Beauty & the Beast: Sheffield Pike and ruined lead mines
19 people attending
3 places left
"Even on a sunny summer day the top of the fell seems a dismal, cheerless place," said Alf Wainwright, in his Pictorial Guide to the Lakeland Fells. This less-visited summit in the Lakes is the focus of today's walk - let's prove Alf wrong!
This is day 2 of 2 mountain walks. The Leader will be camping at Gillside Campsite in Glenridding, feel free to join me (no need to book a tent) or you can find alternative accommodation at Helvellyn YHA (nearby), Patterdale YHA (about 2 miles away) or in countless B&B / hotels.
Taking in the minor summits of Glenridding Dodd (442m) and Heron Pike (615m) before rising to Sheffield Pike (675m), this walk starts off on steep paths and sometimes picks a way across craggy terrain and amongst small tarns as we climb. In good visibility, there should be fine views of Ullswater once we reach the ridge between Glenridding and Glencoyne valleys.
After Sheffield Pike, we descend to Nick Head and head toward the Greenside lead and silver mine ruins around the head of Glencoyne.
According to Wikipedia, Greenside Mine was a successful lead mine. Between 1825 and 1961 the mine produced 159,000 tonnes of lead and 45 tonnes of silver from around 2 million tons of ore. During the 1940s it was the largest producer of lead ore in the UK. Unusually for a 19th-century metalliferous mine in Britain there are very full records of its activities, dating back to 1825.
The mine probably opened during the second half of the 1700s but had closed by 1819. In 1825 the Greenside Mining Company was formed and reopened the mine. They made good profits until 1880, when the price of lead fell. Many other lead mines closed at that time, but the company reduced its costs and continued to work Greenside until 1935. Electricity was introduced to the mine in the 1890s, and it became the first metalliferous mine in Britain to use electric winding engines and an electric locomotive. In 1936 the Basinghall Mining Syndicate Ltd. acquired the mine and turned it into a high volume lead producer. The mine closed in 1962 after lead reserves had been exhausted.
We will meander the paths around the mine ruins to get a sense of the scale of activity over the centuries, before descending towards the Helvellyn YHA and gently downhill back to the start.
NB If weather conditions are poor, this walk may be replaced with a lower level route.
What to bring
Water: bring at least two litres in a water bottle, or better still, a hydration bladder
Medicines: if you have hay fever, diabetes, minor ailments etc.
Day Rucksack: typically 20-30 litres, they are comfortable to wear and allow you to use your arms freely
Waterproof bags: keep spare clothing, electronics and anything else dry even when your rucksack leaks by using Ziploc type food bags or, better still, outdoor activity waterproof bags
Boots: waterproof and breathable hiking boots with good ankle support
Gaiters: recommended for wet weather or boggy conditions
Socks: proper walking socks will keep your feet dry and help prevent blisters, and carry a spare, dry pair
Walking Poles: always optional, love them or hate them, but give them a try and decide for yourself
Layered clothing: lets you quickly adapt to changes in the weather and body temperature. Go for a base layer (vest or t-shirt) and a mid layer (a micro fleece or shirt) and in cooler weather add an outer layer (a windproof jacket or thick fleece)
Trousers: no jeans as they become heavy and cold in the rain, breathable fabrics are more comfortable and dry and on warm days shorts are OK
Waterproof jacket: essential when hiking in all but the calmest of weather, breathable fabrics are more comfortable and dry.
Gloves: Windproof, or better still, waterproof gloves are the best choice, bring a spare pair if expecting rain.
Hat or cap: stay warm in winter and shaded in summer
Sunglasses: for any sunny day, even in winter
Sun cream: can be useful even on cloudy and winter days
Snacks: bring biscuits, energy bars, gels, bananas, chocolate or dried fruit for example and put them somewhere easy to get hold of
Lunch: bring a packed lunch unless otherwise stated
Emergency equipment: the walk leader will bring any emergency equipment required for the group, but you are welcome to bring any that you have, such as additional high energy food, a survival bag, a whistle, a medical kit, a torch and something to make fire (either storm proof matches or a firelighter
Map and compass: the walk leader will have these, but if you like map reading or want to develop your skills, bring yours along
Mobile Phone: keep it in a waterproof bag for use in emergencies, and a spare battery/charger is a good idea
Food & drink
You will need your packed lunch, water and snacks.