On Friday 22^nd February, Clive, Andy Gallon, Jon Hardy and I met up for a few beers in Hartington, then headed up to the Youth hostel where we were basing ourselves for the weekend.

Next morning, we headed to Buxton for a healthy breakfast of muesli, fruit and low fat yoghurt in the laundrette greasy spoon café, followed by some minor retail therapy in ‘Caving supplies’.

Next we met up with Dave Hiorns, and drove to Hampton low, and spooned ourselves into our ever shrinking oversuits, and set off down ‘robin shaft mine’.

                

   The boy’s kitted up and smelling of cow S**t!    (CH)                                                 At the base of the entrance pitch (CH)

The entrance shaft is 90m deep, inclined between 45 and 60 degrees. At the bottom there are some fine phreatic passage and chambers and some digs being pushed.  We had a good look around, and started the long climb out.

                 

    Clive ascending the entrance shaft     (CH)                                         Dave Hiorns in the phreatic passages (photo Clive Bennett)

Once we were all changed, Dave headed home, closely followed by Andy.

Clive, Jon and I made our way to the Royal Oak at Wetton, where we met up with Pete, Ian and Ed from the Darfar potholing club. We had met them on the eve of the Alstonefield walk, they are very active in the Manifold Valley , and have pushed lots of new cave recently. After a few beers, we went back to the hostel for, er…., a few more beers and some late night pool playing.

Sunday morning, we went back to the Royal Oak , where we were joined by Dave Haines. Pete, Ian and Ed then took us on a tour of some of their recent projects, Pete and Ian are Land rover enthusiasts, and it was a good laugh riding around in the back of them to the caves.

First was Darfar ridge cave, which DPC has recently gated, we spent some time admiring the formations and taking some photos.

         

Jon, Ed, Ian, Pete, Clive and Chris at the entrance to Darfar                        Rimstone pools, in Darfar ridge cave (CH)

Ridge Cave (photo Dave Haines)

We then had a look at the excellent DPC HQ in the Manifold Valley , and met up with Martin Milner, who has pushed many of the caves in the area, and does lots of conservation work there.

Jon then had to head home, so the rest of us went to have a look at Plantation Swallet, which DPC and Eldon PC have recently re-opened and are pushing. This cave was originally dug by Cave and Crag in the 50’s and 60’s, so there was a certain sentimental value to the trip. The cave is not long, but there were some dodgy looking boulders in the roof, and plenty of mud. Not one we’ll be rushing back to! Worth doing though!

          

Clive descending Plantation Swallet (CH)                                                  Chris and Pete in the chamber, Plantation swallet (CH)

After this, Pete went off to join Martin on a dig by Wetton Mill Café, while Ian, Ed Clive and I wet into St Bertrams cave (which was Dave Haines first cave many years ago!), we had a good look round, before Ian and ‘racing snake’ Clive squeezed out into Jackdaw Cave, I, on Clive’s advice, took the more roomy exit.

After a brief visit to the dig, we headed home after an excellent weekend re discovering what the Manifold area has to offer.

Thanks to the DPC boys for showing us round, look forward to returning the favour soon.

To see all the weekend photos, go to: www.flickr.com/photos/24666412@N07/sets/72157604119980729

To visit the DPC website go to : www.darfarpc.org.uk/

Chris Haines