Wet weather options

[dunc]

Apologies if this topic has already been raised and I've failed to spot it when doing a quick search!

I'm after a few wet weather suggestions for the Peak area..

I've got Waterways pencilled in as a midweek option very soon but if the weather is not suitable then a backup option would be good - preferably with not too much tackle involved and not too long a trip (other midweekers I've done are Eldon, Rowter, Hillocks).

And, in November got a Peak trip planned and am after some more substantial wet weather options just in case its too wet for that...

Any suggestions welcomed, assuming the weather turns bad and we use the alternative suggested the winner gets a beer (although the prize has to be collected on the day of our caving trip and from whatever pub we end up in!), what better incentive than that!

 

[AndyF]

Masson mine, approached via the back entrance on Masson Hill.

Lots to see and do in there, with the added bonus of getting totally lost.

Also, Youds Level down at Artists corner, take coathanger to hook the lid open. Impressive coffin levels....

Neither need gear and are great 2-3 hour trips.

Carlswark if you haven't been in it, various things to do there in the far flung corners.

Mmmm I can taste my pint now...

 

[paul]

Depending on how wet the weather is, there's always P8 and Giant's Hole.

Depends on your opionion but Jug Holes and Wapping Mine/Cumberland Cavern are worth a look (you can combine a trip down Jug Holes with Masson Mine as you park in the same place).

I don't know how much "not too much tackle" is but there's also Water Icicle Close Cavern, Odin Mine which on't need too much gear.

 

[Rob]

If you like crawling through well developed pheatic tubes, Streak's through trip has got to be a contestent. If you know the way it's about 45 mins, but allow 3 hours.

It's more fun when wet! 

 

[Stu]

Apologies if this topic has already been raised and I've failed to spot it when doing a quick search!

I'm after a few wet weather suggestions for the Peak area..

I've got Waterways pencilled in as a midweek option very soon but if the weather is not suitable then a backup option would be good - preferably with not too much tackle involved and not too long a trip (other midweekers I've done are Eldon, Rowter, Hillocks).

And, in November got a Peak trip planned and am after some more substantial wet weather options just in case its too wet for that...

Any suggestions welcomed, assuming the weather turns bad and we use the alternative suggested the winner gets a beer (although the prize has to be collected on the day of our caving trip and from whatever pub we end up in!), what better incentive than that!

Lay-by Pot...... I win!

 

[Dave H]

If you like crawling through well developed pheatic tubes, Streak's through trip has got to be a contestent. If you know the way it's about 45 mins, but allow 3 hours.

It's more fun when wet! 

I think that you'll find it impassable in anything more than moderately wet weather.
As a rough guide - if the stream is flowing out of Carlswalk's lower entrance (at the base of the cliff) then you meet substantial (impassable) amounts of water at the bottom of the Streaks climbs.

There are some well decorated rifts in the roof about 2/3rds of the way through, but they are well hidden and quite difficult to get into - hence they are still well decorated! [Perhaps I shouldn't have mentioned them?] When I was doing a lot of work in there many years ago I managed to push (literally) my tiny digging mate up one of the less well decorated ones to a point where he could see daylight, but it was too small even for him to get out of!

 

[dunc]

Thanks for the replies.

Got some ideas now, just need the bad weather to bugger up the plans in November

 

[SamT]

Oxlow, Winnats head, Bagshawe, Rowter, Eldon, Lathkill, and tonnes of much more obscure smaller stuff

 

[Rob]

I think that you'll find it impassable in anything more than moderately wet weather.
As a rough guide - if the stream is flowing out of Carlswalk's lower entrance (at the base of the cliff) then you meet substantial (impassable) amounts of water at the bottom of the Streaks climbs.

When digging in there last year i only rememeber downstream being impassable once, and we were still just about able to get all the way to West Choke, which is a good fun trip in itself i reckon. Would like to have a good explore when its wet, i'm sure there's secrets to reveal...

There are some well decorated rifts in the roof about 2/3rds of the way through, but they are well hidden and quite difficult to get into - hence they are still well decorated! [Perhaps I shouldn't have mentioned them?] When I was doing a lot of work in there many years ago I managed to push (literally) my tiny digging mate up one of the less well decorated ones to a point where he could see daylight, but it was too small even for him to get out of!

Yer, i think i know the one. Got bits of tape up there. I don't remember seeing daylight (twas night) but i heard the road and there were loads of spiders! Was interesting.

 

[Rob]

Lay-by Pot...... I win!

Indeed a fine trip, especially when none of you know the way. Makes it last longer and you get to see more! If you get a bit lost the draught should lead you out, just note the direction on the way in.

 

[Dave H]

Yer, i think i know the one. Got bits of tape up there. I don't remember seeing daylight (twas night) but i heard the road and there were loads of spiders! Was interesting.

The bits of tape came off roadworks on the M6!!! [carefully washed before being taken down the cave, I might add]
I could only get as far as the spiders and hearing road noise as well. Nick got to the point where rift peetered out into a tiny horizontal passage.

Nick was small with almost no shoulders - he was small enough to push the small tube to the left of the top entrance, to a point where I could nearly touch him by pushing the top of the pitch! But as with both of my previous digging partners, he emigrated to Australia. 
Hmmm... I see a pattern emerging 

 

[tubby two]

Lay-by pot was my first derbyshire adventure. We set off late at night for a 'quick' through trip, we were used to yorkshire caves and the description of something two-foot high as a 'chamber' was a little misleading or so we thought. Took us a couple of hours to think f*** it and turn round.
Noticed how small tow'd man was too, but why there was a porn mag at the bottonm of the shaft we still dont know. Bloody southerners  (yep, i'm not going home for a few months now...)

tt.

 

[AndyF]

Lay-by pot was my first derbyshire adventure. We set off late at night for a 'quick' through trip, we were used to yorkshire caves and the description of something two-foot high as a 'chamber' was a little misleading or so we thought. Took us a couple of hours to think f*** it and turn round.
Noticed how small tow'd man was too, but why there was a porn mag at the bottonm of the shaft we still dont know. Bloody southerners  (yep, i'm not going home for a few months now...)

tt.

HEHE Layby pot is truly horrible. We (I) decided there was a dig to be had at the west-most end of it.

It is the only instance in our club where there was a mutiny...i was lucky to escape with my manhood intact...

IIRC there was a hole in the floor flooded to a certain level, I wndered about pumping it....

Also wondered if Lu Blu sump (streaks) had been dived with any success.... and whether that had been pumped at all...

 

[Rob]

Lu Blu has indeed been dived, but i'm not sure of the details. Something about 6m deep, into tight rift, didn't go, or so he said... 
I'm sure someone on here will know more.

 

[danthecavingman]

Marcus does!

 

[Marcus]

As I recall it went down the best part of 10m, (but I may be going senile) and started bending away from the passage leading to the sump. Lens shaped pot, full of silt at the bottom with nothing negotiable on either side. Always felt it needed checking every now and again as the silt may move as in P8. A good wet weather trip???? (but not too wet!)

Will have to go and check now.....

Marcus

 

[AndyF]

Does the level stay constant in it...?

If so and it hasn't got a whole water table behind it then it may be a candidate for pumping.....  our Waterways pump is rednudant for the moment and needs a purpose to fulfull its sad, muddy existance...

its damn good at emptying sumps out.....

Anyone got any other nice sumps....

 

[Brendan]

Far sump......
Or Main Rising!

 

[Cave_Troll]

at least we know where the rasp sumps go now...

 

[AndyF]

Far sump......
Or Main Rising!

Don't think we've quite got the power for that.....

We did succeed in draining and passing Rising Damp in waterways using the pump, took about 3 hours to empty it, so the technique is "proven". There must be other sumps that could get this treatment... thought about Merlins 8 in the summer when its static?  Maybe the downstream Streaks sump...?

Our next project is Huge Duck in waterways, that we are hoping to pass next w/e...... goota make the roof a bit higher first though...