Derbyshire Explorers Forum 01/02/25

[Mark]

DEF - Derbyshire Explorers Forum (01/02/25)

Following the great success of the forum in 2023, we're holding it again! This will be a day for all cave diggers in Derbyshire to come together. Registration is required this year, so please follow this link to get your tickets: https://forms.gle/YWyxfvaoN9VT3K5v6 1st February 2025!!! Doors...

ukcaving.com

 

[JonP]

Following the great success of the forum in 2023, we're holding it again! This will be a day for all cave diggers in Derbyshire to come together.
Registration is required this year, so please follow this link to get your tickets:
https://forms.gle/YWyxfvaoN9VT3K5v6
1st February 2025!!! Doors open at 3pm with talks starting soon after. Entry is £5 per person and that includes food. In the unlikely event of the event breaking even, any profits will go to DCRO.
Full schedule of talks, food, beer and bants to follow...

Facebook event page

 

[Pegasus]

Fab poster, will highlight this in the New Year

 

[Rob]

To get people excited about DEF, over these remaining few weeks I'll post a short summary of some of the excellent sounding presentations we have lined up...

To start us off:

The Whirlpool Rising Project - Rob Middleton
An update of exploration in Whirlpool Rising in Speedwell Cavern. This includes deep exploration in the main flow beyond the ‘brig’ squeeze, and exploring in the inlet sump which is tantalizingly close to the Crystal Orecasm in Rowter Hole.

 

[Rob]

Rowter Hole and the Peak-Speedwell “Third streamway” - John Gunn
Dye injected into Rowter Hole Sump via the Bad Badger Choke stream arrived at the Castleton springs (Russet Well & Slop Moll) before it arrived at Speedwell Main Rising. Hence, there must be a third streamway that is independent of the Speedwell (& Pak) streamways.

Cunningly followed by.....

The Buttered Badger's Rowter Hole Explorations - Mark Richardson and Mark Sims
A Brief overview of digging activities in Rowter Hole since the BBPC began, including an update on recent discoveries and plans for the future.

 

[Rob]

Cave Jenga - The quick route to Heaven - Allan Berry
Update on the continuing dig through the boulder choke in Pooles Cavern

 

[Rob]

Dont forget to register, only a few places left after which people will be turned away at the door!

New Mine on Faucet Rake - by Phil Wolstenholme
A newly discovered mine on Faucet Rake, Castleton, was explored by the TSG in 2024. The historically significant site features vertical vein stopes, complex pipeworkings with detailed pickwork, natural cave passages, and a blocked surface haulage level. Evidence of firesetting suggests very old workings, later reworked with gunpowder.

 

[Rob]

That's it, we have a fully subscribed event, registration is closed!

It's great to see the enthusiasm and support this little event gets. Hopefully it will be used as a catalyst for more digging activities and future successes.

Really looking forward to seeing all of you tomorrow and hearing what you have been up to.

 

[benshannon]

What an awesome evening

 

[Brains]

I couldn't make it I'm afraid. Any chance of a brief summary and or more detailed reports?

 

[pwhole]

Doh - I've forgotten it all now!

There will be an article on my topic in the next PDMHS Newsletter, Observations & Discoveries section, with at least one photo and the survey - early April release, I think. Further ones will no doubt follow in The Derbyshire Caver and Descent, but I'd rather not post it all up here yet.

 

[Rob]

DEF25 has finished and again it was a fantastic event!

Many thanks to the full house of 100 attendees who came to watch the 12 lectures spanning all elements of Derbyshire digging/exploring. Hopefully you all enjoyed it.

As per last event, all proceeds go to DCRO, which this year totals £412.88 !

A lot of this is thanks to the raffle sponsors, which include Starless River, Reel Productions, BCRA, Chinley Camping, Helen and Lynsey, The Wilds, The Nobles, and others. And of course a special thanks to Rhianna Cafferty for doing a mega job on the food!

Alongside this, £105 was raised in donations to the British Caving Library.

Well done Eldon and Team Awesome.

I couldn't make it I'm afraid. Any chance of a brief summary and or more detailed reports?

A fuller summary will be in the next Descent, but for now here's a copy of the timetable.

 

[Pegasus]

UKC would be happy to sponsor raffle prizes next year

 

[pwhole]

One side-topic that came up at the forum, and which I planned to point out and then completely forgot in all the excitement - one speaker, I can't remember who (maybe Mark Sims?) remarked during his presentation that he wished Survex screengrabs could be done without a black background. Inverting it in a paint app will do that, but then you're still stuck with all the other line colours inverted, which may not be what you want.

The Peak District Caving Info site (Cave Registry) supplies 3D models of some of the major catchments, such as Bradwell, Castleton and Derwent South. They are accessible in the 'About' side panel once within the catchment section. However, there are additional powerful features hidden in there, including the ability to load in your own model, in .3D, .lox and .plt formats, customize the line and background colours (and their thicknesses), and choose which elements of the survey should be displayed, such as entrances, stations, etc. If the model has walls set up, it will display them too. Images can be rendered out at up to 16834 pixels horizontally, and even better, they are antialiased, so no more nasty stairstepping on the final output.

This marvellous tool was written in WebGL by the DCA's Webmaster, Angus Sawyer, works in real-time and is extremely handy for hi-res output - and is free to use. Have a look if you need this sort of thing:

https://peakdistrictcaving.info/home/the-caves/castleton/model

 

[underground]

One side-topic that came up at the forum, and which I planned to point out and then completely forgot in all the excitement - one speaker, I can't remember who (maybe Mark Sims?) remarked during his presentation that he wished Survex screengrabs could be done without a black background. Inverting it in a paint app will do that, but then you're still stuck with all the other line colours inverted, which may not be what you want.

The Peak District Caving Info site (Cave Registry) supplies 3D models of some of the major catchments, such as Bradwell, Castleton and Derwent South. They are accessible in the 'About' side panel once within the catchment section. However, there are additional powerful features hidden in there, including the ability to load in your own model, in .3D, .lox and .plt formats, customize the line and background colours (and their thicknesses), and choose which elements of the survey should be displayed, such as entrances, stations, etc. If the model has walls set up, it will display them too. Images can be rendered out at up to 16834 pixels horizontally, and even better, they are antialiased, so no more nasty stairstepping on the final output.

This marvellous tool was written in WebGL by the DCA's Webmaster, Angus Sawyer, works in real-time and is extremely handy for hi-res output - and is free to use. Have a look if you need this sort of thing:

https://peakdistrictcaving.info/home/the-caves/castleton/model

View attachment 21792

Was it @RM ?

 

[pwhole]

Actually it was, yes.

 

[Rob]

Indeed a side topic, but exactly the sort of discussion DEF is designed to promote.

It really is an excellent viewer, and you point out some features the I was not aware of. Thanks.

All I'd add is the ability to turn off the excellent "perspective" camera type feature. "Orthographic" is much more appropriate for 2D screen captures, and actually my preference in general.

 

[pwhole]

I've refreshed my memory now, and there is an Orthographic option in the 'Camera Type' dropdown - along with an Anaglyph option, if you have any 3D specs