Not just the old mines can be dangerous

Old mine workings may be hazardous and we should be especially careful, that's probably clear to everyone.

But fact that we have to be careful at every step even when moving in the woods, so it probably is not. I was Very surprised that I almost stepped on this:

Antitank missile Panzerschreck

info about the missile : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panzerschreck

Gold mines above village Limbach

Visit to at the sites of the former gold mines I wanted for a very long time. In essence, already as a young boy I flipped through history of Pezinok home and at the mention of the gold mines I unfolded the tourist map and tried to determine where it probably could be.

Of course, my boy's imagination was encouraged with the telling stories my father. I remember at every hike we always listened open-mouthed stories that bind to places through which we passed.

You always said that the old mines, one time I'll pass. But I did have no time. In Title I still wore the idea that one nice day, from informations in books, I will drawn coodinates of mines to current map and go to these places.

Probably had time to mature, until I resolved to do. Today I decided to finally look to the location of old gold mines. I need to get to "Slnečné údolie" (Sun Valley), which is above the Limbach. The location is on old maps known as Altstadt (Óváros).

In order to save time, I ordered a ride by car to the dam in the "Slnečné údolie" (Sunny valley). Near the dam wall  I exited the car and I went next to the dam on the asphalt road. After about one kilometer paved road ends.

I kept going further along the stream. For the last cottage on the left side of the stream I found backfilled adit collar. Above the adit collar is visible mining caving.

Backfiled adit coller of unnamed adit

mining caving 

How is this adit I have no idea, in my documents is not any reference.

I returned back across the stream to the crossroads. In this neighborhood should be located adits : New Joseph, Joseph, and Joseph hereditary adit.

Landscape is visibly scarified with old mining works. There are many traces of mining activities. But reliably determine the adit collar of these adits seems impossible to me. One role in this is the fact the later build of the adjacent cottages.

As I try and I try, but describe a point that this is the adit collar,  would be only net fabulation. This is a pity, length of adit Joseph was until 1000 m.

I turned right towards the cottage of hunting association "Leštiny". Already from long distance the stands the massive heap, where is cottage. The location of this cottage used to be a woodsman house "U Adamkov", which was built on the foundations of former mining house.

Heap above the Joseph adit

It's a heap above the adits Joseph, where were tailings from the drainage adit Theresa.

Heap of drainage adit Theresa

I passed around the heap and cottage. Immediately behind the cottage is next cottage of HA Leštiny. Directly behind the cottage HA Leštiny is backfilled adit coller of drainage adit Theresa. (It's behind the latrine behind the cottage)

Adit collar of drainage adit Theresa

Above adit collar of adit Theresa was caving.

Caving above of adit collar of Theresa adit.

About 60 m above the adit Theresa should be Three Kings adit. As I came up the hill above the cottage and I immediately noticed a heap of Three Kings adit.

Heap of Three Kings adit

Above the heap is visible residue of Three Kings adit.

  

Adit coller of Three Kings adit

In the forest there are many traces of surface mining. The whole area is littered with the  holes of funnel shape - pits. This area was called the field of Three Kings.

Field of Three Kings

I returned back to the cottage Lestiny and I continued on forest road through the valley. About 100 meters from the cottage Lestiny come to a small clearing, which is a heap of adit Middle Theresa. Is a small heap of minor importance and adit probably served to vent adit Theresa.

Heap of adit Middle Theresa

I continued on the forest road and after about 80 m I come to a similar but larger clearing, which I heap of Upper adit Theresa.

Heap of adit Upper Theresa

About this adit is not much information. I tried to find the adit collar, but this is not possible.

Never mind, I wanted to move on to the most famous and most profitable gold adit Maria-Anna (sometimes also called Marianna).

After about 350 m, forest road take me near a heap. Already by the size of the heap is seen that there was really intense mining. A path leads directly by the center of the heap.

Heap of adit Mária-Anna

The most intensive mining gold was here in the late 18th and early 19th century. Over the long initial ditch I found a backfilled adit collar. I looked a new excavated pit.

Detail to pit:

In the hills above the adit is a lot of surface minings on flat vein. In the surrounding small heaps I seen a lot of quartz.

Surface mining above the Maria-Anna

I little bit staying here. After the Moment I continued through the valley  to the last adit, which is about 100 m above the heap of Mary-Anna adit.
Adit is nameless and probably was short and was used for ventilation adit Maria-Anna.

Till today is preserved only a small heap.

small heap above Mária-Anna adit

Once when I am in these parts, I decided to see a adit James. James was not mine for gold, but the roasted iron ores

Thus I returned back to Mary-Anna adit. From the heap in a northwesterly direction, I went through the forest aisles to the ridge where I descended to the next valley. I went over the brook, and I noticed quite a large heap through which the water flowed.

Heap of adit James

Above the heap, is the introductory ditch and backfilled adit collar.

Backfilled adit collar of adit James

From the adit flowing a small stream of the mine water. While a moment I searched on the vicinity, but I decided to wrap it.

And now I should turn and step back to the Limbach, or while I'm here, I can go a bit uphill to "Pezinska Baba" ?. I look at the clock and found that I could catch a bus from "Pezinská Baba" to Pezinok. Thus, I'm going up the valley, and through a small saddle I get the red touristic mark. After it is a convenient walk to "Pezinská Baba".

I have a good time so even I can  on the cottage "pod Korenným"  one dewy cold beer.

In the future I will probably look at the opposite direction from the "Kolársky" hill to "Hrubá" valley.

Lead mines under mountain pass Pezinska baba

In the neighborhood of pass "Pezinska baba", I never was on the northwest side yet. So I said that I will go to look to this corner of Small Carpathians. As usual, I took a bus to "Pezinská baba". Longer noticed that in the bus to mountains go mostly the same faces.

When I got off the bus at pass "Baba", I saw classic autumn weather. Drizzle and fog was. Well you already, I'm on it, hoping that things will improve. I chose the following blue touristic mark towards Pernek.

After about 1.5 km I come to the cottage Alpina, where I turned to south and I walked over perfect forest asphalt road.

After the road turns right, I looking  to the right side, where it should be a mine for lead and zinc ores. From the road is easily see the adit collar of Nicholas.

Adit collar of Nicholas

I walk across the stream that flows under a mine and I'm going to see how it looks inside the mine.

The flooded tunnel of adit

Adit after 5 meters is extending into the Great Hall, from which I see two tunnels. I suppose the next tunnel is at the right side, as I do not see there.  Furthermore, I can't go further into the adit, because there is deep water and I haven't equipment for survey the flooded mine. But, I shall certainly come back here with better equipment.

Flooded hall in Nicholas adit

On the walls of the adit i see as a rising and falling water levels. Today was generally a lot of water everywhere.

I returned back on the road and go further. 100m, again cross the stream, where I was looking nameless mouth of the adit, which was to be beside the adit Nicholas.

For some time I have searched in the vicinity, but little remains except small heaps I found nothing. By small heaps I concluded that the adit was relatively small. I do not want to hang around so I continuing with trip.

Still on the asphalt road, while I come to the feeding rack of deers, near which it I can turn between two hills to mountains.
Here I can view to my maps and notes and decide where I am.

I can go a bit on the asphalt road to another area of the old adits, or turn right and somewhere a half kilometers at the hill try to find adit Bartos.

I chose an adit Bartos. Bad decision. Besides,that I did not know the exact location and condition of the adit, I did not realize, what steep hill I will climb.

Well, I wandered here about an hour before I noticed that one of the forest paths leads nowhere.

From old forest road leads a path. Path after 10 meters ends. I wondered why.

Well, because there is Bartos adit. Not being mineralized mine water, so i will not notice it.

Mining water from adit Bartos

The adit collar is not at all visible. I want to go back to a comfortable asphalt road. Well, downhill is not gonna roll, so that i go by contour line.

Crest on which I go, pleasantly drops into the valley, then got him.

I have come down to the asphalt road. I looking around and I see how the asphalt road turns west into the hill.
At this bend should be located several adits.

Well, I do not know the exact location. There are 3 Valleys, and now choose which from it shall be. I went through all three and found nothing. That I was already nervous that this is not possible.

Then I tried to climb up the crest, which was between two valleys. I went up to the highest point on the crest and then I went back down.

During the descent of the hill I saw a heaps of three adits nicely stacked below. From the bottom of the valley I could not see them.

View from the top to the heap

Smaller adits were right on the hill.

Backdillet adit collar

Fain, I've thought that I have mist of wolves. According to my assumptions, should be a few yards down the adit Gaspar and the shaft into the adit.

So I went a few meters down, where I wandered earlier, and I looking where I was before. I focused on the high spots. It brought me success in the form of shaft to the adit Gaspar.

Zasypaná šachta do štôlne

Super, a few yards around  would be located the adit collar Gaspar. However, this can not be found. Then I realize that it teenie asphalt road is not exactly in the position in which it is on the map. I returned thus little by asphalt road down, where I turned back and with slow progress, I  comparing my position with a map. Then I realized that a new road is slightly shifted from original road. This is probably reason, why I can't  find the adit collar of Gaspar.

Nothing can be done here, so I went away further. Today I had planned a next destination : Hill "Gašparová". I wonder vats to go there. Or go via "Podbabská" valley, or go otherwise. By maps "Podbabská" Valley but is directed to hill "Konské hlavy" (Horsehead). So I would have to back.

I'll let valley so, I begin to walk directly to hill "Gašarová". I went through the two smaller hills and at the foot of hill "Gašparová" was clearings through which flowed a lot of water.

I must go to see from where. At the end of the clearings, from under the roots of an old beech really flowing a strong stream of water.

Clearings

The source of water is directly from the roots of beech

Above this clearing begins scarp. I climbing up the hill and I try to traverse by the paths from the deers. From here, it seems that after the moment I will on top of hill. But as I was wrong. This is only road for forestry machinery, which in the mid-hills is copied on contour line. 

I had a little rest. Hill Gašparová is directly in front of me, but I would have to make his way through thickets. It does not want to me, so I went by the road towards Pernek with the fact that maybe I can find a better approach.

I walking on the road, and I looking down into the valley.Then I realize that I've been here at morning, when I am looking for adit Bartos. 

I cursed to asses and , I went to the steep hill, which is felled. Slowly, actually im back, but I'm going diagonally up the slope and not straight, so it's easier

Well, finally on the hill Gašparová. I notice on the trees is unmaintained the green tourist mark. Already on maps is not, but once there was a hiking trail from Pernek to ridge red mark.  Why it abolished, i dont know. Perhaps for that goes to on the border of military area?

Well, I will be following this old green mark. About 50 m below the top Gašparová I enter to a short visit to the soldiers area. (70 m). After a while I find a heap of Peter adit.

Heap of Peter adit

Above the heap is overgrown mouth of the adit. He remained there only a tiny hole 20x20 cm.

Overgrown mouth Peter adit

Tiny hole to the adit.

So its very tiny hole to me :-). But I would love to see Rudolf adit,  so I turned back to the old green mark.

I see the trail is not used, and is richly overgrown with tall grass. The grass is wet and after a while I also dripping wet. Well, this is therefore not, I'll go after the wet grass, when   100 m. under me I see a nice military asphalt road?

Of course, I prefer to go on the asphalt road. I  marching about a kilometer, when the road turns sharply towards the inside of the military area. Well, I do not need it, because I'm in the valley, where after 200 m. be located the adit Rudolf.

Asphalt road under Gašparová

Now already chafing through dense wort does necessary.
Uff, everytime when I little touch a thicket, from leaves spray to me water. The moment I looked like I was in heavy rain.

I wonder how here find something. But even I do not know how to found. When I followed the creek in the valley, I notice a small tributary of the heavily tinted mineralized water.

Well, we're home. The mouth of the adit is completely overgrown of wort. When I not see a mine water, really not found it.

Toto je ústie štôlne Rudolf. Fotím stojac v úvodnej ryhe. Za konármi je zavalené ústie.

This is the mouth of the adit Rudolf. I make pics and I standing in the initial ditch. Mouth is overwhelmed by branches.

Well, nothing really amazing. But on the heap next to the adit I found such natural bonsai:

Natural bonsai on the heap of adit Rudolf

I dont want come back through a thick. I prefer to go about it a bit. I found a normal forest, where I'll take a break moment. I have a companion.

Fire Salamander

I realize that in this area I must not be, so I went on the shortest route back to the old green mark. On the old path I went through "Konské hlavy"  (Horse head) up to the red tourist trail.

Then I turned back toward the "Pezinská baba". Nicely on the red mark down from the "Konské hlavy"  up to the first saddleback. Catch the bus on Baba is not possible. So I turn to the right towards to "Slnečné údolie" (Sunny valley)

To the dam, it is really just a bit. Then I just kept down to a home. Today I was quite tired, but it does not seem to tracing on the terrain can be a quite tiring.

In the future I'll have something more relaxing.

Adits of company "Rudné bane" in Pezinok

With the prospect of a three-day weekend, I enjoyed how I'm going to pass "Podbabská" valley. I was looking forward unnecessarily. The weather became terrible, and I remained stuck at home.

When after a few nasty, rainy days, the sun finally showed, so I began to be nervous at home. And my wife after lunch telling me, "finally, get out somewhere"

It was already quite late, so I said to go and see it closed adits of ore mines.
I left the car at the parking of golf club. I chose walk at the trail above "Pinelová" hospital.

Not coincidentally, because I wanted to look at small adit in slope. As a boy I seen them here about five little adits.

I look over the fence into the area "Pinelová" hospital, where the 20 vehicles of ambulance 112. I think there are base. But because of this I'm not here. Then I noticed how above the path stands a something small from bricks, which has a hole in the side.

Walled ventilation chimney of adit

I looked at it closer and it was a ventilation chimney to adit V-1117, apparently due to security chimney was walled.
.

The inside of the ventilation chimney.

At the bottom of chimney is visible an adit. According to the depth of the chimney,  adit should have a adit collar at down the slope. It is already in the area Pinelovej hospital. I will not go there now.

I will leave it, with that a little further are the next adits.
But I have not been here for about a million years, and was surprised how landscape has changed. I was looking for, and looking for, but adits, which I remembered in certain places I not found.
Compared to the past, the trail quite a bit narrower. Today, there are clear landslides on slopes. I do not have time here to examine further. Neither I primarily not wanted to explored this area, thus I and give up with the fact that here I would ever come back.

I strutted on the path,  and at the end "Pinelová" hospital I found two adits.
From afar was visible the mouth of adit :

adit V-1068

It's a short adit (10 m), who is frequently visited.

About ten meters below, is the mouth of another adit. Has not yet been completely backfilled, there remained a small hole.

adit V-1067

View to adit V-1077 :

Inside I have not crawled, I did not want to waste time. I decided to explore these places in more detail later.

I came to the forest trail, after which there is a yellow touristic mark. 
I followed the path to the gamekeeper's house. Just above the gamekeeper's house, I turned right to the "Budúcnosť" adit. At that point, I realized that I'm going on the "nature path of mining" but in the opposite direction. :-)

The adit "Budúcnosť" portal.

I do not understand, who get kicked out here old furniture. This will give anyone trouble, bring the furniture here?  Whoever did this, should take this waste away, where it belongs. Either wait for the collection of such waste in the city, or to pay for landfill.

View to the "Budúcnosť" adit.

I thinking what next, and I decided, that I will go up to the top of "Žilová" hill, and from there i will go downwards.
From the "Budúcnosť" adit, I went to the former factory of company "Rudné bane" and from there to the panel road towards the backfilled quarry.

Panel journey has brought me to the old quarry. Hill "Žilová" was only a bit away, so I bypassed the quarry along the forest path.

"Žilová" hill

I do not regret it, from hill "Žilová", opened me the beautiful views. Town Trnava I saw like at hand. I make a little bit pics and then I turned back to the old quarry.

old quarry

Old quarry of company "Rudné bane" in which the surface-mined antimony with a scraper drill, is backfilled by construction rubbles. Also here are nice views:

View from quarryto Pezinok

From the quarry I went to visit area "Kolársky" hill, which should be antimony adit and adit New Alexander. Again, I go the on the education trail of mining. 
After a while I see the information board, with name "antimony adit".

I immediately noticed the dilapidated mining house.

Mining house on " Kolársky" hill

Behind house is blocked estuary of antimony adit.

Antimony adit

Near the adit I noticed stream of mine water, which flowed from somewhere from up. I went upstream, and after a few meters further blocked portal. About this adit, I had no idea. At home I'll have more explore what is it. But I think it's "Medzipatrová" adit.

further adit located next the antimony adit

Slightly below the antimony adit should be a new Alexander adit. I searched the landscape for a long while, but the adit I not found.
Even in 1997 was looking as follows:

The portal of New Alexander adit in 1997.

After a couple of years already it was only this:

Both pictures I cheekily borrowed from mr Dusan Kušík http://permonik.host.sk/ms1a3a2.htm

Ever since 2003, the company METAL - ECO SERVICE, Ltd., began the disposal of these adits: New Alexander, "IV podetáž" and "Štefan Prekop".

After more than 10 years after the disposal, I not found this adit, even though I knew the approximate location.

I told myself that I will go on to look at "Pyritová" adit. Again, I'm on the sidewalk of mining which decreases to the "Rudné bane" factory.  Immediately above the factory's areal is portal of "Pyritová" adit.

Portal of "Pyritová" adit

The total length of the adit is 1080 meters. Because the tunnel later served as the  drainage tunnel, flows out of him lot of mine water.

"Pyritová" adit

"Pyritová" adit in addition to drainage served as a main transport route. Was linked to the antimony adit with chimney. Extracted ore was trucked away for processing into complex of "Rudné bane" with a mining train.

Even today can be seen the remains of the railways.

The embankment of mining railway

On the embankment, I'd come to the complex of "Rudné bane", but I dont want to. So I chose walk on the mining sidewalk with the mark. ( international mark of adit )

Later I went on the yellow tourist trail to end trip and go home. But i could make a small detour to adit "Sirková".

Blocked adit collar of "Sirková"

I deliberately he ignored bearing Emil - Ferdinand, because I decided that I view these old adits some other times, even with better exploration adits over "Pinelová" hospital.

And the light was somewhat low too at 19:00 :-)

I hope that next time it will be on all day. I would like to finally see "Podbabská" valley.