Winter Hill Tunnel

From the top of Winter Hill a very old tunnel, presumably a mine, known as the Winter Hill Tunnel once led down under the hillside. Local experts have little to say other than that this mine is particularly dangerous and may contain gas. One of the old entrances seems to be blocked by mud and rocks. The rock cut sides of the entrance area can be seen surrounding a collapsing brick structure that seems to mark the tunnel itself. The area is capped by a relatively modern concrete cap that also looks unsafe. Photo’s (such as it is) were taken by poking the camera into the chamber and panning three shots, it seems dangerous and pointless to enter the chamber further. Although seemingly quite large, this is not the supposed main drift entrance that is clearly shown on maps near to the gate and path down to Belmont. There seems to have been a second ‘New Winter Hill Tunnel’ at some point that is marked on some maps.

There is a small, partially bricked-up hole towards the top of Winter Hill that appears to lead into the Winter Hill Tunnel - like many other small local tunnels there is a drop of a few feet at the entrance, so it appears this is perhaps an air tunnel. The interior is very cramped and of an uneven rough-hewn shape. The tunnel is of a different, more solid rock than those lower down the hill and is very damp on the walls and ceiling but not flooded on the floor. There is a strange black mud near the entrance - perhaps peat from the surface and an old looking red painted metal can half buried. There is a small alcove to the right near the entrance as though a side tunnel has been made but it only goes in a few feet.

A little further on there is a large hole where the tunnel floor is missing, there are large rock fragments and some old looking wood. Drops of water are falling from the ceiling that seems to be formed from rock fragments rather than the solid rock ceiling found in the start of the tunnel. I wondered if this had been open on the surface and filled with rubble during the 90’s when most of this area was sealed by the use of heavy machinery. I assume the hole was made for some reason as I’m not aware of cave structures occuring within the local bedrock. Small pieces of coal and a coarse grained sand is found on the floor - rather different to the mine tunnels lower down the hill. The tunnel continues after the hole for a distance further than the torch can illuminate but I turned back having begun to feel a bit creeped out. The Winter Hill Tunnel is rumoured to be highly dangerous so I wouldn’t advise entering.

Created: 27  November  2016  Edited: 29  November  2023