleological sites in Italy, run by Società Speleologica Italiana, covers man made and caving sites. Italian language only

Sygun Copper Mine - a unique mining museum at Beddglert, Wales.

Welsh Mines Society - home page

British Caving Association (BCA) web site - the home page of the NEW National Body for Caving in the UK

British Cave Research Association (BCRA) with links to their special interest groups, details of events, publications and insurance.

Caves and Caving in the UK - Andrew Brooks extensive speleological site mainly covers North Yorkshire and Scotland, but has links to numerous other groups and news items on cave discoveries.

Cave Diving Group - Official Site of the CDG of Great Britain - the longest established diving club in the world.

Caves of Europe Project - a long term project (following on from the Caves of Han film) to record threatened caves of Europe on High Definition TV (HDTV).(in French and English)

Caves of Han - A site dedicated to the Caves of Han-sur-Lesse, Belgium.. Based around a 1 hour film "Han the Mystery of the Underground Lesse River" by Phillip Axell. Nice use of a clickable map (uses frames and needs a Java enabled browser - in French and English).

Dudley Caving Club -(formerly Dudley cave Rescue Team) active in the Midlands and Wales. Their Club house is an old windmill, the outside of which is used for SRT and rigging practice.

Cave Paintings at the "Grotte Chauvet", Vallon-Pont D'Arc, France - from the French Ministry of Culture, the site provides a tour around this unique and fascinating site. Many of the rare cave paintings to be found in this cave are featured here, along with descriptions and supporting historical background. The virtual tour is superb. (This link takes you to the English version)

Grotto Cosquer - also on the same French 'Culture' site is the web site of this famous sea cave decorated with interesting cave art. The cave entrance is 37 metres under the Mediterranean and along a 175m tunnel. Well worth a visit. Text available in French, English or Arabic.

"Grotte Lascaux" - an amazing web site for an amazing cave system. Discovered in 1940, the cave paintings are fascinating. The virtual tour provided by this web site is a MUST. (available in several languages)

Home page of the UK National Caving Association (NCA) - The National Body for Caving in England, Scotland and Wales.

Home page of the American National Speleological Society (NSS) - covers mainly caving, spelunking or pot-holing. Has a good set of links to other cave sites around the world.

Northeast Regional Organization (USA) - part of the NSS, this group covers the area of the northeast United States and Eastern Canada.

Sherry Mayo's Web Pages - an excellent caving web site, contains links to most countries caving sites, plus some vey interesting pages of its own. Well worth visiting.

Speleo.it - Speleological sites in Italy, run by Società Speleologica Italiana, covers man made and caving sites. Italian language only

Speleo Nederland - The Caving Clubs of the Netherlands, mainly in Dutch, with some English language pages.

UkCaving.com underground exploration in the UK - cavers forum and photogallery.

UK Caving's Virtual Foyer - aimed at being an entry point to some UK caving links. Maintained by Dave Gibson & sponsored by BCRA.

Home page of the South Wales Caving Club (UK) - Covers caving in South Wales plus an online version of the Club newsletter (for members only).

West Brecon Cave Rescue Team - one of the 15 UK Cave Rescue Teams. Formed in 1946 it covers caves and mines in South and Mid Wales.

Bat Conservation Trust - Contains all you ever wanted to know about bats, but never got round to ask!. You can even listen to their sounds!!

Magazines & Books

Caving UK - web site of Descent Magazine's, UK's foremost caving magazine. Apart from the silly 'click here to enter' page (bypassed by this link) and the very slow download time of the initial pages, it is a very good site!

Mike Moore Books - New and second-hand mining books.

Hudson History - Lunesdale Mining, Industrial History & Bookshop.

Speleo Magazine - considered by some (well Michel Siffre anyway) to be the most beautiful caving magazine in the world (!) the web site is certainly very arty. English language pages should be available soon - for the same price as the French version.

Software

Compass, Cave Survey Software site - a collection of windows and Dos programs developed by Larry Fish. The site details the latest changes to COMPASS and how to download the package (a basic package charge is 25 US$ made via PayPal).

Suvex Software Site - underground surveying software site. The software has been developed by a group of cave surveyors and is freely available for others to use. Visit the site for more information.

Winkarst Survey Software Site - a surveying package developed by Gary Petrie. The latest version allows for 3D passage modelling. The site has links to most other Cave Surveying Software sites, plus pictures of Lechiguilla and Oregon Lava tubes. The packages is now a 30 shareware evaluation download, US$25 licence fee.

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