Gambler's Cave
 

Hi fellow Accringtonians,

I’ve had this thing bugging me for a few days now. I’ll explain to you what it is that’s annoying the crap out of me. I’ll try to play as nice as I can, but I warn you in advance that a few harsh words might be said about whoever is responsible for this (and once you read what I’ve got to say you should understand).

From the thread title you should know what I’m on about. Gambler’s cave is (or was, apparently) a small cave near hamildon hill. It was located out in the middle of nowhere, across the motorway that is the haslingden bypass (roughly halfway inbetween the roundabout at Winfields and the turn off towards Huncoat [I’m not a driver; explaining where it’s located is hard enough]). Basically, it’s in a field going up toward hamildon hill. Get that?

If you already know of it and have been there you won’t need me to explain what a beautiful little natural landmark it was. Located a few hundred yards away is a small bunker that I’d imagine they used to lookout during the war. On the other side of it was an abandoned quarry. The cave itself was wonderful; a natural oasis, with running water, green pastures, fresh air. To me it always reminded me of the cave in the land of the lepers, in the film Ben Hur. This place was one of the only places around Accy I could go and unwind, get away from it all for a few hours, recharge myself and head on home feeling great about myself. To me, the coppice isn’t really secluded enough (but still nice, just not as special as gambler’s cave). I used to visit the cave regularly, but I hadn’t been up there for several years.

The other day I took my 5 year old brother up there to show him my haven. To my surprise I couldn’t find the thing (I’ve been up about a dozen times and never failed to find it). The only place I could find was this:

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e2...Photo-0021.jpg

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e2...Photo-0024.jpg

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e2...Photo-0025.jpg

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e2...Photo-0026.jpg

Is this Gambler’s Cave? If so, who is responsible for its destruction? The most important question is why has it been destroyed, desecrated and **** on?

It may seem a bit stupid asking if this is it if I know the place, but it’s so unrecognisable I need confirmation. I checked the whole surrounding area and I couldn’t find what I know as gamblers cave. On top of this, there was never an opening/cave of this size in the area, so I’m assuming this is what was once known as gambler’s cave.

This was a paradise, now it appears like it’s paradise lost. One of the only natural wonders around Accrington has been destroyed. Now I’m not a “bible basher”, but I do believe there is intelligence in creation and the universe, I don’t believe everything is a game of chance. I hope God (good) punishes who has done this, I hope that something which means something to them is taken away. I’m not talking about their lives or their kids lives, I’m not an evil person. However, I do hope God takes away anything they use to escape the harshness of this reality, I hope he takes their earthly heaven away from them. This is not right. Remember how much people got angry about the coppice when they were going to change it? UPROAR. Now this has been destroyed and I haven’t heard one word about it. Not in the papers, not on any website. ABSOLUTELY ZILCH. This is suspicious and I’m going to get top the bottom of this if it kills me. I’m extremely ****ed off about this, heads are going to roll. This isn’t a threat, it’s a promise. I need an explanation. I have no logical explanation of why anybody would do this?

Also, the abandoned quarry is now working. This has something to do with it. There were “WARNING” signs all over the place. A guy in a black Jeep stopped me and told me I couldn’t go down towards the cave. He didn’t give me a reason. I wasn’t causing trouble (but if you stop me from my human right again I won’t walk away, if my 5 year old brother wasn’t there I assure you I wouldn’t have been so…erm co-operative). Like I said all I wanted to do was show the young lad the cave. He was excited. Do you know how much this upset him? He couldn’t even take a look without fear of a scary guy coming and telling him off. You are evil, and you’ll pay for that.

If this isn’t gambler’s cave and I’ve gone crazy (please tell me this is the case) then shout it out. I’d feel stupid, but relieved. If it is it needs to be rectified (not that the damage hasn’t been already done).

By the way if anyone has got any old pictures of gambler’s cave please post them here. I’d love to remember what it used to be like, even just for nostalgia. I never thought it would be destroyed so I never took any proper shots of it. L

I haven’t said anything too bad have I? If this is too much (moderators) please tell me and I’ll edit the post (please don’t delete this; this has to be exposed). Please understand that destroying natural beauty is a sin in my eyes, thus I have to express some kind of anger. Instilling fear in children other than your own is abuse and I’d shoot people like that. I really shouldn’t have to be wary of what I say. This reminds me of how wrong this country is.

I look forward to hearing from anyone about this. If nature ain't your thing please refrain from "i don't give a fig" comments. If you know about this but haven't said anything, now's your time to speak up. I'll take this to the highest level. I'm angry, i'm disappointed. I have a real dislike for whoever has done this (ask me outside of this forum and i'll express it to you in words you can understand). I'm really starting to disown this town, not because of the people (well there are some arseholes, like any place), but because of what has been (and also is being) done to it). :(

Peace and grace to all with a loving heart. Thanks for listening.

John

Re: Gambler's Cave
 

Try reading-
http://www.accringtonweb.com/forum/f...ies-30488.html

http://www.accringtonweb.com/forum/f...ves-29781.html

Re: Gambler's Cave
 

Read on another site that it is indeed Gambler's Cave or at least was.

Re: Gambler's Cave
 

Infinitus....that was a hell of a contribution that you must have worked hard on.
Good on Ya.

Re: Gambler's Cave
 

Ta for confirming it Bernadette.

Thanks for the links margaret.

Still can't believe this. I need a whiskey....

John

Re: Gambler's Cave
 

Perhaps if this area was walked more often, then it wouldn't have happened. You talk of 'paradise' and 'the only place you could unwind', but you also say that you haven't been there in several years.

You can't expect the world to stop and wait for you.

Re: Gambler's Cave
 

It was a man made quarry - not a natural cave
It is great that it captured the imagination of so many children who played there
but wasn't 'natural beauty'

Re: Gambler's Cave
 

Where in Hynburn is natural beauty Margeret?

Re: Gambler's Cave
 

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
I like the wild open moors
but that is just the Cathy/Heathcliffe in me :)

Re: Gambler's Cave
 

Sorry to take your thread off topic in advance.
You seem to make it out like the only alternative to God creating the universe is that everything is culminating by 'chance'. Evolution is not chance, as many (mainly ignorant religious people) very wrongly assume. Every single collection of atoms in the universe is due to the intrinsic intelligence of natural selection and evolutionary consequence. There is no such thing as the Abrahamic creation. The sooner people realise that the better, really.

Re: Gambler's Cave
 

If you read the links Margaret sent you will see some of my posts on the subject. There never was a cave, why it was called as such is unknown, it was a hole in an old disused quarry face, looks like they've cut the face of the quarry further back reducing the size of the hole.

I remember the gamblers on the grassy area in front of the hole.

I used it many times in the early 1950's, by hanging a target up inside that hole to zero my rifle, made an excelent back stop for the bullets, that bunker was used during the last war, to house generators, you used to be able to see the concrete beds and anchor bolts.

Retlaw.

Re: Gambler's Cave
 

Margaret, when I was sixteen in the fiftes, every young lady who walked passed me was a beauty, depending on the length of the skirt. if she approached me face on and looked like she had been smacked in the puss with a cricket bat, I would look away.
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.?

Re: Gambler's Cave
 

It is always a shame to have childhood memories and illusions shattered.
Your young brother will find his own treasured places

Re: Gambler's Cave
 

Any better since the eye op then? :D

Re: Gambler's Cave
 

Ye great....but stopped looking at the skirts.........Passed it.