Our dye traces from Longcliffe Mine, Son of Longcliffe and the Cowlow Nick wet-weather sink all proved an alternative route to the resurgences some 400m north of the Speedwell streamway - indeed this water may join the water from Blue John and Treak Cliff Caverns (and potentially some of the...

The BCRA Annual Review is now being compiled, due for release for the Science Symposium/AGM on the 21st October 2023. Until COVID-19 wrecked the Hidden Earth events, the centre page spreads traditionally featured the winners of the various Photo Salon competitions, and as there was no event...

The BCRA Annual Review is now being compiled, due for release for the Science Symposium/AGM on the 21st October 2023. Until COVID-19 wrecked the Hidden Earth events, the centre page spreads traditionally featured the winners of the Photo Salon competitions, and as there was no event again last...

Breedon Cement have just launched a public consultation for the future of the works, quarry and adjoining land once the site closes in 2042. 19 years away, but at least it's being discussed. Though the public exhibitions are next week! https://my.engaged.space/hope/#home

As part of a long-term private research project into the lava bodies around Castleton in the Peak District - essentially belonging to geologist Mark Harwood (though I've managed to elbow my way in over the last few years by doing underground work he can't do) - we've been logging the various...

Just a small treat for Zappa fans, as it's Friday - a new album is imminent, featuring almost completely-unreleased music from the Hot Rats and Chunga's Revenge sessions (1969-70), mostly instrumental and all of top-quality - intended as an in-between album that never actually got released. This...

Saw this walking up Cave Dale yesterday afternoon, on the cliff directly opposite the castle. We weren't in a position to clean this one off, and as it's outdoors, it's outside my jurisdiction. Anyway, this is Duchy of Lancaster land, so they can easily send up a manservant to do it. But pretty...

2,200 miles up, to be precise. Worth staying up for I would say, just in case... :cool: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-64411469

Just had this sent to me, which may be of interest: https://peakdistrictgeowalk.org/

This story is interesting - clearly not natural, but they are very old and historically important: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/dec/25/a-second-front-fight-to-save-cave-complexes-from-developers-in-ukraine Timur Bobrovskyy, head of archaeology at the St Sofia state museum in Kyiv...

We've had a report come in to the Cave Registry email of a large crack in the roof in Masson Cavern - sounds like it's around Crichman Chamber area, and apparently you have to go under the cracked section. 1.5m diameter chunk of roof and about to fall, was the report. Is there anyone local (or...

The latest Mining History has just been published by PDMHS, and it's a 120-page double-issue monster volume on the lead and later fluorite mine workings of Masson Cavern above Matlock. This was a big layout job, but I'm very pleased to have been able to do it, as it's now the definitive document...

Me and Christine Wilson dropped Bateman's House shaft today and went downstream in the sough, following a suggestion from Tim Nixon - we went a long way. A previous survey trip me, Wayne and John Gunn did in dry, settled weather was about 110m from the shaft base - today it was more like 300m...

This report was posted last night on the current drought conditions from Swildons Hole: https://news.sky.com/story/fears-over-long-term-water-supplies-as-drought-sees-levels-under-britain-fall-exceptionally-low-12671334

It's that time of year again, and I'm in the process of putting the next Annual Review together in time for the Symposium. As Hidden Earth didn't happen again last year, our regular roundup and Photo Salon centrespreads are also not appearing. And our back cover normally features many photos...

There's a good article in The Observer tonight about this: https://www.theguardian.com/science/2022/jul/02/ice-age-provence-cosquer-cave-archaeology

I've been having this discussion with a few people recently in terms of installation of climbing aids in mines and/or caves, where timber stemples were the original method, and we're often wrestling with problems like bad wall rock or very wide pitches to span, making Y-hangs almost impractical...

If you ever wondered how marbles are made, it's like this: https://www.reddit.com/r/Damnthatsinteresting/comments/tef424/marble_production_line/

Nice FF3-4 on a lifting sling going on here, though there may be a 'fall arrest' pack in there somewhere, not that it'll do any good. Oh, and no backup during a changeover - fancy that!  :-\ https://www.reddit.com/r/SweatyPalms/comments/t4r50w/gulp/

A new study has just shown that small amounts of muscle-strengthening exercise can have massive improvement on overall health - so yet another good reason to go caving. A recent family event, where I met many folks I havent seen for ages, and where I was clearly the only person getting any...