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Oxlow Cavern and Suicide Cave

A

angelmaz11

Guest
Hi all,

I'm planning a trip to Derbyshire (Castleton area) this weekend and was wondering if the rope on that slope in Oxlow Cavern was still there (55m handline). I've only been to the Peak District twice last summer and remember people in Hitch n Hike saying that it was pre-rigged, as also mentioned in their pdf guides.

Also, anyone know if Suicide Cave is actually worth going to? Thought it was unstable.

Thanks!
 
Brains

Brains

Well-known member
angelmaz11 said:
if the rope on that slope in Oxlow Cavern was still there (55m handline).

Also, anyone know if Suicide Cave is actually worth going to? Thought it was unstable.
Click to expand...

Not sure of the rope on the slope, but Suicide is unstable and very small / smells like a sewer, IMO not really worth it... If you are happy with Oxlow how about Knotlow/Hillocks?
 
Charlie

Charlie

New member
the only reason for going to suicide cave is playing with hauling gear imo.

very small with a couple of 3-5 m pitches that you can access top and bottom of without rope, making it an ideal place to experiment with pulleys, jammers, traxions, slings and all the rest or as a place to do very basic rope training with novices, but not of any other intrest.
 
Brains

Brains

Well-known member
Found it - a bit from the DCA circular 2008/1...

Suicide Cave - Danger
A mines inspection took place in Suicide Cave on 17th. October to check on the suitability of the cave for
novice trips. Those involved had a good look at the boulder choke near the entrance and noticed that the
boulders seemed to have dropped about 6 inches and there are new cracks and loose debris around the area.
The access hole through the bottom of the choke is also smaller.
OPINION WAS THAT THE WHOLE AREA WAS DANGEROUS, VERY UNSTABLE AND IT
SHOULD NOT BE USED.
Measures to stabilise the area are being considered but this may not happen for some time so please stay
away until this has been done.

My bold and italics as the formatting of the PDF has been lost in the copy and paste...
Hope this helps!
 
A

angelmaz11

Guest
Thanks! Not thought about Knotlow/Hillocks. Was looking at Nettle pot. Is that any good? Plus I know where the entrance is :)

So far I've been to P8, Giants and the Oxlow/Maskhill exchange, super trip that was!!

 
Brains

Brains

Well-known member
Nettle is good, but the entrance is 300' of "fairly narrow" SRT - especially in the narrows - followed by another few 100' in the lower shafts, or some low crawls and pitches along the flats. The entrance is quite exposed on the moor with only limited room to shelter inside the cap...

Knotlow Hillocks has many interconnecting entrances allowing different through trips... Plus you are closer to the car and not far from the pub in Monyash - always a bonus!

Neither are particularly flood prone (but think about the lower coffin level streams in Knotlow), but if the weather is poor Nettle is more exposed, either way have fun!
 
Rob

Rob

Well-known member
angelmaz11 said:
Thanks! Not thought about Knotlow/Hillocks. Was looking at Nettle pot. Is that any good? Plus I know where the entrance is :)
So far I've been to P8, Giants and the Oxlow/Maskhill exchange, super trip that was!!
Click to expand...
If your up for a having a really good crawl about in some fun caves, maybe try the Stoney Middleton area (10mins drive from Castleton). All the main caves can be found here http://w01-0504.web.dircon.net/caveguides/cave_index_stoney_middleton.pdf I especially recomend the Streak's Pot's through trip (as long as it doesn't rain too much) and also the Carlswark Cavern through trip.  (y)

(Both around 452 times better than Suicide Cave!)
 
Brains

Brains

Well-known member
Very true - at least 453 times better than Suicide, but do take your knee pads!
Went to look them up in COTPD but just found a section covered in Tippex where they should be... :-[ :-[ :confused: :LOL:
 
paul

paul

Moderator
Brains said:
angelmaz11 said:
if the rope on that slope in Oxlow Cavern was still there (55m handline).
.
Click to expand...

Not sure of the rope on the slope,
Click to expand...

The rope which was left by someome on the ramp of West Swirl Passage of Oxlow is looking decidedly dodgy. I wouldn't want to give it a god tug. It is probably best to bring your own rope.

I treat this as a normal pitch and use either a descender when going down the ramp or at least a single jammer going upwards. Fine, you can just use a handline, and I have done it in the past with no rope at all but if you have cavers above you they could knock down some loose stuff onto you and there is plenty of that. I would rather be more firmly attached to the rope it that were to happen.

 
A

angelmaz11

Guest
Hi guys,

Thanks for the info. Defo going to try the Stoney Middleton area at some point. Have to take freshers round this weekend, but will come back in the summer.
Couldn't find much info on Knotlow & Hillocks Mine online, but will check out the Peaks Rigging Guide :)

Also, is Bagshawe Cavern worth a look?

Thanks.
 
SamT

SamT

Moderator
yes - bagshawe is def worth a look. Currently undergoing a lot of work on the entrance - but that should be completed in the next few months. See the bagshawe pages at the eldon web site for access details
 
JB

JB

Member
angelmaz11 said:
Also, is Bagshawe Cavern worth a look?
Click to expand...

Yep. There's plenty to do with your freshers or for experienced cavers. There's a good little trip to the Top Stream Passage and back that doesn't need any rope. It's a mixture of walking and a bit of crawling through a short bit of old lead mine and then lots of natural cave. Lots of opportunity to explore up The Hayloft (nr Blackpool Sands) or around The Hippodrome. There's also a simple 5m pitch called The Dungeon which is P-bolted. Excellent underground venue for teaching ladder and line and very basic SRT. Lower Series is pretty and delicate!! Access info is here: http://www.eldon.org.uk/bagshawe_cavern.html.

Like Sam says, lots of work going on in the entrance at the moment so best to wait till that's finished. If you keep an eye on the forum I'll post when the next working day is happening. If you (and any of your friends) are able to help on the day we'll see you get a good trip around and point out some of the less obvious stuff.

If you want any specific info send me or SamT a PM.

Cheers,
Jules.
 
Katie

Katie

Active member
Question for JB or SamT here...
Is there an online Bagshawe Cavern survey anywhere?
Cos I would like to see it!
Of course I would also like to see much more of Bagshawe generally  ;)
 
JB

JB

Member
Bat girl said:
Is there an online Bagshawe Cavern survey anywhere?
Cos I would like to see it!
Click to expand...
Hi Bat Girl. I'm sure that the one that Matt pointed out is the most up-to-date on the web. There have been some additions since that though. John Taylor has the most accurate but it's not on the web.

Cheers,
Jules.



 
SamT

SamT

Moderator
Ahem - SamT has the most up to date survey -  :sneaky:

but its not on the web either. A work in progress if you like.

SSSI one has most stuff - but not Full Moon series - or the upstream sumps beyond sump 2.
 
Piglet

Piglet

Member
Brains said:
Knotlow Hillocks has many interconnecting entrances allowing different through trips... Plus you are closer to the car and not far from the pub in Monyash - always a bonus!

Neither are particularly flood prone (but think about the lower coffin level streams in Knotlow),
Click to expand...

Some friends of friends were trying to find their way through Knotlow a couple of weeks ago and came to a 'sump' on the climbing down section below Pearl Chamber.  When they went back a few days later, they realised that the very last section of climbing down into the passage to the top of Waterfall pitch was completely full of water!!!!!! :eek: :eek: :eek:  Which means that the entire waterfall cavern was full of water!!!  I'd heard of this from someone else, but it's hard to believe!!!
 
Brains

Brains

Well-known member
I have been into hillocks and met the tide near the bottom of the last pitch of the oil drum entrance, meaning the whole of Knotlow and Hillocks have been flooded to the depth you describe.... a sobering thought but does require exceptionally wet weather. I have never heard how fast the tide comes in or goes out though, when I was there it was static for about 30 mins before I got fed up...
 
A

Alan Brentnall

Guest
A few years ago we descended Whalf Climbing Shaft one Wednesday evening and were met by a huge lake of water beneath Whalf engine shaft - the arch leading down from the ante-chamber at the bottom of the climbing shaft was almost a duck, and the water was well over swimming depth.

I remember thing that we would have had an even bigger surprise if we'd done Whalf Engine Shaft! Never seen it since though.
 
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