Peak District Caving

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PEAK DISTRICT CAVING: NEWS: MAY 2008

Long Rake air pollution:

Report fromChris Broome (DCA) via Jim Thompson.
Report Date30/04/2008.
Published31/05/2008.

DO NOT DESCEND LONG RAKE MINE, BRADWELL MOOR UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE

On the weekend of 24/25 May 2008 two cavers were taken seriously ill with Carbon Monoxide poisoning in Long Rake Mine on Bradwell Moor. The source of the Carbon Monoxide is not known and DCA are advising that cavers should not descend Long Rake until further notice.

The D.C.A.

UK Caving forum thread

This is a weird one! CO underground, at a concentration capable of causing such a level of poisoning? It will be interesting to see what comes out of the investigation. Ed.

Bull Pit:

Collapse.

Report fromSteve Knox CCPC.
Report Date28/04/2008.
Published04/05/2008.

Bull Pit, between Perryfoot and Winnats Pass. A large section of cliff face on the western side, about 10 metres high, by 3 metres wide, has collapsed into the base of the pit, at some time during the past winter. The mass of rock had been separated from the bed-rock behind, due to the action of tree roots. The two 'dark recesses', visible from the field above, are blind. The largest one closes immediately to a natural fault only a couple of centimetres wide, while the other is only a shadowy hollow. The whole area of the fall is extremely loose and shattered. The two old digs in the bottom of the pit are still both open, although would need a major effort to clear out washed in debris.

Theft from Giant's:

Report fromPete Knight (Edale YHA Activity Centre).
Report Date24/05/2008.
Published31/05/2008.

I was down Giants with an Edale group this morning and it appears that the cash box in the car park has been broken into/removed. It is fairly wrecked. Did not see the farmer but he was aware of it. Was fine yesterday.

Birds in Mandale Sough:

Report fromAdam Russell.
Report Date26/05/2008.
Published31/05/2008.

There are birds (dippers) nesting just inside the entrance to Mandale Sough - please can we stay out of the sough for the next few weeks or so until the chicks have fledged. This does not affect the main mine, just the sough tail.

Ed's note: A bird fact - The incubation/fledging period for dippers works out at 38-41 days (incubation 16-17 days and fledging 22-24 days), or so I've been told, by a bird person.

Rock Fall in Nickergrove Mine:

Report fromDanny Orton.
Report Date22/05/2008.
Published31/05/2008.

Anyone planning a trip down Nickergrove Mine in Stoney Middleton should be aware that we experienced some significant rock fall in th "50 shaft" (shaft with big log at top). It seemed to come from one of the passages approx' one third of the way down and constituted three or four rocks about 30cm across.