# Snowy ice caves North Yorkshire



## phill.d (Jan 4, 2010)

This was my second trip to the Grinkle iron mines in North Yorkshire, this time i wanted to look at the upstream entrance that we chickened out of on our first visit 

The first visit scared the pants off us, the second visit was even more eventful, flash floods in November had devastated the culvert, we also did trip number 2 in real wintry conditions O.M.G 





The day dawned a cold one over the city of Leeds, temperatures had plunged to a bone chilling minus 8 overnight.




OH NO!! DISASTER TIME!!!

This was the upstream entrance of the culvert we wanted to photograph, I was a little worried the bars might be a little too icy to access this area, but i hadn't counted on the recent heavy rain making such a mess of things. Branches and debris had been washed downstream, the debris had become lodged against the bars with the water backing up behind the dam. The bank at the side of the arch had now burst with a torrent of water pouring into the culvert.




This is how the upstream entrance to the culvert had looked 2 months earlier, now you couldn't even stand on the bank due to the sides bursting with the recent floods during November.




The promised land was now so far away!




The climb out of the upstream entrance is hard enough without the snow, here one slip would mean a very wet landing into the Easington beck below! Sherpa Sam pus a lot of faith into a little twig and tripod on the ascent to the summit. 




PHEW!!
Made it at last!




I loved how remote this place was, the tranquility and silence made it feel like an exploration to a forgotten ice planet.
All terrain walkers and the battle of Hoth spring to mind here!




This massive crater is where the whole culvert has collapsed into the tunnel below.




With our access denied at the upstream entrance, it was either a waisted trip, or we would have to navigate past the collapses and rickety props that we had earlier declined. The cold weather and water made things look even bleaker for underground exploration. It really was bitterly cold, slipping in the water and getting wet was not a good idea today.




The VERY cold downstream entrance resembled an Igloo and it beckoned us once more!
We weren't sure of what damage the recent floods would have caused inside the tunnel, things weren't looking good in there on our last visit.









The water level was much higher on our second visit, one slip here and it would be game over very quickly, you could feel the cold water put a tight icy grip around your legs within seconds. I certainly didn't fancy a plunge into that stream today.





This adit leads further into the mine, it was added as a means to let flooodwater out of the mine, further inside there is an old rotten wooden door. The passage the door is meant to block was the pumping outlet, the main drift has drainage which leads away into several passages. Floodwater found its way via the door and branch culvert into Easington Beck. The mine was flooded in 1927 because water from the beck backed up here during heavy rain and the main culvert collapse. The installation of the door was a means to prevent this happening again, the door opens to allow water in the mine to flow out, but shuts against any incoming flood.




I really didn't fancy this!
The temperature had reached a dizzy height of minus 4 by now! :icon_evil




We took our chances and braved it past the collapsed section once more, we got past the lowest 'pinch point' where we had chickened out the first time around, here we found that things gradually improved. Here my companion looks back down towards the way we had come. This was the lowest (and scariest) part of the culvert, you can see a tree trunk has been wedged against the props in the ceiling.




The upstream devastation meant there was a LOT of fast flowing water travelling through that culvert.




This is the very cold outlook inside the culvert of the picture above, torrents of icy water made a thunderous roar, The tunnel walls were coated in thick ice here!




I like the smokey effect of the flowing water on this shot.




These are the bars where the water should be flowing through.




This was the only leak inside the brick arch and bars section, it was scary to think just how much water was above our heads whilst down here.




This upstream part of the culvert was carved out of solid rock, it looked like some mystical ice cave just waiting to be explored.




I love the blue effect of daylight on long exposure shots.




Looking back down the tunnel the remains of some old pipe work can be seen.




A series of natural steps created some nice silky water effects on a long exposure shot.




Further down the tunnel there is a branch culvert where the Twizziegill beck joins the Easington beck.




This is the smaller tunnel that carries the Twizziegill beck into the subterranean system.









There is a small stone tunnel at the entrance to the Twizziegill beck, the blue glow is daylight radiating into the tunnel.









This is the last section of bare rock tunnel before it meets the stone construction and rickety prop section.

I was glad to get this explore finished at last, it was certainly a cold one, but well worth it uploading the pictures in the warmth and comfort of home 

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**The full picture explore of the scary bit of collapse tunnel can be seen on my earlier report here**
http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendId=265602590&blogId=514976849

Thanks for looking guys!


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## ThenewMendoza (Jan 4, 2010)

I read this on your blog t'other day, looks great!

M


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## phill.d (Jan 4, 2010)

ThenewMendoza said:


> I read this on your blog t'other day, looks great!
> 
> M



Why thank you kind sir


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## sallybear (Jan 5, 2010)

This looks amazing but sooo cooold!!


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## Sabtr (Jan 5, 2010)

Whoa!

Hardcore stuff!! If I'm honest I probably wouldn't have done that culvert - the strata really doesn't look healthy....

Hats off to yous for doing this place again. I know how it feels if you've been somewhere and need to go back to do it properly or finish it off.

A question - what will happen to that stream once the culvert finally collapses?


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## Foxylady (Jan 5, 2010)

Oh, wow...great stuff, Phill. Well done for getting it done, especially in those conditions. Really enjoyed your report.


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## cactusmelba (Jan 5, 2010)

As always, A right rivetting read, thanks Phill!


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## Pincheck (Jan 5, 2010)

very nice mate


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## smileysal (Jan 5, 2010)

you guys are mad lol. This looks awesome in pretty trecherous conditions. Love the different sections of roof and walls too. Excellent pics you guys, nice work. 

 Sal


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## Krypton (Jan 5, 2010)

Wow great report Phil!


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## RichardB (Jan 5, 2010)

This picture scares me.





It reminds me of this bit of Cults Limestone Mine in Fife...



which also scares me. 

It looks like it was well worth it though.


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## djrich (Jan 6, 2010)

Some amazing pics there, nice one.


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## Lightbuoy (Jan 6, 2010)

Well done that Man! 

Looks like all the effort paid off -fantastic photos Phil.


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## pollen101 (Jan 7, 2010)

Gorgeous piccies,top report as usual ,I hope your going to do a book of them!Not only are your piccies fantastic but you take the reader on your journey with you!
Love the solid rock ones, and the way the water looks on them,that looks one hell of a leak too........

you are mad - keep it up!!!!!!!


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## sqwasher (Jan 7, 2010)

Cracking stuff Phill! You're photies are spot on mate. God i felt COLD just looking at some of those pics-you must of been frozen! ( & MAD!)


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## night crawler (Jan 7, 2010)

I just looked at these on Flickr, a truly amazing set of photo's in such cold conditions well done Phill


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## daddybear (Jan 7, 2010)

well done lads you must have guts to go down there! the long exposure shots look pretty cool,nice work.


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