Hi Guys

What sort of a trip is this place any info to share ?

Paul

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From what I remember its a concrete tube to get in, into a small chamber then flat out to the left followed by a head first drop of a few feet straight into a low crawl which brings you to an awkward pitch! I can't remember much from there ….:ohmygod:

The upper part is a sequence of walking-height chambers accessed through the concrete oil drum. At the far end, there's a climb down into a coffin level with a shaft at the end, then further scrambles and pitches down into the lower part. This can also be accessed through the climbing shaft in the copse or the engine shaft next to it. Meccano passage connects to Knotlow .

Pitch details are all in CoPD.

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Thanks for the info guys it sounds like its not really worth a visit or am I wrong ?

Paul

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Quite the reverse - there's plenty to see, even if you only do the upper part, and lots of small crawly bits going all over, while if you do the drop into the lower level you'll see the famous cartgate with a coffin level in its roof! If I'm right in my interpretation of some medieval court documents, the mine's been worked since the 13th century....

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sounds interesting do you need any special permissoins ? key/code/derbyshire key ???

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It was open when I visited a while ago, maybe someone will have more recent info ...

Derbyshire key for the two shafts, the crawl-in is ungated but within a fenced-off area on the south side of the lane.

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Paul, have you not got Caves of the Peak District yet? (COPD)
A very worth while book to have.
Also if you Google "Hillocks Survey" you'll probably find one, as it's quite popular 😉

Matts got one that I read, I still like some fine tune input from experienced AN members though, I thought COPD was a very nasty respiratory complaint ! :ohmygod:
;D
;)

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I think Matt may have COPD but he's been to the doc's so not sure now ??

I think Caving Supplies still have some of the large-size surveys of the Hillocks-Knotlow system in stock, worth asking if you're passing. There's also some footage somewhere on YouTube of diving in the flooded parts of Knotlow.

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AR, what did you go and mention diving for? :lol:

I was in there last Monday evening and can confirm open adit entrance - theres an old gate in the oil drum which looks like it hasn't been closed for years. The crawl to the first pitch into the coffin level is very much flat out in a puddle for the first couple of metres so expect a wetting. Pitches are short and entertaining and Eco bolted. We had a fairly brief look around the bottom levels, identifying the base of the Engine Shaft and Climbing Shaft and the interesting coffin level in the roof plus a bit more heading towards Knotlow.

We looked at the entrance shafts on the surface. Both are secured by nuts so a Derbyshire key would be required. The Climbing Shaft has a note on it informing of unstable ginging and requesting folks not to use it until it has been stabilised.

I really enjoyed the trip. It has some great features, and will undoubtably be back as there is plenty more to do on a second visit.

The crawl to the first pitch into the coffin level is very much flat out in a puddle for the first couple of metres so expect a wetting.

It always was

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An update on the work in the Hillocks Climbing Shaft will be put on the DCA website soon:
https://thedca.org.uk/ 
As far as I am aware the job is complete and the warning sign has now been removed. Inspect before descent as ever and be mindful of the old ginging in the shaft. More work may be needed here in the future.
A large Derbyshire key is needed for some of the shaft tops in this area.
Pete K
DCA Projects Officer

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