I recently visited an ancient natural cave system in the Forest of Dean, here where I live in Great Britain. It was and still is to a smaller degree a mine, with a long history dating back over 4000 years.
It is known as Clearwell Caves, and has been used for countless generations. The entire mining complex covers some 245 hectares, or 600 acres, containing thousands of caverns with many miles of passageways.
For the more adventurous and enthused among you, you can take semi-deep to deep caves tours that take many hours to traverse.
Miners and Commercial Deep Caving Visit Entrance:
Not only do these options require that you be very physically fit, they also require a fully qualified guide to accompany you, along with a whole assortment of professional caving gear like a lighted helmet, overalls, a harness and boots. Such trips can be booked in advanced or on the day and you can rent the necessary gear on site. Such trips cost from between £12 and £25.
Please see the official Clearwell Caves website for more details: http://www.clearwellcaves.com/
However, before your claustrophobia gets the better of you let me reassure you that I did not undertake these more perilous explorers’ paths! At least not this time hahaha…
I took the main tourist walk that is pictured bellow. It is only around 45 minutes and can be done in your regular clothes that you walk in with. This casual walk costs between £4.50 and £6.50.
Though bring some thick soled shoes, because even though it was summer outside the chill of the cold earth down in the caverns bit hard on my thin sole daps.
Main Entrance:
Even though this briefer and easier going journey through the cave system is catered to one and all, it still contains some amazing features and curiosities that we shall explore.
Before we go on, here is a map of the entire main site:
Both the entrance and exit of the cave conveniently join onto both the ticket kiosk and gift shop. You can buy a very well put together guide book for an additional £3 (which I recommend doing) here at the ticket booth, and peruse some outstanding fossils, ores and other precious stones in the gift shop.
So on with the tour! Clearwell Caves are part of an extensive natural cave system that became partially filled with iron ore an incompressible 180,000,000 years ago.
No one knows exactly when mining for iron ores first began in the Forest of Dean, but the Caves are one of the earliest mines in Great Britain, begun well over 4000 years ago, when they were first worked for coloured iron oxides or ochre's, to use as pigment.
Below are pictures of the yellow variety I picked up being treated after being ground into dust using the traditional method of a pestle and mortar:
They offer red, brown, purple and yellow ochre from the mine. Here are most of them being worked into the usable powder people love and cherish:
Here is the small quantity I bought for around £5. You can buy as much as £50 worth instantly at the gift shop or if you require larger amounts you can place orders too. Artist use these pigments for their paintings and tailors to dye their clothes.
Above are some photos I took from the small museum that proceeds the decent into the cave system itself.
The photo shows just how ancient the site really is and how even back then people where utilising its contents with their primitive technology.
Here is what the historians from Clearwell Caves official website say about the more recent history of the site:
The iron mines are an important part of the Forest of Dean's story. Until recently, the Caves were operated by father and son team Jonathan and Ray Wright. Recently, the founder of Clearwell Caves, Ray Wright, passed away peacefully on 7th August 2015. Ray began opening the Caves in 1968 and had remained involved throughout. Ray was secretary to the Royal Forest of Dean Freeminers' Association for over 30 years, he was one of four Forest of Dean Verderers, he had been chairman of the Wyedean Tourism Association during the 1980's. Clearwell Caves are a tribute to Ray's vision and are now the result of his and Jonathan's knowledge of Forest of Dean, it's history and culture; they feel passionately that the iron mines should be accessible for future generations to enjoy. Jonathan continues to operate the Caves today.
The Late Mr Ray Wright:
TO BE CONTINUED...
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