A midweek trip to the Stoney Middleton Catchment Area of Derbyshire with Merlin’s Mine the chosen trip. This was because there are several sumps that dry up in prolonged dry spells and it seemed an obvious chance to go.
Located just minutes above the very busy main road, it is easily found, although it is a steep walk through trees and nettles etc.
We chose to go in via the adit entrance rather than the higher pitch entrance. This leads to a t junction, after a crossways; a right turn here, up, then down again leads to three shafts. The second is the one to rig (off p anchors, 15 m) and leads to a small passage below. Straight on here, then right leads to sump chamber. Turning right here there should be a sump (dry) which allows a short passage to an actual sump. Back to sump chamber, and turn left you would normally see another sump (sump 1). This was again dry and is a short hand and knees crawl to a chamber. The way on should be sump 2, again dry, another crawl to a chamber. Sump 3 is bypassed anyway leading to sump 4, which was passable but is flat out in water. After this is another chamber with sump 5 the only way on. This was not dry (nor did we expect it would be). The passage continues to sump 8 apparently. Interesting section, rarely seen by non divers and we were the first people in there for a while.
Back through sump chamber and into the passage below the pitch, you can turn right through an awkward crawl into Gimli’s dream. This consists of a few short crawls (a couple of awkward ones) and was once decorated allegedly. Now it looks knackered, as it is the connection to Carlswark and too many muddy individuals thrashed their way through back in the day I imagine. Our plan was to find our way through the myriad of breakdown boulders and rocks to Carlswark but after spending an age and venturing into many apparent ways on, we were repelled. After quite a bit of head scratching, we decided to bugger off.
Pints and Bakewell tart were taken in the Wanted Inn at Sparrow Pit.
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