Them thar hills and goings on!

Regular readers of my blog will know that I have mentioned the disused Force Crag mine a few times.  If you are in the area in the next couple of weeks I guess the appearance of a drilling rig on the site might seem to be a bit odd.

There is nothing sinister going on!  Force Crag is the site of a DEFRA funded Water Framework Directive UK pilot project which is part of an initiative to improve the quality of water that flows from the mine and finds its way into Bassenthwaite Lake (a SSSI). The mine was once a source of zinc, lead and barites but it was abandoned after an underground collapse in 1991.  The National Trust is working in partnership with the Environment Agency, the Coal Authority and Newcastle University to pioneer a new technique for cleaning up the water.

During the drilling phase, the team will be taking core samples to look at the soil conditions at the site.  The drilling will also establish the levels of flooding in the mine to find out if it would be possible to drain it next year. We also need to know more about the mine and its surroundings before a decision is made about the best place to site a long-term treatment plant. And that’s the background story for the drilling that will be taking place for a few weeks. 

Given the weather we are having at present, the drilling team could be forgiven for wondering if they are really in Siberia rather than Coledale!  It has been a week of bitter winds, snow and hail but the work has continued.

To find out more about Force Crag Mine, why not come on one of our open days in 2012 for a guided tour?  The dates will be posted on www.nationaltrust.org.uk/events when they’ve been set.