Two Cornish Mine Experiences You Have To Check Out: Relaxed vs. Extreme

It’s quite well known that there is a rich mining history within both Cornwall and Devon, with the majority of the UK’s tin, copper and arsenic being mined there up until the 20th century. There is so much of this history still visible throughout the South West, so I decided to learn and explore this incredible landscape, by take advantage of some of the tours available to me.

After a bit of research, I found two tours at opposite ends of the spectrum. First up was Levant Mine and Beam Engine. Ran by the National Trust, Levant offers guided tours and an insight into the work, life and tragedies experienced by the miners throughout history. For a more adrenaline filled experience, the second tour was a full day of exploration with the incredible team at Cornwall Underground. Founded in 2019, they were the first company to offer tours on abandoned Cornish tin mines. They have a passion for bringing the past to life with authentic adventure and expert guidance.

Though very different, I thoroughly enjoyed both days and would highly recommend checking out the tours if you’re in the area!

Relaxed: 1.5h Tour of Levant Mine with National Trust (free for members)

As most people are probably now aware, I’m a huge fan of the National Trust and a massive advocate of their memberships. The amount available to you as a member is just amazing. This hour and a half long tour involved being shown around a working beam engine, various different mine buildings and the mine entrance itself. The knowledge of the guides is incredible and they make the tour extremely engaging, from being able to step into the cart and look down into the abyss, to handling the tools and examining the tin and copper that they would have extracted.

It’s incredible how much has been preserved and how much information there is about the ways of working and the mine shafts themselves, from how they were constructed, to how far out to sea they go.

There is plenty to explore in the area. After the tour, we went for a walk along the coast, scrambling on rocks and exploring the old buildings scattered around, followed by lunch at the Geevor Tin Mine cafe. There are also tours and exhibitions available at Geevor, however we didn’t have the time to check these out.

I would highly recommend visiting and it’s definitely worth booking on a tour if you’re in the area. The tour is free for National Trust Members, or for non-members it’s £10 for adults or £5 for children. There is free parking available at Geevor mine, which is just a short walk down the coast.

Extreme: Full day exploration of the mines with Cornwall Underground

This is a very different way to experience the mines. I wasn’t too sure what to expect, but the day was far more than I had imagined. The price seemed quite a lot prior to booking, but it’s actually incredible value considering the amount of time spent exploring, the equipment provided and the skills and knowledge of the guides. Compared to other similar experiences I have done in both Wales and the Lake District, this has been by far my favourite and the best value for money.

We chose to book the ‘extreme’ session. There are two other slightly less challenging options available that are only 3 hours (£40/£50pp), as opposed to the 6-7 hours for the extreme session (£95pp)*. The extreme option is definitely not for the faint hearted, with plenty of abseiling and climbing up and down old mine shafts.

We arrived bright and early at the beautiful Porth Nanven where we met Ben who was going to be our guide for the day. We got kitted up and ready to head down into the first of the two mines. The morning of the extreme tour is the same as their ‘Underground Adventurer’ session, which includes 200ft of descent, requiring abseiling and traversing. There is so much rich history to explore and this is such a great, interactive way of doing it.

After a lunch break on the beach (with a Cornish Pasty of course) we were ready for the afternoon. This session is much more physically demanding, with climbing, caving ladders and more abseiling. There is so much to see hidden in the depths of the mines, from mine carts, to the beautiful colours of the minerals seeping through the rocks.

The guys that run Cornwall Underground are really accommodating and are more than happy to answer questions and chat things through prior to booking, though there is a detailed FAQ on their website to help you decide which level is right for you.

Hopefully this has given you a bit of insight into the variety of trips and tours on offer and maybe even inspired you to go check them out. Feel free to drop any questions in the comments section below.

*Prices and information correct as of 1st April 2022.