A Ghost Town

So today we took a trip to Silver Islet, described on some sites as a ghost town. It is now mostly summer residences although there is a small permanent population. 

It has its origins back in the 1860's when a rich vein of silver was discovered on an island just off the shore. For about 14 years it was one on the richest mines in the world producing $3.25 million worth of the previous metal before problems with flooding meant it was no longer profitable or safe to continue.

It is in a very beautiful but remote setting and life at that time must have been quite brutal, especially with the harsh Lake Superior winters.

Now, as I say, there is a small community there with many of the original miners cabins along the shore being used as summer cabins.

The village once boasted a post office (now closed) and a general store which was a wonderful place stocking all sorts of provisions. Sadly today when we visited the store was boarded up and so I didn't get to go inside. 

I have shared a few shots taken with my phone and over the course of the coming week I hope to go back to photograph some of the other buildings along the lake shore and hopefully there will some worth sharing in future.

I'm still Standing...

...only just!

I am not sure what the original purpose for these buildings was but half way up the mountain they were an unusual feature. It was just next to these ruins that in January 2012 I camped out over night. It was very cold but the views were great. Just as they were on my recent visit and I have more to share over the next few days.

Another Lighthouse

Overlooking White Rock Beach and the old harbour at Haverigg is this old derelict lighthouse.  Walking through the RSPB reserve a local dog walker helpfully informed me that this is the "old lighthouse" and the lighthouse in my post the other day is the "new lighthouse" even though both are long since out of use.

This one on its small hillock is well placed to have shone its light out into the bay as a warning to vessels approaching the harbour. I really liked this lighthouse and I enjoyed this part of the walk because of the rabbits bounding around the base.  Who wouldn't enjoy seeing that?

The Old Lighthouse

This is one of Haverigg's two lighthouses, both of which are defunct.  This is the newest of the two and was built around 1905 on the new sea wall.

In the early evening light it is quite atmospheric and it was an interesting point on my evening walk.  I like the detail in the first picture.

Stairs to Nowhere

The pictures today all feature fire escapes from some of the derelict warehouses in Liverpool's dockland.

I like the perspective in these images and again shooting in black and white adds to the atmosphere in the shots.

Tomorrow I might add a bit of colour to my blog although I still have a few more monochrome pictures to share...