Oxlow Cavern and Maskhill Mine

Karen had a sore knee after yesterdays walk so decided to stay at home while Keith and I were joining an Orpheus Oxlow Cavern / Maskhill Mine exchange trip.

The day got off to a bad start. After loading up our caving gear in my car with a cold wind and drizzle, I found I had a flat tyre! Typical.

We soon had the tyre swapped with the spare and were on our way to Monyash for breakfast. Now the second bit of bad luck: the café was closed!

So, we went straight to the Orpheus Hut to meet Waggy and the others.

Paul and Maz were there having arrived the night before to go walking and weren't impressed with the wind and rain. After Alan H., Waggy and Jason B. had arrived and ropes were packed, we set off for Oxlow Farm with the wind buffeting the car and frequent bouts of heavy rain with light rain in between.

On the way I stopped off at the Tesco Express in Buxton so Keith and I could buy sandwiches for breakfast.

Passing the P8 layby and the farm where you park for Giants Hole we saw no cars parked: not surprising considering the foul weather. But as we approached the Oxlow layby, we saw several cars parked there. Typical!

One of the cars belonged to Tim and Darren who were part of the Thursday Night Orpheus crew were joining us plus Waggy's and Jason's.But there were still other cavers parked there.

Keith and I parked by the farmyard as usual at Oxlow Farm and after eating our sandwiches, got changed in the barn which was draughty and wet but infinitely better than outside!

We found everyone else had chosen to descend Maskhill Mine so Keith and I made our way to Oxlow Cavern entrance shaft to find a rope already rigged. Rats!

Keith went down first rigging with our ropes and I followed. We found some of the other party below at the top of the pitch dropping down to the col above East Chamber and followed them down.

Because of our later start after eating our sandwiches and having further to walk, plus having to wait for the other party, Keith and I arrived at the West Chamber just as Waggy was appearing on the final pitches of Maskhill Mine where it joins Oxlow Cavern. This was our first bit of luck as we didn't have to wait too long.

Keith joined the others to exit via Maskhill Mine while I, together with Alan and Darren started back to the surface via Oxlow Cavern with me at the front, Alan in the middle and Darren taking up the rear de-rigging.

We set off up the pitch leading to the ramp of West Swirl Passage and then up the ramp. At the col I found one of the other group and our rope going up the pitch tight like piano wire. The guy from the other group explained that the caver above was hung up and could get off the head of the pitch after getting into a tangle with our rope while the remainder of their party had buggered off!

He prusiked up to help and I waited at the top of the col for ages while their rope went up and down and up and down. Eventually he abseiled down and said “His footloop is all tangled up and I need to cut it. I have a knife... but it's back in the car.”

I had had enough of hanging around and the others were probably starting to get cold, so I asked if I could prusik up their rope, which had no deviation. I reached the stuck caver who was just below the "Y" hang. After examining the tangle, I saw that he had our rope from below the deviation through his safety link and that was why it was tight like piano wire. He was nearly at the Y hang but couldn't remove his jammers as there was no slack to allow them to be unlocked.

His mate had said he wasn't familiar with deviations and he had prusiked up our rope by mistake and when he reached the deviation he had removed each jammer in turn and clipped it back on above the deviation karabiner! Unfortunately he had managed to tangle the rope in doing so with his safety link.

So, after making sure I had the right piece of rope (especially as we were still dangling above the drop to the floor of the East Chamber), I cut through his safety link thus freeing him and after giving him a shove, he was able to get off the rope and release his jammers.

After I then also got off the top of the pitch, I shouted down “rope free” and his mate prusiked up again and joined us and began de-rigging their ropes.

Once they were out of the way, Alan and Darren came up and we began heading for the next pitches.

When I arrived at the foot of the entrance shaft, I was puzzled to see only our rope there, as expected, but it was being pulled up and released continuously. Surely the other pair must be out by now!

I looked up the shaft and saw a loop of the other lot's rope tangled with our rope on the lower rebelay! I shouted up “Wait a minute and I'll release the rebelay”, which I did. I did the same at the one above that as well and as I reached the top of the pitch, the pair which had been ahead of us had been joined by two or three more of their group who had already got changed out of caving gear and they were still struggling to disentangle their rope from ours. I pointed out it would be easier to just let go of one end of their rope so that it wasn't in a loop!

So they did that and soon had pulled up their rope and packed it away and set off to get changed while Alan and Darren started to come up.

By now it was after 17:00, dark and just as windy as before with short showers.

I waited in the shelter of the hollow where the shaft is located as Alan prusiked up. As we were waiting for quite a while for Darren to join us, I shouted down to just release the karabiners and we would pull the rope up afterwards.

Eventually all three if us were on the surface by about 17:45 (having gone down at about Noon) and had the rope packed away and began making our way back to the cars. As soon as we were out of the hollow we met the full force of the very, very cold wind.

We arrived back at the layby and found the Maskhill Mine party had been out for ages, thanks to all our delays.

I explained to Waggy what happened and made my way back to the farm and was very thankful of the shelter of the barn when I arrived and found Keith, who had been waiting for over an hour and a quarter and had been walking around in circles to keep warm! Of course he hadn't been able to get changed out of caving gear as his clothes were in my car.

Soon, we were changed and in the car and headed for home after dropping off a rope and tackle bag at the hut while the others went to the Wanted Inn for a chip butty. It was well past 19:00 by the time we got back to Winster and a welcome hot meal and beer in the Miners Standard.

Kinder Scout

Again, it was Karen, Keith and myself out for a walk. This time we were on Kinder Scout. Leaving the car park at Edale, we walked up via Ringing Roger, keeping to the crest as much as possible despite the strong and cold wind.

Once we reached the fenced-off area at the top of Ringing Roger, we followed the path along the edge Eastwards and turned the corner at Crookstone Knoll now following the path on the opposite edge.

Near Madwomans Stones we struck off across a section of the plateau heading South then followed another path towards the West.

When nearing Ringing Roger, there was a smaller path heading South towards the edge and we followed this and then a path which led gradually down below the Eastern side of Ringing Roger until we arrived back at Grindsbrook Booth in Edale.

Chrome Hill from Earl Sterndale

Karen , Keith and I did a circular walk starting from Earl Sterndale up part of Dowel Dale, over Chrome Hill. Karen and Keith walked over Parkhouse Hill while I walked around the side and met them part way up the opposite side, then back to Earl Sterndale.

A Walk Around Some Mining Sites in Winster

Karen, Keith and I joined a walk led by Tony Wood around Winster seeing various sites connected with the Lead Mining industry.

Knotlow Cavern

Karen, Chris Jackson and I took Alan H. on a trip into Knotlow Cavern. It was a cold but sunny day and we all went in via the Climbing Shaft. Chris and Karen dropped down the Engine Shaft via Chain Passage while Alan and I went as far as Waterfall Chamber via the usual route where the four of us met up.

Alan had a quick look in the coffin level and then we all returned to the surface by re-ascending the same routes we had used on the way in.

A Walk on Offerton Moor

After breakfast at Outside, Calver Crossroads, Karen and I parked in the layby beside The Plough pub near Hathersage and walked up the road passing Hazleford Hall.
The minor road swung to the right further on at Hoghall Farm and we followed a track leading onwards, straight-ahead.
The track followed the valley containing the Highlow Brook and we soon arrived at the confluence with Bretton Brook at Stoke Ford.
Despite the weather forecast for dry weather, we had a bit of rain, but luckily it was only a short and light shower.
We crossed the footbridge at Stoke Ford and then followed the path across fields to arrive at a minor road. We crossed the road and walked up the track leading to Oaks Farm.
Near the farm buildings, a Public Footpath led by Smelting Hill onto Offerton Moor. We could see some snow in the distance coming towards us and soon we were in the middle of a light snow shower.
The path we were following met another path which rose from further along the minor road we had crossed earlier and crossed the path we were on forming a crossroads. We turned right to follow this other path.
The path led across Offerton Moor and brought us to Offerton Hall.
Following a lane leading past the Hall, we were soon back in fields after passing through a gate which had an ancient sunken path leading down to the River Noe.
There was a narrow muddy path following the right-hand bank of the river which brought us back to the bridge at Leadmill just up the road from our starting point.

Casualty Care at EMRT's base in Hope Valley and Water Icicle Close Cavern Again!

Karen was accompanying a group from a Caving Club along with a fourth caver into the new sections of Water Icicle Close Cavern while I was attending a Casualty Care Course being run at Edale Mountain Rescue's base at the cement works in the Hope Valley.
I left the EMRT's bas and stopped off at Hitch 'n' Hike to buy a couple of screwgate karabiners then I planned to drive to Monyash for a meal at the café and wondered if Karen would be back on the surface and join me there.
I was just approaching Monyash from the direction of Bakewell when my mobile phone rang. It was the ringing tone for Karen's mobile phone, so I though that was good timing, she must be back on the surface and would soon be at the café.
But, two minutes later, my phone went again – this time with Bill Whitehouse's number: there was a shout – at Water Icicle!
He told me the caller's name which I didn't recognise, so I knew it didn't involve Karen, Keith or Pete. He said there was a caver at the bottom of the entrance pitch with a shoulder injury who was having trouble prusiking back up the entrance shaft.
Derby Lane was very muddy and slippery, and Karen's car was parked with others at the last bit of solid track. Karen was in her car and she told me the same story – it was the last person to come up and one of the Caving Club members.
I told her I would continue to the end of the lane as Bill was waiting for more news.
I managed to get to the end of Derby Lane, just, in my Nissan X-Trail, after passing the other two in the Caving Club party walking back down the land towards their cars. They also told me the same story.
After parking, I walked over towards the shaft in the field and saw a caver sitting in the shelter of a drystone wall – it was very cold and had begun to sleet.
As I got closer, I saw it was Keith. He was waiting for Pete to come up and said that the others had all re-ascended, one taking a very long time, and all were getting cold. They realised that the remaining Caving Club member, whose name was also Paul, was not going to get back up under his own steam so as they realised they wouldn't be able to get him back up by themselves, suggested all get changed to warm up and call out Cave Rescue. Meanwhile Paul was warm enough and happy to wait for assistance.
Karen walked up and joined me in the car once Keith and Pete left and we waited for others to turn up.
The next vehicle also managed to get to us and it was the doctor, from this morning's Casualty Care Course, who was joining DCRO and was already a member of EMRT.
I briefed him on the situation and we decided it would be wise for him to abseil down (I had no caving gear) and check on the casualty's condition as he had now been waiting for about an hour.
While I had been talking to Bill earlier, he said he didn't think they would get the DCRO van up Derby Lane, and as he had mentioned that Mick was on his way, I suggested he meet Mick and put the required gear in his four-wheel drive vehicle. Mick arrived next and I said to bring the Multipod, some ropes and rigging kit.
A little while later, two more DCRO members arrived on foot, having left their cars further down Derby Lane: Katie and Lisa.
We waited until Mick arrived back with Bill and the gear. I walked across to the shaft carrying some of the gear and met the doctor who had prusiked back up. I told him Bill had arrived and as he was the Controller, he should report to him about the casualty. He confirmed that the casualty had an old shoulder injury and had aggravated that by trying to prusik back up.
More Team members arrived and we began setting up the Multipod. I set up five ground anchors, fairly close because it was getting dark and as we only had two ropes of 100 metres and 95 metres in length, I tied one end of each to the ground anchors and there was still plenty of length for each to act as either a haul line of a lifeline.
Mick had abseiled down to assist the casualty and he accompanied him by prusiking up their SRT rope. We very quickly had hauled Paul back up to the surface, none the worse for wear and surprisingly quickly had all the gear packed up and back in Mick's vehicle.
We set off for home, arriving at around 17:30.

Water Icicle Close Cavern

Karen was in Rugby visiting friends and Keith asked if I could help him and Pete with moving gear to the bottom of The Elevator for their digging project.
I met the two of them at the Orpheus cottage then after picking up some gear and breakfast at the café in Monyash, we headed underground at around 11:00.
We had quite a pile of gear to transport: around 15 scaffold poles, three tackle bags with scaffold clips (very heavy!), a tackle bag with tools, drill batteries, another with the drill and angle grinder, a section of bicycle and metal stand (!), a hand winch on a short scaffold pole and an old fishing umbrella.
We transported the gear to the bottom of the shaft then to each obstacle and eventually, to Three Way Aven.
We then dropped down The Elevator – my first time since I usually either left my SRT kit at the bottom of the entrance shaft on previous trips, or there were a lot of people around and the bottom of The Elevator wasn't a good place to be.
The Elevator starts as a short drop of around 8 metres to a small chamber with a bouldery floor (most of which used to block The Elevator at the level of the main passage. From here a Y hang leads through a slot into a rift then down about 12 metres to a surprisingly large long chamber.
This chamber had a lot of fractured rock and again, the floor is composed of small rocks and boulders. From there, there is a further drop of maybe 5 metres to a vertical water-worn tube with fluting of under two metres in diameter. This is where the ongoing dig is at present.
At the top of this final drop, Keith and Pete set up a scaffold pole horizontally and then bolted it to the walls, wherever they could find somewhere with not many fractures. This was to assist in hauling up dig spoil.
The short scaffold pole with the hand winch attached at on end was then attached to the horizontal tube.
Now the different bit. In between dropping the spanner, the bicycle chain and nearly, the fishing umbrella, Keith attach yet another short scaffold pole to the one with the hand winch, and then attached the “X” shaped metal stand to that. Attached to the stand was the section of bicycle frame with seat and rear section including crank and rear axle and dérailleur. From the dérailleur, Keith attached a section of cycle chain running from the gears with the dérailleur to a chainwheel bolte to the hand winch crank.
The plan was that Pete could take up position down at the dig site while Keith sits on the bike frame pedalling to winch up the bucket of spoil and then he could empty the bucket and return it down to Pete for the next load.
And the old fishing umbrella? That's to shelter Keith from the large number of drips which happen to fall at the top of the pitch!
Eventually I, being first up, reached the surface at around 18:45, and immediately crossed to my car to phone Karen, who I knew would be getting concerned about the time.
After I had got changed, as the other two arrived after re-ascending the entrance shaft,we arranged to meet in the Miners Standard in Winster, so I headed home for a quick shower and then, joined by Karen, we walked up West Bank to the pub.