benshannon
Active member
I stumbled upon sidetrack on youtube and it looks awesome. has anyone got a survey because i cant find one and my COPD is too old.
thanks
thanks
Sidetrack cave survey?
- Thread starter benshannon
- Start date
alastairgott
Well-known member
Tommy
Active member
There is a bolt or two to do the abseil from. From memory a short rope (15m?) will suffice. You'll want a rope protector (old bag or carpet) for the edge, and it's all a little loose - beware of the person below you.
If you're really paranoid then rig direct to the anchors to make it harder for passers by to tamper with your rigging, worst case you could freeclimb back up if you had to.
"Au cheval" entrance crawl, and some cave bacon...enjoy.
If you're really paranoid then rig direct to the anchors to make it harder for passers by to tamper with your rigging, worst case you could freeclimb back up if you had to.
"Au cheval" entrance crawl, and some cave bacon...enjoy.
martinb
Member
Topimo said:
I seem to remember we used a 10m electron ladder to access Sidetrack affixed to said bolt.
The cave is flat out crawling almost immediately you're in, some respite before the junction, then walking/stooping for rest of the cave. Some very nice areas to be seen at the ends, before flat out crawling back out.
Is there still a problem with parking by the gate. I seem to remember something a while back?
benshannon
Active member
Thanks guys. Looking forward to checking it out 😁 are there another caves in that area to scope out whilst down in the quarry?
pwhole
Well-known member
It may be nothing, but last year when I visited Convenience, I had a wander round the quarry afterwards and had a look at the vein that Windle And Rush mine used to be on, in the SW corner. I didn't realise that there's the remains of a stope cutting the quarry face at an acute angle, with shotholes, pickwork, slickensides and traces of galena still attached. Given the workings at Windle and Rush went very, very deep and supposedly intersected the stream from the Coalpithole swallow on its way to Peak-Speedwell, it's an interesting area. The quarry floor itself was totally flat and backfilled, and the main shaft is long gone, but it did occur to me there might be a slim chance of finding a way into workings via the remaining vein exposure.
I'm not planning on trying, but I thought I'd just throw that in
I'm not planning on trying, but I thought I'd just throw that in
Tseralo
Active member
pwhole said:It may be nothing, but last year when I visited Convenience, I had a wander round the quarry afterwards and had a look at the vein that Windle And Rush mine used to be on, in the SW corner. I didn't realise that there's the remains of a stope cutting the quarry face at an acute angle, with shotholes, pickwork, slickensides and traces of galena still attached. Given the workings at Windle and Rush went very, very deep and supposedly intersected the stream from the Coalpithole swallow on its way to Peak-Speedwell, it's an interesting area. The quarry floor itself was totally flat and backfilled, and the main shaft is long gone, but it did occur to me there might be a slim chance of finding a way into workings via the remaining vein exposure.
I'm not planning on trying, but I thought I'd just throw that in
You just cant help bringing it back to lead mining can you
Big Jim
Member
Phil, d'ya mean that natural looking wall (with slickensides ) to the right of Convenience as you face south? I always wondered if that was the rift in Nervous Breakdown that the Orpheus entered back in the 70's (I think) when the quarry was still working. I'm sure they described it as ending in a low crawl that ended in a choked passage or similar which was possibly the start of what is now Convenience. I used to have a copy of the Nervous Breakdown report but god knows where it is. Pete Wagstaff or Jenny Potts may have it and there may be more clues in that report of you can get a copy.
AR
Well-known member
Windle and Rush vein is at the Sidetrack end of the quarry, Jim. Incidentally, I overlaid the 1898 OS onto Google Earth several years ago and it put the location of the main shaft on the upper bench, a bit further along from Sidetrack - has anyone ever had a good look at the boulder pile there?
paul
Moderator
Big Jim said:
Have a look in The Lyre No 5: http://www.orpheuscavingclub.org.uk/documents/Lyres/The%20Lyre%20No%205%20-%20Sep%2081%20(O.110).pdf
The grid ref given for Nervous Breakdown is exactly the same as Convenience now occupies... (So the wall may well be all that is left of British Summertime Rift?)
Previous discussions about other features in the quarry:
https://ukcaving.com/board/index.php?topic=21992.0
& https://ukcaving.com/board/index.php?topic=17892.0
Previous discussions about other features in the quarry:
https://ukcaving.com/board/index.php?topic=21992.0
& https://ukcaving.com/board/index.php?topic=17892.0
Also Windle & Rush Mine: https://ukcaving.com/board/index.php?topic=18099.0
https://www.aditnow.co.uk/Mines/Windle-Rush-Lead-Mine_17408/
Slitherstone Mines is a later name given to workings from Windle and Rush, Two Rakes and Birchs Hall Mines.
https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1019003
https://www.aditnow.co.uk/Mines/Windle-Rush-Lead-Mine_17408/
Slitherstone Mines is a later name given to workings from Windle and Rush, Two Rakes and Birchs Hall Mines.
https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1019003
Nick Canute
New member
Appreciate this is an old post on which to comment but thought it worth adding that several buildings have now been constructed in the quarry entrance, unsure how this has / will affect access? Anyone know anything about this?
Edit. Now seen other thread about Eldon Q .. no access for a while due to film crew, not permanent access ban.
Edit. Now seen other thread about Eldon Q .. no access for a while due to film crew, not permanent access ban.
