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edog2009


Posts: 146
Joined: May 2009
Last Visited: 08:15
24th Jul 2017
Re: Eldon Hole, Peak District - snow lasts till winter in 1947
Date Posted: 16.01hrs on Sat 13 Oct 12
Some interesting further information here (Yorkshire Ramblers' Club Journal Volume 7 Number 25, 1949):

[www.yrc.org.uk]

"Large quantities of snow lay for months of 1947 in Pillar Pot and notably in Eldon Hole."

No idea where Pillar Pot is.

Also, is this a new one on Dun Fell near Cross Fell? The mine in question is located at an altitude of about 700m, 1km south-west of the summit of Dun Fell in Cumbria:

"Westmorland, Dun Fell. - Gowing was one of a party of members of the Mineralogical Society who were able to visit the Silver Band Barytes Mine at the invitation of the owners, Messrs. B. Laport, Ltd. The mine is situated at about 2,300 ft. O.D. on the western slopes of Dun Fell, next S. of Cross Fell, and access is by lorry road from Knock running up the side of the mountain. The workings date from the 17th century, but the present main levels were driven by the London Lead Company, who took over the property in 1820 and who carried out some 17,500 feet of development. At the time of the visit there were still large quantities of snow left from the great storms of early 1947 and the levels were entered through snow-tunnel 'extensions'."

Norseman


Posts: 51
Joined: Jun 2012
Last Visited: 18:00
4th May 2019
Re: Eldon Hole, Peak District - snow lasts till winter in 1947
Date Posted: 18.38hrs on Sat 13 Oct 12
Pillar Pot: It is in Upper Nidderdale in Yorkshire. Not particularly high altitude I would think though perhaps a prone area for snow in Easterly winters such as 1947.



Edited 1 times. Last edit at 21.01hrs Sat 13 Oct 12 by Norseman.
PeterS


Posts: 980
Joined: Feb 2003
Last Visited: 12:21
13th Mar 2021
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Re: Eldon Hole, Peak District - snow lasts till winter in 1947
Date Posted: 19.49hrs on Sat 13 Oct 12
Edog,

Yes this is the Silver Band mine just below the summit of Great Dun Fell. It will have been buried during 1947 and presumebly again in 1979 and 1986 by the 'Helm wind' shifting huge amounts of snow from the high ground to the east. 1979 was the year that snow was still visible from the M6, at the end of August on nearby Cross Fell.

The Silver Band mine is interesting for a number of reasons.The original mine entrance is still accessible but i suspect all the workings have been destroyed by subsequent open cast operations. The mine is now closed and has been restored but is still accessed by the UKs highest road which continues up to the summit of Dun Fell at 848m. During the 1970s and early 1980s we used ski on the east drift below the radar station. There are still some remains of the snow fencing there.

Near the mine are the buried remains of a very early Spitfire which crashed just before the war started in 1939. Apparently the miners heard it strike the ground and were first on the scene. There are numerous other aircraft wrecks in this remote part of the Pennines.

Two other factoids. Firstly i recall a rumour that the cable from the old aerial ropeway which connected the mine to Knock village 2 miles away, was subsequently reused at Glencoe. I've no idea if that is true or not but there would have been plenty of it.

Secondly have a look at the latest edition of the 1;25,000 map below. Some one has misinterpreted the remaining ropeway towers!

[www.streetmap.co.uk][Hill/Mountain]&searchp=ids.srf&mapp=map.srf

PeterS


Posts: 980
Joined: Feb 2003
Last Visited: 12:21
13th Mar 2021
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Re: Eldon Hole, Peak District - snow lasts till winter in 1947
Date Posted: 19.51hrs on Sat 13 Oct 12
Sorry, you will need to zoom to 1;25000 and drag 1.5km south west of the mine.
PeterS


Posts: 980
Joined: Feb 2003
Last Visited: 12:21
13th Mar 2021
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Re: Eldon Hole, Peak District - snow lasts till winter in 1947
Date Posted: 17.55hrs on Thu 18 Oct 12
Talking of buried Spitfires...... [www.telegraph.co.uk]
tim1mw


Posts: 700
Joined: Nov 2006
Re: Eldon Hole, Peak District - snow lasts till winter in 1947
Date Posted: 11.27hrs on Sat 20 Oct 12
Whilst at Glencoe the OS still think that many of the snow fences are ski lifts...

[www.streetmap.co.uk]
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