There are other caches in the area which might be found by
judicious diversions from this trail - The Blea-ting of the Sheep
(an easy puzzle), Grim View and Water View are three of mine. Other
cachers also have hides around here.
Please look at www.martinroe.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk (the
Grassington piece) for interesting information and an interactive
and printable sketch map.
Park in Hebden village, 1.5 miles east of Grassington, and walk
up the lane opposite the road junction (please do not be tempted to
drive up the lane - it's only a ten minute walk!) to Hole Bottom.
Take the footpath through the gate to your right, marked "Yarnbury
2m". On your right as you cross the little bridge is the site of a
smelting mill where the lead ore (galena) was refined into
ingots.
This is a history rail through the relics of the 19c lead mining
area.Several companies worked here,but the "boss" was the Duke of
Devonshire who owned all the land around here. The miners worked
underground atrocious conditions, the lighting being candles which
the workers had to buy for themselves from the company store. Even
the surface workers had a very hard life as the work was
back-breaking and filthy (and carried on in all weathers). The men
had to walk up to the workings from Hebden or Grassington, toil for
perhaps ten hours then walk back down to their meagre housing. The
mining itself was carried out with chisels and hammers, with some
rock being taken out by the action of quicklime - farther up the
Ghyll you will see a small quarry from which limestone (calcium
carbonate) was taken to the kiln opposite where it was heated to
produce quicklime (calcium oxide) which, when wetted, would expand
and heat to shatter the rock. Later, black powder was used, but
this again had to be bought by the workers!
Lanshaw, or Longshaw, Level was driven in 1866, but was never
profitable. It now serves as a water supply to the village.
The Dukes Level was driven to provide drainage to the various
workings. It was intended as a "boat level" (big enough to take a
small boat) but proved too costly. Started in 1796 it was not
completed (as a smaller drain) until 1830.
The dressing floor was where the ore was cleaned and crushed and
prepared for smelting. The large pit housed a water-powered ore
crusher, replaced by a steam engine in 1889.
The many dams, leats and hushes in the area provided water where it
was needed at the workings.
When you reach Miners' Trail 6 you will be amongst an area of
preserved mine workings with information boards. The first of these
boards is at Yarnbury, a pit manager's house and offices, on Moor
Road out of Grassington (N54°5.317 W01°58.633).
If you have a small child by the name of Alice in your party,
you might want to keep her/him close to hand to prevent him'her
disappearing! (you'll see what I mean!)
To reach the final you must visit (in order) nine other
caches - if you use your "Find Nearest/ Find Next" on your GPSr you
WILL be led astray! :-
GC1D74K - Miners' Trail 1
GC1D74Q - Miners' Trail 2
GC1D75H - Miners' Trail 3
GC1D75Y - Miners' Trail 4
GC1D763 - Miners' Trail 5
GC1D772 - Miners' Trail 6
GC1D78W - Miners' Trail 7
GCPDFT - Miners' Trail 8
GC1D79Q - Miners' Trail 9
The coordinates for the Final are found from:
N54°A.BCD W01° E.FGH