{{Short description|Valley in the Lake District, England}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} {{Use British English|date=February 2023}} {{Infobox valley | name = Coledale | embed = | other_name = | photo = Coledale from Coledale Hause 1.jpg | photo_size = | photo_width = | photo_caption = Coledale seen from Coledale Hause with the vale of Keswick and the fell Blencathra in the background. | photo_alt = | map = | map_size = | map_width = | map_alt = | map_caption = | location = [[Lake District]], [[Cumbria]] | relief = | label = | label_position = | coordinates= | coordinates_ref = | elevation = | elevation_m = | elevation_ft = | elevation_ref = | direction = | length = | width = | area = | depth = | type = | age = | boundaries = | topo = | towns = | traversed = | watercourses = | footnotes = }}
'''Coledale''' is a [[valley]] in the northwestern region of the [[Lake District]] in [[Cumbria]], England.
==Geography== Coledale is a narrow U-shaped valley running approximately north-east towards the [[River Derwent, Cumbria|Derwent]] Valley floodplain and the village of [[Braithwaite]] at the northeastern end. The valley river [[Coledale Beck]] feeds into [[Newlands Beck]] and is fed by small streams from the valley sides and head, including Birkthwaite Beck, and Pudding Force.
At the head of the valley a large rock formation is found named Force Crag, which forms a waterfall 'Low Force' as Pudding Beck passes over it.
The valley is ringed by peaks popular with tourists ([[Grisedale Pike]], [[Hopegill Head]], [[Coledale Hause]], [[Crag Hill]] (formerly Eel Crag), [[Sail (Lake District)|Sail]], [[Sail Pass]], and [[Outerside]]) forming a horseshoe ridge walk known as [[Coledale horseshoe]]<ref>[http://www.leaney.org/lake_district_walk.php?walk_id=336&thumb=Y Coledale horseshoe] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110716084630/http://www.leaney.org/lake_district_walk.php?walk_id=336&thumb=Y |date=2011-07-16 }} ''leaney.org''</ref><ref>[http://www.markrichards.info/walk-free/park-and-stride_1/park-and-stride-1-10/7-coledale-horseshoe.html Coledale horseshoe] ''markrichards.info''</ref> or 'Coledale round'.
==Force Crag Mine== [[File:Force Crag Mine - geograph.org.uk - 1272981.jpg|thumb|left|Derelict remains of Force Crag Mine<br />photographed in May 2009]]
Coledale's most notable feature is Force Crag Mine; the buildings, spoil heap and associated structures of which are practically the only sign of human influence in the upper valley.
Mineral workings may date back to 1578 in the valley<ref name="mine">[http://www.ulsa.org.uk/pubs/virtual/openFile.php?pub_id=7 Force Crag Mine - the last working lead mine in the Lake District] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100608052737/http://www.ulsa.org.uk/pubs/virtual/openFile.php?pub_id=7 |date=2010-06-08 }} Stuart Abbott ''ulsa.org.uk''</ref> Significant workings did not begin until the 1800s with lead and silver being mined until 1865, ending with a drop in the price of lead rendering it uneconomic. Later [[Barytes]] was mined, with 5300{{nbsp}}tons of ore being produced up to 1879 when again market forces led to production ending. The mine was worked on and off with various changes in operation, and under different owners,<ref>[http://www.dmm.org.uk/colliery/f910.htm Force Crag (Barytes)] ''dmm.org.uk''</ref> with lead, barium and zinc ores being extracted. In 1990 a collapse in the mine led to it being closed, and ownership passed to the [[National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty|National Trust]].<ref name="mine"/>
There were two workings of the mine, the ''low'' and ''high'', and as of 2015 the mill of the mine<ref>[http://www.cumbria-industries.org.uk/forcecragmill.htm Force Crag Mine - The Mill] Roger Baker ''cumbria-industries.org.uk''</ref> still stood.<ref>[http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/server/show/nav.001002003005002001005 FORCE CRAG MINE, CUMBRIA] ''english-heritage.org.uk''</ref> The building is a [[scheduled monument]] and the mine is a site of special scientific interest.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.visitcumbria.com/kes/forcecragmine.htm |title=Force Crag Mine, Keswick, Cumbria |accessdate=2009-09-22 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100103143016/http://visitcumbria.com/kes/forcecragmine.htm |archivedate=2010-01-03 }}</ref> The buildings can now be visited by appointment through the National Trust.
As well as an aerial ropeway for transporting ore to the mill built in the late 1930s, the mine also operated a small narrow gauge railway in the mine, utilising diesel and battery powered locomotives, one of which ([[Wingrove & Rogers]] Battery loco) is now at the Springfield Agricultural Railway,<ref>[http://www.ingr.co.uk/sar_locos.html The Springfield Agricultural Railway - Locomotives] ''ingr.co.uk''</ref> three {{convert|2|ft|abbr=on}} gauge wagons from the mine are to be found at the Moseley museum in [[Redruth]], Cornwall.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://moseleymuseum.com/wagons.html |title=Wagons |accessdate=2009-09-22 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110714115611/http://moseleymuseum.com/wagons.html |archivedate=2011-07-14 }}</ref> {{-}}
==References== {{Reflist}}
==Further reading== * {{cite book |first1=Ian |last1=Tyler |title=Force Crag - The History of a Lakeland Mine |publisher=Blue Rock Publications/Red Earth |page=121}} (Out of print.)
== External links == {{commons category|Coledale, Cumbria}} *[http://www.mine-explorer.co.uk/mines/Force-Crag_1042/Force-Crag.asp Force crag Mine], Images from inside the mine, ''www.mine-explorer.co.uk'' *[http://www.aditnow.co.uk/documents/Force-Crag-Mixed-Mine/Force-Crag_9897.pdf Diagram of Force Crag Mine levels and workings] ''aditnow.co.uk'' *[https://web.archive.org/web/20090820040808/http://www.forlornbritain.co.uk/forcecrag.php Force Crag Mine] detailed history ''forlornbritain.co.uk'' *[https://www.bbc.co.uk/cumbria/content/articles/2006/06/16/park_stride_7_eel_crag_feature.shtml?page=2 Park and Stride - Eel Crag from Braithwaite], Coledale horseshoe walk and history of mine, ''www.bbc.co.uk'' *[https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/borrowdale-and-derwent-water/features/force-crag-mine Force Crag Mine information], [https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/borrowdale-and-derwent-water opening times] at the National Trust
[[Category:Valleys of Cumbria]] [[Category:Lake District]]