Scared? I sure was but still did it.

I've been down a couple of old coal mines. Like you I am very claustrophobic, so was a bit nervous in case I freaked out, but in the end it was okay. I am also quite tall, so in the seams I was on my hands and knees. It was very interesting (obviously now all very safe so not quite the same as it was for the miners), and in the end the scariest things were the drop down in the cage and hitting my head (in helmet) on the roof of a seam. Even with the helmet on it knocked me sideways

I went into the mine near Matlock when my children were small, I hated every second so I am very impressed at your bravery! Nothing would induce me to ever do it again.

We used to take DC to the Chatterly Whitfield coal mine in Staffordshire quite regularly. Getting strapped in to a belted battery pack for your head lamp and then dropping down into the pit by the miner's cage gives you just a glimpse of just how horrendous a miners life actually is.

No way just no, flipping way…well done you muse ???

I've been down a coal mine and into other mines or caves where the tunnels are only head height but I couldn't have crawled through tunnels - it's not the ctual crawling through, it's the thought I wouldn't be able to turn round in that small space and go back if I felt I couldn't go on.

“Feel the fear and do it anyway?”
One particular ride at Alton Towers was more than enough for me.I remember promising God that I would be a better person if I only survived!
(Felt the fear and never did it again.)

I was going to say no, but Maw has just reminded me of the Black Hole ride at Alton Towers. I`ve been on lots of roller coasters, but that one scared the living daylights out of me, I came off it in tears.

That was the one Hellogirl - I had forgotten the name but never the sheer terror!

Great pictures

Me and my H are both from long lines of miners in Staffs/Derbys.

Two of my uncles were killed down the pit. One was crushed by a coal cutting machine, leaving a pregnant wife and five other children. Another two died of pneumoconiosis.
Barbaric places!

Muse, thank you for highlighting how awful life must have been for the miners. Thank goodness, times have changed.

I love going underground in the Catacombs, but couldn't have done what you did.

Same here persuaded to go on some ghastly rides but never done it again. Bad enough when you have to do something you know you are going to hate, but to actually do it for fun?

My Great Grandad died down the pit as well

I have been down The tunnels in Exeter, that was bad enough, no way could I do what you did Muse…?

I love going underground too Mary. I think I must have lived in a cave in a previous life. I don’t like tight spaces though.

No way we have been to mines I stay outside I go to pieces even thinking about it. I had to travel through the Mersey tunnel to work on the Wirral. I literally held my breath until I was out of the tunnel. I don't like heights either my legs go to jelly.

muse it was bad enough for the men but must have been horrifying for the children who were sent down the mines, some as young as seven.

This novel describes life down the mines for children in Somerset:
www.goodreads.com/book/show/40733723-the-black-mountains

My husband came from a mining village and there wasn’t much alternative employment. He went down the mine on a school trip and then spent the next 25 years in the army!

I remember being at “Summerlee” a heritage museum with a small mock-up of a coal mine.
We were travelling back on the tram. Also onboard was a gran with two young boys decked out in new, shiny replica Celtic kits. ( and we know how expensive they are) They were manky! She looked on in despair saying “ what will your mum say”
I couldn’t resist suggesting “they look like they’ve been down a coal mine!”

I remember having to go backwards and semi crouching down into the heart of a pyramid. Half way down I began to feel totally claustrophobic but was in the middle of a group and somehow held my cool. All of the guide's informative spiel went completely over my head. I did ask if I could make my way out alone but another group was already making its way down. He did allow me to go immediately ahead of him on the way out and said I should try for the Olympics!

I went into the pyramids in Cairo with my son, my daughter was too short and not allowed so my husband stayed outside with her.

I do suffer with claustrophobia but knew we'd never go back again, and my son was so excited, so I screwed up my courage. I regretted it almost instantly as we crouched into the dark deep tunnel, bent double, we had to walk on ladder rungs, just slats of wood to stop us slipping, along with hundreds of other people coming back out. I had a long skirt on and flip flops and kept stepping on the skirt, and there hardly seemed to be any air at all. Probably some poor mother in there right now, wishing she hadn't agreed!

How funny Kim, I wonder if we were there at the same time! 2009 for me. I'm sure H&S was out the window.

that sounds horrid.
why didn't your husband take the boy in, then you could have waited outside with the girl ?

No, I was a bit earlier than that Shandy but can't remember the actual year.