Howbeach Colliery is one of many old mines in the Forest of Dean. I was there in March and counted about 10 adits and one old shaft. Some of the adits are completely derelict, others are worked intermittently by freeminers.
Evidence of recent activity in this one
Close up of entrance. You can see they use practically anything that's left lying around to prop the shaft up.
No grid on this one, but bricked up about 20m in.
Opposite side of the road, another recently worked adit
Think this was probably a second exit from the same mine
Little railway line leading out of adit
Flash on the camera gave up so please excuse amateurish attempt to lighten things up.
You can see two drams, one on its side, and various other bits and pieces.
heading back to the area soon hopefully
Evidence of recent activity in this one
Close up of entrance. You can see they use practically anything that's left lying around to prop the shaft up.
No grid on this one, but bricked up about 20m in.
Opposite side of the road, another recently worked adit
Think this was probably a second exit from the same mine
Little railway line leading out of adit
Flash on the camera gave up so please excuse amateurish attempt to lighten things up.
You can see two drams, one on its side, and various other bits and pieces.
heading back to the area soon hopefully
They all meet in a local pub, The Rising Sun, to exchange stories after they've knocked off. It would be really interesting to talk to them
