Report - Kellet Quarries, July 2012

[Idle Hands]

Limestone Quarries, Nether Kellet. Three explores in one.

Head north towards the Lancashire/Cumbria border and you’ll find a landscape scarred by quarrying, some long forgotten, some hidden and some in full view, temptingly distracting the traffic of the curious drivers on the M6.

I was one of them, and although I was aware of their presence, I decided to head over and take a look. I almost didn’t post these as it was such a relaxed wander in the afternoon sunshine it felt more like a walk in the countryside than an explore. I’ve not seen any other reports though, and it might just interest you…

The first destination was Back Lane Quarry; A 65 hectare site that dates back to 1949, and with permission to operate up to 2048. As it has expanded it has merged into Leapers Wood Quarry to the north, when the central island was removed in 1986. Being a live site I was slightly cautious as to what I might find, but the site looked more inviting from the 'wrong' side of the viewing platform so I headed in...

The quarry workings (above) looked tempting, but the top cliff edge (below) looked much more inviting to me, so I headed round the other side to the woods...

Passing signs like this one I figured I was outside of the danger times, and after some negotiation with the woodland from which the site takes its name, I appeared to be getting closer to the edge...

And then came the view I was waiting for: Morecambe Bay, framed by the sheer drop of the rock face. I could have sat there for hours, but after a short while there was more I wanted to see...

After a look round the stock bays, I made my way back, and about a mile across country was quarry number two: Dunald Mill.

Another one of two halves, this 40 hectare site still has the bridge section in tact, and it's over this that the access road passes. The western section is now flooded and apparently undergoing restoration. I took a look...

Not much to see really save for a big hole full of water... back over the road, the eastern section has permission to operate until 2022, but was mothballed in 2008. It does seem to be operating as a concrete batching plant at the moment though.

Quick self portrait in a traffic mirror...

... and we're in.

This was odd - it seemed deserted, and yet had a feeling of activity. The lights were on in the buildings, but nobody was home.

I visited this site twice out of curiosity, and the number of days since the last accident sign hadn't changed in the intervening week.

The weighbridge was all shut up, files from 2008 visible through the windows confirming the last limestone extraction date.

And that was that. A nice easy one. To be honest I was underwhelmed in terms of the explore but I hope it was interesting for somebody to see.

As ever, thanks for looking - constructive criticism welcome ​

 

[radioman]

If you had done both side of the leapers wood quarry, it's a good walk but you have to be careful as it has active pirs that trigger in the control room of the security company at Heysham port, average response 20 mins, the concrete plant has been like that now for at least 10 years that I know of, the did film some stills there once for the Emmerdale series, not entirely Sure which scenes but there where TV crews up there quite a few years ago, nice to sit up at back lane and leapers wood when they are blasting.. great pictures btw!

 

[headless]

Been in these a few times, but never knew about Emmerdale or the security mentioned by Radioman. The only security I am aware of is new in recent years, where a guy will sit in a van, at the entrance to the quarry side with the lake. He'll sit there all day, presumably stopping people going in (i think there was an influx of kids going in during pandemic years).

Really good images though!

 

[radioman]

Been in these a few times, but never knew about Emmerdale or the security mentioned by Radioman. The only security I am aware of is new in recent years, where a guy will sit in a van, at the entrance to the quarry side with the lake. He'll sit there all day, presumably stopping people going in (i think there was an influx of kids going in during pandemic years).

Really good images though!

Lingwood have the contract to attend any activations up there. The dunald milk too quarry, which was last used for storage and concrete batching is just monitored by CCTV.