Hobby Tunneling

Related, the story of William Lyttle[1], the “Mole Man of Hackney”, is rather fascinating. Dug for years underneath his house and surrounding streets in London.<p>He was then evicted by the local council, the house sold, renovated by an architect and a well known artist moved in[2].<p>[1] <a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;en.wikipedia.org&#x2F;wiki&#x2F;William_Lyttle" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;en.wikipedia.org&#x2F;wiki&#x2F;William_Lyttle</a><p>[2] <a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.youtube.com&#x2F;watch?v=Ks5QdYhvHWg">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.youtube.com&#x2F;watch?v=Ks5QdYhvHWg</a>

Be sure to read the article&#x27;s link to Seymour Cray:<p><a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;en.m.wikipedia.org&#x2F;wiki&#x2F;Seymour_Cray" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;en.m.wikipedia.org&#x2F;wiki&#x2F;Seymour_Cray</a><p><pre><code> Another favorite pastime was digging a tunnel under his home; he attributed the secret of his success to &quot;visits by elves&quot; while he worked in the tunnel: &quot;While I&#x27;m digging in the tunnel, the elves will often come to me with solutions to my problem.&quot;</code></pre>

Many interesting stories of hobby tunnel diggers. I remember a news story a few years ago, a &quot;tech bro&quot; type person had a tunnel project where a guy he hired died (or hospitalized?) due to unsafe working conditions. Ah yes, here&#x27;s an article about it.<p>A Paranoid Tech Bro, a Homemade Nuclear Bunker, and a Shocking Death - <a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.washingtonian.com&#x2F;2019&#x2F;09&#x2F;08&#x2F;paranoid-tech-bro-homemade-nuclear-bunker-shocking-death-askia-khafra-daniel-beckwitt&#x2F;" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.washingtonian.com&#x2F;2019&#x2F;09&#x2F;08&#x2F;paranoid-tech-bro-h...</a>

Colin Furze has a fun series where he tunneled around his yard a bit :)<p>Supercut video: <a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.youtube.com&#x2F;watch?v=8RVLim5tVwU&amp;ab_channel=colinfurze">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.youtube.com&#x2F;watch?v=8RVLim5tVwU&amp;ab_channel=colin...</a>

Although not really a hobby tunneler, one of my favorite people on this list is William John Cavendish-Scott-Bentinck, the reclusive 5th Duke of Portland who built an extensive series of tunnels under his estate. His life is fascinating. Recommended reading:<p><a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.atlasobscura.com&#x2F;articles&#x2F;the-duke-who-loved-tunnels-so-much-he-was-immortalized-as-a-literary-badger" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.atlasobscura.com&#x2F;articles&#x2F;the-duke-who-loved-tun...</a><p><a href="http:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.nottshistory.org.uk&#x2F;portland1907&#x2F;portland7.htm" rel="nofollow noreferrer">http:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.nottshistory.org.uk&#x2F;portland1907&#x2F;portland7.htm</a>

Reminds me of this Reddit post:<p>“How can I get my boyfriend to stop digging his tunnel?”<p><a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.reddit.com&#x2F;r&#x2F;Advice&#x2F;comments&#x2F;u3qipy&#x2F;how_can_i_get_my_boyfriend_to_stop_digging_his&#x2F;" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.reddit.com&#x2F;r&#x2F;Advice&#x2F;comments&#x2F;u3qipy&#x2F;how_can_i_ge...</a><p>Growing up in Southern California we spent a lot of summers at the beach, and I can attest that spending all day digging a big hole was one of the funnest things to do.<p>I do really wonder why boys find it so much fun to dig.

Watched this doc on Baldassare Forestiere recently.<p>Amazing. He dug out acres and acres over his life in Fresno. Was raised as a fruit tree grower in Italy, and has fruit trees growing from down in the caves he made through to the special sky lights<p><a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.youtube.com&#x2F;watch?v=mUKRPoQKynk">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.youtube.com&#x2F;watch?v=mUKRPoQKynk</a>

Why is it only males who have risen to the rank of <i>Notable Hobby Tunneler</i>?<p>Anyone with two arms is eligible to dig!

Can remember when the Elton McDonald tunnel in Toronto was discovered but still a mystery. All the “experts” making claims of nefarious this n that. Turns out was just some dude who wanted to dig a tunnel.

I just found my new hobby.