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View Full Version : Blebo Craigs Quarry, Fife - November 09



foz101
23-11-2009, 09:41 PM
In 1722 on the lands of Myreton, now Blebo Mains, owned by the Bethunes, a quantity of lead ore was found on the surface. Mining began and although a vein was discovered ["Some of these are described as weighing from ten to twenty-four stones in weight."], the hardness of the rock and the expense of blasting caused the enterprise to be abandoned. Some time later, more lead ore was discovered, quite by accident, about half a mile to the west. A vein of pure metal and, it is said, some silver was also discovered. Much annoyance was occasioned by water and this project too was abandoned.

Latterly yellow sandstone was quarried and used in many of the local buildings of St Andrews and surrounds.


It looks fun when you arrive, but when you come out it has a whole different aura about it.
http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u199/foz101/Blebo/DSC_2656.jpg

The floor inside is littered with the shenanigans of previous visitors.
Fireworks, pots and pans, cans and bottles all make appearances in defiance of the strict signage in place warning against that type of thing :p
http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u199/foz101/Blebo/DSC_2622.jpg

One fire too many and the roof could come tumbling down with the heat effects on the rock.
It's happened before and it will happen again.
http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u199/foz101/Blebo/DSC_2624.jpg

http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u199/foz101/Blebo/DSC_2626.jpg

And if you're cold down there and don't want to light a fire, you could always have an improvised wank.
Just imagine he/she is called Lindsay or Leslie or something dual-gender. See RichardB for more details...
http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u199/foz101/Blebo/DSC_2628.jpg

All around the edges the stone is dressed beautifully, with the seam of crumbling shale above.
http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u199/foz101/Blebo/DSC_2631.jpg

Stark warning of how dodgy the roofs are down there. This piece is maybe a foot from the ceiling it was once part of.
Scary stuff, especially when you consider mine and Zimbob's bags were kept under there. My petrol station SearchBlaster could've been crushed.
http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u199/foz101/Blebo/DSC_2636.jpg

More chunks of displaced stone
http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u199/foz101/Blebo/DSC_2645.jpg

Down the tunnel of deads.
http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u199/foz101/Blebo/DSC_2650.jpg

A bizarre combo of natural light, torch light and the odd bit of flash gave this pic some interesting colours on the different types and patches of stone.
http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u199/foz101/Blebo/DSC_2653.jpg


Then back outside for childish swinging fun by
RichardB - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DDXRvwiyFyo; and
Zimbob - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PTAby3Pf2eo

boxfrenzy
23-11-2009, 09:50 PM
Interesting place and nice colours too. Glad torch remained safe and sound.

evilnoodle
23-11-2009, 09:51 PM
Very good.............if not a tad scary on the inside!
Looks like a grotto from the outside!

judderman62
23-11-2009, 10:27 PM
nicely captured :thumb:smclap

RichardB
23-11-2009, 10:54 PM
It does look extremely dodgy in the pictures. I didn't take any internals that day but here are the ones I took on my first visit a couple of weeks ago. It didn't seem so bad then.

The view from outside.
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2593/4097650359_6e56b5d4ae.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/30854514@N08/4097650359/in/set-72157622664614791)

Beyond the tunnel of deads
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2549/4098407458_ec0fac24c0.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/30854514@N08/4098407458/in/set-72157622664614791)

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2589/4098411700_fe1c081f58.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/30854514@N08/4098411700/)

The tunnel looks much bigger than it is. To give an idea of the size, that's a small rucksack next to the bright light.
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2645/4098416004_fa18e7671b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/30854514@N08/4098416004/)

Closer to the outside world again. There are rocks the size of family cars that have fallen out of the roof. :eek: My friend, who grew up in Blebo, tells me he rode his motorbike around here in the 1970s. :eek: :eek: I didn't spend a lot of time out here the first time.
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2798/4097668277_66c6e57cb9.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/30854514@N08/4097668277/in/set-72157622664614791)

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2718/4098432404_967874dc74.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/30854514@N08/4098432404/in/set-72157622664614791)

The cave art.
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2501/4097682497_bb50985101.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/30854514@N08/4097682497/in/set-72157622664614791)

More here http://www.flickr.com/photos/30854514@N08/sets/72157622664614791/

BB
24-11-2009, 03:05 AM
Very nice :)
Looks very menacing :thumb

superkev
24-11-2009, 07:50 PM
Nice visit, cant help but think that the place looks a little unstable!
but......Who Dares Wins and all that!
Nicely captured shots! :thumb