Route Descriptions for Mines of Via Gellia

alastairgott

Well-known member
I don't have my copy of Caves of the Peak District to hand, but I'm thinking of Going to some of the Mines in Via Gellia (near Cromford, next to Matlock), with a friend, as far as I know they're short and easy (without SRT) so good for ticking off a few mines in a day and getting some good experience of what a mine is like.

Does anyone have any route descriptions or Surveys, or should I just have a poke around following my nose and see what's what?
(or are there good descriptions in COPD that I can't put my hands on now).
 

AR

Well-known member
Phil's just beaten me to it with  posting the website links though I note his missed the Slinter Wood article with the Groaning Tor survey - http://pdmhs.com/docs/default-source/bulletins/bulletin-06-6/mines-in-the-slingtor-wood-area-cromford.pdf?sfvrsn=2

I'd suggest parking below Goodluck and doing Dunsley Springs and Slaley Sough first (take the footpath that goes above the Tufa Cottage), then see how you're doing for time - you could either do some of the ones around Goodluck or go down to the cafe near VG mills and do Groaning Tor level, though if the cafe's open you'll need to at least go in for a cuppa if you're using their car park. Or, if you don't mind thigh-deep water there's Spinney level up at Ryder Point?
 

zomjon

Member
They are all pretty easy to find your way around in, just tending to follow the lead vein. There are write ups of most on web in various places and descriptions of routes to entrances.  Some are easier to find than others of course, a map reference and gps can be useful or a knowledge of the terrain of course. Close to Good Luck, Silver Eye and Henstocks are easy to find whilst Gells Level and Thumper Sitch need a little more searching. As for Dunsley Spring and Slaley Sough, I like to approach from Slaley, both not too hard to find though Slaley Sough is a little hidden on slopes and a grid ref might be useful first time for both. Groaning Tor and Spinney Level are both easy to find as are the two adits  up Mark's Dale. Clatter way Level might need a battle through the undergrowth to find and Snake Mine will need SRT and has a lot more to offer. In a number of these mines there are shafts (usually blind) that can be dropped if you've got a scaffold bar with you or a few shafts for climbing, particularly Silver Eye and Slaley Sough. I haven't mentioned Ball Eye, but believe there are negotiations going on. Have fun  :beer:
 

al

Member
Good description of how to get to Clatterway on TSG's forum under Trip reports (the older of the two), and, as we were only there just a few days ago, the vegetation will be a bit more gentle with you!!
 

cooleycr

Active member
What's this Gottzone, you don't have the  .pdf version of COPD ?!?!!?  ;)

Have a good safe trip...  ;)
 

alastairgott

Well-known member
al said:
Good description of how to get to Clatterway on TSG's forum under Trip reports (the older of the two), and, as we were only there just a few days ago, the vegetation will be a bit more gentle with you!!

Didn't know it was in or near via gellia till zomjon's post, and I'd even read the first report.
Just shows how I need to get out of Castleton more and actually understand what I'm reading!

cooleycr said:
What's this Gottzone, you don't have the  .pdf version of COPD ?!?!!?  ;)
I'm not a paint wielding pirate anymore :p

Thanks for all the links and info PW, AR, ZJ and AL.
 

Big Jim

Member
If youre thinking of doing Jacobs then ask permission first. That section of the hillside is owned by bloke called Stephen who lives at the old colour works. He's unlikely to say no but has threatened to gate the mine if people keep wandering across his land with permission. It has been mentioned on here before.   
Silver Eye, nr Goodluck, is good fun and a little more sporting than some of the other 'walk in - walk out' adit levels, as is Ball-eye.
 

Lampwick

Member
There'll be people at Goodluck Mine this Sunday (10.00 am meet), plenty of local knowledge and maybe a face you recognise from EuroSpeleo/Lancaster Hole.

Survex plot over OS OpenData attached, not everything but will give you an idea...
 

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alastairgott

Well-known member
Did Slaley Sough and two of the proper Sough's by the road, all were very easy and enjoyable, but got distracted by someones need to pop by Hitch and Hike before closing, so we let him go.

The main objective was to get one of my friends in lots of mines but one in particular was on that list. Jug holes, so we jumped in the car and scooted over there for a quick blast through (would have been quicker if I didn't get lost at some of the chambers again, much more of a challenge without a survey :) ).

Then there was a 6pm 'indoor (garage) BBQ' to get to, so we beat a retreat from this lovely corner of the Peak.

I'll have to return minus a hangover and blast through a few more, I'll have to go back to Spinney as it sounds interesting with the very Old inscriptions. And silver eye and ball eye definitely need a visit.

Thanks for the offer Lampwick, but I didn't see this till now, plus had digging to do on Sunday back in LC otherwise my name will definitely not be on the Gold plaque for the entrance (they've already threatened comic Sans or Wingdings!).
 

Big Jim

Member
If you do Silver-eye then try and find Spencers and Henstocks levels.... they are short but interesting and nearby (near the block of Hemlock trees that can be seen from the Good Luck layby. I can never remember which is which but they are both within about 50m of each other. AR, Lampwick or Zomjon will know which is which.

And whilst youre parked at Goodluck laybe for those three, go down road and take footpath north just before tufa cottage up the valley side to find Dunsley Springs level.
 

Lampwick

Member
Spencer's Level is the lower of the two, with the nice stone arching.
I'm trying to find a photo of Big Jim in there, from the days before he bought his first caving helmet  :)
 

Brains

Well-known member
Big Jim said:
If you do Silver-eye then try and find Spencers and Henstocks levels.... they are short but interesting and nearby (near the block of Hemlock trees that can be seen from the Good Luck layby. I can never remember which is which but they are both within about 50m of each other. AR, Lampwick or Zomjon will know which is which.

And whilst youre parked at Goodluck laybe for those three, go down road and take footpath north just before tufa cottage up the valley side to find Dunsley Springs level.
As a geologist I have no idea what a hemlock tree looks like - is it like a Hemulen? or are they surrounded by poisned berry eaters. Dont suppose you could give me some directions using up / down / east / west / meters sort of thing... Fancy a look as those two levels. TIA
 

droid

Active member
As a plant biologist I can tell you that a Hemlock tree is a large conifer (pine tree).

Unless it's the poisonous Umbelifer, in which case it looks like Cow Parsley....
 

AR

Well-known member
It's the conifers... from Goodluck layby, cross the bridge over the stream and turn right heading towards said conifers, they're prominent so you can't miss them. Spencer's level is near to them, though can be hard to find; it's not very long but there's some nice arching. Henstock's is further up the hill and has a more obvious tip so is easier to find - both are covered in the Goodluck area article that Phil posted the link to earier in this thread.
 

mch

Member
At this time of year Henstock's Level is hard to reach through heavy undergrowth on the steep valley side - might be easier to wait until later in the year when it's died back. The entrance to Spencer's Level is a small hole below a coppiced tree - see my photo on AditNow.
 

Big Jim

Member
Lampwick said:
Spencer's Level is the lower of the two, with the nice stone arching.
I'm trying to find a photo of Big Jim in there, from the days before he bought his first caving helmet  :)

I cant remember going in there way back that far Martin but I have been a few times over the years looking for bats. I did have a photo of Katie Eavis (when she was still Ms Dent) under the stone arching that Dave Webb took some years ago, but its probably stuck o my old hard drive.

Neither level is that hard to find. I'm sure Brains can suss it following Adams directions - not big obvious entrances but some spoil around the entrances to give their locations away.
 
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