Author Topic: Caving in the Peak (Read 2044 times)

Groundhog · « **on:** June 18, 2020, 09:25:53 am »

Any thought on where it may be acceptable to go caving at the moment?
How about Eldon Hole?

Pete K · « **Reply #1 on:** June 18, 2020, 09:49:45 am »

I'm pretty sure a friend of mine was up at Eldon Hole this week without any issue.
I'm sure you've seen the closure list on the DCA website / Facebook. We'll try to chase up all the landowners this week and see if anything has changed. I hear P8 is okay again, despite the rope still being across the car park, but DCA will need to confirm this.
There are lots of other places which are not closed as far as we know, but the selection of a trip that avoids having to go to a farm house for a key or permission might still be a good move for the time being.
Eldon, Hillocks, Knotlow all good options for SRT. But with venues limited and number of cavers increasing, expect to have to change your plan if a venue is already occupied and it won't be possible to social distance.
For anyone reading who has not seen it, the DCA's current guidance is here: https://www.thedca.org.uk/
The current closure list is:
Ashford Black Marble Mine
Bagshawe Cavern
Devonshire Mine
All sites on Peakshill Farm (Giant's/Snelslow)
All sites on Perryfoot Farm (P8 etc...)
Peak/Speedwell system, including JH & Titan.
Best thing to do is check the DCA cave registry and social media before you go on a trip to see if there is a covid-19 closure in place.

Katie · « **Reply #2 on:** June 18, 2020, 01:33:51 pm »

I would imagine anything in Stoney dale is fair game - certainly there are lots and lots of climbers in the dale already.

We are caving tomorrow but have cunningly chosen a site that is always 'no access' therefore Covid 19 doesn't change the situation ;-)

Tseralo · « **Reply #3 on:** June 18, 2020, 04:26:44 pm »

I understand holme bank is also no access at the moment.

T pot 2 · « **Reply #4 on:** June 18, 2020, 04:50:12 pm »

Katie
Fingers crossed for a trip with expactaions satisfied 👍

Groundhog · « **Reply #5 on:** June 18, 2020, 05:13:00 pm »

Thanks, I'll let you know how we get on

DCA · « **Reply #6 on:** June 18, 2020, 09:45:22 pm »

In response to a query about P8 earlier.....

UPDATE 18/6: All sites on Perryfoot Farm (P8 etc...)
The landowner is permitting caving again, but asks that you do not call at the farm for permission. They are waiving the trespass fee for the time being so you don't need to go into the farm. DCA notices will need to be removed from the car park in the next few days but access is okay as of now.

If you become aware of a change in access situation at one of the Covid-19 closed sites or anywhere else, please let DCA know so that we can update the access details online. There is a submit report link on the DCA homepage www.thedca.org.uk

Pete Knight, DCA Projects Officer, posted on behalf of the DCA

Groundhog · « **Reply #7 on:** June 19, 2020, 09:03:28 am »

Good news about P8. I think I'll wait till it dries up a bit. I know P8 is sporting in the wet but at my age I prefer it dry!
Some pals and I will be down Eldon on Wednesday. Keeping apart of course. If anyone else was thinking of doing it Wednesday let us know and we can pick another day.
Stay safe everyone

Groundhog · « **Reply #8 on:** June 25, 2020, 08:58:58 am »

We had a pleasant trip down Eldon yesterday. It was nice and cool down there! Only two of us went down so distancing was no problem.
I had forgotten just how well decorated it is. Maybe the last time I was there was before I got my new light. I think I got some good photos but I won't know until I get my camera back. Somehow it found its way into my mates car.
At the foot of the shaft there were several young jackdaws huddles in a corner obviously scared by us. I am hoping that their parents are feeding them and that when fully fledged they will fly out. Does anyone know if this is a regular occurrence? Might be good idea if folk avoided Eldon for a few weeks so that they can fledge undisturbed.

Pitlamp · « **Reply #9 on:** June 25, 2020, 09:30:49 am »

Maybe they got there from Peak Cavern, following the goose's wingstrokes. $:-\$

Mark Wright · « **Reply #10 on:** June 25, 2020, 10:05:33 am »

Mark Richardson and I rescued a couple of jackdaws that were at the bottom of the Eldon Hole entrance shaft when we did the filming for Britain’s Ancient Tracks with Tony Robinson.
Their wings were quite muddy and would probably have struggled to fly out themselves.
We stuck them in a tackle bag and brought them out.
They looked very pleased to be back on the surface.

Mark

Groundhog · « **Reply #11 on:** June 25, 2020, 12:14:41 pm »

What time of year was that Mark? Were they fledglings do you think?
It would be difficult if not impossible to catch these birds. They were very active, fluttering about all round the bottom of the shaft.
Perhaps someone should go down and feed them

. Or perhaps just let nature take it's course.

Mark Wright · « **Reply #12 on:** June 25, 2020, 12:39:34 pm »

I think it was September.

Mark

pwhole · « **Reply #13 on:** June 25, 2020, 12:50:50 pm »

Looks like it's still watchable with a C4 account:

https://www.channel4.com/programmes/britains-ancient-tracks-with-tony-robinson

Pitlamp · « **Reply #14 on:** June 25, 2020, 02:10:13 pm »

pwhole - have a look for an email I sent this morning, to one of your addresses. If it didn't get through, email me anyway and I'll re-send to the other address I have for you.

pwhole · « **Reply #15 on:** June 25, 2020, 02:27:24 pm »

Aha! That email address! Yeah, I hardly ever look at that one, so best to use one of the others! But I'll check it out now.

Groundhog · « **Reply #16 on:** June 27, 2020, 09:27:26 am »

I have attempted to resize a photo of the jackdaws but I'm not sure if it has worked.
Only one way to find out....

Groundhog · « **Reply #17 on:** June 29, 2020, 09:32:37 am »

A couple more photos from last weeks Eldon jaunt.
George Coopers plaque is calciting over!

pwhole · « **Reply #18 on:** July 08, 2020, 10:50:32 pm »

It does give an excellent idea of the rate of deposition though, which is probably more useful in the long run.

Does anyone know why the flowstone up there is so especially sparkly - visible in the plaque shot? There's a large sloping lump just before the traverse to the pitch head if going downwards that looks like it is studded with diamonds, and it has a very 'rough' texture. This is just a crop from a larger photo but it's visible even at a distance.

mikem · « **Reply #19 on:** July 08, 2020, 11:32:13 pm »

It's plane faces of the crystals, but don't know why they form like that in some places & not others.

pwhole · « **Reply #20 on:** July 09, 2020, 12:38:18 am »

It's weird, as it's clearly actively forming, and yet usually feels 'dry'. Also large amounts of flowstone adjacent to it are not sparkly but completely smooth. I can only assume there's some difference in mineral composition in the rock that it's percolating from that creates surface crystal faces, but clearly these are then overlain by fresh ones. It's always puzzled me.

LarryFatcat · « **Reply #21 on:** July 09, 2020, 12:40:16 am »

Quote from: Groundhog on June 18, 2020, 09:25:53 am

Any thought on where it may be acceptable to go caving at the moment?
How about Eldon Hole?

take a look at Masson CG's upcoming and recent Meets - https://massoncaving.com/

pwhole · « **Reply #22 on:** July 09, 2020, 05:21:31 pm »

Whenever I click on the Masson link, my malware tracker blocks it, apparently due to a Trojan?

Fishes · « **Reply #23 on:** July 09, 2020, 06:21:14 pm »

I get the same problem as Phil

LarryFatcat · « **Reply #24 on:** July 09, 2020, 09:02:42 pm »

Quote from: pwhole on July 09, 2020, 05:21:31 pm

Whenever I click on the Masson link, my malware tracker blocks it, apparently due to a Trojan?

talk to your provider, it's a Virgin Media problem