Friday 14th October. 

Graham Brooks, Peter Jackson, Steve Bentley and John Hine welcomed the Carlisle U3A Geology group. The plan was to start with a mine trip, leave the equipment at the mine exit, and then have a surface walk with Graham leading on the history.  Windy rain had been specially laid on for the visitors. The mine trip was successful except that we had two main bulb failures. Despite the rain, the water flow into the mine was very small.  Exiting the mine, the group found itself in a heavy rain shower.  Some members went straight back to The Barracks and others braved the walk to Smallcleugh. Liz Bentley joined us to learn about the surface walk.      We were quickly back down the hill. (Still raining…)

This email from Colin Agnew sums up the day:

The Group “found the whole thing very interesting and have commented that they’ll be back with relatives and friends BUT in the spring and Summer. They were quite amazed at the work that you have done up there and some of the comments you made about Zinc pollution have been picked up by joint members of the Environment Group who now want to go to Force Crag to see whats going on there!
On behalf of the group I’d like to pass on their thanks to you and to the volunteers who helped throughout the afternoon.”