The aim of the Castleton 3D Cave Survey Project is to produce a complete integrated 3D survey of all the caves in the Castleton catchment area, including surface contours, and other related features.

Full details and downloads are now available here on the Peak District Caving web site: Caves of Castleton 3D Cave Survey Project

The Backwater Aven Project.

The Backwater Aven project was shelved throughout 2012 due to almost continuous wet weather and high water levels. On Friday 26th April Dave Nixon and Shaun Puckering returned to survey the extension and continue work on the 3rd Choke.

The survey (using a Disto X and Trimble Recon PDA) was started from a known station at the top end of the Long Bypass in the Lower Bung Streamway. Upon arrival at the Backwater Choke it was apparent that the cave had rearranged its self. Repeated floods last year had undermined a large rock that was originally on a silt bank above the choke and this had fallen into the passage at the original breakthrough point. Fortunately it was easy enough to remove and access into Backwater Aven was restored. The survey was completed and work on the 3rd Choke started.

The choke had collapsed with a large rock blocking the entrance. This was broken up and removed, followed by several cubic metres of 'gravely slop'. Once again the choke hung and it's too dangerous to enter. The hope is that if left for a week or two it will fall in again allowing removal to continue. If it doesn't then a method will have to be devised to collapse it on demand.

The processed survey data shows the base of the 3rd Choke to be 57 m above the Lower Bung Streamway / Upper Long Bypass junction, putting it approximately 44 m below the prominent White River Series bedding plane, with everything trending to the North East away from the WRS.