Abandoned Shale Mine, Glen Davis

I felt a lot like I was Indiana Jones when exploring the abandoned shale mine in Glen Davis.  For several reasons.

Firstly was the nature of the ruins themselves.  They were only abandoned 60 years ago, but the remaining rows of pillars and soaring brickfaced walls and arches make them look a bit like ancient classical ruins, like Ephesus in Turkey or Pompeii in Italy.  

Secondly, nature has done a remarkable job of reclaiming many of the ruins, with huge trees growing inside the old walls and monstrous, thorny weeds, the size of small trees, just as you'd find in an Indiana Jones movie.  

Third was the marvellous natural setting of the ruins.  Set right in the heart of the Capertee Valley with sandstone cliffs on either side.  Not quite like Petra in "Indiana and the Last Crusade", but beautiful nevertheless.

Fourth, I had to do my explorations in secret.  The mine is only open to the public on Saturday afternoons at 2 pm for an hour, so I had to slip over the fence and creep in quietly, and I faced the constant threat of discovery and capture.  

And finally, but most importantly, there were snakes!!!  Not pitfulls of snakes like Indiana faced in "Raiders of the Lost Ark", but I did see two large black ones in the space of just two minutes!  And as I had snubbed my toe the day before, I was wearing open sandals, so totally vulnerable to poisonous bites!  

So all in all, it was a marvellous adventure.  Of course, I was not there to find priceless relics, but to take photos and this I managed to do without capture or being bitten, so mission accomplished.  I think Indiana himself would have been impressed, except for the girlie squeal I made when I nearly stepped on the first snake.

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