Gamblers Caves

Nickelson

Nickelson

Nori Brick
Tackler
when i was a kid my sister always used to take me to the caves, and today i was messing about on google earth looking for it because when i was passing along the motorway i saw a large hill at the side and i ask my mum what it was and she said it was gamblers caves however i have always been took to one with only one lake not the double one.so which one is it :confused:
 
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Starting from Spire Farm. Go past High Riley Cottages, either dash across the bypass or use the underpass and continue by Blue Slates Farm to the Reservoir. My memory can now only recall that the Gambler`s cave was just beyond the res. on the right hand side.
 
Re my earlier posting. The reservoir I mentioned was generally known as Hameldon Res and a mile or so away towards Stone Fold was Mitchell`s Reservoir. Also my wife, who lived in one of the High Riley Cottages, pointed out that Blue Slates wasn`t a Farm, just a couple of cottages.
 
I used to go there as a kid and seem to remember lots of spent cartridges on the ground around this area. They were orange in colour, cylindrical approx. 2" long, maybe 3/4" diameter, with brass ends. We used to collect them, for what .. no idea. Was there some sort of shooting practice going on up there ?

Liked to fantasize that maybe they were left over from the Home Guard during the war... good job there was nowt there with a pin at the top.
 
Katex......I think it was used at times by the army for shooting practice.
I know my brothers once came home with a load of spent cartridges and my dad went light.(wondered where they had got them from)
 
The Gamblers Caves had indeed been covered over with the quarry work that had been going on there. I was up there only the other day. Saturday to be exact. I was very suprised to see that the caves have been exposed again. Although they have been left in such an extreamely dangerous state.
I would urge anyone to keep well away from them. Im sure it is just a matter of time before someone is killed up there.
I have reported this matter to the council
 
Another piece of information about the caves is that the quarry was originally opened up soley for the purpose of building the Accrington Town Hall. After this was built the quarry was then closed down and not quarried again until it was reopened about six years ago.
 
Those orange things approx 2" long and 3/4" diam are spent 12 bore cartridges. Probably some of them are mine. There was no military range there, that was over on what was Hambledon Rifle Range, off Burnley Rd Hapton, that was closed closed down durying the early 1960's, loads of rocks had slide down behind the butts, and there were too many richocets for safety.

Retlaw.

katex said:
I used to go there as a kid and seem to remember lots of spent cartridges on the ground around this area. They were orange in colour, cylindrical approx. 2" long, maybe 3/4" diameter, with brass ends. We used to collect them, for what .. no idea. Was there some sort of shooting practice going on up there ?

Liked to fantasize that maybe they were left over from the Home Guard during the war... good job there was nowt there with a pin at the top.
Click to expand...
 
I work up at mitchell house quarry,and yes the caves are exposed .We are doing exploration work at the moment at the quarry.We do advise people to stay away from the area incase of any accidents,the work going on will soon make the site completly safe.We are very aware of health and safety issues and apologize for causing any illfeeling
disco said:
The Gamblers Caves had indeed been covered over with the quarry work that had been going on there. I was up there only the other day. Saturday to be exact. I was very suprised to see that the caves have been exposed again. Although they have been left in such an extreamely dangerous state.
I would urge anyone to keep well away from them. Im sure it is just a matter of time before someone is killed up there.
I have reported this matter to the council
Click to expand...
 
They were spent 12 bore shotgun cartridges.
Probably some of mine. I want them back.
Only kidding, they can be used in the garden.
put them on top of canes to stop you poking
your eyes out, they also make good earwig traps
Retlaw.

Sorry I've just realised I've already replied to this once.
don't seem to be ble to cancel it.

katex said:
I used to go there as a kid and seem to remember lots of spent cartridges on the ground around this area. They were orange in colour, cylindrical approx. 2" long, maybe 3/4" diameter, with brass ends. We used to collect them, for what .. no idea. Was there some sort of shooting practice going on up there ?

Liked to fantasize that maybe they were left over from the Home Guard during the war... good job there was nowt there with a pin at the top.
Click to expand...
 
Last edited:
Retlaw said:
They were spent 12 bore shotgun cartridges.
Probably some of mine. I want them back.
Only kidding, they can be used in the garden.
put them on top of canes to stop you poking
your eyes out, they also make good earwig traps
Retlaw.

Sorry I've just realised I've already replied to this once.
don't seem to be ble to cancel it.
Click to expand...

:rofl38: Ah, but last time you didn't have these suggestions of what to do with them ! Can't say I used them for earwig traps though or a cane..:)

Wonder if any still up there though ?

Guess you were one of our first litter louts Retlaw ....:eek:
 
donnaford said:
I work up at mitchell house quarry,and yes the caves are exposed .We are doing exploration work at the moment at the quarry.We do advise people to stay away from the area incase of any accidents,the work going on will soon make the site completly safe.We are very aware of health and safety issues and apologize for causing any illfeeling
Click to expand...

couple of years late for this post, but used to dream about what these caves looked like as a kid, when I went back up a couple of years back I was gutted to see the area destroyed by the quarrying
 
The caves were used for target practice. I remember some 50 odd years ago being allowed by someone to have a go with his .22 rifle.
 
If you google Gamblers Cave on here, lots of posts covering all of the history and some pics as quarrying exposed and ultimately destroyed them.
 
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