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THE BELFRY BULLETIN JOURNAL OF THE BRISTOL EXPLORATION CLUB Vol. 7 No.72
August 1953
IF IT’S CAVING YOU DO by S. Gee, Hon. Sec. Orpheus Caving Club, Northern Group. In the following article I shall attempt to describe the link between Oxlow Caverns and Mask Hill Mine. It is based on actual events during the descent, but credit must be given to the British Speleological Association as they first made the actual link up, and without their help I would not have written this. Let us begin in 1949 with a descent of Oxlow Caverns near Castleton. We arrived at the entrance in a snowstorm and quickly made arrangements to descend. The entrance proved to be a mineshaft 50 feet deep. This we negotiated safely and found a long sloping passage leading to a second shaft of 30 feet. At the bottom, a short passage led to a small round hole. This proved to be the East Chamber, and the passage entered roughly halfway up this huge cavern. A descent of 60 feet brought us to the bottom, where we found a small stream that is said to come from Giant’s Hole. Returning to the ladder, we climbed for 30 feet and saw a mined passage. This we followed for several hundred feet, and eventually came to the edge of the West Chamber. This was an 80 foot ladder and was made most uncomfortable by a small steam that ran down our sleeves and re-emerged like a siphon in our boots. Just here there happened an incident that shook us all. So far we had not been using lifelines on the pitches, and had trusted entirely on the soundness of the ladder. The fifth man down was about 25 feet from the bottom, when, without warning, the ladder broke. Luckily he was unharmed and we soon fixed a new ladder in place. But the incident taught us all a lesson, and on the return journey we all used lifelines. The West Cavern was a really impressive place of large dimensions. The roof was so far above us that a 100 foot spotlight could not reach it. At the extreme end of this cavern was a low arch through which we passed and entered a second large chamber. This is known as the Waterfall Cavern, and from high in the roof crashes a fine waterfall that disappears through a hole in the floor. It is understood that further shafts can be descended down this hole, but owing to the weight of water these were abandoned. The source of this waterfall was to remain a mystery to me for a further two years. Then, by chance, a B.S.A. member mentioned that some years previously, a party of them had descended an old mine shaft near Oxlow, and after a journey of many hours through a series of mined and natural caves, had emerged through the roof of the Waterfall Cavern in Oxlow Caves. I decided to form a reconnaissance party to hunt for the rumoured ‘Mask Hill Mine’. After inspecting several shafts without success, we found one that looked more promising. The descent was organised and the shaft was found to be 100 foot deep. A party of four assembled at the bottom, in a small mined chamber in the floor of which was a second-mine shaft. Here we decided to abandon further explorations owing to shortage of tackle. It was very disappointing, but a strong draught of air from the second shaft convinced us that we were on the right path. The following week-end we returned with more gear, more information and more members. Reinforcements from the Oldham Speleological Society arrived early Sunday morning and the descent started without delay.