The exploration of more or less dry levels often constitutes the budding explorers first underground trip, in fact such workings, with no ladder pitches or deep water are often described in various publications as 'suitable for novices'. However the simple level can often hold dangers unseen.

A few yards below the B4499 road at Leigh in Shropshire, and hidden amidst undergrowth, the portal of the Leigh Level was discovered by myself after quite a bit of searching, this was about 1986. There had been an attempt to gate it with a wooden door, but this was hanging off. The level was started in 1825, and driven south to dewater the Hope Valley mines, and the Tankerville mines 5 miles away. However, after two periods of working it was only advanced 2 miles, the ground covered being entirely barren and the mines it was intended to dewater eventually working below its horizon. At the time of my visit the level was dry if a little muddy, and exploration proved to be easy walking. About 70 yards in, I had the distinct feeling that something was wrong, and then I realized that 1 was panting. Knowing about bad air I decided to light a candle, only to find that a match wouldn't even strike properly, the head would fizzle half-heartedly and then go out. I turned back, a wise decision, as recent explorations by better-equipped groups have revealed the presence of gas.

Underwater false floors can also be encountered, this is really dangerous, because anyone who goes through one would be likely to come back up underneath, and drown in the same way that people are killed by falling through thin ice. The dry level can sometimes be a few inches of waste rock supported by rotting timber.

I explored the Erwtomau Mine in Mid Wales some time ago. There is a level that is on timber floor, but looks normal. However, a gaping hole reveals a 60ft deep stope. This is one of the most dangerous mines that I have visited.

  STOPES

The aforementioned hole in the floor in Erwtomau Mine, (if you would like to have the Welsh, say the "rw"as "oo" like in Kangaroo and the "au"  as "igh" as in "high"), when cleared of debris, revealed itself to be a square winze which had once contained ladders. A scaffold pole was laid down as a belay, 120 ft of SRT rope attached, and 1 began my abseil. 30ft down I passed a timber platform with lots of loose rock, another 30ft and I reached the bottom. A few yards away on the same vein was yet another vertical pitch, this one of about 25ft. Now let us pause for a moment and consider this situation, the fact that the second pitch was offset from the first would require that the rope be rebelayed. All the caving manuals stipulate this, and go to some lengths to describe the correct methods including deviation techniques. This is to avoid rope abrasion, however, mines can hold an even greater hazard. There was nothing to belay to at the head of this second pitch, so against my better judgment I continued. The rope had quite a cant, and must have been doing some mischief high above because next thing there was a patter of small stones on my helmet followed by a rock about the size of a football, which missed my head by inches. As strange as it may sound, I did complete this second pitch, explored a level shown on the old plans as Middle Level, but was unable to reach the lower workings through lack of tackle. (There was a fixed ladder, but its condition could not be ascertained)

  SHAFT DESCENTS

Shaft exploration has, in the past, been a somewhat involved business, requiring complicated winch gear or vanloads of electron ladder. However, the introduction of Single Rope Techniques (S.R.T.) has tended to change all this. It was expected that this would bring about an increase in the number of accidents, however, as laddering without a lifeline causes the majority of falls underground, the reverse has been the case. Regardless of this fact, problems do arise. Chapel Dale Shaft, Knotlow mine, Derbyshire, is 210 ft deep and vertical, the lower section opening out into a large chamber called Waterfall Chamber, like an inverted funnel. The shaft is capped with an access lid with fixed belay points; one's line of descent being down the centre of the shaft. This incident happened years ago while I was still inexperienced, however I had been using S.R.T. techniques for some time, with a Petzl Stop descender. This was was well worn by the time that I decided that I was ready to try a "Big one". The arrival of a brand new 100-metre rope resulted in the above shaft being rigged the very next Sunday, and Yours Truly, full of confidence, lowering myself into the void. It was a frosty morning in January and the warm moist air of the mine rose like the breath of a hungry beast. A final equipment check and I unclipped the cow’s tail and began my descent. I was surprised to find that the rope ran freely without the need to hand feed it through the descender, this was different to what I had been led to believe about deep free hanging pitches and should have served as a portent of the near disaster about to happen. About half way down I was alarmed by the difficulty that I was having controlling the rope and further alarmed to discover that releasing the locking lever on the descender did exactly nothing. A few more feet and I was having to use both hands to hold the rope, even now I can picture in my mind my knuckles shining white in the light of my cap lamp as I hung for dear life in the middle of the shaft. I looked down, shouldn’t really, but it was actually my salvation. A few feet below was the top of an iron ladder installed by Eldon Pothole Club to give access to a passage off, which leads to the neighboring Hillocks Mine. I realized that if I could only descend a few more feet, and swing across the shaft somehow I could make a grab for the top of the ladder. I don't know how I did it but I was obviously successful otherwise I wouldn't be sitting here writing about it.

A few years later I had another slight mishap of a different nature. The Brewery Shaft at Nenthead Cumbria is a circular, twelve-foot diameter, concrete lined abyss. From the Rampgill-Horse level it plunges vertically for 262 feet to the Nent Force Level, and this was my line of descent. I was using a five bar Rappel Rack mounted above a Petzl shunt, this is a good set up, however, due to the weight of free hanging rope it was necessary to start on four bars, adding the extra bar about 100 feet down. This was slightly complicated by the presence of the Shunt, so I had to put my top jammer on and stand up in the foot loops. (I have since worked out that if the Shunt is mounted on a belay battery belt and not on the Sit Harness Maillon, it can be moved to the rear making this procedure unnecessary). Anyway, back to the story. I had made the mistake of putting some photographic equipment in a rucksack which I had put on my back, as soon as I stood up in the foot loops I promptly turned upside down. Although I wasn't in any danger it did take quite a lot of effort to get out of trouble. I should have known better than carry kit in this way, but anyone can make a mistake.

The Rappel Rack is generally regarded as the best for long pitches, I disagree. The heat dissipation is terrible, on a long, dry rope they get dangerously hot. With Caves and potholes dry anything is a rarity; mines are a different ballpark. The Petzl Stop is an excellent all round descender with excellent heat dissipation, the Knotlow incident could have been avoided by passing the rope through a karabiner on the centre harness Maillon, in the same way as one uses a Petzl Bobbin, with this, one can apply extra friction and also tie off. How many people do this? I always do now. On a long free hanging pitch the Locking Lever can be held out of engagement with a Karabiner so that both hands can be used to feed the rope through, the descender can then be tied off and the 'hold open' karabiner removed for the final section of the pitch.