Open day at the processing mill at Force Crag Mine

Contact

Organizer: National Trust Borrowdale and Buttermere Valleys

Name: Force Crag Mine

Phone: 017687 74649

Email: [email protected]

Website: https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/lake-district/borrowdale-and-derwent-water/events/c9e4ac9e-91d4-4539-a3c0-75808ec8d299

Address

Braithwaite, Keswick
CA12 5TW

Price Notes

Tickets are £5 per person.

Direction

Details

Brought to you by the National Trust for Geo Week and the Festival of Archaeology.

Come and join us for a rare opportunity to visit the processing mill at Force Crag Mine. 

To make this event more inclusive, we would like to offer transport for those who may have difficulty getting to the mine under their own steam. If you do not require transport, booking is not required.  

The processing mill at Force Crag Mine holds the most complete assemblage of metal ore mining machinery preserved in-situ anywhere in England. Although the underground tunnels have collapsed, we would like to give you this rare opportunity to take a look around the processing mill. Come and see how the rock ore being extracted from the mine was turned into the finished product sold to market. A rusty ‘tin shed’ beside a dramatic waterfall in a remote valley just outside Keswick – this building is a tribute to human engineering and ingenuity, and it has a powerful story to tell about humanity’s impact on the planet. Being the last working mine in the Lake District, having closed in 1991, it has been designated as an Ancient Scheduled Monument and a Geological Site of Special Scientific Interest. Whether for its historical or geological significance or simply for the views, come and take a look for yourself! 

Tickets are £5 per person, please bring cash as there’s no signal for card payments. Booking is essential if transport is required.  

Tours run every 20 minutes. If you are making your own way to the mill, drop in between 10am and 2:30pm. You'll be able to join the next tour on which there is space. For those that require transport, we run a limited number of transport shuttles throughout the day on the hour (only 8 places available per hour on transport - booking is essential).

It is always much colder in the mill building than it is in Keswick. Dress for the weather and bring extra layers, gloves and hats. There are no shops nearby, bring your own food and refreshments. 

Event Details