Warmden Grotto, Accrington

Warmden Grotto, Accrington - Visited By Ojay and Andyj23UK.

It had pissed down all night and into the next day so I was stuck for ideas, then lightbulb moment, go in drains :D

A quick call to AndyJ and we were heading underground once more into the "Grotto" through the Infall upstream of the Warmden Brook.

Buried below a once thriving Mill industry, the brook twists and turns as it winds downstream back towards Accy town centre.

The culvert is an oddity in itself, a mixture of brick/stonework changing shape along the way with a number of waterfalls and curious tunnels it's quite a cool place and if your into underground then well worth a look.

Anyway back to the Infall, it started off quite stoopy and we were accompanied by some ducklings, then as I shone my torch ahead it was a case of WTF. The stone tunnel now dropped to 2.5ft.

"Andy it's proper stoopy here man, how long before we can stand up?"

"Err, what, how stoopy is it?"

"Under 3ft, do you remember this bit?"

"No". :eek:

We were now crawling on hands and knees, despite wearing chesties I was still getting quite wet and the place stank of duck piss! (This is how we do it).

Anway after around 400 yards of potholing :rolleyes: we managed to stand up again, and after a short mooch was back in the daylight briefly before we disappeared underground again.

It wasn't long before we could here the roar of a waterfall ahead, and I was suddenly reminded of why I was wearing my harness.

http://i770.photobucket.com/albums/x...tto/Falls1.jpg

We needed to get down this 12ft fall in one piece, so down goes the rope followed by Andy followed by myself - Abb'ing your drains FTW.

Anyway continuing downstream we traversed through a curious mix of stone and brick before we reached the first outfall of this section of the Brook. It was here we got out and picked up the Infall of the Hyndburn Brook which eventually joins back up underground with the Warmden as it heads downstream to the centre of town.

Into the 'Grotto'

Safely down the falls

http://i770.photobucket.com/albums/x...Grotto/Moi.jpg

'Brickwork'

http://i770.photobucket.com/albums/x...tto/Brick2.jpg

http://i770.photobucket.com/albums/x...to/Tunnel1.jpg

http://i770.photobucket.com/albums/x...ones_Brick.jpg

'Stonework'

http://i770.photobucket.com/albums/x...otto/Round.jpg

http://i770.photobucket.com/albums/x...ne_Tunnel2.jpg

http://i770.photobucket.com/albums/x...Grotto/ro1.jpg

One of a number of Outfalls where the Brook appears briefly overground

http://i770.photobucket.com/albums/x...o/Outfall1.jpg

Andyj

http://i770.photobucket.com/albums/x...Grotto/AJ2.jpg

More Accrington goodness to follow......... :)

Warmden Grotto, Accrington - June 2010