Kelpie Lead Mine, West Highlands, February 2011

[RichardB]

Kelpie mine is a lead mine but zinc, silver and baryte have also been extracted. It is still in use as a quarry today. I visit a lot of quarries for work and the thing that struck me most about this one was the complete lack of signs. No safety signs, no "keep out" signs and not even a sign with the name on it.

Visited with Lost and V70.

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5214/5461990239_21db3ec05d_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/30854514@N08/5461990239/)
DSC_3967 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/30854514@N08/5461990239/) by RichardB5 (http://www.flickr.com/people/30854514@N08/), on Flickr

The first interesting find was this Haulamatic truck, almost identical to the one in the 1974 Observer's book.

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5094/5464323610_8abd85c358_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/30854514@N08/5464323610/)
DSC_3969 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/30854514@N08/5464323610/) by RichardB5 (http://www.flickr.com/people/30854514@N08/), on Flickr

The quarry hole contains a number of cars, some of which appear to have been subjected to the Italian Job treatment. There is also a large adit in the hole, but we didn't venture inside on this occasion.

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5173/5462604760_dee8ba3e30_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/30854514@N08/5462604760/)
DSC_3995 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/30854514@N08/5462604760/) by RichardB5 (http://www.flickr.com/people/30854514@N08/), on Flickr

There was another adit up top, which we did venture into.

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5095/5464327314_07af21ea73_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/30854514@N08/5464327314/)
DSC_4007 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/30854514@N08/5464327314/) by RichardB5 (http://www.flickr.com/people/30854514@N08/), on Flickr

There were two branches, one of which led to this.

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5095/5464328978_8108b458d5_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/30854514@N08/5464328978/)
DSC_4014 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/30854514@N08/5464328978/) by RichardB5 (http://www.flickr.com/people/30854514@N08/), on Flickr

The other side of the wooden wall, viewed from underneath. I think it was an attempt to brace the crack and prevent it from collapsing. I didn't hang around here too long...

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5296/5462882232_10102071a8_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/30854514@N08/5462882232/)
DSC_4012 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/30854514@N08/5462882232/) by RichardB5 (http://www.flickr.com/people/30854514@N08/), on Flickr

The end of the mine. It wasn't particularly big, but enough to keep us occupied for a few hours. It's actually quite nice to "complete" a mine in one hit and not go home wondering what was in the bits you didn't cover. There's still that other adit to look into though...

More here (http://www.flickr.com/photos/30854514@N08/sets/72157625970914495/).

[MJS]

This place looks nice, got some good shots there fella :thumb

[simonix]

Awsome stuff guys, great shots

[beam assisted]

Nice shots, love the dump truck in the first picture.

[BA]

Very nice shots :thumb

[RichardB]

Thanks all. This was a completely unplanned explore. We'd been planning to return to another mine that day, but we spotted some lead mines on the OS map on the wall of the hostel we were staying in. We passed an adit by the side of the road and were about to go back for a closer look when we realised the track we were using to turn the car might lead to something interesting.


Nice shots, love the dump truck in the first picture.

It was a highlight for me too, mostly because it looks like the one in the Observer's book.

[Runner]

Great stuff Richard, there's nothing better than finding an unplanned explore, guess the dumper was a Brucie bonus for you :thumb

[RichardB]

Here are a few more pictures.

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5212/5465833625_d45386ce69_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/30854514@N08/5465833625/)
DSC_4027 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/30854514@N08/5465833625/) by RichardB5 (http://www.flickr.com/people/30854514@N08/), on Flickr
The view up top. Not a great picture but it shows how remote the location is.

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5298/5462601104_02968c7cb4_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/30854514@N08/5462601104/)
DSC_3979 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/30854514@N08/5462601104/) by RichardB5 (http://www.flickr.com/people/30854514@N08/), on Flickr
A closer view of some of the cars. I found three number plates to check out. The Chevette's last tax disc ran out on its ninth birthday in 1992, the Morris Ital van (barely visible, it's the bit of white you can see at the back of the Chevette) lasted until 1993, also nine years and the Escort van managed ten years from 1983 to 1993.

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5098/5463731619_6b327cb4b5_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/30854514@N08/5463731619/)
DSC_4020 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/30854514@N08/5463731619/) by RichardB5 (http://www.flickr.com/people/30854514@N08/), on Flickr
All mine reports must contain a junction shot, it's the law. Left tunnel here leads to the wood/ladder disaster area pictured above and the right one ends at the pool of water. They run very close together and there are several connecting tunnels.

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5218/5466429236_c0ccf131e7_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/30854514@N08/5466429236/)
DSC_4025 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/30854514@N08/5466429236/) by RichardB5 (http://www.flickr.com/people/30854514@N08/), on Flickr
This didn't quite come out how I wanted, the wangle lens is like looking through the wrong end of a telescope sometimes.

[Only2Eyes]

Top stuff

I'd love to wang a car off the edge like that.

[magoo²]

Holy crap that haulamatic is the nuts!!! Nice one.