Exploring Emanuel Adit – Best of the Best
We start our journey in the storage to collect coveralls and helmets. Once we are equipped we can walk towards the Emanuel Adit – to the West.
Emanuel Adit - is the oldest adit in Zloty Ztok. Miners started to cut it in the solid rock in 1506, it used to be called "Tiefestolle" – Poisonous. Fear nothing, the name makes certain impression but it's perfectly safe today.
C.1530 it got to the main shaft of the mine and was 900m long. In the second half of 18th c. it was prolonged to "Reicher Trost" (Rich Solace) Goldmine and got the name of Emanuel. Later it was extended for another 140 reaching 1340m.
Once you've learned a bit about Emanuel it's time for rappelling to get to know it closer. We go 15m down the shaft, everyone can control the abseiling speed and is assisted by an instructor. We all use good quality certified equipment.
During the rappelling we get the first contact with water inside the shaft, anyway, have we mentioned
The water already?
The Emanuel Adit's main job up to 1920 had been removing water from the mine and maintaining ventilation. Until today it is filled with water and its level depends on weather conditions. During heavy rains it goes up, drought makes it go down. Once we are on the bottom of the adit we take a walk along muddy gallery.
The adit is low and narrow at certain places, be careful not to tear the coveralls, otherwise you can get wet.
At first you can see traces of chisel on the sides, then bricks and stones suspending the walls. Because quick lime was used instead of cement we can see all sorts of stalactites, flowstones, draperies, helictites which make the place look cave-like.
What is more, one meander makes it look karst-like.
The meander is a unique phenomena and does not appear in other adits.
Wading in deep and shallow water we finally get to the demolished shaft "Golden Donkey", where there was the collapse in 1565. 59 miners had been entombed and never rescued, although shortly after the disaster their cries for help were heard.
Adit ends with a heap of collapsed rocks, there is no further passage, we have to go back the same way up to the shaft we used for rappelling.
From the shaft we go along a gallery we have not been before and we are ready to start another adventure.
Can't tell you anything more – do come and see yourself!
We reach the surface through a horizontal gallery.
This exploration will give you the most unforgeable experience and bring emotions and adrenalin to your life.
The group must bring spare clothes and torches.
Duration c.3h
price – 150zl per person
maximum single group size – 10 |
THE GERTRUDA ADIT
We begin the tour in the storage to collect suitable coveralls and helmets.
Next we go for a boat ride down the Gertruda Adit. Gertruda is the youngest adit in our mine, was built for transportation and draining, miners finished hewing in 1920. It connects two biggest mining fields Western Field and Mount Cross Field.
When you feel our boat touching the bottom you know it's time to  disembark and make your way through the tunnel by knee-deep wadding.
We go through about 1,5km of galleries normally closed for tourists. We come across several heaps of rocks marking mining accidents where it's best to keep silent. Next we visit explosives' stores.
During the exploration we will see unique examples of underground flora and fauna: small, white, blind crayfish or extremophiles – very rare bacteria living in extremely severe conditions or a carp which became  transparent after years spent underground (it used to live in rivers, now frequently met in the Gertruda Adit.)
Duration – c.3h
price – 100zl per person
Helmets included, the group must bring spare clothes and torches.
Maximum single group size - 15
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