Oxlow Cavern
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Oxlow Cavern | |
---|---|
Location | Castleton, Derbyshire, England |
Depth | 140m to West Chamber |
Length | 1.4km (4.75km including Maskill Mine & Giant's Hole) |
Coordinates | Coordinates: |
Geology | Limestone |
Number of entrances | 3 including Maskill Mine & Giants Hole |
Access | 17.5 m shaft |
Oxlow Cavern is a part natural and part mined cavern located near Castleton, Derbyshire, England. It is situated on the south side of the road running from the A623 at Sparrowpit to the Winnats Pass, just west of Castleton and is almost opposite Giant's Hole on the other side of the road A few yards away from Oxlow Cavern is the connecting Maskill Mine.
Contents |
[edit] Description
It is a fine "vertical" cave which is dry, deep, and mostly in big passage formed within a mineral vein. Entering via a 17.5 m deep mine shaft of small dimensions which leads down past a mined level the explorer emerges at the top of a slope in a natural vein cavity. Two further pitches lead down to a coll 70 m below the entrance where there are two ways on. To the East, a descent continues down into the very large East Chamber, and to the west, the impressive West Swirl Passage leads down at 45° to the base of the fourth pitch and the massive West Chamber. A passage at the far end of West Chamber links through to the bottom of Maskhill Mine. The fourth pitch, which is a climb in the West Antechamber wall, reaches a crawl heading north away from the vein into the New Oxlow Series and the long, very tight and wet connection to Giant's Hole.
[edit] Surveys
- JS Beck, A dyeline printed survey published Hitch n Hike, Bamford, Derbyshire
- (PB Chamber) Cave Diving Group Newsletter #107 (p30) Apr. 1993
[edit] References
- Crewe Climbing and Pothole Club. Oxlow Cavern Rigging Guide.
- Gill, D W; Beck, J S (1991). Caves of the Peak District. ISBN 1-85568-034-3. out of print
- Barker, Iain (1997). Classic Caves of the Peak District, p34. ISBN 1-86126-058-X.out of print
- Ford, Trevor D (1997). Limestones and Caves of the Peak District, p14 & 325-330. ISBN 0 86094 004 1.out of print
- "P B Chamber" (April 1993). Cave Diving Group Newsletter (107).