Karen had arranged for a winching trip in local Lead Mine (the landowner doesn't want it publicised so I won't say which Mine or where). The plan was for older members of Orpheus CC to be winched in and out of the mine as part of the 60th Anniversary. Unfortunately there weren't many takers so Pete Wagstaff, Paul Thorne, Mat and Nikki Adlam-Styles, Mike Moore, Jenni Hargreaves, myself and Boyd Potts had a trip being guided by Martin Longe who we have met several times on Alt Tuesday trips, etc. while John operated the winch and Karen kept him company (she had been in the mine before and had a pulled muscle).
I was third down and it was a nice smooth and slow ride. We were dropped down about 65 metres with a couple of railway sleepers across the shaft which continued down to further lower levels.
Once all were down, Martin led off and after s short distance we dropped down a short climb with a handline and then with a bit of hand and knees crawling and walking we first saw the bottom of a Shaft which had quite a lot of flowstone, a coffin level and then the very large Chamber with a pool of water at one end. More crawling with lots of choices of route where we had to retrace our steps and the arrive at a hands and knees crawl which popped out in a window requiring a short, careful traverse and short fixed ladder climb into more recent workings. We ascended a ramp to more workings on a higher level. There were several routes to follow including one leading past the bottom of the entrance shaft at the lowest level. After a Mars Bar break, we dropped back down the ramp and back up a short iron ladder and returned to the route we had followed on the way in. We were soon past another short iron ladder, back up the handline climb and at the foot of the entrance shaft. We clambered up some steps to on side of the shaft and had a look at the remaining parts of the mine.
We climbed up to a rising passage, including some initials on the wall. This lead to a sloping passage with a flowstone floor which eventually branched. Boyd took the left-hand branch and I followed yet more sloping passage with a flowstone floor now lower than hands and knees size. This eventually broke into a standing-size section with stacked deads and a right-angle bend which led to yet more flowstone floor and even lower than before. Around another right-angle bend the passage was even lower so I reversed back to the standing up section where I met Paul Thorne arriving up the slope. He continued on to where I had turned back and agreed it was getting lower. He followed another bend and I waited while Mike, Pete Wagstaff and Boyd came past and while Pete and Boyd followed Paul, Mike and I returned back down to the entrance shaft. Mike had kept his harness on so he went back up while I put mine on and followed him up to find Karen with here camera at the top and Jenni sitting nearby.
Soon all the others came up one-by-one and after John had packed all up, we walked back to the farm yard where we had parked and got changed. After a chat to John, we all headed off home or elsewhere. An excellent trip into a nice, interesting mine.
Sunday 26 July 2009
Saturday 25 July 2009
Oxlow Cavern, Derbyshire
Boyd and Paul Thorne had packed the ropes for a trip down Oxlow Cavern while Karen, Keith Pete Collins and I were having breakfast in Monyash Cafe. We then got the ropes for Maskhill Mine sorted after finding Joe Burmeister already at the Club cottage. As we were leaving, Duncan Young arrived. Boyd headed down Oxlow rigging as he went with Paul following with a second tackle bag, me third with the third tackle bag, then Ashley Richardson and Karen bringing up the rear.
Part way down West Swirl Passage I found that our rope had run out - obviously Boyd had followed the CCPC Rigging Guide which is incorrect - and he and Paul Thorne had continued down to the pitch at the end using the in-situ tat. Karen and I decided not to use this and I explained to Ashley that he would have to do the last bit using the handline and shouted down to Paul to wait for him.
We headed back to the surface and walked over to the entrance to Maskhill Mine. Keith, Pete, Duncan and Joe had descended Maskhill while we were in Oxlow with the arrangement that Pete and Keith were to have a look along Pilgrims Way and then exit and de-rig Oxlow while Boyd, Ashley and I exited Oxlow and Karen exited Maskhill with Paul, Joe and Duncan to help carrying a tackle bag out. I dropped down to the top if Murmuring Churn pitch and heard voices below - which must have been the others on the way up. So I waited there and told Karen to wait at the top of the pitch above. When Joe arrived from below I took his tackle bag and prusiked up to Karen and handed the bag over and she headed for the surface.
I then waited for Joe to come up with another tackle bag and once he had done that, I followed Karen out. After a short wait on the surface, Joe, then Duncan and finally Paul arrived, each with a tackle bag.
We returned to Monyash Cafe for tea and snacks and then the Club cottage to wash ropes and tackle bags. Later on Keith, Pete, Karen and I had a meal at the Miners Standard at home in Winster.
Part way down West Swirl Passage I found that our rope had run out - obviously Boyd had followed the CCPC Rigging Guide which is incorrect - and he and Paul Thorne had continued down to the pitch at the end using the in-situ tat. Karen and I decided not to use this and I explained to Ashley that he would have to do the last bit using the handline and shouted down to Paul to wait for him.
We headed back to the surface and walked over to the entrance to Maskhill Mine. Keith, Pete, Duncan and Joe had descended Maskhill while we were in Oxlow with the arrangement that Pete and Keith were to have a look along Pilgrims Way and then exit and de-rig Oxlow while Boyd, Ashley and I exited Oxlow and Karen exited Maskhill with Paul, Joe and Duncan to help carrying a tackle bag out. I dropped down to the top if Murmuring Churn pitch and heard voices below - which must have been the others on the way up. So I waited there and told Karen to wait at the top of the pitch above. When Joe arrived from below I took his tackle bag and prusiked up to Karen and handed the bag over and she headed for the surface.
I then waited for Joe to come up with another tackle bag and once he had done that, I followed Karen out. After a short wait on the surface, Joe, then Duncan and finally Paul arrived, each with a tackle bag.
We returned to Monyash Cafe for tea and snacks and then the Club cottage to wash ropes and tackle bags. Later on Keith, Pete, Karen and I had a meal at the Miners Standard at home in Winster.
Tuesday 21 July 2009
Moorfurlong Mine, Derbyshire
We drove over to Bradwell for 7:00pm and met Mat, Nikki, Jim, Scott and the usual Alt Tuesday lot (14 of us altogether I think) then drove in four cars up to the farmhouse by Moorfurlong Mine where they let us park in front of the house.
After changing into caving gear we walked down the fields opposite to the lidded shaft entrance which had no nut on the bolt so no spanner was needed. The ladder in the entrance shaft was about 15 metres long and recently installed by Nick Williams to replace an old one which fell to bits. Jim Alder was first down and wee all followed. At the bottom of the entrance shaft was a short, sloping, low passage leading to another shaft only about 3 or 4 metres high. This was rigged with an electron ladder to make it easier although it could have been free-climbed with care.
After another short, low passage we entered a passage which headed uphill and downhill. Going downhill first, we found a large chamber with a bedding plane roof and much old washing spoil with initials written in soot on the ceiling - probably by miners. I found a small continuing passage into another chamber with more spoil and found a hole going down 2 metres while Karen continued via a pool in a low crawl until she came to a loose ceiling and returned.
Returning towards the entrance, Jim and Karen climbed down a hole in the floor about 5 metres down and found a low crawl but very tight. When they climbed back up we passed the route to the entrance to the uphill section. This led to a very large chamber with a VERY large spoil heap taking up most of the floor. I started up this heap until it got smaller than while Karen and some others continued I dropped back down and investigated other parts of the chamber. There was yet another hole which Jim and Karen had climbed down and found some good decorations including cave pearls in a chamber.
By now it was getting late - about 9:00pm, so wee all climbed back up to the surface and after getting changed most went on to the Anchor at Tideswell while we headed for home and bed.
After changing into caving gear we walked down the fields opposite to the lidded shaft entrance which had no nut on the bolt so no spanner was needed. The ladder in the entrance shaft was about 15 metres long and recently installed by Nick Williams to replace an old one which fell to bits. Jim Alder was first down and wee all followed. At the bottom of the entrance shaft was a short, sloping, low passage leading to another shaft only about 3 or 4 metres high. This was rigged with an electron ladder to make it easier although it could have been free-climbed with care.
After another short, low passage we entered a passage which headed uphill and downhill. Going downhill first, we found a large chamber with a bedding plane roof and much old washing spoil with initials written in soot on the ceiling - probably by miners. I found a small continuing passage into another chamber with more spoil and found a hole going down 2 metres while Karen continued via a pool in a low crawl until she came to a loose ceiling and returned.
Returning towards the entrance, Jim and Karen climbed down a hole in the floor about 5 metres down and found a low crawl but very tight. When they climbed back up we passed the route to the entrance to the uphill section. This led to a very large chamber with a VERY large spoil heap taking up most of the floor. I started up this heap until it got smaller than while Karen and some others continued I dropped back down and investigated other parts of the chamber. There was yet another hole which Jim and Karen had climbed down and found some good decorations including cave pearls in a chamber.
By now it was getting late - about 9:00pm, so wee all climbed back up to the surface and after getting changed most went on to the Anchor at Tideswell while we headed for home and bed.
Sunday 19 July 2009
Gavel Pot and Short Drop Cave, Yorkshire Dales
Once everyone had got out of bed, again we headed to Ingleton and Bernies for breakfast. We were joined by Duncan Young who was up for the day to go caving. It had rained earlier in the morning but seemed to remain dry for the immediate future. After breakfast, Boyd headed off for a walk while the rest of us returned to the car park in Cowan Bridge.
Again we re-arranged cars and contents and drove in convoy to the Leck Fell car park. The plan was for Chris and Duncan to enter Short Drop Cave while Karen, Mat, Nikki, Dave and Pete headed for Gavel Pot. We walked straight to the shake hole surrounded by barbed wire with a stile containing Short Drop Cave and after seeing off Duncan and Chris we headed for Gavel Pot. We knew it was another shake hole with a barbed wire fence and stile further away, but only Pete had been there before and he wasn't sure which particular shake hole with a barbed wire fence and stile was the correct one and we walked to four wrong ones before arriving at the correct one! It was the other side of the dry stone wall from Short Drop Cave, on the same side as the car park.
I was a bit stiff from yesterday and had a nagging pain in my lower back probably from a pulled muscle and thought the walk to Gavel Pot would loosen me up, but it didn't. So I decided on a quick look down Gavel Pot, where I had never been before and then an early return to the car as the planned Gavel Pot/Short Drop Cave was not a long trip.
Pete dropped down the steep path into the shake hole and I gave Mat my tackle bag of rope (we brought enough to rig both the pitches leading to the connection with Short Drop and also the large open Gavel Pot). I followed the others down and Pete started rigging the entrance pitch. While we were waiting, I had a look at the large Pot and slipped and ended putting my hand in nettles - typical!
Once the entrance pitch was rigged, Karen, Dave, Mat and Nikki dropped down in turn and once the rope was free, I followed.
This was a shortish pitch of about 10 metres landing on a muddy slope dropping down towards Short Drop Cave while up slope was back towards the open pot. A short distance down slope, the rope was tied off to an Eco hanger at the start of a narrow shelf with a roof about 50 cm. above and peering around this I saw the soles of Nikki's wellies and Duncan and Chris on the opposite side of a drop beyond. Obviously it would not be easy for Duncan and Chris to get past if I followed on behind Nikki, so I decided that I might as well return back to the surface - after all I was planning on a short trip anyway!
I waited on the surface for the two of them to arrive and after saying bye, decided I might as well have a quick look down Short Drop Cave on the way back to the car. I returned to Short Drop and after dropping down through the entrance, I stripped off my SRT gear and headed into the cave. After a low section and a crawl with a flat-out section, the cave passage got quite a bit bigger and very pleasant and fairly well decorated in parts.
After some distance, I met Karen, Mat and Nikki on their way out to complete the through trip having de-rigged the pitch in Short Drop Cave. I continued on to see the rest of the cave as far as the top of the first pitch while the other three made their way out.
On the way I passed below an amazing arched bridge made entirely of boulders which had fallen from on side if the cave to the other side with a small rock the size of a football resting against the opposite wall with several other boulders increasing in size to the largest which was the size of a fridge or probably a bit bigger! Having reached the top of the first pitch, I turned around and headed for the surface myself and found the others waiting at the entrance.
We returned to the cars and after changing, Mat and Nikki headed for home while Karen and I had another trip to Bernies as it was only around two in the afternoon.
Again we re-arranged cars and contents and drove in convoy to the Leck Fell car park. The plan was for Chris and Duncan to enter Short Drop Cave while Karen, Mat, Nikki, Dave and Pete headed for Gavel Pot. We walked straight to the shake hole surrounded by barbed wire with a stile containing Short Drop Cave and after seeing off Duncan and Chris we headed for Gavel Pot. We knew it was another shake hole with a barbed wire fence and stile further away, but only Pete had been there before and he wasn't sure which particular shake hole with a barbed wire fence and stile was the correct one and we walked to four wrong ones before arriving at the correct one! It was the other side of the dry stone wall from Short Drop Cave, on the same side as the car park.
I was a bit stiff from yesterday and had a nagging pain in my lower back probably from a pulled muscle and thought the walk to Gavel Pot would loosen me up, but it didn't. So I decided on a quick look down Gavel Pot, where I had never been before and then an early return to the car as the planned Gavel Pot/Short Drop Cave was not a long trip.
Pete dropped down the steep path into the shake hole and I gave Mat my tackle bag of rope (we brought enough to rig both the pitches leading to the connection with Short Drop and also the large open Gavel Pot). I followed the others down and Pete started rigging the entrance pitch. While we were waiting, I had a look at the large Pot and slipped and ended putting my hand in nettles - typical!
Once the entrance pitch was rigged, Karen, Dave, Mat and Nikki dropped down in turn and once the rope was free, I followed.
This was a shortish pitch of about 10 metres landing on a muddy slope dropping down towards Short Drop Cave while up slope was back towards the open pot. A short distance down slope, the rope was tied off to an Eco hanger at the start of a narrow shelf with a roof about 50 cm. above and peering around this I saw the soles of Nikki's wellies and Duncan and Chris on the opposite side of a drop beyond. Obviously it would not be easy for Duncan and Chris to get past if I followed on behind Nikki, so I decided that I might as well return back to the surface - after all I was planning on a short trip anyway!
I waited on the surface for the two of them to arrive and after saying bye, decided I might as well have a quick look down Short Drop Cave on the way back to the car. I returned to Short Drop and after dropping down through the entrance, I stripped off my SRT gear and headed into the cave. After a low section and a crawl with a flat-out section, the cave passage got quite a bit bigger and very pleasant and fairly well decorated in parts.
After some distance, I met Karen, Mat and Nikki on their way out to complete the through trip having de-rigged the pitch in Short Drop Cave. I continued on to see the rest of the cave as far as the top of the first pitch while the other three made their way out.
On the way I passed below an amazing arched bridge made entirely of boulders which had fallen from on side if the cave to the other side with a small rock the size of a football resting against the opposite wall with several other boulders increasing in size to the largest which was the size of a fridge or probably a bit bigger! Having reached the top of the first pitch, I turned around and headed for the surface myself and found the others waiting at the entrance.
We returned to the cars and after changing, Mat and Nikki headed for home while Karen and I had another trip to Bernies as it was only around two in the afternoon.
Saturday 18 July 2009
Lost John's Cave, Yorkshire Dales
With rain most of the day on Friday and a showery Saturday forecast, Karen and I drove up to Greenclose, the Northern Pennine hut to find only Boyd there. After unloading the car and a brew of tea, we drove over to The New Inn in Clapham for the remainder of the evening. Afterwards we left to return to Greenclose and had a quick look at Clapham Beck which was fairly high as expected with all the rain. Back at Greenclose we found Pete Wagstaff had arrived along with three members of another club.
In the morning after cereal for breakfast we drove to Bernies in Ingleton to meet the others for 10:00 am as arranged. Soon Mat and Nikki Adlam-Styles, Chris Jackson and Dave Phillips had turned up and several breakfasts were ordered and consumed. Once this was done, we drove to Cowan Bridge car park to sort out ropes and drop off some of the cars. Once the tackle bags were stuffed with the correct ropes in the correct order, three vehicles full of cavers and caving gear drove up to the parking place on Leck Fell. So far the weather was dry and looked like the forecast of a little light rain would probably be true, so once all were changed into caving gear we were relieved to find the steam enter Lost John's was back to normal levels.
The plan was to rig both Cathedral/Dome route and Hammer Pot with some continuing along Battleaxe Traverse and down Valhalla, while the others just went as far as the start of Battleaxe Traverse. I rigged Cathedral/Dome as far as Dome Junction followed by Boyd, Mat and Nikki while the others followed Hammer Pot down into the cave. After managing the swing through into the hole part way up Dome pitch on the third attempt, I was entertained by Mat who had abseiled a bit to low and missed the deviation just above!
Below Dome Junction pitch I met Karen who had already been to the Traverse and I passed her to have a look myself. I could hear the odd shout above the thundering water below and after a quick Mars Bar, I headed back the way I cam passing Mat and Nikki en route who were making their way to the Traverse.
While Karen and I headed back the up Cathedral /Dome route de-rigging as we went, Boyd, Mat and Nikki followed the Hammer Pot route our of the cave. We met Pete Wagstaff coming out of the New Roof Traverse as I was de-rigging the first pitch.
Another great trip down an excellent cave followed by chips in Bernies!
In the morning after cereal for breakfast we drove to Bernies in Ingleton to meet the others for 10:00 am as arranged. Soon Mat and Nikki Adlam-Styles, Chris Jackson and Dave Phillips had turned up and several breakfasts were ordered and consumed. Once this was done, we drove to Cowan Bridge car park to sort out ropes and drop off some of the cars. Once the tackle bags were stuffed with the correct ropes in the correct order, three vehicles full of cavers and caving gear drove up to the parking place on Leck Fell. So far the weather was dry and looked like the forecast of a little light rain would probably be true, so once all were changed into caving gear we were relieved to find the steam enter Lost John's was back to normal levels.
The plan was to rig both Cathedral/Dome route and Hammer Pot with some continuing along Battleaxe Traverse and down Valhalla, while the others just went as far as the start of Battleaxe Traverse. I rigged Cathedral/Dome as far as Dome Junction followed by Boyd, Mat and Nikki while the others followed Hammer Pot down into the cave. After managing the swing through into the hole part way up Dome pitch on the third attempt, I was entertained by Mat who had abseiled a bit to low and missed the deviation just above!
Below Dome Junction pitch I met Karen who had already been to the Traverse and I passed her to have a look myself. I could hear the odd shout above the thundering water below and after a quick Mars Bar, I headed back the way I cam passing Mat and Nikki en route who were making their way to the Traverse.
While Karen and I headed back the up Cathedral /Dome route de-rigging as we went, Boyd, Mat and Nikki followed the Hammer Pot route our of the cave. We met Pete Wagstaff coming out of the New Roof Traverse as I was de-rigging the first pitch.
Another great trip down an excellent cave followed by chips in Bernies!
Sunday 12 July 2009
DCRO Search at Middleton Mine
There was a call from Bill at half past eight in the morning putting us on stand-by with a report of someone having gone caving or exploring a mine in the Middelton-by-Wirksworth area and not seen since Friday evening. I suggested calling Mat as he had contacts who were more knowledgeable of the Wirksworth area. So we had to tell Bob and Pat (Karen's Parents) that our plan to visit an open garden in Bonsall later today would have to be postponed while we got our gear ready in case there was a call-out.
The phone rang again about an hour later and I was told that the call-out was proceeding and to meet at Middleton Limestone Mine entrance - a location I suspected after looking at a map of the area. So, the two of us put our gear in the car and we drove to Middleton-by-Wirksworth. Arriving at the main mine entrance we found the entrance to the car park still locked and no one else around. Just as I drove off, a police car arrived and stopped. I reversed back and the policeman told us that the other entrance, off of the road going from the Via Gellia up towards Manystones Lane past Spinney Level, was where we should be heading. So we headed for that location and found a parked police car and another car, belonging to Paul of the WMRG parked by a tarmaced road leading off the main road with a third car parked nearby. This turned out to belong to the missing man.
We introduced ourselves and waited until others had arrived. Soon after, Mat and Nikki arrived followed by Bill not long after. The Mine Manager had been contacted and he had opened up the main entrance to the mine and driven through and opened the entrance we were interested in. He then unlocked the barrier which allowed us to drive up to the second entrance. When we got there we found the DCRO vehicle arriving after also having driven through from the main entrance.
After a quick look at the survey and talking to WMRG members who were familiar with the mine, it was decided to drive into the mine in the mine manager's pickup with me in the cab and Paul of WMRG, Pete, Chris riding in the back and stop at a few places and beep the horn or shout and listen for any replies. The mine passages were very large and there was plenty of room to drive around.
We stopped at the first likely location and split into two groups and quickly looked around the local area. I called everyone back (I was Leader) and we headed for a second likely location and again did the same thing. Again no result, so we drove the mile or so to the main entrance and with no sign of anyone, returned to the DCRO control at the van. Some others had turned up by now and Bill chose an area not far in which needed to be accessed on foot. This was based on 4 parallel passages with interconnecting side passages between piers holding the roof up. The 4 passages had dead-ends at either end. So, Chris, Paul, Pete and I got ready to search this area joined by Mat, Nikki plus Paul's brother Dave and another WMRG member headed in at 12:25pm and after following a central passage to a deep pool in line with the dead-ends in the parallel passages and split into four groups of two with each group taking a parallel passage each and Dave and I the main passage. We worked our way along shouting and searching the side passages which luckily weren't very long. Six of us completed our sections and while we waited for the last two to arrive we had a look at the survey and saw that there was another short loop passage with short side-passages which we might as well quickly look at as well so Nikki, Dave and another headed off while we waited for the last two to arrive. Not long after they did and we walked to the junction with the passage still being searched.
We saw several lights heading towards us from the entrance and I saw that it was Lofty and a few others. He told us we were standing down as the missing man had been found on the surface. So all returned to the DCRO control and again found more team members had arrived along with some from Derby MRT. After a quick debrief and waiting for the policeman and mine manager, who had driven into further parts for a quick search, to return, we all headed for home at around half past three.
The phone rang again about an hour later and I was told that the call-out was proceeding and to meet at Middleton Limestone Mine entrance - a location I suspected after looking at a map of the area. So, the two of us put our gear in the car and we drove to Middleton-by-Wirksworth. Arriving at the main mine entrance we found the entrance to the car park still locked and no one else around. Just as I drove off, a police car arrived and stopped. I reversed back and the policeman told us that the other entrance, off of the road going from the Via Gellia up towards Manystones Lane past Spinney Level, was where we should be heading. So we headed for that location and found a parked police car and another car, belonging to Paul of the WMRG parked by a tarmaced road leading off the main road with a third car parked nearby. This turned out to belong to the missing man.
We introduced ourselves and waited until others had arrived. Soon after, Mat and Nikki arrived followed by Bill not long after. The Mine Manager had been contacted and he had opened up the main entrance to the mine and driven through and opened the entrance we were interested in. He then unlocked the barrier which allowed us to drive up to the second entrance. When we got there we found the DCRO vehicle arriving after also having driven through from the main entrance.
After a quick look at the survey and talking to WMRG members who were familiar with the mine, it was decided to drive into the mine in the mine manager's pickup with me in the cab and Paul of WMRG, Pete, Chris riding in the back and stop at a few places and beep the horn or shout and listen for any replies. The mine passages were very large and there was plenty of room to drive around.
We stopped at the first likely location and split into two groups and quickly looked around the local area. I called everyone back (I was Leader) and we headed for a second likely location and again did the same thing. Again no result, so we drove the mile or so to the main entrance and with no sign of anyone, returned to the DCRO control at the van. Some others had turned up by now and Bill chose an area not far in which needed to be accessed on foot. This was based on 4 parallel passages with interconnecting side passages between piers holding the roof up. The 4 passages had dead-ends at either end. So, Chris, Paul, Pete and I got ready to search this area joined by Mat, Nikki plus Paul's brother Dave and another WMRG member headed in at 12:25pm and after following a central passage to a deep pool in line with the dead-ends in the parallel passages and split into four groups of two with each group taking a parallel passage each and Dave and I the main passage. We worked our way along shouting and searching the side passages which luckily weren't very long. Six of us completed our sections and while we waited for the last two to arrive we had a look at the survey and saw that there was another short loop passage with short side-passages which we might as well quickly look at as well so Nikki, Dave and another headed off while we waited for the last two to arrive. Not long after they did and we walked to the junction with the passage still being searched.
We saw several lights heading towards us from the entrance and I saw that it was Lofty and a few others. He told us we were standing down as the missing man had been found on the surface. So all returned to the DCRO control and again found more team members had arrived along with some from Derby MRT. After a quick debrief and waiting for the policeman and mine manager, who had driven into further parts for a quick search, to return, we all headed for home at around half past three.
Saturday 11 July 2009
Cresswell Crags
Karen's parents Bob and Pat were visiting for the weekend and Karen had planned on a visit to Cresswell Crags. It took some time to drive there as they are located on the Derbyshire /Nottinghamshire border. Because some prehistoric rock engravings were found a few years ago and prehistoric art is very rare in the UK, Creswell Crags and their caves have been in the news rather a lot recently. There is a brand new visitors centre and car park, where we parked and walked the short distance to the Crags.
These are limestone and form a short valley with walls 25 or so metres high, with a lake in between them and very picturesque. We walked around the lake looking at the various caves named Boathouse Cave, Church Hole Cave, Robin Hoods Cave, Pinhead Cave and others. Because of the archarologocal interest - they have been excavated and studied for many decades - all the entrances were well closed with metal railings and locked gates.
There were a family of swans at the near end of the lake and when an elderly gentleman came past in an electric wheelchair, he was chased by the male swan who took exception to the wheelchair and pecked at the rear wheels!
We had a quick sandwich and drink in the cafe before heading howewards and stopping off at Cromford Wharf and having a walk along the Cromford Canal to High Peak Junction and back. We saw quite a lot of Little Grebes and also Moorhens, Coots and Mallard Ducks as well as a fleeting glance of a couple of water voles at High Peak Junction.
These are limestone and form a short valley with walls 25 or so metres high, with a lake in between them and very picturesque. We walked around the lake looking at the various caves named Boathouse Cave, Church Hole Cave, Robin Hoods Cave, Pinhead Cave and others. Because of the archarologocal interest - they have been excavated and studied for many decades - all the entrances were well closed with metal railings and locked gates.
There were a family of swans at the near end of the lake and when an elderly gentleman came past in an electric wheelchair, he was chased by the male swan who took exception to the wheelchair and pecked at the rear wheels!
We had a quick sandwich and drink in the cafe before heading howewards and stopping off at Cromford Wharf and having a walk along the Cromford Canal to High Peak Junction and back. We saw quite a lot of Little Grebes and also Moorhens, Coots and Mallard Ducks as well as a fleeting glance of a couple of water voles at High Peak Junction.
Sunday 5 July 2009
Whalf Pipe Climbing Shaft, Monyash
After tea or coffee for all of us (Keith and Pete had stayed overnight with us) and cereal or porridge for me and Karen, we drove to the Orpheus cottage as we had arranged to meet two prospective members: Jonathan Reeves and Helen Jenkins, for a caving trip. Jonathan had been caving before but had a seven year break after moving to London and back to Belper and had no real SRT experience. Helen was a SWCC member and had done some SRT. So we decided to give Jonathan a session on the cottage gable end to practice passing rebelays and changing from prusik to abseil and vice versa. Of course we also had to have breakfast at Monyash Cafe and had decided on a trip in Whalf Pipe Mine as that was local and had several straight-forward rebelays.
After breakfast, Pete, Keith, Boyd, Karen and I took Jonathan and Helen down Whalf Pipe Climbing Shaft with Keith rigging and Karen following Boyd with Jonathan behind Karen and me bringing up the rear. Jonathan was a bit slow, as expected, but we were soon all collected near the bottom of the Engine Shaft. Keith had earlier dropped a rope down this as he and Pete planned to exit via that route. After giving Jonathan a quick tour of the local parts of the mine while Boyd did the same with Helen, we headed back to the surface with Karen going last as she wanted to de-rig. Again it took quite a while for Jonathan to prusik up and pass the rebelays but we were back on the surface by 5:00pm - not too bad as we had very late start! After washing ropes etc. back at the cottage (Keith and Pete had already headed home) we chatted to Jenny, Eileen and Dick Marley, etc then headed for home at around 7:00pm.
After breakfast, Pete, Keith, Boyd, Karen and I took Jonathan and Helen down Whalf Pipe Climbing Shaft with Keith rigging and Karen following Boyd with Jonathan behind Karen and me bringing up the rear. Jonathan was a bit slow, as expected, but we were soon all collected near the bottom of the Engine Shaft. Keith had earlier dropped a rope down this as he and Pete planned to exit via that route. After giving Jonathan a quick tour of the local parts of the mine while Boyd did the same with Helen, we headed back to the surface with Karen going last as she wanted to de-rig. Again it took quite a while for Jonathan to prusik up and pass the rebelays but we were back on the surface by 5:00pm - not too bad as we had very late start! After washing ropes etc. back at the cottage (Keith and Pete had already headed home) we chatted to Jenny, Eileen and Dick Marley, etc then headed for home at around 7:00pm.
Saturday 4 July 2009
DCRO Rescue Practice, Matlock Bath
Karen and I parked at the car park next to the New Bath Hotel along with some other DCRO members as we waited for the search exercise to start at 10:00am. We were briefed by the Training Officer, Ben Stevens. The scenario was that a 55 year old caver had asked for the key to Youd's Level which was unavailable due to pollution. He had told Mining Museum staff that he would just go caving somewhere else. He hadn't arrived home and his wife reported him missing. He was dressed in a green oversuit, was very quiet and his head was loose: that is, the rescue dummy!
There were four members of Woodhead Mountain Rescue Team (who were camping at the Miners Standard in Winster for the planned BBQ later in the evening) joining in. Each joined a team of four made up if DCRO members and I lead a team including Nigel of WMRT plus Ron Price and Mick (can't remember his last name). We were asked to search Devonshire Mine, SO we headed along the footpath and alleyway leading up to the path passing the entrance, When we got there there was a led group of children waiting at the entrance and I spoke to the instructor who said the door was locked and there were no bags or rucksacks around. We reported back to Control that we were at the entrance and were asked to check the other entrances. I had been in the mine once before (with Karen) a few years ago and no one else in the group knew it either. So we decided to head in this way and find the other entrance and shafts from inside. This we did and had a thorough poke around the top half of the mine. I thought that Control would be looking for information so after a quick search we headed back to the surface and I reported back that we found no evidence of someone having gone in any of the entrances.
We were asked to wait for a second group including Mick Earl and Alan Berry, who had finished searching an other location, to arrive and then search the top half and bottom half between us. After a short time the second group arrived and after a quick discussion, we decided to do a more thorough search of the top half while the other team covered the bottom as one of them was more familiar with the mine.
We had another god poke around anywhere we found and found no sign of any dummies. Lee Langdon had given us information on the radio that there was a part of the cave above the main chamber involving a climb and traversing some holes and some ladder which led to an old quarry entrance, but we never found it!
After an hour my team headed for the surface and met the WMRT members waiting their (the had quickly searched the locality while we were underground and also had nothing to report. I reported back and was told to wait for the other team to return. After some time the second team re-surfaced and they asked me to report back that they had thoroughly searched the lower section and also found nothing. Control asked us to return to base.
Once reported back we had lunch and it seemed that one of the teams on the High Tor side of the valley had reported nothing found in a small cave or mine were told to try again - a heavy hint that the dummy was there somewhere and they had either searched the wrong hole or had missed it. There was a report back that the dummy had been found. Ben retrieved it along with some team members in his Land Rover. After changing and a quick debrief, we dispersed.
Tony Seddon was set up at the Orpheus cottage with his new caving gear business "Starless River" so we decided to drop by to have a look. I was interested in an Adventrure Verticale oversuit but he hadn't any with him in my size (he though XXL due to my height). Karen tried out a MTDE harness and I bought a new Petzl Croll and a Raumer stainless steel krab to use as a braking krab. We met Jonathan Reeves who was a prospective new member and had contacted Karen about joining earlier in the week and was planning to come tomorrow for a caving trip.
Afterwards we headed for home for an evening meal and waited for Keith and Pete, who had spent the day digging in Water Icicle Close Cavern, to join us at the Miners Standard for the DCRO BBQ. When there was no sign of them by 7:30pm, Karen and I walk up to the pub and found them already there having eaten a meal. There was poor turnout at the BBQ with only Rick Lewthwaite and his wife, Julie Hardy and Nikki and Mat Adlam-Styles who had come for a short time as Nikki was suffering with a bad cold. After saying "hello" to Rick, etc. (there were the members of WMRT an their families as well) we returned back indoors to join Keith and Pete.
There were four members of Woodhead Mountain Rescue Team (who were camping at the Miners Standard in Winster for the planned BBQ later in the evening) joining in. Each joined a team of four made up if DCRO members and I lead a team including Nigel of WMRT plus Ron Price and Mick (can't remember his last name). We were asked to search Devonshire Mine, SO we headed along the footpath and alleyway leading up to the path passing the entrance, When we got there there was a led group of children waiting at the entrance and I spoke to the instructor who said the door was locked and there were no bags or rucksacks around. We reported back to Control that we were at the entrance and were asked to check the other entrances. I had been in the mine once before (with Karen) a few years ago and no one else in the group knew it either. So we decided to head in this way and find the other entrance and shafts from inside. This we did and had a thorough poke around the top half of the mine. I thought that Control would be looking for information so after a quick search we headed back to the surface and I reported back that we found no evidence of someone having gone in any of the entrances.
We were asked to wait for a second group including Mick Earl and Alan Berry, who had finished searching an other location, to arrive and then search the top half and bottom half between us. After a short time the second group arrived and after a quick discussion, we decided to do a more thorough search of the top half while the other team covered the bottom as one of them was more familiar with the mine.
We had another god poke around anywhere we found and found no sign of any dummies. Lee Langdon had given us information on the radio that there was a part of the cave above the main chamber involving a climb and traversing some holes and some ladder which led to an old quarry entrance, but we never found it!
After an hour my team headed for the surface and met the WMRT members waiting their (the had quickly searched the locality while we were underground and also had nothing to report. I reported back and was told to wait for the other team to return. After some time the second team re-surfaced and they asked me to report back that they had thoroughly searched the lower section and also found nothing. Control asked us to return to base.
Once reported back we had lunch and it seemed that one of the teams on the High Tor side of the valley had reported nothing found in a small cave or mine were told to try again - a heavy hint that the dummy was there somewhere and they had either searched the wrong hole or had missed it. There was a report back that the dummy had been found. Ben retrieved it along with some team members in his Land Rover. After changing and a quick debrief, we dispersed.
Tony Seddon was set up at the Orpheus cottage with his new caving gear business "Starless River" so we decided to drop by to have a look. I was interested in an Adventrure Verticale oversuit but he hadn't any with him in my size (he though XXL due to my height). Karen tried out a MTDE harness and I bought a new Petzl Croll and a Raumer stainless steel krab to use as a braking krab. We met Jonathan Reeves who was a prospective new member and had contacted Karen about joining earlier in the week and was planning to come tomorrow for a caving trip.
Afterwards we headed for home for an evening meal and waited for Keith and Pete, who had spent the day digging in Water Icicle Close Cavern, to join us at the Miners Standard for the DCRO BBQ. When there was no sign of them by 7:30pm, Karen and I walk up to the pub and found them already there having eaten a meal. There was poor turnout at the BBQ with only Rick Lewthwaite and his wife, Julie Hardy and Nikki and Mat Adlam-Styles who had come for a short time as Nikki was suffering with a bad cold. After saying "hello" to Rick, etc. (there were the members of WMRT an their families as well) we returned back indoors to join Keith and Pete.
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