We popped down for an evening trip the other night and noticed the lid was only secured by a single bolt. When we came out we fixed the lid back down again but with only one bolt / restraining plate a determined 10 yo could possibly yank the lid from the rear and dislodge it.  In the DCA document it's clearly pictured with 2 bolts so I guess one has gone astray.  Hoping the relevant folks will see this post 

Really fun tackle-free evening trip, nice to wander off the beaten track a bit.  Looks like someone's still having digging fun down there...

00_newdavid_00 said:

We popped down for an evening trip the other night and noticed the lid was only secured by a single bolt. When we came out we fixed the lid back down again but with only one bolt / restraining plate a determined 10 yo could possibly yank the lid from the rear and dislodge it.  In the DCA document it's clearly pictured with 2 bolts so I guess one has gone astray.  Hoping the relevant folks will see this post 

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Sigh, thanx for the info. There was no need to take either bolt off, just swivel the plates. Was the little sign on the fallen tree still there or had that disappeared too. I stopped short of ruining the threads at the top of the bolts, in the hope that people would read the sign and just swivel the plates as instructed. I'm gonna have to reconsider that now, but I'll have to take the other nut off temporarily to get another matching one. Will pay a visit on Sunday. A PITA.

Re:- the digging. Don't think so, but there is still quite a few bits of digging gear in various places.

Regards Mel. DCA Conservation Officer.

Sign was still there, that's a very thoughtful addition.  We didn't take the nut all the way off, just loosened it.

If I'd realised there was a bolt missing at the time I'd have looked around in case the bits were in the surrounding vegetation, but I didn't find out until I checked the DCA document again at home.  We were quite late getting there and out so maybe not questioning as much as we should have  :doubt:

00_newdavid_00 said:

Sign was still there, that's a very thoughtful addition.  We didn't take the nut all the way off, just loosened it.

If I'd realised there was a bolt missing at the time I'd have looked around in case the bits were in the surrounding vegetation, but I didn't find out until I checked the DCA document again at home.  We were quite late getting there and out so maybe not questioning as much as we should have  :doubt:

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OK cool, thanx. I'll have a mooch around on Sunday, see if I can find it. 

This is now sorted and the entrance grille re-secured. The nut and swinging arm was there, just covered in leaves and twigs from the last flood. See:-



Obv. some previous visitors CBA to fasten the second nut before they left. I do wish everyone would follow the instructions on the sign and re-secure it after their visits. It's a requirement of the access agreement that the grille be adequately secured.

Regards Mel. DCA Conservation Officer.

<pedant mode>
This is actually situated in Staffordshire Paul!
</pedant mode>

mmilner said:

<pedant mode>
This is actually situated in Staffordshire Paul!
</pedant mode>

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I am fully aware of Waterways Swallets' location. However, this Board only has a "Derbyshire" section and that's close enough.

Alternatively you could re-route the River Dove around the entrance and therefore move the cave into Derbyshire.

Apologies, we should have spotted that under all the debris.  One case where putting it back as we found it was obviously not enough  

Hopefully this thread might at least encourage others to visit, it's a worthwhile off the beaten track evening trip!

00_newdavid_00 said:

Apologies, we should have spotted that under all the debris.  One case where putting it back as we found it was obviously not enough  

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No worries, wasn't your fault, but the previous visitors.