At first I can’t believe that there’s a way in, the entrance is so hidden by downy willow, ferns and field rush. Just a trickle of rusty water hints at the opening to an abandoned mine. That we have to push through scrub to enter the underground world only adds to the excitement.
A long adit stretches before us, lit by our helmet torches, its arched stonework streaked and stained by minerals. We marvel at the precision and detail of the masonry, breathe in smells of damp earth and wood. Led by two miners from nearby Nenthead mines, we’re a small group of potters and artists working towards an exhibition inspired by lead mining in the North Pennines.
