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 The Peak Speedwell System is located in the village of Castleton, made up of Peak Cavern, Speedwell Mine, James Hall Over Engine Mine and Titan Shaft. The system contains about 18km of cave passage, one of the deepest underground cave dives in the UK, down to a depth of 74 metres; the highest underground pitch in the UK which is 145 metres high, it has six known entrances but only four are usable.
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Would you like a trip into the system |
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For cavers wanting to book trips into the system throughout 2012, need to take into account several access restrictions that have been put in place by Peak Cavern Management. For more information, see 2012 Access Restrictions
See access to system for more details on access for each of the entrances. |
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Speedwell Update 10 April 2012 |
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As reported in the last update, Ade Pedley has designed and built a hopper which will act as a manifold for the two pipes which deliver water down Leviathan (the green main pipe and the black overflow pipe). At the begining of April, Ade had completed the work, and it was ready for installation.
 
On Tuesday 03 April, a work party comprising Phil Wolstenholme and Roy Rodgers went in to the Boulder Piles via Speedwell, taking in the new hopper and some tools. They built a levelish platform beneath the black tailings pipe for the hopper to stand on, and also dug out a slightly downhill route through the boulders towards the ladderway - the route which would eventually be used by the hopper’s outlet pipe.
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Read more...
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Free Climbing Route In Peak Cavern On TV |
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Dave MacLeod and Alan Cassidy, two of Scotland's best rock athletes travelled south of the border in search of bold new routes. In an astonishing week, they attempt two innovative first ascents - one deep underground, as they climb out of Jingling Pot and the other in the huge Peak Cavern. The film shown on BBC2 Scotland, The Adventure Show - Climbing...No Limits follows them as they inch their way from darkness into light.
This program was shown on BBC 2 (Scotland) on the 12/04/12 at 8pm. |
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Speedwell Update - 20 March 2012 |
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On Tuesday 20 March 2001, a small working party of three (Roy Rodgers, Phil Wolstenholme and Alan Brentnall) entered the Speedwell Streamway via the showcave with the intention of connecting the new long pipe which was positioned in the Boulder Piles last November. Progress had been halted because the only connector available was not quite the correct size, but Roy had modified the fitting on the laithe, and we were fairly confident that it would work OK.
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Read more...
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Aid Climbing Routes in Peak Cavern Vestibule |
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Dave Willams has completed a number of aid climbing routes across the roof of the Peak Cavern Vestibule. These have been undertaken over the last four years. For more information, see Dave Williams blog. |
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During the summer of 2011, the Backwater Choke in Speedwell Mine recieved some more attention after a 19 years break. Armed with digging tools, the choke was soon passed into a large ascending passage to climb up into the base of a large aven, 6 m wide, 10 m long and approx 25 m high. 
The aven was climbed for 30 m into a small passage, a further choke was passed into a large ascending passage to a blind dome. A 6 m climb reached a further choke which is currently being dug.
Picture by: Shaun_Puckering
For more information and the full story, see: Peak District Caving Website
Cavers visiting Speedwell Cavern should be aware that this is an active dig and are asked to avoid everything above the base of the first aven until the chokes have been properly stabilised and the pitches properly rigged.
Thanks - The Backwater Aven Project. |
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