Magpie Mine

Famously the last mine to shut in Derbyshire, it’s a gorgeous place to visit, and worth the drive.

Parking is pretty close and you can walk around 3-5mins to get there.

There is a lot of stories as you can imagine, from rival mines and sadly some lost there lives due to this, causing the widows from the rival mine to cast a curse on Magpie, and to be honest it worked, it never was successful after that event, and the workers had accidents and misfortune, until it finally closed.

The Horse Gin is a replica, but the rest of the buildings and machines are genuine.

Shining torches and dropping stones you soon see how deep these go, it must of been hell for the miners.

The views around are glorious, all the better in this sunshine!!

Gunpowder Store still in tact as well.

The steel cable is thinner than I ever expected to be honest. It must of been crazy to trust this with lowering you down a few miles.

You can stand inside the small lift in which the men would descend into the mine in. Really gives a perspective of the conditions they had to deal with.

Only a quick visit and I was grateful we parked close. Seems a popular spot for dog walkers, I wonder if they feel the history here, or is it just the nearest field to them, and they don’t think of it at all?

I hear you can actually stay here in the agents cottage, I think it’s part of National Trust. And I’m sure some schools must have a school trip here now and then too.

Adventures and Exploring

*Another adventure we did before I hurt my hip, Its still in rest mode for now*

Did you read the Famous Five, or Nancy Drew while growing up? Or those adventure game books, I did and this outing, made me feel like I was living it for real!!

We found Caves, Mines and hidden crystal waters, and all those stories came flooding back. Imagination can go wild here, if only you want it too.

Torches needed, pushing the comfort zone (why do Adults give themselves such fear?) First ladder done in over a decade!!

Not a walk we usually do, and I loved it, feeling the history of the mines, seeing maps and story boards of how it would of looked, and finished off with coffee by waterfalls. I love being able to think how it would of been, how the people lived and worked in this area, I should of took history as a child. But they do say education is wasted on the youth, it’s true!! The things I’d love to learn now, but hated back then.

The houses were built above to hide the fact they had mines here. They must of had stunning views. But surely sneaking 120 miners in would of been a tad suspicious.

All in all it was an incredible insight to the landscape and how it’s been shaped the way it is. The unnatural waterways created by mines, the steep rocks and hidden gems to explore, all from an industry that was rife here.