HBCM

[Twinset & Wing]

When I say the words Holme Bank Chirt mine to to you it probably wont mean much but when I mention it is right next to the road with near enough no carry in,has vis as far as your light can see and the passages are easy and sizeable you may be interested.

This mine dug on the out skirts of the Derbyshire town of Bakewell is in the middle of a residential street there is a small parking area and a locked iron gate.  You need permision to dive this site.  when you have access it is best to suit up outside the mine and carry your cylinders in.  suitable confugurations would be a twinset or a CDG style side mount system I would certainly notadvise a main and pony set-up.  there is a line in situe and the walk from the gate is mostly standing with a slight stoop at parts it takes about 1.5-2 mins at the most to get to diving base so you can carry kit in by taking a few runs.  once all your kit is there you will be met by a big clear pool unless there has already been people there(very rare).  The remains of the old pump system is still visable and this is used as the line belay.  there is a series of underwater stone steps(3) that you can use to back into the water without much trouble.  When you decend you will reach about 3M and as you start to fin into the sump at the top left-hand corner of the pool you drop to about 6M  as previously mentioned the vis is excelent and powerful light give a spectacular view of the overall passage. the sump is quite long but you are advised to make the most of it there are lined side passages so don't forget to line mark in the appropriate way these can be quite interesting and you can also use some of them as escape routes as they link to a dry passage that goes back paralell with the sump and returns to dive base. overall this sight is a good insite into mine workings and can be used as a pre-organised afternoon bimble if you are appropriately trained. The maximum depth is 6M.

please note that the roof is unstable in parts of the dry mine and underwater .

CAVE DIVING IS A HIGHLY DANGEROUS ACTIVITY WHICH SHOULD ONLY BE UNDERTAKEN BY EXPERIENCED, TRAINED AND QUALIFIED PERSONS.  CAVES THEMSELVES CAN BE DANGEROUS AND UNSTABLE PLACES DEMANDING CONSIDERABLE RESPECT. ALL CAVE LINES SHOULD BE CHECKED BY THE DIVERS INVOLVED AND DIVERS SHOULD ENSURE ADEQUTE, ACCEPTED PROCEDURES ARE USED FOR ROUTE FINDING AS WELL AS DEPTHS AND DISTANCE. A WRITTEN DESCRIPTION IN NO WAY TAKES PRECEDENCE OVER WHAT CONDITIONS THE DIVER ENCOUNTERS IN THE CAVE ITSELF. 99.9999% OF DIVERS WHO DIE IN CAVES HAVE KILLED THEMSELVES. BE AWARE AND DIVE RESPONSIBLY.

Regards

DD

[Dinger]

DD,
   don't know if you have read Viz - but there is a character in it called Guster Gonads and he has a big hairy pair.  And mate you must have a big hairy pair.  The thought of going cave diving makes me shite meself.  At some level i would love to try it but the thought terrifies me - having to squeeze through restrictions and not being able to break the surface.  I know alot say that deco diving is overhead environ, and all that but you could still get home and maybe some inwater deco or the pot but to die in a cave alone - sends shivers up my spine.  Have thought of doing M. Farrs overhead environ course just to see and give myself a challenge but exploration - NO!!!!
You guys are ballsy and have to have great skill and that is amazing but you may carry on without me - i'm a big girls blouse!
In admiration
Dinger

[Digger]

<font color='#000080'>Wherabouts in Derbyshire is this one? I'm over in Nottingham, and wouldn't mind having a shifty at it, obviously with the appropriate training/guide/information. Any websites with more detail?

Cheers.

Digs.

[cthomas]

it seems an interesting place, the depth doesnt seem to scary for a cave, what training do you need for something so shallow? whats the light like? penetration length?

DD, is this an ideal cave for a taster??

chris