A Big Day Out at Big Pit Event Cache
The Brat Pack: All the trackables are now accounted for and it seems that everybody that we expected to log as attended has done so time to archive the cache now.
Hidden
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Tuesday, August 2, 2011
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Difficulty:
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Terrain:
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Size: 
(not chosen)
Related Web Page
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http://www.museumwales.ac.uk/en/bigpit/
A Side Event for the Welsh MEGA...........
Big Pit is a real coal mine and one of Britain's leading mining museums. With facilities to educate and entertain all ages, Big Pit is an exciting and informative day out.
The Plan is to meet at 10.30am and there will then be three underground tours laid on from 11.00am (for those wishing to participate). Each tour is limited to 17 and there is a 1 metre height restrictions for small children. Tickets will be issued on a "first come first served" basis so get there promptly!
There is an opportunity during the day to visit the Pithead Baths exhibitions, attend a talk on Big Pit and the wider industrial landscape by member of Big Pit staff and visit the rest of the Big Pit site and beyond: don't miss the Mining Galleries before departure (a 25 minute audio visual exhibition on the surface of Big Pit).
We also have had permission from the Museum to set up additional caches on the site and two will go live at the Event.
Although the room being used for the Event is accessible by wheelchair the Big Pit is on the side of a steep hill and thus on a number of different levels and although there are ramps provided they are quite long and the climb can be arduous.
The walking surface both above and below ground is typical of an industrial site so sturdy shoes are recommended. The floor can be uneven or slippery in places and there are numerous steps to negotiate. Underground, there are one or two places where you will need to bend to avoid bumping your head.
During the underground tour visitors will be required to walk a distance of some 700 metres wearing a helmet and carrying a lamp weighing some 5kg. This lamp is approved for the purpose by the HSE but nevertheless lighting levels are generally lower than many visitors will be used to. Young Children must be at least 1 metre in height for the underground tour. The safety equipment weighs around 5kg, and each child must carry their own. However, some children who fulfil the height requirement may not be able to meet the physical demands of carrying the equipment.
The Museum judges each case individually and reserves the right to refuse entry to the underground tour. The simulated mining experience on the surface is available to all ages.
Big Pit is an outdoor industrial site, so protective clothing is needed in case of bad weather and sun protection is advised during hot weather.
For visitors with mobility impairments parking is available on each of the three main levels, but to view the mining galleries it is necessary to ascend/descend a fairly steep slope. Although there are ramps between levels on the surface it has been found that a helper is required for every wheelchair user. Please note that some of these ramps are quite long and steep and the climb can be arduous.
As the safety of visitors is our first priority it is only possible for a maximum of 4 wheelchair users to be underground at any one time. This is because it may be necessary to evacuate visitors from underground by a different route if the shaft is out of commission (e.g. as a result of power failure). The emergency exit route is not capable of being navigated by wheelchairs and their occupants would need to be carried out.
As non-approved electrical equipment cannot be taken underground we must ask all users of electric wheelchairs to transfer to a manual chair; either their own or one provided by the museum if they wish to go underground. It is also the case that some manual wheelchairs, with smaller wheels or without handles, are also unsuitable for use underground but again visitors may switch to one of the museum's chairs if they wish.
Please be aware that since setting up this Event there have been car parking charges introduced at the museum - £2 for all day parking.
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Lbh jvyy arrq gb ivfvg gur Cvgurnq Onguf - ohg xrrc lbhe pybgurf ba!
Gur Yrneavat Prager vf guebhtu gur Onguf naq jvyy or fvta-cbfgrq.