17-Oct-2023
When we were on the Island earlier this year, we did a phenomenal walk up from Laxey to Agneash and back.
This time, rather than turning off at Agneash, I was keen to head further up the mountainside to the old mines.
Known as the Great Snaefell Mine or the East Snaefell Mine, this operation extracted zinc, reached a depth of 362 metres -- and was the scene of the Island's worst mining disaster.
Mining had been going on since about 1856, but unbeknownst to the shift entering the mine on Monday 10 May 1897, there had been an underground fire, which had resulted in high levels of carbon monoxide (we're talking about a concentration sufficient to suffocate a person in just seven minutes). The fire had apparently been caused by a candle that had been left lighted when it shouldn't have been... Twenty people lost their lives.
So that's sobering... But as a walk, this expedition is quite superb:
Auspicious sunrise
Quick loo trip before we start off up the track. Remember these turnstiles??
Good to see the tram in action, as that's going to be our way down
Splendid views
The Island is known for its wild fuchsia. This is a great time of year for it
The cloud is a bit lower than we were anticipating. Don't think we'll be heading on up Snaefell...
Poignant reminders of erstwhile settlements on the way up
This waterfall has a spectacular drop -- this is only a fraction of it
It's an atmospheric landscape
From the mines, there's a track you can take up to the Bungalow. A bit boggy, but very doable
And here we are at the Bungalow. Definitely no point in going up Snaefell... The trams were pretty full today, and were working an extended timetable to keep up with the coachloads of visitors (the autumn visiting campaign is obviously working well)
But there was room on board for us, and we trundled down to Laxey
Our gallant little conveyance
Ballacregga Cornmill Tearoom does a good lunch, with a pretty river thrown in
A generously filled and very tasty baked potato
The expected bad weather was starting to take shape by now. Definitely time to get the fire lit...
We went home via Ramsey, which was already experiencing overtopping
Very glad we seized the day.