I have been talking to the new owner of Eyam Dale House, Steve Howard. It is intended that the house will be a family home. At present I hold a key at Glebe Cottage, and any bona fide caving club with insurance can collect the key and an oil can for the lock. Steve is quite happy for access...

Has anyone come across a source of sensible small digging picks? The internet came up with one or two suggestions but nothing that was right (broad blade on one end, sharp point on the other). They need to be compact, for digging hard fill in small crawls. I had several, but they have dwindled...

Pete Mellors has asked me to post the information that restoration of access has now been agreed in principle between DCA, Chatsworth Estates, Natural England, and tenant Maurice Gregory. The precise terms are still being negotiated but are expected to be reasonably flexible. Cavers are asked to...

Pete Mellors has asked if I know who dug in the small natural pot in "New Year Chamber" in Holme Bank. The chamber is almost the most westerly point in the mine, south of the top quarry entrances. Sigma Pothole Unit surveyed the place in the early 70s, but did they dig it? Apparently there is...

Just for the record I have it on good authority that although Bradwell Brook, Peak/Speedwell, Watergrove etc. have started to flow (because they are fed by swallet inputs), Lathkill Dale is still drier than it has ever been (because it is fed by percolation, which hasn't got going yet). So...

Can anyone remember who pushed the bedding in Demon's Dale Cave by removing rock at the back of the rock shelter? Has anyone been to the bitter end of the crawl? I retreated after about 6m as I was on my own. It was emitting a big stream a week or two back, and has a noticeable inward draught.

Derbyshire cavers who knew him will be saddened to hear of the death of Harry Eyre last week. The funeral was at Eyam today. We couldn't have wished for a more helpful landowner when we were digging Hungerhill in the 1980s before the breakthrough. He was always happy for cavers to visit the...

A sheep has gone and died on our spoil heap! It is snuggled up between big rocks, so has to be lifted up to move it, and it will fall to bits. We have thought of petrol, but that just burns and does nothing. Too much smoke may attract attention, though we have permission for the dig. Do we just...