On a trip into Whalf shaft at the weekend, we encountered a hole in the floor on the whalf Engine shaft side of Bottle passage, this looked like slumping caused by timbers being rotted away in the floor. (for avoidance of doubt, we did not create this hole).


On the other side of Bottle passage another hole opened up on our trip (FAOD, there was no hole here before "we" pulled some rocks out). It looks like it could be dug further, but I have no idea if I'll be back to push it.


Fairly easy digging as you could just lower timbers/scaff down the engine shaft and have a lovely dig going on there.


The far side of bottle passage is interesting, as there are phreatic passages up there but bottle passage would not have been there when the phreas was created. From my rudimentary knowledge of the hillocks system, I don't know where the phreatic passage would be heading other than perhaps into a hole which we don't know about yet.

The big descending phreatic passage we got into last year was very interesting as it suggested a mature system, but it was unexpectedly steep in gradient and had that short coffin level at the bottom - all very odd. I suspect there's plenty of mature cave around there. It's National Trust land I think, but dunno if that would be a problem.

There is plenty of phreatic development to be seen throughout Knotlow and Hillocks, from the Knotlow Climbing Shafts, on towards the Bung, along Meccano Passage and throughout Hillocks from the alternative last drop of the Whalf engine shaft to the descending phrea under the floor of Bottle Passage and the pools below that coffin level.
The water currently enters as the waterfall at the bottom of the 210 shaft. The "old" slough of East level would have taken it to Crimbo Swallow before the "new" sough was driven from that swallow to Fourways and onto the 210.
Most of the combined system is on the Whalf Vein, but the swallow is on the Crimbo Vein. There are a series of natural passages that connect the two.
Where is the water that made the Hillocks phreas? Has it just dropped below the floor with the deepening of Knotlow? Did it also flow to Crimbo Swallow, away from Monyash, or by an unknown route towards the village in the Whalf Vein?
In the field by the Whalf Climbing shaft is a mine hillock (worth a dig surely?), and series of these can be made out along the line of the vein towards Monyash. Is this on the line of another sough? Does any water flow along the sole of the vein naturally in that direction?
Beyond the foot of the WCS a coffin level to a dig on the right is passed that leads to a boulder choke that has been dug. Further along the vein at it furthest extent there is an "amphitheatre" in the floor that looks like a sink with stopes above. I think this could be a very worthwhile prospect.
In addition, after flooding, it has been noticed that floating debris (wood, plastic, balls...) have been pulled under the wall of the the WES chamber opposite Bottle Passage. Another prospect...
Finally, between the WES and Meccano is an alcove on the right with wear marks indicating the use of a stowce, but the floor is currently a gentle slope of tailings - another dig?

Oh, and where does Water Icicle fit in with the drainage?

Oh, and where does Water Icicle fit in with the drainage?

Click to expand...

its way above known water levels... some 30M+ below the current floor. All passage in WICC is mostly with the elevator being the only real exception. All on the same level and any (downward) vertical leads are scarce!

We had a trip down Wharf Climbing Shaft the other night and a bit of an explore off the normal 'tourist route'.

I'd say that Wharf Mine has oodles of dig potential. We had a look at the holes that Alistair referred to. They've got to be worth digging.

If only I had the time and motivation.

Well the way it's looking we might have to have a Covidcrunch expedition to Derbyshire when people are allowed to regroup again. plenty of stuff to dig!