Hi

Is there any possible way of getting from masson cavern/mine in the quarry through to gentlewoman shaft or any of the route down the artists corner?

I wanted to avoid going down the shaft but wanted an alternative entrance.

Thanks

Unfortunately, the quarry removed the connection to Masson cavern so the only route into Gentlewomans is down the shaft.

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Many thanks for the reply

do you know the total distance of the gentlewoman's shaft to artist corner?

thanks

At a very rough guess I'd say about a mile.

Be aware that the full trip is not a 'beginners trip'

But it's a great way to spend a few hours.

A superb trip but as madness said,it's not a beginners trip.Not so long ago a couple of Ill prepared climbers fancied a go,a mate of ours on the cave rescue had to go and help them out complete with a take out of chips from matlock bath lowered down the shaft.

It's not really very difficult though, as long as you can get down the shaft easily. I've taken relative novices through with no issues.Which bits are meant to be difficult? I haven't seen them, if so. The climbs and traverses through the Gentlewoman's stopes are unprotected, but that's mainly as it's not necessary. Granted, if you can't find the route through then you'll need to climb up the shaft again, but finding the route through isn't that difficult either - just go downhill....

I hope it's not the 'squeezes' that are meant to be the difficult bit, as they are easy - just lie down!

The climb up and through the stope, though not particularly difficult is on muddy, slopping holds. If you slipped it would probably be a DCRO callout. The squeezes are easy indeed easy and very short.

That section is my favourite - I love it, especially the tight chimney section to the top. Last year a few of us did a trip down the shaft to just go and photograph the natural cave sections, which are fantastic, and are always missed on trips I've done, as everyone just blasts off downslope. I'm seriously tempted to go and have a proper poke-around in there soon, now I've seen what it all is. I've also realised I haven't posted those photos up here, so I will.

As I was rigging the shaft, a mouse popped out from under the bedding near the right-hand bolt, and amazingly, rather than running away, sat and watched me finish the rigging. Maybe he realised he had me at a disadvantage...

We then went into the stopes and again, had a better look-around than usual - fascinating stuff, and we also found a very large shothole, which can't have been the fluorspar miners as there wasn't any there - all calcite in that area. It could well be a very early one. We then exited via the shaft again, which was really good fun too, although my bulky kit bag kept getting jammed in the narrow sections!
:curse:

Follow the instructions that I gave you in person on Tues and you will find what we was talking about

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Pwhole - You're right in what you say. If you just get on and do the through trip you miss loads. When I did the trip I thought then that I'd have to go back for a proper explore.

Well maybe we should meet up one day and go and have a proper look-around? At the other end of this series (left as you exit the shaft and under the low arch), the caverns are practically spheroid, and still half-full of dry sediment. The final chamber has some more graffiti, though probably mostly explorers rather than lead miners, as it's not ancient, and some is modern, but I saw some that was really early - like 1913 or something. Unless the spar guys were in there that early - I really have no idea.

But given the dimensions of what's visible, there must be more there than just these few portions - unless they are as ancient as the mineralised sections, but for some reason didn't get filled as the rest of the pipe did. I've emailed John Gunn just in case there is a paper somewhere that does actually mention speleogenesis here rather than specifically mining.

I'd be up for an explore if you fancy it sometime. Perhaps we could have an Aditnow meet there.

I'd be up for that, I've wanted to have close investigation of the main Gentlewoman's shaft at its base for a while given at surface it looks like a likely site for a pumping engine recorded in the 1630s.

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Shall I provide rope? or would that fetch DCRO out :lol:
post an eve' trip I'll see if i'm free. Jon and I have had a look around and not seen all there is. great petrology / geology to see, lots to get a better understanding of too. :thumbsup:
Ric'.

I'd struggle to do evening trips due to the lack of buses back to Sheffield but I could always try and persuade someone to chauffeur me! Weekends also possible obviously. But it sounds like a good idea. The quarry collapse cuts off the large ascending passage in that direction, but there must have been other feeders in - or outlets in the other direction.

An evening trip would be better fore me, but I could also do a weekend given enough notice.

Pwhole - what are buses from Chesterfield like at night? It's a bit out of my way but if you got to Matlock I could give you a lift to Chesterfield after the trip if that would help.

Plenty of trains if the buses aren't cooperative.

Yeah, Chesterfield's not so much of a problem, though only trains after teatime, and they're not much later than 22.30 or something. I can actually get to and from Matlock on the bus, but only until 18.20 when the last one leaves for Sheff. It's all a bit primitive, but then I guess that's my fault for not driving...;)

There's also a bus back from Bakewell which passes my house (!), but the last one's 21.30, so still not that great.

I could run you back "over the border" Phil, as long as I've pre-warned SWMBO that I'll be back a bit later than usual!

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Hi guys, new member here, have been on a few mine explores including an ill prepared explores around the bakewell and matlock and have read a lot into the Great Masson run from masson quarry down to the carpark at the A6 into matlock bath.

There are about 5 or 6 of us that have been getting into these explores and it all started by accidentally stumbling upon holme bank chert mine. That gave us the bug and prompted us to start buying the correct equipment!

We would love an opportunity to visit the masson mine! I am the oldest at 27, youngest of us being 20.

Any advice, information or invites are much appreciated 🙂

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