Engine Vein Mine and The Cobalt Mine, Alderley Edge

As one of the organised underground trips being run as part of the NAMHO Conference (being run in Matlock this year), Karen and I joined a group for a guided trip down Engine Vein Mine and The Cobalt Mine. These are two of the mines in Alderley Edge. We started with a trip down Engine Vein mine entering via Hough Level. After having a look around various parts of the mine, we climbed a fixed iron ladder at Blue Shaft leading to a higher area in the mine. The ladder passed close to a formation of various shades of blue due to the copper content (this being a copper mine - see the Derbyshire Cave Club's web page) and was very spectacular. At the top of the ladder was another short ladder leading past an opening into another shaft called the Bear Pit. After looking around the upper section of the mine we ended up below the original entrance via a large gash on the surface which was originally due to a fault and was gradually widened over the centuries.
After lunch at the Tea Shop next to the nearby "The Wizard" pub we walked a short distance towards the car park and after the shaft lid was opened we climbed down a short fixed iron ladder into The Cobalt Mine. This was a smaller mine with mostly crawling-sized passages with much evidence of the Cobalt which was mined there, as black areas in the sandstone. Once we had seen most parts of the mine we reascended to the surface and while some were taken on another short visit to a third mine, Karen and I headed back to the Orpheus Club cottage for the OCC BBQ.

Walk in Dovedale

A lovely sunny day in contrast to last Sunday's rain. Karen joined me in a circular walk along the River Dove which I did on 31st March. This time starting from Milldale so that the walk uphill to Alstonefield was at the start of the walk instead of the end. We parked up at the free car park in Milldale just after 10 in the morning so there were still plenty of spaces and after getting our boots on, headed up the quiet road leading uphill to Alsonefield.
As we reached the village of Alstonefield we couldn't help but notice that there was a "Hope Farm", a "Hope View", a "Hope Cottage" all close together. I looked for a "Hopeless" something but could see none!
Leaving the road by a small car park in the village centre, we headed across fields via stiles built into the walls and gradually gained height with views of Alstonefield and the surrounding area opening out behind. At a large Dew Pond we turned up slope and reached a stile by a mound where we disturbed sheep who were lying in the shade on such a warm day. We had to have a look at the guidebook to work out where to go next even though we could see our next target, Narrowdale, but soon found the way..
At the head of Narrowdale, it was tricky to find the route as according to the map it involved following a track between two drystone walls but the entrance to the track had a locked gate with a sign saying "No Public Right of Way Through Gate". There was a footpath sign pointing away from our route next to a wall with a second set of footpath signs a short way along. Following this route there was a stile leading across the track to an obvious route through a field which was parallel with our intended route if not the same. Following this it lead along one side of Narrowdale when we should have been on the path along the bottom. We worked our way down the steep grassy side to the bottom and could see where we had gone wrong earlier. Never mind, we were now on the correct route.
Following down Narrowdale passing an old "Lister" engine-powered pump, we soon reached a larger track leading to a lovely house all alone in a lovely position. Continuing down the large track, we eventually reached a junction and after turning right were soon at a foot bridge across the Dove next to Frank i'th' Rocks cliff with its small cave entrance. This is Frank i'th' Rocks Cave and is only a small chamber with a narrow passage leading to another smaller entrance a few metres away. It is up a slope and we sat at the entrance having a sandwich with the river below.
After our stop, we continued along the river seeing several herons fishing, until we reached the road back into Milldale by an old mill and a large house by a small bridge over the river Dove. We turned left away from Milldale and crossed the road to gain a path on the other side of the wall along the road and followed this as it gradually gained in height. After about a quarter of a mile we headed at right angles to the road up a steeper grassy slope and were soon at the top of the Dale with the road and the river quite a long way down below us.
We followed along the Dale side with views back along the way we had come and into the distance until after crossing a wall via a stile, we saw Dovedale continuing down away from Milldale. We followed down the short zig-zag path to the small Viator's Bridge in Milldale village which we crossed and after buying some sausage rolls and drinks at the small shop, we sat by the water and ate these as the ducks preened themselves nearby. Once the food was finished we walked the short distance to the car park and headed for home.