caves in bradwell area

[martin s]

Hi can anybody help me out i am trying to find out any info on these 2 caves in bradwell
burton pingles pipe vein and bradwell parish cave
i have finally talked my dad into going caving after been away from the scene for some time the first one mentioned he started to dig in the early seventies with sycc and was asking if i could find out if anybody had continued with the dig or anyone who knows anything about them

 

[Anna]

Bradwell Parish was one of the first caves I ever did. I vaguely recall it as nothing more than a hands and knees crawl about 100m long. I don't remember it as having anything more to offer but its so long ago I may be wrong.

 

[paul]

There has been some recent work in Berton Pingles Pipe by John Beck and others. See some recent back issues of the DCA Newsletter and Descent.

 

[Mark]

Hi Martin, just wondering who your dad is, I was in the SYCC in the seventies and dug Bertons pingle with various characters, is your dad one of the Shaw clan. The cave's alternative name was Shawley cave after its discoverers Paul Shaw ? and Tony Buckley

 

[Mrs Trellis]

What happened to Hazelbadge Swallet and Quarter's Farm swallet?

Does the water coming north (downhill) from the Hucklow area go to Baggy - or just the resurgence - or neither?

 

[Pitlamp]

There's a survey and description of several of the lower Bradwell Caves (not including Berton Pingles) in TSG Journal 14 (1993) pages 4 - 7.

 

[Johnny]

martin s

I pushed the upstream end of Burton Pingles Pipe in 1999, with Tony Revell, gaining some 20m or so of new passage but to continue would be a big job. A word of caution, there is a very tight squeeze in the new stuff.
It was revisited by the Eldon PC last month and the lid was found to be thrown down the hole, we spoke to the Farmer (as it is just withing Hazlebadge Hall Farm land) and he expressed a wish to have it locked.
Be carefull caving in that part of the dale as he is not too friendly and is always watching for cavers.
This is the reason why Hazlebadge is, effectively, out of bounds and why we are pushing the upstream sumps and Holywood Bowl in Bagshawe, he cant see us under there!
Bradwell Parish Cave is, as the name sugests on Bradwell Parish land and access is ok.
Also worth a visit is Walkers Grotto, obvious entrance on the east side of the dale near what looks like a railway buffer.
Burton Pingles is a small hole below a nose of rock on the left of the biggest quarried bay on the west side of the dale.
Bradwell Parish is the obvious tube on a low terrace two bays to the north.
Quarters Farm has been pushed but attention turned to Durham Edge Swallet which was pushed to a fair depth. The Eldon pushed that last year and had a small breakthrough but progress is very tight.
If you need a hand give me a shout, happy caving.

 

[Johnny]

What happened to Hazelbadge Swallet and Quarter's Farm swallet?

Does the water coming north (downhill) from the Hucklow area go to Baggy - or just the resurgence - or neither?

Good question.

It goes to the resurgence and I am certain that at least a protion of it goes through Bagshawe although I do not believe that detectors have been placed in the Baggers Streamway to prove this, any volunteers?
The occasional polution that flushes into the streamway is, in my opinion, almost certainly from particular enterprises based around those swallets.

Mr Beck has a theory, based on flow times from Hucklow to the resurgence, that the water uses flood overflows, perhaps larger abandoned passages above the phreatic in times of high water. This is certainly the case in Baggers where water pushes up to the Hippodrome and then flows down into the lower series.

 

[Johnny]

Bradwell Parish was one of the first caves I ever did. I vaguely recall it as nothing more than a hands and knees crawl about 100m long. I don't remember it as having anything more to offer but its so long ago I may be wrong.

That's about the size of it Anna, although it is pretty in places.
It is also a SSSI and, as such, is monitored by cavers for English Nature.
Because of this digging there would be problematic, but I can tell you where it goes!

 

[danthecavingman]

Walkers Grotto is an excellent site - would be a definite goer if the pit in the floor was dug. However access is very problematical, I know of at least one group of cavers that were shotgunned out of there by the farmer - presumably from Hazlebadge.
TSG dye tested the "lake" that forms in Walkers Grotto in flood conditions and fifteen minutes later the resurgence was running bright green.

 

[Johnny]

:evil: He'd best not come after me with a shotgun, I would shove it up his a**e :evil:

 

[danthecavingman]

Does anyone know what the current access is to Walkers Grotto? If you can just walk in there can it be dug? Is it on private land? I heard a rumour that all the land up Bradwell Dale was owned by one of the Quarries (Stone companies) in the area.

It really would be a key dig site to get into the way upstream to Nether Water, Quarters Farm, Dowse Hole etc.

Any thoughts? Anyone interested?

 

[martin s]

Hi Martin, just wondering who your dad is, I was in the SYCC in the seventies and dug Bertons pingle with various characters, is your dad one of the Shaw clan. The cave's alternative name was Shawley cave after its discoverers Paul Shaw ? and Tony Buckley

hi mark yes you would be correct in thinking that my dad is one of the shaw clan. Dave Shaw(ren), the cave was actually discovered by my dad and Tony Buckley(beano) and was found after a cig butt was dropped and the smoke went down the hole. It was named shawley after my dad and beano but was never registered, other family members included were , Bob Shaw (worthy) Pete Shaw (para) and Paul Shaw (horace).

Went for a look at burton pingle on thursday only to find it had been filled in, He was very surprised to find that someone had been having a go at Bradwell parish which is one he always fancied tackling and even more surprised when i dragged him across the road to find walkers grotto but then again he as been away from the scene for 25 years or so and i'm sure there will be a few more surprises in store I have finally convinced him that he should never have packed caving in and now he is wanting to start again and possibly get some of the old lads together.

 

[martin s]

martin s

I pushed the upstream end of Burton Pingles Pipe in 1999, with Tony Revell, gaining some 20m or so of new passage but to continue would be a big job.

Hi Johnny thanks for the info i would like to find out more. any sites that may have any surveys or journals on these caves??
any more info would be very helpful

thanks

 

[Mark]

I have finally convinced him that he should never have packed caving in and now he is wanting to start again and possibly get some of the old lads together.

It would be good to see him again and get together with some of the others, dont know whos still around though, Beano died a few years ago, one of the lads is now a woman, others just dont do it anymore. call in and see us if you are around Eyam anytime, get involved in some of the stuff we are doing

 

[underground]

Went for a look at burton pingle on thursday only to find it had been filled in,

Hi Martin, is that right- i.e. by 'filled in' do you mean filled in with rubble or something, or just covered at the surface? :?:

 

[SamT]

Hmm - I too am interested what you mean by filled in. Johnny was there not so long ago Im sure. There was some discussion with the farmer who turned up. I hope the farmer hasnt gone and done something.
did it look fresh.

 

[martin s]

Hi Martin, is that right- i.e. by 'filled in' do you mean filled in with rubble or something, or just covered at the surface? :?:[/quote]

Went back out to have a look at burton pingle 2day 2 find that everything is actually o.k, never actually been b4 last time was in me pram when it was first discoverd in the 70s so never knew a cover had been placed.
Did lift cover for a look has had some debris chucked down branches,rubbish nothing to serious would clear out in no time.
possibly thinking of taking a look down there later in year