Lower Balls Green Mine is one of the largest and most interesting mines to visit in the Nailswoth area. It contains numerous small caverns as well as the primary passage way that leads deep into the hillside. Within the mine there is a well preserved hopper (mine cart), as well as a crab winch and neatly cut pieces of stone. The mine is easy to navigate but it is located on private land. Permission to enter from the landowner in the nearby farm should be requested if possible.
You enter the mine via an archway built into the hillside that goes underneath the road. From here, the main passage continues relatively straight right until the end. The larger, more open spaces can be found on the right as you walk into the mine.
Taking the main passage, you will come across some old railway lines used for the minecarts. There is a large boulder that blocks the passage but this can be either climed over all crawled underneath. Behind this boulder is where you will find the minecart. There is a laminated information sheet in the minecart detailing its history.
Walking further on, you will climb over a rockfall towards the end of the passage. The end opens up into several galleries where you can find the crab winch and other small tools. A small stone table lies within the centre of this area, as well as piles of cut stone slabs.
