History
Springing up in high Weardale at the end of the eighteenth century, Grove Rake was initally designated a lead mine, but the veins that the two shafts tapped into proved to be relatively low in yields of lead and relatively high in yields of fluorspar (aka fluorite or CaF2 - calcium fluoride). It then operated as a dual lead/fluorspar mine for a while but it wasn't until the mid-twentieth century that today's main attractions were driven into the hillside: Rake Level, a horizontal drift trending roughly ENE and Firestone Decline, a formidable drift tilted at a gradient of 1 in 4: each drift promising to pierce the upper and lower limits of the ore veins that run through this part of Weardale. The mine continued to operate right up until the end of the twentieth century, finally giving up the ghost in 1999 and being abandoned ever since.
Explore
I was in the area and given a heads up on this having not seen it, or knowing much about what’s in the NE. I’d never even heard of it and thought it must have shut much earlier than 99! So we only checked out the headstock and remaining buildings. Not much left up top, the underground workings all looked pretty well flooded from what we could see. I was with a non exploring mate who found it interesting so that’s always good. But yeah some photo’s as a bit of an update on the place. I’m not one for heights and I’m not going to lie my arse was falling out in the winds at the top of this rusty boi, with bit’s of sheeting flapping about.
Pics
Springing up in high Weardale at the end of the eighteenth century, Grove Rake was initally designated a lead mine, but the veins that the two shafts tapped into proved to be relatively low in yields of lead and relatively high in yields of fluorspar (aka fluorite or CaF2 - calcium fluoride). It then operated as a dual lead/fluorspar mine for a while but it wasn't until the mid-twentieth century that today's main attractions were driven into the hillside: Rake Level, a horizontal drift trending roughly ENE and Firestone Decline, a formidable drift tilted at a gradient of 1 in 4: each drift promising to pierce the upper and lower limits of the ore veins that run through this part of Weardale. The mine continued to operate right up until the end of the twentieth century, finally giving up the ghost in 1999 and being abandoned ever since.
Explore
I was in the area and given a heads up on this having not seen it, or knowing much about what’s in the NE. I’d never even heard of it and thought it must have shut much earlier than 99! So we only checked out the headstock and remaining buildings. Not much left up top, the underground workings all looked pretty well flooded from what we could see. I was with a non exploring mate who found it interesting so that’s always good. But yeah some photo’s as a bit of an update on the place. I’m not one for heights and I’m not going to lie my arse was falling out in the winds at the top of this rusty boi, with bit’s of sheeting flapping about.
Pics
