The Quarries Thread

[redefined_cycles]

Reckon he's going for the longest thread title ever on the forum... goodness knows what comes next....

Nah... thats enough Reg. Knew you'd approve... All the best stories come with 3 nouns (or is it verbs.. well describing words). Like Lock, stock and 2 smoking.... The lion, the witch and the... Planes, trains and.... See, without the 3rd item its just not the same anyway...

[redefined_cycles]

The quarry was this lovely one at Overthorpe and the shaft wasn't too far off. Obviously I walked to get to the shaft and didn't step over the imaginary (well, barbed wire with a barbed wire lock on the gate) line. Got a few shots of the quarry so Reg could properly assess. It was tiny compared to 'Radars' one...



A close up


An overview


The shaft (ain't she gorgeous)


The assasins (second from the left, reckon he's the ringleader Reg... what you think, Karl'll know)


Another one of the shaft just to prove I didn't G-Doctor it

Was a lovely ride not having to worry about the ride and walking that path. Glad i won't ever have to do that walky bit again Can't wait to look down a few shafts in the coming days and best if all... Realised there was an amazingly beautiful view up there which I've never actually bothered looking across at ever before..


View from opposite side of road to the quarry.

Thanks very much for initiating the thread Reg. Even managed to get a 6 year old riding...

[RIP]

Very workmanlike is that there quarry, just like your write-up . Nowt special, unassuming, but a nice shapely face. Probably some nice flora hidden away too.

Guessed it might be an airshaft, intrigued what for. Doesn't look very well protected.

What a strange old day this has been.

[redefined_cycles]

Very workmanlike is that there quarry, just like your write-up . Nowt special, unassuming, but a nice shapely face. Probably some nice flora hidden away too.

Guessed it might be an airshaft, intrigued what for. Doesn't look very well protected.

What a strange old day this has been.

Are they usually well protected Reg.. what for (for our protection from falling in or just for their own safetyb ...

Maybe that explains the barbed wire lock on the massive metal gate (called it a fence before, soz). Could have got round it but riskwd knackering the farmers broken down other sections of fence. Besides, I didn't want any hidden killer cows seeing me...

[RIP]

The distance confused me, must be a taller fence than it appeared. Anyroad, I like a good mystery. Possibly a portal into the underworld or something.

[redefined_cycles]

Gonna guesstimate that it was about 5.5ft high Reg...

[Boab]

Here you go, an active chalk pit, only a few miles from the house:

[Boab]

Didn't realise we were doing the spawn of stan in this thread too. Had to shoo a load of the devils animal from this *cough* footpath *cough* this morning. Took a moment to realise that they had some calves, so were being a bit more stand-offish than usual. I nearly bailed to the lower road, but kept my nerve for a change. Hideous animals...

[RIP]

Yep, nice bit of chalk there. Had forgotten you had it over your way too - sand always springs to mind . Am re-reading my "Ironstone Quarries Of The Midlands" books ( 9 volumes ). Wandered round a lot of them with my MTB in the 80's, slightly too late to catch the activity. Corby's monster walking draglines fascinated me and I was lucky enough to see them before they were sadly dismantled. One of them was even walked 13 miles cross country between two quarries. I know this is the Q&S&KC thread for weirdos but I'll stop now. As you were .

[RIP]

Our bovine "friends". Hmm, yes. I see one poor man was killed by a cow up Bob's way this week. They're not quite as stupid as they seem are they!

[whitestone]

Our bovine "friends". Hmm, yes. I see one poor man was killed by a cow up Bob's way this week. They're not quite as stupid as they seem are they!

Yes, up at Ribblehead, no report yet as to whether the couple had a dog with them which is the usual reason for cattle to hassle/attack people. The other common reason is if they've young calves with them - the cattle not the people

[redefined_cycles]

Reg.. I won't add the bit 'for wierdos' as then someone might complain the title's too long. Bob (not you, the other Bob) thanks for sharing the pic of the chalk quarry and turns out they come in all sorts of flavours hey; mine being clay down below here. Bob (yup, you please Bob), thanks for sharing the insight of the cows and how to stay protected etc. Before moving on, just wanna say that its sad to hear what Reg said bout someone being killed by the KC. Reminds us all to tread careful always around the beasts...

Reg, your quarry (fetish... I didn't say that though did I) thing has really opened up my riding and helped me explore plenty around me. Came from Huddersfield a few years ago and hated where we'd moved cos of the lack of mtb tracks. But turns out there's plenty if you explore hard enough.

The day before yesterday I decided I need to go and get my hit of Wessenden Head and attempting the 3 steep slabby climbs again. I've never actually ridden em all in one go but I was feeling good about it all. So made route to the start of my ride, which was 11 miles, and from there I'd follow my mtb ride up towards Wessy!



There really was no plan to attempt quarry catching nor killer cow avoiding. Although after 'the prize' of Wessenden Head summit, theres a section of nice mtb after the cattle grid and it does have some scary ones. You gotta tread very careful around em. On with the story but before doing so, take a look at this beauty. Met her the day before and didn't know whether to be scared or amazed.



Gotta thank my Wahoo for this btw as it just works and shows you where the ridings at.



All sorts of shapes n size of cow on that ride but didn't bother to get em all on this track leading to the black eyed one. Suffice to say that calves are so cute but scary at the same time. Met some bigger ones in the field just before these and they decided to run with me





Enough of that day where I overshot the Shepley Quarry by riding over or beside it without realising. So yesterday (well my last ride to Wessy) I had no plans for quarries and the likes. Sprry for repeating myself. But then as soon as I got onto the nasty fast road where you sometimes get punishment passes, I saw this.

After a bit of digging I realised it wasn't a quarry but a 'clay pit'. Erm... Oh well, good excuse to get off the road and maybe Reg might be happy so off I went...




No entry to motorbikes. Poor sods..


Just a quick pic for Reg from the section they'd left open for walkers and off I went. Down the walking path and out the other side. But fate had other plans for me (and hopefully reg)









Enough quarry (or clay pit) oggling. Managed to get into Huddersfield and not quite yet at the start of my ride yet but I was starving. So popped by this place for some calories.



Then quickly did ablution in a nearby stream and made my way up to Dodlee and up the nasty rocky sections to the horses. Nope, off course I didn't manage to climb it but only cos my wheel decided to go hit the edge like so..





By the top of this climb I'd semi made up my mind, that Wessy was too long a shot for me. I was naffed! But managed to get in another quarry. This one has a special place in the heart as its the first one I'd ever ridden. Obviously these days it's all fenced off but I needed to get a pic (for Reg obviously). Managed to not get my bits caught in the wire fence which I obviously wouldn't wanna step over. Goes without saying its a walking path so one would naturally need to walk their bike, like a dog. If yer bike shat all lver the path then naturally you'd nwed to pick up after it





Now where was I... Yes, I remember now. I got to the end. Thanked God (literally) that I'd come a little prepared as it was pretty chilly up there in the hills and I wasn't even anywhere near the top I need to be. Found a patch of grassy land to say my prayers with the ablution I'd completed many hours before. Popped on my jacket (that's the ' I was prepared' bit btw) and made my way straight down to Huddersfield central, my mums and a little old cake shop and then simply a quick road ride home... Quarries, love em. Sorry, no shaft


Oh, I forget. Before the sun set as I headed into Uddersfield I did manage to get in one last piece of dirty tight & steep bridleway into lovely Golcar...

[psling]

Good story telling there Shaf.
Loving the humour...

Quarries:

... After a bit of digging I realised it wasn't a quarry but a 'clay pit'.

Cows:

Oh, I forget. Before the sun set as I headed into Uddersfield ....

[redefined_cycles]

Good story telling there Shaf.
Loving the humour...

Quarries:

... After a bit of digging I realised it wasn't a quarry but a 'clay pit'.

Cows:

Oh, I forget. Before the sun set as I headed into Uddersfield ....

Thanks Peter (bet I got it wrong... the name), gotta thank Reg. Since threads named after him I need to make an effort...

[sean_iow]

Went out for a spin and to meet Jane on her way riding home from work. I was ahead of schedule for our meetup so added in an extra hill to use up some time. As this was close to town it brought the added bonus of:-

scaring a group of teenage girls* sat on the trail, I assume the screams were the shock of a 50 year old man in lycra riding up the track, or perhaps they just like ti singlespeeds?

avoiding a disposable bar b q left on the track, the burnt square of grass a few metres up the track giving away the location of it's use and being amazed they didn't start a grass fire

riding through a cloud of weed smoke coming out of the undergrowth, it's not very hidden if your location is given away by the cloud

and the reason for the post here



It's actually a gravel pit but I assume the signs are universal and most people in the vicinity wouldn't understand what a pit was anyway, see details of screaming girls and spaced out lads above.

* I keep seeing more and more groups of young people who are meeting up in the countryside and all sat close to each other, then heading home to infect their respective families

[MuddyPete]

At first glimpse I thought...

"There's a chap cycling through town, keeping a beady eye on traffic as he enters a mini-roundabout....I wonder how wide his bars are?"

Followed by..."No lycra? Must be a hipster..."

What's this got to do with a thread about quarries and shafts...?"

Then the penny dropped...

[RIP]

An afternoon of random wanderings, and why not eh.

Bit of a "collectors" piece this one. I know, it's difficult to contain the excitement.

But yes, an underwater quarry. Due to the prevailing watertable they have to vacuum the sand up as a slurry then pipe it to the despatch point. You can see the pontoon far left, with a couple of blokes who spend their working day hoovering silica and drinking tea. Sounds a great job, where do I sign? The (world's longest?) hoover pipe (*) goes across to the far side of the lake. Lots of herons cruising around to add to the interest.



Here's panda explaining to Reg that the overburden (generally gault clay) is quite deep here but the clay/sand horizon is distinctive.



Had enough yet? (**)

R

(*) I've no idea what I'm talking about. Does it show?

(**) rhetorical

[redefined_cycles]

Sounds like they're nicking sound out of the Lake Reg. Do they have a permit??

You have a cooler mudguard rhan mine Reg. Is it milk carton at the end too??

[RIP]

Sounds like they're nicking sound out of the Lake Reg. Do they have a permit??

Landowner . Permits since 1890s.

Is it milk carton at the end too??

It is indeed. Protects the seatpack opening and rear light. I am conversing with the lads at Mudhugger about including it as an optional add-on. Naturally it's covered with gaffer tape.

[Bearlegged]

Reg!!! Plug that bar end!!!!!!!

[RIP]

. Good call Chris. Fair cop. Well fair-ish. It's pushed inside and I've been meaning to sort it out.

[redefined_cycles]

Noticed these 2 beauties on yesterdays NorthPeaks100 (in development) ride. Couldn't help but get a pic from a far. Not an expert but look like proper 'Working Mens/Womens Quarries' them Reg... Hopefully might entice you onto the route in future years/months. Even has its own local produce Ice Cream parlour (and a CoOp) on/nearby the route...


Towards the end of the loop somewhere near Emley Moor (well I think I could see it again in the distance).



This one has some special history with me as its only a few stones throws* away from the High school I went (Crosland Moor Moor End High) to in Huddersfield.

*if you've got a really really strong throw...

[RIP]

At first glimpse I thought...

"There's a chap cycling through town, keeping a beady eye on traffic as he enters a mini-roundabout....I wonder how wide his bars are?"

Followed by..."No lycra? Must be a hipster..."

What's this got to do with a thread about quarries and shafts...?"

Then the penny dropped...

Bar end plugs sorted .

Wouldn't have bothered mentioning it except I've just watched The Comic Strip's "GLC", with Robbie Coltrane playing Charles Bronson playing Ken Livingstone, Peter Richardson playing Lee Van Cleef playing Tony Benn, & Dawn French playing Cher playing Joan Ruddock etc.

Kate Bush wrote/sang the theme to that episode, including these lyrics: "Who's the man we all need? Ken! Who's a funky sex machine? Ken!".

I do like random connections .

(""who's the black private dick that's a sex machine to all the chicks? Shaft!"......)

[RIP]

Rode to Dunstable Downs via various trackways and back past Totternhoe. The geologically-aware of us will know that takes us away from the sand quarries of Leighton Buzzard. Yippee, at last, thank gawd for that I hear you say. And you'd be right. But....unfortunately.... we've now strayed onto the terminal moraine of the Chilterns proper which means, yes, chalk quarries instead. A whole new sub-genre opening up before our very eyes!

Totternhoe has not just any old chalk, but Cenomanian khaki-coloured stone which is much harder than "normal" chalk. It was used for decorative carvings in St Albans Abbey and around Westminster Abbey, amongst other uses. Equally unusually a lot of it was mined using adits rather than quarried. Much of it is now an SSSI. Around the area is a very concentrated group of greenways and bridleways which are ace for mountainbiking. Here's a shot from the highest point looking out from the edge of the 120' sheer quarry face.



Headed back through Stanbridge along NCN6. There's a nasty short steep hill and it was nice to see someone added some new bike lanes up and down it. Rather public-spiritedly they've also provided a sofa for use by tired mountain bikes .



R

[redefined_cycles]

Yesterdays NorthPeaks100 recce ride. Saw this. Note how if they dig any deeper into the hill side, the trees will be falling on top of em. Hope they've seen em



Upper Cumberworth/Denby Dale. Hoping Reg might be able to say a few words (since he's the authority in quarries around this parts)...