Adam
@adambotallack.bsky.social
Archaeologist, Cornish and Irish, cook, baker, gardener, tin miner, photographer, very concerned about the planet, pretty left wing, woke.
Oops. It seems that the Rosevale deep Adit team dug into a backfilled stope in shit ground, which collapsed spectacularly. We now need to do some ground reinforcement before we can clear this mess and progress onwards. Still better down now than were we are metres beyond it, or were squashed by it.
November 15, 2025 at 8:21 PM
Oops. It seems that the Rosevale deep Adit team dug into a backfilled stope in shit ground, which collapsed spectacularly. We now need to do some ground reinforcement before we can clear this mess and progress onwards. Still better down now than were we are metres beyond it, or were squashed by it.
An update from Rosevale Mine deep Adit dig. We are finally through the old stope (see photo of steel cage for how much support we have had to build) but the way ahead is through more horrible ground if the amount of timbering the old men felt it necessary to install.
July 14, 2025 at 1:05 PM
An update from Rosevale Mine deep Adit dig. We are finally through the old stope (see photo of steel cage for how much support we have had to build) but the way ahead is through more horrible ground if the amount of timbering the old men felt it necessary to install.
Spent a delightful hour in Penzance on El Galeon Andalucia, a loving replica of the formerly ubiquitous merchantmen which sailed the seven seas for centuries. The ticketing system appeared to have devolved into anything goes, but the crew were ultra friendly
and I thoroughly recommend it!
and I thoroughly recommend it!
June 27, 2025 at 1:36 PM
Spent a delightful hour in Penzance on El Galeon Andalucia, a loving replica of the formerly ubiquitous merchantmen which sailed the seven seas for centuries. The ticketing system appeared to have devolved into anything goes, but the crew were ultra friendly
and I thoroughly recommend it!
and I thoroughly recommend it!
Although I didn't find any ancient tin slag on my walk today, it wasn't entirely wasted, as I did spot this sweet little bladelet (20p coin for scale) amongst a scatter of debitage on a site which is usually productive, but which hasn't been ploughed in a decade.
June 10, 2025 at 3:29 PM
Although I didn't find any ancient tin slag on my walk today, it wasn't entirely wasted, as I did spot this sweet little bladelet (20p coin for scale) amongst a scatter of debitage on a site which is usually productive, but which hasn't been ploughed in a decade.
Off for a walk today, but an archaeologist is always an archaeologist, and so I came back with this rather crappy discoidal scraper. We look down, not up most of the time, you see, particularly where there's bare ground available to walk over. The scraper is rather better than it looks in this photo
June 4, 2025 at 4:33 PM
Off for a walk today, but an archaeologist is always an archaeologist, and so I came back with this rather crappy discoidal scraper. We look down, not up most of the time, you see, particularly where there's bare ground available to walk over. The scraper is rather better than it looks in this photo
A much walked over and rather muddy bit of Rosevale. One of those moments when you remember to look down and not just photograph the obvious things.
May 31, 2025 at 5:42 PM
A much walked over and rather muddy bit of Rosevale. One of those moments when you remember to look down and not just photograph the obvious things.
Good progress on the safety cage at Rosevale today, though welding fumes drove us out at one point. Not much to photograph at the working end, so here's a photo tak n underneath the main stope looking outbye past the 100 foot winze. The atmosphere is diluted welding fumes!
May 31, 2025 at 5:35 PM
Good progress on the safety cage at Rosevale today, though welding fumes drove us out at one point. Not much to photograph at the working end, so here's a photo tak n underneath the main stope looking outbye past the 100 foot winze. The atmosphere is diluted welding fumes!
The may blossom this year is just stunning. The Foage Valley at Zennor is a sea of white at the moment, on a par with Japanese cherry blossom, and well worth a look soon before it disappears.
May 19, 2025 at 4:14 PM
The may blossom this year is just stunning. The Foage Valley at Zennor is a sea of white at the moment, on a par with Japanese cherry blossom, and well worth a look soon before it disappears.
Progress in Rosevale Deep Adit, Zennor. Ted seen here digging the footing for the next steel leg for the cafe that should protect us if the rock above collapses. Once this and its partner are in we can start to take down the temporary wood block wall and move forward into terr incognita.
May 18, 2025 at 10:26 AM
Progress in Rosevale Deep Adit, Zennor. Ted seen here digging the footing for the next steel leg for the cafe that should protect us if the rock above collapses. Once this and its partner are in we can start to take down the temporary wood block wall and move forward into terr incognita.
Jo's little stone garden Buddha must have been feeling the cold over the winter, as I see that he's acquired a moss jumper.
April 29, 2025 at 6:00 PM
Jo's little stone garden Buddha must have been feeling the cold over the winter, as I see that he's acquired a moss jumper.
Best mate for years, ace guitarist, bike guru, John Smith with his and Kate's Ducatis, back in the late 1970s when the sun shone all the time, we were young and hadn't heard of Trump and Musk.
April 22, 2025 at 5:05 PM
Best mate for years, ace guitarist, bike guru, John Smith with his and Kate's Ducatis, back in the late 1970s when the sun shone all the time, we were young and hadn't heard of Trump and Musk.
Well this has been an unmitigated success. Time to make another batch of wild garlic pesto. The season is so short, but it is spreading like crazy. In a few years I'll be pulling it up as an invasive weed I suspect, but not yet.
April 16, 2025 at 2:54 PM
Well this has been an unmitigated success. Time to make another batch of wild garlic pesto. The season is so short, but it is spreading like crazy. In a few years I'll be pulling it up as an invasive weed I suspect, but not yet.
Found built into a former pigsty on the edge of Marazion Marsh, a. reused boundary stone from what I assumed was Wheal Bog. Now in my garden. SE corner of the sett in 1778, recut as No 3 in 1780. There must have originally been so many of these.
April 16, 2025 at 2:36 PM
Found built into a former pigsty on the edge of Marazion Marsh, a. reused boundary stone from what I assumed was Wheal Bog. Now in my garden. SE corner of the sett in 1778, recut as No 3 in 1780. There must have originally been so many of these.
Your weekly Rosevale mine update shows Wayne inside the now nearly completed safety cage in the stope on Deep Adit. Next week we get some side protection in and can then progress to moving forwards, maybe?
April 13, 2025 at 9:36 AM
Your weekly Rosevale mine update shows Wayne inside the now nearly completed safety cage in the stope on Deep Adit. Next week we get some side protection in and can then progress to moving forwards, maybe?
Oh and Tony made two new mine ladders the traditional way. But where are they destined to lead to? We will no doubt be updated on this eventually.
April 6, 2025 at 11:52 AM
Oh and Tony made two new mine ladders the traditional way. But where are they destined to lead to? We will no doubt be updated on this eventually.
Rosevale mine yesterday. Exciting only for mine nerds I'm afraid. Wayne made up the next support for the safety cage (pictured), then modified it. Ted and Kevin fitted it (with Wayne's help). No further collapses occurred. Everyone stayed safe. End of bulletin.
April 6, 2025 at 11:49 AM
Rosevale mine yesterday. Exciting only for mine nerds I'm afraid. Wayne made up the next support for the safety cage (pictured), then modified it. Ted and Kevin fitted it (with Wayne's help). No further collapses occurred. Everyone stayed safe. End of bulletin.
This probably won't make much sense to anyone who hasn't been tackling Rosevale mine's blocked deep Adit for the past three years, but this is progress! More steel legs in on the safety frame, Armco barrier roof done, nasty ground ahead held back by timber recovered from south Crofty. We inch onward
March 30, 2025 at 12:13 PM
This probably won't make much sense to anyone who hasn't been tackling Rosevale mine's blocked deep Adit for the past three years, but this is progress! More steel legs in on the safety frame, Armco barrier roof done, nasty ground ahead held back by timber recovered from south Crofty. We inch onward
Daffs and snowflakes have been out for weeks.
March 21, 2025 at 3:18 PM
Daffs and snowflakes have been out for weeks.
Spring! Snakes head fritillaries are out today.
March 21, 2025 at 3:16 PM
Spring! Snakes head fritillaries are out today.
Reflected harbourside lights at Porthleven, Cornwall this evening, captured after a brilliant meal at @kotakai32.bsky.social .
March 14, 2025 at 10:26 PM
Reflected harbourside lights at Porthleven, Cornwall this evening, captured after a brilliant meal at @kotakai32.bsky.social .
Nice crocuses (crocii?) in the garden this week. Spring is nearly here!
March 6, 2025 at 5:42 PM
Nice crocuses (crocii?) in the garden this week. Spring is nearly here!
Anyone know what this granite structure extending out onto the foreshore in front of the promenade by the Queens Hotel which was exposed at a pretty low tide is? Sewer outfall? Jetty? I've not seen it before. Wherry mineshaft not showing today. It's around 20m long and 2m wide where best preserved
March 2, 2025 at 5:31 PM
Anyone know what this granite structure extending out onto the foreshore in front of the promenade by the Queens Hotel which was exposed at a pretty low tide is? Sewer outfall? Jetty? I've not seen it before. Wherry mineshaft not showing today. It's around 20m long and 2m wide where best preserved
More goings on at Rosevale Mine, Zennor, as Ted and Kevin peer down the hole, at the bottom of which Wayne is trying to prevent an imminent collapse.
February 24, 2025 at 3:07 PM
More goings on at Rosevale Mine, Zennor, as Ted and Kevin peer down the hole, at the bottom of which Wayne is trying to prevent an imminent collapse.
It might not look like it, but this is what progress looks like at Rosevale mine, Zennor. With three of the six legs attached to the steel safety frame, we are finally inching into terra incognita thanks to the team's dogged perseverance. Ahead lies an adit no-one has explored for a century or more.
February 16, 2025 at 1:33 PM
It might not look like it, but this is what progress looks like at Rosevale mine, Zennor. With three of the six legs attached to the steel safety frame, we are finally inching into terra incognita thanks to the team's dogged perseverance. Ahead lies an adit no-one has explored for a century or more.
This is the remains of a box launder uncovered in deep adit, Rosevale. But why did the old men construct this culvert here, and across what, we ask? Lots of strong timber involved in it's making. Could it be that there is a filled winze underneath it? We shall find out next week.
February 8, 2025 at 6:05 PM
This is the remains of a box launder uncovered in deep adit, Rosevale. But why did the old men construct this culvert here, and across what, we ask? Lots of strong timber involved in it's making. Could it be that there is a filled winze underneath it? We shall find out next week.