I found out what the holes are for! Watch the update video: th-cam.com/video/9OU3QjuZCYQ/w-d-xo.html If you know where this is, please don’t say in the comments or I’ll delete the comment. I don’t want to encourage people to go looking for it.
Oooh, you've got me on tenterhooks. I was going to suggest going back during a dry spell so that the water table had dropped. But maybe you don't have to if you have more info. Don't keep us waiting too long please.
I dont think I'd have been able to camp anywhere near those holes - I'd be imagining all sorts of horrible things crawling out of them during the night. Scary and holes reminds me of my partner and I visiting Dunluce Castle on our holiday to Ireland in 2016 (we call the castle Dunlucky). I'd read about the cave underneath and wanted to photograph it. We went in and i thought it was wonderful - so vast - and began setting up my tripod. I then turned around to find my partner wasn't there - he'd left silently without saying a word. It was a little eerie, but i was still just excited to photograph the place. I decided the photo needed me in it down near the water to give some scale, so I set up my remote and went down to take some shots. I turned back to look up at the cave and the sound of the waves and the pigeons echoed strangly, and for no reason i know i went from enjoying myself to about as terrified as I've ever been in my life, and needing to get out of there immediately. I rushed back up the slope to my camera, packed up in about 10 seconds and scrambled up to the entrance as quick as i could. Half way back i stopped suddenly as i was confronted by this almost unrecognisable little dead body. It was some kind of bird i think, but looked all turned inside out, and there were no feathers to be seen. I rushed out of the cave into the sun and my partner was nowhere to be seen. My heart was pounding, but after a few minutes he reappeared from exploring, and by the time he got back i decided not to say anything. After this we went down by the shore so i could take some photos of the castle and bay at sunset. Eventually in the twilight, it was time to leave. As we made our way back up the slope towards the castle, the last light of the sun could be seen through one of the windows, and i said off-handedly to my partner it looked like a light was on. He said, "Yes, stop talking about it, this place gives me the creeps." He then told me that he'd left the cave so soon after entering because "I don't believe in ghosts but that cave had an ill feeling". I then told him about my experience in the cave. We rushed up the slope and stairs back to our car, but i wasnt very fit so lagged behind...i say i was left for ghost bait, my partner said he was running to get help 🤣 It was only after this experience that we looked up the history of Dunluce castle and saw there's a story about the ghost of girl who drowned trying to escape by boat via the cave. I don't know if i believe in ghosts or not, but that cave had an ill feeling!
Looks like airshafts for an old mine. Mine is probably closed up down the hill, and these shafts where blocked, now full of water. Or maybe Irish Trolls.
Get down to a library that has a collection of old maps in it. These maps are amazing to look at anyway, and often reveal things about places you never knew existed before.
It wasn’t something I saw, but my brother and I hiked down into a canyon to camp next to a stream. The clouds rolled in and we somehow hadn’t thought about the fact that it was flash flood season in Arizona and camping next to the stream was probably about the dumbest thing we could do. So we had to hike back up in the rain, got about halfway up the side of the canyon, it was dark and raining. We had to pitch the tent on a large stone and lash it to a tree to keep it from sliding off back down the canyon. Needless to say neither of us got much sleep that night. Anyway, thanks for another great video.
I'm telling you that if it wasn't for that tent setup trick, you would have gained my immediate subscription with the debacle of the strawberry rhubarb down your leg instead of in the pouch where it belonged. Your reaction to that was classic, I say, priceless. I have so enjoyed this video, the first one I've seen of yours, and I'm not even halfway through it...
Another fab video Stephen. Re the holes and because I love maps, I personally would try and find some old maps of the area and have a gander at those to see if they shine any light on what went on in the area in the past. Re the rain - nothing better for a good nights sleep than the sound of rain on canvas - putting all the kit away when wet is another matter all together 😂
Another great video Stephen. Not the scariest, but the strangest thing I've seen while out was on a bleak Snowdon in the winter. Myself and a couple of friends hiking up, all fully laden with winter hiking gear. Around 10 minutes before reaching the summit through the freezing fog, we spotted a local dressed in his Barbour, wellies and flat cap, taking his dog for a walk 😳
I’ve seen that look when I’ve been mountain running in winter and I’ve appeared on a summit with -10c wind chill, snow everywhere and I’m in a pair of shorts 😂 I should add, carrying a pack with extra layers and emergency kit.
Strange indeed - these are definitely not mines. 3 weeks ago I found small tunnel made of bricks leading towards the river, but it was maybe 4, 5 feet deep. I love camping in area and really enjoyed this film🙂.
Before Silent Valley was built water for Belfast was pumped from that river at the inlet well, the big grey building on the track in. I’m suspecting it connected to that somehow.
100% agree with you re: summit queues. I hate crowds on mountains, but if I'm there, I'm just the same as everyone else who's there, including the train people! Plenty of other mountains for everyone to enjoy too!
Yeah if everyone spread out it’ would be grand. I’ve spent all day at the weekend in the mountains and only met a handful of people because I avoided the popular areas
Cracking bit of bricklaying Stephen. Things like that always make me wonder about the people who built them, and the effort involved. And I'm in agreement about camping in the rain, especially when parked on a slope with a partner who continually rolls downhill forcing you against the canvas😂
Given the history of the area I suspect it’s at least 100years old. Haha that camping experience doesn’t sound fun. Lying their all night hating the rain and your partner 😂
I once found a bag of old animals bones with string around them almost like a necklace, and a small jar f what looked like blood in the same bag and some old broken slate, all shallow buried together around what looked like some scorched earth and then covered with leaves in a particular forest in the mournes when i was around 14 or 15 on a school trip to the mournes. Draw your own conclusions. 🤷♂️ Great video Stephen. Those holes are fascinating, again the movie "the descent" springs to mind 😮🤣
There was quarrying work for local stone and apparently some lead and copper mines in the general area. Although these didn’t look anything like the copper mines I’ve been into in wales.
On Kinder Scout I had a close call, whilst filming near kinder downfall, I stepped backwards, my right foot hit a rock, directly behind the rock was a hole deep enough to swallow my whole leg, 8 lives left 😰 great video as always mate👊🏻🤙🏻
We were camping high up in the mountains in a remote part of BC at the end of an unused forest road. It was well after dark and three guys walk out of the darkness, one guy with a shotgun slung off his shoulder. They turned out to be a super friendly group of guys originally from Kazakhstan who offered us vodka and a tasty dish of beef plov. Still a bizarre experience considering where we were.
The holes are fascinating. How far apart were they and were they on a similar level like on the same contour on the map? The fact that there is brickwork makes me think "water installation" especially since there are reservoirs nearby. The fencing looks like there was once an attempt to at least keep animals from roaming into them. But I agree that there needs to be something done to renew the fencing.
About maybe 100m apart and yeah roughly on the same level. Second one maybe 3 meters lower. I suspect the fencing is maybe from when the forest plantation was put in. The trees there look about 30-40years old.
@@StephenJReid I love finding old stuff like that. I end up poring over old OS maps to see if anything is on them. Hours of geeky fun. Little amuses the innocent eh? Here's a link to a source of old maps that go back to the last century. apps.spatialni.gov.uk/PRONIApplication/
Brother man that little trick of videography you did with the instantaneous tent setup that was so cool you gained my immediate subscription. I watched it like four times. Really cool & innovative. We are starting off good... Lol
Scariest thing that has ever happened to me was whilst wild camping in Botswana, we had set up camp in some salt flats and I had been wandering around wearing flip flops for an hour when I spotted an angry looking green scorpion about a metre away... I quickly replaced my flip flops with with some boots... thankfully we managed to put the scorpion in a plastic container overnight and then released it in the morning without anyone being injured...! Great video, I'd be really interesting to hear what the tunnels were!
I'm even more curious now about those pits! Are you planning to look into them a bit more? I have a historian-dusty-archive-loving streak and would definitely be digging into this (no pun intended!) Having returned from a short hike around Stirling today that was very, very busy, hard relate to the crowded location question. It is hard to find balance of easy-ish access great spots with no people, but we're all definitely part of the problem when still going to the popular areas. Makes me think of the erosion on Ben Lomond path - apparently before repair and restoration the eroded path was visible from Glasgow! Its good people go out but we all have responsibility to take care of the landscape we want to enjoy for years to come.
you realise there could be other shafts in the area covered by (by now) rotted planks that you could walk right over without knowing til they collapsed. id have walked a long way away very very carefully. Just thought i'd add to the nightmares.
And that is why I get panicky when I hear that 'hollow' sound, even around tree roots which quite often have open spaces underneath....but especially around mines and old installations...
what if you found some alien bodies inside hehe .. really enjoyed the video.. How are you ? Btw Im one of those who have been watching you since you had like 2k subs and you inspired me to run! I wish people knew how much they were missing on by not watching this channel enough! ALso Im quite curious what mic did you use for this ASMR (from another video but same day)?
I agree with may of the comments already that suggest these look like air shafts or expansion shafts. I would put my money on them being for a pipe or tunnel, perhaps for water if there is a reservoir nearby. Shafts like this are sometime put in to provide a pressure relief to reduce the shock of pressure changes to the tunnel/pipe when valves are opened or closed. As you've found two - draw a line between them and see if you can spot any more or if the line leads to near the reservoir, water works or river/stream. Very scary but interesting. Thanks for covering it and great video!
There was an underground water conduit built over 100years ago. But I looked up the old maps and it doesn’t come within a couple of miles of this location. The reservoirs are in an adjacent valley too
You should make friends with an experienced caver/potholer and find out what the actual is down there. I mean there's barbed wire around them so *someone* knows what they are. Also you'd be better off doing a group hike before a group camp to vet the potential weirdos 😀.
Very bizarre holes. Could they be old wells? Would definitely tell someone because you are right, they are very dangerous and disturbing for sure. Thanks for sharing. :) :)
I'm sure you will find more in that area if you looked around long enough. Definitely looks like it is connected to the mining industry probably ventilation shaft or something but they should definitely be more secure than their current state. I thought forestry commission or someone would have them more secured . Even some hazard tape around the opening or something 🤷🏽♂️
Mines in other areas are very clearly marked. I’m not sure this is related to mining. There was some tunnelling in the area 100 years ago for reservoirs
As someone with a very limited ability to walk I love the train going up snowdon and I'd really love to have a go again if I ever have budget to travel again.
It might be the air shafts of an old mine. These holes are not the mine it’s self but when a mine is very deep they will have to make air shafts to pump air into the mine.
Being full of water It may be a Victorian vent pipe as stated (for a reservoir) when overfilling and also in turn a point of water entry from the forest to the reservoir when there’s high water in the forest Close by a potential road or pathway it could have also been used as a water well. Great find.
I'm only 5 mins in, and I'm sure this video is gonna give me nightmares. How is this not closed. If this was in the netherlands, it would... It would not even exist anymore. It would be turned into a bicycle lane with a windmill on the side and a cafe selling pancakes. NL regulations would not allow this to exist.
Absolutely tell someone. Imagine kids running through there. Cisterns? I'm wondering if there was a landslide there? In California, they have closed off all of our forest roads. We used to be able to at least drive the forestry roads. They blame it on wildfires, but now is when i want to see back there because the trees and leaves are gone and I we can see the ground right now. From the highways i can see things I've never seen before and want to check it out. I love camping in the rain or sleeping under a tin roof in the rain. Im sorry it's torture to you, but there's nothing you can do about it, so might as well accept it.
To answer your question do i like camping in the rain ( I don’t mind as long as it stops when trying to pack up next morning 😂. It also masks the sound of anyone , thing snuffling round your tent . If I was in a forest with no sound I would be petrified 😂😂. I like the sound of water running and trees creaking .
This has a ring to it that reminds me of Oak Island. I understand that you don't want to disclose the location ... I'm thinking loads of hidden treasures.
Assuming this is the mournes, i have a suspicion that what you have there are ventilations shafts for part of the mourne conduit that helped supply water to belfast before the silent valley reservoir was built. Presumably theyd have been used to supply fresh air to the workers building the tunnel though ive no idea why they werent sealed when it was complete unless they were also intended as some form of pressure release for the conduit or they were sealed and the cover collapsed? id check who owns the land theyre on. i suspect its probably northern ireland water since they own a lot of the land in the mournes. if so, maybe let the know so they can seal them up?
Doing a wild camp with people who have the will to build & maintain a non intoxicated stealth camp i completely get where you are coming from if you get about in the UK im in north wales i do this but strict rules as i dont really want to draw attention to where i have put time and effort into outdoor builds. I go out but no tent just a blanket, but my builds all have mini fireplaces well insulated and tarp & moss roof! 😊 Fresh water source is right there 2m away 😂 and beautiful view in the most disguised location. No 1 is finding you!! Ive just seen your video of snowdon 😂 ❤ my back garden.
I've come across a few builds like that and I don't have a problem with most of them as long as they are well off the beaten track and haven't been made from live trees., Some are amazing work. Although I've found quite a few that are a mess with old kit and tools etc lying everywhere. If you liked my Snowdon video, you'll love my Dinorwic video! 🙂
@@StephenJReid I'll have a look tonight! Good call! 😃 Couldn't agree more nothing worse than hammer and nails and loads of bags bottles rubbish excess string and even worse when that person gets bored and leaves it all there 😤
Careful with rocks from a creek or river in a fire if there's water trapped inside they'll blow up or explode when they get hot. Awesome video stay safe out there
Old world remnants. You just scratched the surface. Perhaps a remote control camera (Submersible) might provide more insight. You wouldn’t believe what’s beneath our feet ! Great job finding it. Perhaps you could notify the proper authorities to (safe) it ? Also check out any Lidar images of the area. Or perhaps you might deploy same said ?Be safe Brother.
@@StephenJReid military installations especially WW1/WW2 tend not to be on old maps, cos well, it tells the other side where to bomb! The fact you can't find it all to me says military or maybe some private installation where public had no access to until well ater it was forgotten, and it's collapsed since. They can be listed now, so weirdly modern maps or military installation sites on the Internet (yes that is a thing) might tell you more.
re wild-camping which basically involves the act of trespass if its on private land without permission, CPS website states: "Trespass to land in most instances is a civil matter, and as such the police do not have the power to assist. Initially, the landowner should ask the trespasser to leave the land and if he/she does then all is well. If he/she refuses to leave the land then you will need to consider taking civil action." i dont think the police would get involved unless criminal damage was being done.
Scandy knife cuts the mustard for me - as a professional knife thrower with failing eyesight " Should have gone to Specsavers " is not something i want to hear particularly,but hey,who knows ? Do you review or recommend first aid kits Stephen ?
Haven’t injured myself enough yet to review a first aid kit. 😂 I carry a simple one from Harrier running that I’ve added a couple of larger wound dressings too
I grew up around WW2 bunkers, they are scattered amongst the woods around me in SE England, as well as MOD ranges (one of my claims to fame is stopping my friends going into a DANGER MINEFIELD area that was fenced)..I suspect it's either one of two things: remains of a WW 2 (WW1 maybe? Rarer but they did build ranges from concrete) bunker, that has partially collaosed - and the other one is a flooded entry shaft...or mine workings. What makes me sceptical of the latter is the remains of the road would be wider for trucks. Unlikely they'd put a nuclear shelter in the middle of nowhere, so likely some training installation. The WW2 bunkers I knee were training camps for Canadian and Commonwealth forces who camped out in the woods and trained there, away from the villages and towns. They are in fairly remote places, you have to know they are there. I am afraid of the dark so refused to go in them. Nothing as dangerous as that, though - but then again, if they collapse when you're standing on them....they are creaky old structures. And as you say, brickwork and mineshafts is not a thing usually (usually stone or more dangerously -wood, I shudder to think as a kid visiting CornwallI used to roam around old mine ruins...I'd not do that now!). It feels military.
I've checked maps for the area going back 200 years. The location was used as a few homestead plots up until late 1900s. After that it became the properly of the water service, they planted the forest in the 60s. I've an updated video on the way that explains a bit more.
Personally I think you should report those holes in the ground, but to who, I have no idea, as they are obviously way dangerous. I enjoyed watching your videos
Also scariest thing I encountered while camping was hearing weird noises in the night ( like murmuring and snuffling and mumbling ) then I woke up and remember a guy called Stephen Reid was in his tent 3 feet from me 😂😂
I love the sound of rain but only when I'm at home indoors dry, or in a place I can just stay in the tent. Wild camping I HATE rain, or sailing as I used to do with my Dad, because it means you'll get drenched later, or have a wet tent to deal with. I actually get freaked out by total silence, like in the woods...it creeps me out, whereas rain or wind in the trees soothes me. I did have a bad night one camp where I was under trees and the rain indeed did hit the tent and ground loudly, it was one of my first wild camps and was worried it was someone out there!
Investigating who best to ask. I have a couple of options. Slightly concerned though that they could take the nuclear option and just ban access to the entire area
Scariest thing was hiking in the Western Isles, I was hiking down a track down to a Loch in the wilder part of North? Uist, thinking of camping there...but it was way too midge infested...I heard and saw no-one. Headed back and there were six black crows on a barbed wire fence that weren't there when I passed less than an hour earlier. That freaked me out, especially as they seem to have been shot, and I'd not heard any shots. Very much a Deliverance moment. Also while sketching in an spooky dead yet green wood near me where birds do not sing or make any noise, at dusk....a black bird flew into me even though I was sitting on a small stool, so low down. I fell off my stool and then the bird was nowhere to be seen. That freaked me out too.
Definitely dangerous structures. Perhaps there was a military installation there during WW2 as US troops were based in the area. Could have been underground bunkers for storing ammunition. Or possibly something to do with the water authority. Brilliant video, many thanks.
This is my thinking, as a military installation nerd - I grew up around them, tend to seek out pillboxes, forts etc, and have draw and photographed them, the construction like that square poured concrete and brick says military, WW1 or WW2. Difficulty there is, unless you find some locals who remember working on it, it will not be on maps. For obvious reasons (even now I find blank spaces on OS maps are actually millitary bases)
I have coal mines on a property I own in Pennsylvania. They are littered with air shafts that fortunately haven’t opened up after being closed 100 years ago, but I would imagine would be similar to this if they did. Although a lot less well constructed than these.
Scariest thing I’ve encountered while camping was dingoes howling in the hills around me. Like they were calling to each other. Hair raising experience!
Did you say that Snowdon was the tallest mountain in the UK or did I mis-hear? Every chance I did though as I have a head cold and according to my GF I never listen properly.
Seems legit 😀 on a serious note, my GF and I love your content, witty, exceptional production values and very enjoyable. I had the pleasure of living in County Down when I was younger for a few years and your videos make me want to go back there on holiday. Keep up the awesome work dude!
I know of a couple of priest holes in woods but they are much bigger but very difficult to get out of we rigged some ladders up to go down. But I only know of them in a localized area.
A few months back me and my buddy's were camping in the cairngorms, 4 of us in a tent and my other friend decided to stay in the bothy only a few hundred yards away with a family of 4. During the night, one person in the bothy went out to chop wood because the fire went out, when he was startled by an American woman without a headtorch or much gear ( it was pitch black) and she acted very strangely and seemed very weird. We in the tent didn't know this at the time, but we did suspect someone was snooping around our tent, as we heard what was definitely human footsteps and noises in the middle of the night. Anyway, nothing bad happened and it ended up just being a weird experience which I will remember 😅
I found out what the holes are for! Watch the update video: th-cam.com/video/9OU3QjuZCYQ/w-d-xo.html
If you know where this is, please don’t say in the comments or I’ll delete the comment. I don’t want to encourage people to go looking for it.
Voted for you. You deserve to win mate 👍
@@GrizzlyGaz thanks Gaz!
Oooh, you've got me on tenterhooks. I was going to suggest going back during a dry spell so that the water table had dropped. But maybe you don't have to if you have more info. Don't keep us waiting too long please.
Is the new video out yet? When would that date be if I may ask?
@@shannonbaldus5458 Likely next weekend. I have a lot of footage to go through.
I dont think I'd have been able to camp anywhere near those holes - I'd be imagining all sorts of horrible things crawling out of them during the night.
Scary and holes reminds me of my partner and I visiting Dunluce Castle on our holiday to Ireland in 2016 (we call the castle Dunlucky). I'd read about the cave underneath and wanted to photograph it. We went in and i thought it was wonderful - so vast - and began setting up my tripod. I then turned around to find my partner wasn't there - he'd left silently without saying a word. It was a little eerie, but i was still just excited to photograph the place.
I decided the photo needed me in it down near the water to give some scale, so I set up my remote and went down to take some shots. I turned back to look up at the cave and the sound of the waves and the pigeons echoed strangly, and for no reason i know i went from enjoying myself to about as terrified as I've ever been in my life, and needing to get out of there immediately.
I rushed back up the slope to my camera, packed up in about 10 seconds and scrambled up to the entrance as quick as i could. Half way back i stopped suddenly as i was confronted by this almost unrecognisable little dead body. It was some kind of bird i think, but looked all turned inside out, and there were no feathers to be seen.
I rushed out of the cave into the sun and my partner was nowhere to be seen. My heart was pounding, but after a few minutes he reappeared from exploring, and by the time he got back i decided not to say anything.
After this we went down by the shore so i could take some photos of the castle and bay at sunset. Eventually in the twilight, it was time to leave. As we made our way back up the slope towards the castle, the last light of the sun could be seen through one of the windows, and i said off-handedly to my partner it looked like a light was on. He said, "Yes, stop talking about it, this place gives me the creeps." He then told me that he'd left the cave so soon after entering because "I don't believe in ghosts but that cave had an ill feeling". I then told him about my experience in the cave.
We rushed up the slope and stairs back to our car, but i wasnt very fit so lagged behind...i say i was left for ghost bait, my partner said he was running to get help 🤣
It was only after this experience that we looked up the history of Dunluce castle and saw there's a story about the ghost of girl who drowned trying to escape by boat via the cave.
I don't know if i believe in ghosts or not, but that cave had an ill feeling!
Yes. Tell someone so the holes can have signage or fences for caution.
Looks like airshafts for an old mine. Mine is probably closed up down the hill, and these shafts where blocked, now full of water. Or maybe Irish Trolls.
Possibly. Doing some investigating with old maps now.
Maybe an old mining town buried by mudslides? Or buried in volcanic ash?
Get down to a library that has a collection of old maps in it. These maps are amazing to look at anyway, and often reveal things about places you never knew existed before.
I’ve been sent a link to an online viewer of some old maps. Has given some insight.
@@StephenJReid that needs a sequel video then. The scariest thing part 2 - this time it's personal!
@@StephenJReid it will be amazing what comes of seeing those. I really want to know how deep it is.
Scariest thing? Going down the 'Glen path' on Slieve Donard and passing a totally unprepared Stephen Nolan.
😂😂😂 I think you win this!
😂😂😂
😂😂😂😂
The scariest thing I've encountered woodland camping is a TH-camr making videos.
A truly traumatic experience 😂
😂❤
Did you get him ? 😂
I was thinking something similar. SMH
It wasn’t something I saw, but my brother and I hiked down into a canyon to camp next to a stream. The clouds rolled in and we somehow hadn’t thought about the fact that it was flash flood season in Arizona and camping next to the stream was probably about the dumbest thing we could do. So we had to hike back up in the rain, got about halfway up the side of the canyon, it was dark and raining. We had to pitch the tent on a large stone and lash it to a tree to keep it from sliding off back down the canyon. Needless to say neither of us got much sleep that night. Anyway, thanks for another great video.
That sounds like a grim night!
@@StephenJReid that's a good word for it.
I'm telling you that if it wasn't for that tent setup trick, you would have gained my immediate subscription with the debacle of the strawberry rhubarb down your leg instead of in the pouch where it belonged. Your reaction to that was classic, I say, priceless.
I have so enjoyed this video, the first one I've seen of yours, and I'm not even halfway through it...
Another fab video Stephen. Re the holes and because I love maps, I personally would try and find some old maps of the area and have a gander at those to see if they shine any light on what went on in the area in the past. Re the rain - nothing better for a good nights sleep than the sound of rain on canvas - putting all the kit away when wet is another matter all together 😂
Doing just that. Found 100yr old map online which reveals a bit but not all. I might need to make a follow up video!
Another great video Stephen.
Not the scariest, but the strangest thing I've seen while out was on a bleak Snowdon in the winter.
Myself and a couple of friends hiking up, all fully laden with winter hiking gear.
Around 10 minutes before reaching the summit through the freezing fog, we spotted a local dressed in his Barbour, wellies and flat cap, taking his dog for a walk 😳
I’ve seen that look when I’ve been mountain running in winter and I’ve appeared on a summit with -10c wind chill, snow everywhere and I’m in a pair of shorts 😂
I should add, carrying a pack with extra layers and emergency kit.
Strange indeed - these are definitely not mines. 3 weeks ago I found small tunnel made of bricks leading towards the river, but it was maybe 4, 5 feet deep. I love camping in area and really enjoyed this film🙂.
Yeah I think most likely something to do with water. The brickwork looks similar to that at a nearby reservoir that was built about 100years ago.
Before Silent Valley was built water for Belfast was pumped from that river at the inlet well, the big grey building on the track in. I’m suspecting it connected to that somehow.
Maybe although these are nowhere near the river
100% agree with you re: summit queues. I hate crowds on mountains, but if I'm there, I'm just the same as everyone else who's there, including the train people! Plenty of other mountains for everyone to enjoy too!
Yeah if everyone spread out it’ would be grand. I’ve spent all day at the weekend in the mountains and only met a handful of people because I avoided the popular areas
@@StephenJReid Exactly!
Cracking bit of bricklaying Stephen. Things like that always make me wonder about the people who built them, and the effort involved. And I'm in agreement about camping in the rain, especially when parked on a slope with a partner who continually rolls downhill forcing you against the canvas😂
Given the history of the area I suspect it’s at least 100years old.
Haha that camping experience doesn’t sound fun. Lying their all night hating the rain and your partner 😂
Beautiful shots sir ..where there is beauty there is danger
Yup!
I once found a bag of old animals bones with string around them almost like a necklace, and a small jar f what looked like blood in the same bag and some old broken slate, all shallow buried together around what looked like some scorched earth and then covered with leaves in a particular forest in the mournes when i was around 14 or 15 on a school trip to the mournes. Draw your own conclusions. 🤷♂️
Great video Stephen. Those holes are fascinating, again the movie "the descent" springs to mind 😮🤣
Yikes! I better not find monsters in there when I go back to investigate further
remains of jimmy hoffa
Shaman's Sack 😮
They kind of seem to be ventilation shafts for a mine--or maybe that and escape shafts. Was there ever any kind of mining done in the area?
There was quarrying work for local stone and apparently some lead and copper mines in the general area. Although these didn’t look anything like the copper mines I’ve been into in wales.
Any ancient wells in the area, an old map would help. There are quite often more wells around than we realise ….
Might be able to find old land maps and have a look
On Kinder Scout I had a close call, whilst filming near kinder downfall, I stepped backwards, my right foot hit a rock, directly behind the rock was a hole deep enough to swallow my whole leg, 8 lives left 😰 great video as always mate👊🏻🤙🏻
Yikes!
We were camping high up in the mountains in a remote part of BC at the end of an unused forest road. It was well after dark and three guys walk out of the darkness, one guy with a shotgun slung off his shoulder. They turned out to be a super friendly group of guys originally from Kazakhstan who offered us vodka and a tasty dish of beef plov. Still a bizarre experience considering where we were.
That’s quite the story!
after watching this and reading the comments i cant wait for part 2 :)
You got that right!!!! I just shot part two. It’s crazy what I discovered
The holes are fascinating. How far apart were they and were they on a similar level like on the same contour on the map? The fact that there is brickwork makes me think "water installation" especially since there are reservoirs nearby. The fencing looks like there was once an attempt to at least keep animals from roaming into them. But I agree that there needs to be something done to renew the fencing.
About maybe 100m apart and yeah roughly on the same level. Second one maybe 3 meters lower. I suspect the fencing is maybe from when the forest plantation was put in. The trees there look about 30-40years old.
@@StephenJReid I love finding old stuff like that. I end up poring over old OS maps to see if anything is on them. Hours of geeky fun. Little amuses the innocent eh? Here's a link to a source of old maps that go back to the last century. apps.spatialni.gov.uk/PRONIApplication/
@@TheOpenboaterinteresting 👍 are they any for UK?
@@skyblue-df2od to be honest I haven't looked for anywhere else. Sorry.
Old buildings or mining operation buried by mudslides? Or volcanic ash? I'd have to know exactly where he is to know.
Brother man that little trick of videography you did with the instantaneous tent setup that was so cool you gained my immediate subscription. I watched it like four times. Really cool & innovative. We are starting off good... Lol
1:24 I love the effect. 😻
Cool video I like the color grading you are using - goes very well for winter and the dramatic places you have filmed at recently.
Thanks! It’s a fairly simple grade. I try to match to the season
That's a BIG tunnel spider entrance....🕷🕷🕷🕷
😱😱
Scariest thing that has ever happened to me was whilst wild camping in Botswana, we had set up camp in some salt flats and I had been wandering around wearing flip flops for an hour when I spotted an angry looking green scorpion about a metre away... I quickly replaced my flip flops with with some boots... thankfully we managed to put the scorpion in a plastic container overnight and then released it in the morning without anyone being injured...! Great video, I'd be really interesting to hear what the tunnels were!
I now have an answer! And am working on an updated video.
The scariest thing I've ever found was a nest of baby rattle snakes. We left that pretty quickly.
Yikes!
I’m guessing it could be an old well that would have had the bucket lifting structure over it.
I'm even more curious now about those pits! Are you planning to look into them a bit more? I have a historian-dusty-archive-loving streak and would definitely be digging into this (no pun intended!)
Having returned from a short hike around Stirling today that was very, very busy, hard relate to the crowded location question. It is hard to find balance of easy-ish access great spots with no people, but we're all definitely part of the problem when still going to the popular areas. Makes me think of the erosion on Ben Lomond path - apparently before repair and restoration the eroded path was visible from Glasgow! Its good people go out but we all have responsibility to take care of the landscape we want to enjoy for years to come.
Yeah I’ve been sent a few links and tips. Including some old maps. I might have to make a follow up video!!
@@StephenJReidPlease do, so very curious now. 🤓
Well done on the swallow answer 😅 Great stuff as always 👍 I think the land owner needs to be aware of the shafts being open impo.
😁 yeah I’m investigating a bit here
Looks like a mine shaft lots of em where i live except there must be snowfencing around it or cement cap by law
Yeah elsewhere places like this are doubled fenced.
you realise there could be other shafts in the area covered by (by now) rotted planks that you could walk right over without knowing til they collapsed. id have walked a long way away very very carefully. Just thought i'd add to the nightmares.
Yikes! Although I now have reason to believe these are the only ones in the area
And that is why I get panicky when I hear that 'hollow' sound, even around tree roots which quite often have open spaces underneath....but especially around mines and old installations...
Can’t disagree with anything you’ve said. You speak too much sense young Jedi!
Live long and prosper.
Oh wait 😂
“If you stare into the abyss, the abyss stares back at you”
-Nietzsche
Deep
Old wells maybe? As you said yourself, it's close to a water reservoir.
I have a long unravellling mystery and a follow up video on the way!
@@StephenJReidExcellent. I'm so glad you're doing a follow up.
Definitely worth my sub 👍
Great video Stephen ...what little alcohol stove are you using ...thanks
It’s a Bailey burner with the X-boil wind shield. Local guy sells the burners on eBay. But the xboil is similar.
what if you found some alien bodies inside hehe .. really enjoyed the video..
How are you ?
Btw Im one of those who have been watching you since you had like 2k subs and you inspired me to run!
I wish people knew how much they were missing on by not watching this channel enough!
ALso Im quite curious what mic did you use for this ASMR (from another video but same day)?
Look like old mines. I used to live in Cornwall snd its full of them
Looks that way but couldn’t find any on local maps of old mines
Great videos man . Love that new fire pit . Was about to get a bush box but now 😩😩😩😂
Yeah I was about to get a bush box XL but then I was offered this for free
Steven do you have a discount code for the x fire , think I’ll go for the 19 . What size do you get sent 🍷cheers
I agree with may of the comments already that suggest these look like air shafts or expansion shafts. I would put my money on them being for a pipe or tunnel, perhaps for water if there is a reservoir nearby. Shafts like this are sometime put in to provide a pressure relief to reduce the shock of pressure changes to the tunnel/pipe when valves are opened or closed. As you've found two - draw a line between them and see if you can spot any more or if the line leads to near the reservoir, water works or river/stream. Very scary but interesting. Thanks for covering it and great video!
There was an underground water conduit built over 100years ago. But I looked up the old maps and it doesn’t come within a couple of miles of this location. The reservoirs are in an adjacent valley too
@@StephenJReid good detective work! I’m very interested to find out what this is/was if known. If unknown I’ll have to learn to let go 🤣
Looks like a portal to me!!😮 it is better to let everyone know it's exact location, so that no one trips and fall!
You should make friends with an experienced caver/potholer and find out what the actual is down there. I mean there's barbed wire around them so *someone* knows what they are. Also you'd be better off doing a group hike before a group camp to vet the potential weirdos 😀.
I’ll maybe just head back with a brighter torch and some bungee cords and jump in for a look 😂
Yep, for me an abandoned mine shaft with very rotten boards covering the vertical hole... definitely scary!
Very bizarre holes. Could they be old wells? Would definitely tell someone because you are right, they are very dangerous and disturbing for sure. Thanks for sharing. :) :)
I'm sure you will find more in that area if you looked around long enough. Definitely looks like it is connected to the mining industry probably ventilation shaft or something but they should definitely be more secure than their current state. I thought forestry commission or someone would have them more secured . Even some hazard tape around the opening or something 🤷🏽♂️
Mines in other areas are very clearly marked. I’m not sure this is related to mining. There was some tunnelling in the area 100 years ago for reservoirs
@@StephenJReid ahh I see 👀
As someone with a very limited ability to walk I love the train going up snowdon and I'd really love to have a go again if I ever have budget to travel again.
You have found the mystical city of 'Norumbega'.
Nice work 😲!? 👏
It might be the air shafts of an old mine. These holes are not the mine it’s self but when a mine is very deep they will have to make air shafts to pump air into the mine.
You should put neon string or something around those holes so it is noticeable and no one dies
Good idea
We have an old well on our property that looks similar to this. Needs to be properly covered.
Is it lined with anything? These look lined with wood and concrete
Weird. Probably some old war bunkers??
Dangerous though.
Highly doubt anything war related, nothing really like that in the area
Love the firepit. As for the knife with 1066 steel, is it from the battle of Hastings lol. Great video as usual
Haha yeah some guy has signed “William” on the back
@@StephenJReid lol
Being full of water It may be a Victorian vent pipe as stated (for a reservoir) when overfilling and also in turn a point of water entry from the forest to the reservoir when there’s high water in the forest
Close by a potential road or pathway it could have also been used as a water well.
Great find.
I’m very close to discovering what it is thanks to the help of an amateur historian. Update video will follow soon I hope
Okay, @1:24 I actually loled for real.😆
😂 excellent! I didn’t have time to shoot a proper setting up camp sequence so this was the solution
@@StephenJReid I get it! Apparently just my type of humor.😄
Haha me too 😂 and that wasn’t your bog standard, cut to a pitched tent either, was it. I slowed it down, and that edit grew out of nowhere 🤣 👏🏼
I'm only 5 mins in, and I'm sure this video is gonna give me nightmares. How is this not closed. If this was in the netherlands, it would... It would not even exist anymore. It would be turned into a bicycle lane with a windmill on the side and a cafe selling pancakes. NL regulations would not allow this to exist.
😂 I think it was fenced off 60years ago but the fence has rotten away
Absolutely tell someone. Imagine kids running through there. Cisterns? I'm wondering if there was a landslide there? In California, they have closed off all of our forest roads. We used to be able to at least drive the forestry roads. They blame it on wildfires, but now is when i want to see back there because the trees and leaves are gone and I we can see the ground right now. From the highways i can see things I've never seen before and want to check it out. I love camping in the rain or sleeping under a tin roof in the rain. Im sorry it's torture to you, but there's nothing you can do about it, so might as well accept it.
Scariest thing? Climbing Snowdon in the mist, which cleared for a moment to reveal a rescue helicopter below me.
Were you standing on the helicopter? 😂
To answer your question do i like camping in the rain ( I don’t mind as long as it stops when trying to pack up next morning 😂. It also masks the sound of anyone , thing snuffling round your tent . If I was in a forest with no sound I would be petrified 😂😂. I like the sound of water running and trees creaking .
I like the silence. I can sleep in the silence 😂
This has a ring to it that reminds me of Oak Island. I understand that you don't want to disclose the location ... I'm thinking loads of hidden treasures.
Mate thats crazy. Just goes to show always be aware of your surroundings .
Absolutely!
Assuming this is the mournes, i have a suspicion that what you have there are ventilations shafts for part of the mourne conduit that helped supply water to belfast before the silent valley reservoir was built. Presumably theyd have been used to supply fresh air to the workers building the tunnel though ive no idea why they werent sealed when it was complete unless they were also intended as some form of pressure release for the conduit or they were sealed and the cover collapsed? id check who owns the land theyre on. i suspect its probably northern ireland water since they own a lot of the land in the mournes. if so, maybe let the know so they can seal them up?
Checked a map from 1905, the conduit doesn’t go anywhere near this location.
very interesting spot .. like that stove , kind of like a hillbilly stove i made from old paint tin for £000 , good stuff good luck
Doing a wild camp with people who have the will to build & maintain a non intoxicated stealth camp i completely get where you are coming from if you get about in the UK im in north wales i do this but strict rules as i dont really want to draw attention to where i have put time and effort into outdoor builds. I go out but no tent just a blanket, but my builds all have mini fireplaces well insulated and tarp & moss roof! 😊 Fresh water source is right there 2m away 😂 and beautiful view in the most disguised location. No 1 is finding you!! Ive just seen your video of snowdon 😂 ❤ my back garden.
I've come across a few builds like that and I don't have a problem with most of them as long as they are well off the beaten track and haven't been made from live trees., Some are amazing work. Although I've found quite a few that are a mess with old kit and tools etc lying everywhere.
If you liked my Snowdon video, you'll love my Dinorwic video! 🙂
@@StephenJReid I'll have a look tonight! Good call! 😃 Couldn't agree more nothing worse than hammer and nails and loads of bags bottles rubbish excess string and even worse when that person gets bored and leaves it all there 😤
Careful with rocks from a creek or river in a fire if there's water trapped inside they'll blow up or explode when they get hot. Awesome video stay safe out there
Old world remnants. You just scratched the surface. Perhaps a remote control camera (Submersible) might provide more insight. You wouldn’t believe what’s beneath our feet ! Great job finding it. Perhaps you could notify the proper authorities to (safe) it ? Also check out any Lidar images of the area. Or perhaps you might deploy same said ?Be safe Brother.
Thanks! Checking out 100year old maps now for some insights
@@StephenJReid military installations especially WW1/WW2 tend not to be on old maps, cos well, it tells the other side where to bomb! The fact you can't find it all to me says military or maybe some private installation where public had no access to until well ater it was forgotten, and it's collapsed since. They can be listed now, so weirdly modern maps or military installation sites on the Internet (yes that is a thing) might tell you more.
I reckon they are still in use, you were being observed, when the time comes those tunnels will be opened.
😱
re wild-camping which basically involves the act of trespass if its on private land without permission, CPS website states: "Trespass to land in most instances is a civil matter, and as such the police do not have the power to assist. Initially, the landowner should ask the trespasser to leave the land and if he/she does then all is well. If he/she refuses to leave the land then you will need to consider taking civil action." i dont think the police would get involved unless criminal damage was being done.
Yeah it’s that weird grey area where it’s not properly illegal unless you make a nuisance of yourself
Scandy knife cuts the mustard for me - as a professional knife thrower with failing eyesight " Should have gone to Specsavers " is not something i want to hear particularly,but hey,who knows ? Do you review or recommend first aid kits Stephen ?
Haven’t injured myself enough yet to review a first aid kit. 😂 I carry a simple one from Harrier running that I’ve added a couple of larger wound dressings too
Well said Stephen.I've tried hairier running but the wig kept falling off !
What make was the fire pit, is there a link?
Yeah it’s the x-fire 19. I’ll put the links in description
Thanks.
interesting video this was , gotta find out what was in the holes so new sub 🤣🤣😎
I put a camera down to the bottom!
so did u find out what it was ? it most been some fecking eejit put it there 🤣🤣@nJReid
It's an old mine. Best stay away or you could fall in randomly through the forest floor.
It’s not a mine, but I figured it out! th-cam.com/video/9OU3QjuZCYQ/w-d-xo.htmlsi=UNFtcpQQOA22T8pT
I grew up around WW2 bunkers, they are scattered amongst the woods around me in SE England, as well as MOD ranges (one of my claims to fame is stopping my friends going into a DANGER MINEFIELD area that was fenced)..I suspect it's either one of two things: remains of a WW 2 (WW1 maybe? Rarer but they did build ranges from concrete) bunker, that has partially collaosed - and the other one is a flooded entry shaft...or mine workings. What makes me sceptical of the latter is the remains of the road would be wider for trucks. Unlikely they'd put a nuclear shelter in the middle of nowhere, so likely some training installation.
The WW2 bunkers I knee were training camps for Canadian and Commonwealth forces who camped out in the woods and trained there, away from the villages and towns. They are in fairly remote places, you have to know they are there. I am afraid of the dark so refused to go in them. Nothing as dangerous as that, though - but then again, if they collapse when you're standing on them....they are creaky old structures.
And as you say, brickwork and mineshafts is not a thing usually (usually stone or more dangerously -wood, I shudder to think as a kid visiting CornwallI used to roam around old mine ruins...I'd not do that now!). It feels military.
I've checked maps for the area going back 200 years. The location was used as a few homestead plots up until late 1900s. After that it became the properly of the water service, they planted the forest in the 60s. I've an updated video on the way that explains a bit more.
Possibly an old access chamber to a culvert that runs to underneath where you are.
Personally I think you should report those holes in the ground, but to who, I have no idea, as they are obviously way dangerous. I enjoyed watching your videos
Thanks! I’m investigating who to tell
Also scariest thing I encountered while camping was hearing weird noises in the night ( like murmuring and snuffling and mumbling ) then I woke up and remember a guy called Stephen Reid was in his tent 3 feet from me 😂😂
😂 sounds about right. I’m a very fidgety sleeper
@@StephenJReid 😂😂
I love the sound of rain but only when I'm at home indoors dry, or in a place I can just stay in the tent. Wild camping I HATE rain, or sailing as I used to do with my Dad, because it means you'll get drenched later, or have a wet tent to deal with.
I actually get freaked out by total silence, like in the woods...it creeps me out, whereas rain or wind in the trees soothes me.
I did have a bad night one camp where I was under trees and the rain indeed did hit the tent and ground loudly, it was one of my first wild camps and was worried it was someone out there!
total silence is only problem for me when its very very occasionally interrupted by unknown sounds
@@StephenJReid that's called deer, LOL. Oh they do make some scary sounds sometmes.
In the raindrop scene, I was watching the mosquito behind you, do you have those in winter?
Think that was just a fly. I’ve never seen a mosquito in the mournes, they are very rare in Ireland. We do have biting midges though which are awful
I think they were called a siciteen well.
Really dangerous did you tell anyone about the holes?
Investigating who best to ask. I have a couple of options. Slightly concerned though that they could take the nuclear option and just ban access to the entire area
Scariest thing was hiking in the Western Isles, I was hiking down a track down to a Loch in the wilder part of North? Uist, thinking of camping there...but it was way too midge infested...I heard and saw no-one. Headed back and there were six black crows on a barbed wire fence that weren't there when I passed less than an hour earlier. That freaked me out, especially as they seem to have been shot, and I'd not heard any shots. Very much a Deliverance moment.
Also while sketching in an spooky dead yet green wood near me where birds do not sing or make any noise, at dusk....a black bird flew into me even though I was sitting on a small stool, so low down. I fell off my stool and then the bird was nowhere to be seen. That freaked me out too.
Yikes! That’s freaky
The scariest thing is always in your head.
Yup! And I have a very vivid imagination
Natural spring well...
Stephen emailed me with instructions on how to read maps backwards but it turned out to be spam anyway !
🙈
The 1st one has hidden treasure.The 2nd one goes straight down to hell.
Definitely dangerous structures. Perhaps there was a military installation there during WW2 as US troops were based in the area. Could have been underground bunkers for storing ammunition. Or possibly something to do with the water authority. Brilliant video, many thanks.
This is my thinking, as a military installation nerd - I grew up around them, tend to seek out pillboxes, forts etc, and have draw and photographed them, the construction like that square poured concrete and brick says military, WW1 or WW2. Difficulty there is, unless you find some locals who remember working on it, it will not be on maps. For obvious reasons (even now I find blank spaces on OS maps are actually millitary bases)
I have coal mines on a property I own in Pennsylvania. They are littered with air shafts that fortunately haven’t opened up after being closed 100 years ago, but I would imagine would be similar to this if they did. Although a lot less well constructed than these.
wonder if there old lime pits
Interesting idea
Scariest thing I’ve encountered while camping was dingoes howling in the hills around me. Like they were calling to each other. Hair raising experience!
Did you say that Snowdon was the tallest mountain in the UK or did I mis-hear? Every chance I did though as I have a head cold and according to my GF I never listen properly.
He did, but it was prob a brain fart moment. He has a vid up Ben Nevis with 'highest mountain in the UK' in the title so he knows. Lol.
Naw I definitely said Ben Nevis….cough
Seems legit 😀 on a serious note, my GF and I love your content, witty, exceptional production values and very enjoyable. I had the pleasure of living in County Down when I was younger for a few years and your videos make me want to go back there on holiday. Keep up the awesome work dude!
Thank you! 🙂
Looks like some type of an old well. Recommend you stay back , if you slipped and fell in there. You would be screwed too.
I've since put a camera down both of them!...
Could be toxix waste dumps. I would bring a giger counter
😬
Don't go down there, didnt you ever see 'Cabin in the Woods'??
Sitting at the campfire and a large owl flew directly at us just above our heads over the fire and then flew up into a tree behind us.
I know of a couple of priest holes in woods but they are much bigger but very difficult to get out of we rigged some ladders up to go down. But I only know of them in a localized area.
That is frightening
Yup!
A few months back me and my buddy's were camping in the cairngorms, 4 of us in a tent and my other friend decided to stay in the bothy only a few hundred yards away with a family of 4. During the night, one person in the bothy went out to chop wood because the fire went out, when he was startled by an American woman without a headtorch or much gear ( it was pitch black) and she acted very strangely and seemed very weird. We in the tent didn't know this at the time, but we did suspect someone was snooping around our tent, as we heard what was definitely human footsteps and noises in the middle of the night. Anyway, nothing bad happened and it ended up just being a weird experience which I will remember 😅
Yikes!
You take Stephen. Best wishes from the Ulster hospital awaiting my 3rd stent insert op at the Royal. Tom
Thanks Tom! All the best with the next op! I’ve a friend who is a heart surgeon at the royal
I hope I get him Stephen! Lol
I think that very small twigs on the hat is a great look. I might adopt it myself, very classy.
Thanks! 😂