Levant Mine.

So when I woke up and got out of bed I did feel stiff, very stiff! More exercise is needed !

Today we headed of for the Levant Mine, yet another National Trust property. This Mine was at one time one of the largest, and one of the most extensive under sea mines . An added bonus was the fully restored and working steam engine which brought men up and down the mine. We were very luck or see it working too.

The mine workers must have been a very tough breed. The work was not only astonishingly hard but in ghastly conditions too. No wonder the average age of death was 41 years. If you thought it was just the men who were tough, think again. Women were employed on the mine sites too, but not underground. The Bal Maidens , as they were known , (Bal being the old Cornish name for mine) were tasked to process the ore brought up to the surface. Here they broke the rocks containing the ore into smaller sizes by hand , and others were used to sort the ore by hand too. Girls started work here from about 7 years onwards. Apparently this work need extremely high levels do physical strength.

This oh so beautiful coast line and sleepy slopes hides a pretty awful past full of noise, dirt, spoil heaps and dreadful working conditions. I have the upmost admiration for these extraordinary people.

We pottered our way back through pretty little villages, stopping off at Mousehole and admiring the lovely little harbour. Amazingly there were lots of swimmers and sunbathers enjoying this very warm September day.

Then home for a home cooked supper and an early night!