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English Nature is the government's advisor on nature conservation and is responsible for designating and monitoring the condition of SSSIs. The Derbyshire Caving Association, DCA, has developed the SSSI Monitoring Scheme to provide English Nature with regular monitoring of its underground SSSI sites.
The entrance to Bagshawe Cavern lies within the Bradwell Dale Site of Special Scientific Interest, SSSI, which gives the cavern itself SSSI status.
As a SSSI features within the cave have been identified as being of special scientific interest.
These features fall into three categories:
Cave Passage Morphology - CPM,
Speleothems - S
Clastic Sediments – CSS.
1 Entrance Passage - CSS
Extensive sediments of fluvial origin (partly excavated by miners) in a vadose trench. (Shaw, 1984. p 133)
2 Lower Series - CPM
Phreatic passage controlled by mineral viens evident running along the axis of the passage. There are limited amounts of vadose incision and, in places, extensive tabular breakdown.
3 Upper Series Main Passage CPM
Large bedding controlled strike tube modified by extensive breakdown and showing a small degree of vadose incision.
4 The Hippodrome - CSS
Extensive Tabular Breakdown
5 Blackpool Sands - CSS
Extensive silty sands of fluvial origin derived from Namurian strata, probably Bradwell Edge.
6 North end of the New Series - CPM
A series of joint oriented cavities joined by low arches. This section of passage is an example of the influence of joints on cave passage formation.
7 The Aven Series - S
Examples of flowstone and stalactites throughout this passage and its avens, especially at the Great Aven.
8 Hollywood Bowl - CPM
A very large chamber with ancient beehive slopes of flowstone.
9 Batham Gate - CPM
A large relict phreatic tube containing sediments of unknown origin.
As part of the SSSI monitoring scheme features of special scientific interest within Bagshawe Cavern are assessed regularly and reports on their condition submitted to English Nature.
The entrance to Bagshawe Cavern lies within the Bradwell Dale Site of Special Scientific Interest, SSSI, which gives the cavern itself SSSI status.
As a SSSI features within the cave have been identified as being of special scientific interest.
These features fall into three categories:
Cave Passage Morphology - CPM,
Speleothems - S
Clastic Sediments – CSS.
1 Entrance Passage - CSS
Extensive sediments of fluvial origin (partly excavated by miners) in a vadose trench. (Shaw, 1984. p 133)
2 Lower Series - CPM
Phreatic passage controlled by mineral viens evident running along the axis of the passage. There are limited amounts of vadose incision and, in places, extensive tabular breakdown.
3 Upper Series Main Passage CPM
Large bedding controlled strike tube modified by extensive breakdown and showing a small degree of vadose incision.
4 The Hippodrome - CSS
Extensive Tabular Breakdown
5 Blackpool Sands - CSS
Extensive silty sands of fluvial origin derived from Namurian strata, probably Bradwell Edge.
6 North end of the New Series - CPM
A series of joint oriented cavities joined by low arches. This section of passage is an example of the influence of joints on cave passage formation.
7 The Aven Series - S
Examples of flowstone and stalactites throughout this passage and its avens, especially at the Great Aven.
8 Hollywood Bowl - CPM
A very large chamber with ancient beehive slopes of flowstone.
9 Batham Gate - CPM
A large relict phreatic tube containing sediments of unknown origin.
As part of the SSSI monitoring scheme features of special scientific interest within Bagshawe Cavern are assessed regularly and reports on their condition submitted to English Nature.