In 2020, a friend of mine asked to meet up and explore a mine he had come across. He had already been inside but wanted to do a more thorough investigation. The mine did not disappoint!
After squeezing in a narrow entrance, I crawled for the first half hour to get to the main workings. Once there, we started making discoveries. Right away, we found an intact wooden ore. It is an amazing find in any mine, but this one had a few of them. Heading deeper, we found a small blacksmith shop with an anvil! It's an incredibly rare thing to see underground.
Not long after that, we came across a steam-powered hoist with the rope still attached.
That wouldn't be the only hoist of the day, though. We soon found another one. Then we came across a horse whim... Underground! I've only seen a few aboveground. To see one underground was unexpected and amazing.
At the deepest level, we came across a steam-powered water pump. I don't think I've seen one of those, either. Besides the equipment, the place had a lot of everyday artifacts you don't usually see left in a mine: a coffee pot, eggshells, shovels, a wheelbarrow, a hat, boots, tobacco tins, etc.
It's a wonderful place. And even though it is difficult to reach, I've been asked not to reveal this mine's location or real name. Please enjoy my photos and leave everything for the next explorer to find.
