Land of Power & Ore

A day of two halves; one spent with some of the best light I have had in The Lakes for ages and one spent with blue skies and warm sun. The former good for photography and the latter ideal for a downhill stroll back to the car. It was a day not to be rushed as well because photo opportunities sprung up her, there and everywhere. The area had many waterfalls and cascades and I could have done with having a tripod but I don't like to get bogged down with gear when I'm out walking so the few shots I took were all hand held.

I love the old mining country of The Lakes, especially the Coniston and Tilberthwaite areas. Pretty they ain't but they are jam packed with interest and history. It is hard to believe how the miners walked up to some of these levels, did a full days graft and then trudged back down to their homes in the valleys. I think the age expectancy was under 30 years when the mining was at is most prevalent. Huge parts of the land below Coniston Old Man and Brim Fell are now, basically, just massive outdoor museums: the Paddy End levels being a perfect example of this.

The mining of copper on a commercial basis at the Coniston copper mines began by about 1590 and was controlled by the Company of the Mines Royal; this included exploration of mining adits (levels) at Paddy End, which is one of the principal seams of copper on the Coniston Fells. However, these mines closed in 1620 and mining did not commence in earnest again until the 1760s when the Macclesfield Copper Company raised limited amounts of ore. The main period of activity at Coniston followed the acquisition of the mines by John Taylor, and under the direction of his overseer John Barrett in 1818. This included the renewed exploration of the Paddy End levels, of which there were three: Top Level, Middle Level, and Grey Crag Level. A mill was constructed at Paddy End in about 1830, in order to eliminate the cartage of ores down to the main mill on the Bonsor Dressing Floors.

However these mines had a very limited lifespan. By the 1850s the Coniston mines were making returns of £30,000 to £36,000 per annum, but by the 1880s, the industry had sustained a slump and it was only making £2,300 £5,600 per annum. This ultimately led to the closure of the Paddy End Mill and dressing floors in the early 1880s, although working of the Paddy End levels continued until the turn of the century.

In my fell bagging days, I walked to the top of every one of The Coniston Fells and they contain some of the finest walking there is to be had in The Lake District. The routes up and down are made easier due to the many miners paths scattered around the place but by the same token, they can be the easiest fells to take a wrong turning on. In good clear weather you may not get lost but you can easily add a few extra miles to your trip!

There are also some real gems hidden in the hanging valleys of the area. Levers Water below Brim Fell and Low Water below Coniston Old Man are both spectacular in their situation but Goat's Water, which sits under the majestic eastern face of Dow Crag, takes pride of place. A fine place just to visit in its own right but if you also walk to the top of Dow Crag and then look down one of its gullies, you had best make sure that you have a good head for heights first!

One thing worth mentioning to people who are thinking of heading in to Coppermines Valley is The Coniston Copper Project which is all about conserving, promoting and enjoying Coniston’s world famous copper-mining heritage. Funded by a £450,000 grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund, the Coniston Copper Project will run until the end of the year and focuses on the repair and conservation of ten historic copper-mining structures. The project will also offer volunteering opportunities and the chance for people to get involved. It is situated just behind the Youth Hostel and is full of old mining relics plus a reconstruction of the inside of a copper mine. It may not be up to the standard of our major Museums and Heritage Centres but with the limited money available, I think they have done a damned fine job.

The only downside to my day was my timing. I had put four hours on my parking ticket and consequently didn't leave enough time to call in The Sun Hotel for a much needed pint!