Masson Caving Group

17/02/2022

And another trip into one of Derbyshire's exciting underground spaces... Tonight: Giant's Hole.

Fabian took Sam, Shaun and Chris into the upper East Passage before continuing towards Base Camp Chamber and had a look at Garland's Pot.
The group then returned to the Base Camp Chamber before ascending into the upper series using ladder and line.

We'll be back in a week for an even longer "round trip" into this amazing cave system.

15/02/2022

This evening we held one of our "novice" trips into Jug Holes! Two new potential members as well as current members took part.

If you'd like to give caving a go and see if it's for you head to our page for more details!

Masson Caving Group is an active caving club based in and around Derbyshire which was founded in 1979. We offer in club training for novices and returning cavers.

14/02/2022

We've got something very exciting to share with you! David Webb has created his own YouTube channel and is in the process of uploading some of his amazing work for everyone to see!

David is very well known in the caving sport. Having been members with Derbyshire Caving Association and Masson Caving Group, writing magazines and helping setup the SSSI (Site of Special Scientific Interest). He produced some amazing footage to tell the stories from the Neil Moss Tragedy, Titan, Goodluck Mine and Ecton.

Hello cave people! My name is David Webb and I spent decades wriggling around in and producing award-winning films about caves, particularly around the Derby...

16/11/2019

My first trip with Masson, superbly arranged and led by Paul Chandler.
A large group of about 11 assembled, filling the two laybys near Masson Quarry. I soon met Kevin and Vicky from Masson CG and Paul arrived last, doling out belts to those without kit.
The first hazard was that the footpath to Jug Holes Woods was blocked by some very large cattle/bulls but moving as a group, they just ignored us.
Paul rigged the entrance climb and we worked as a team to lower the enthusiastic group and were soon in the first large chamber, see pics.
This was followed by the “Bold Step Traverse” which required a bit of slippy teamwork to bypass.
A climb down from the next, well decorated, chamber led us into a large chamber near the Adit Entrance/exit. The final adit was superbly constructed which we had a chance to study while Paul struggled with the “Derbyshire Key”.
On exit, I sped off up the hill to derig the entrance climb and drinks were enjoyed at the Miners arms, Winster.
Larry

05/01/2019

MEETS
Tuesday 12 March 2019
Underground Trip: Arrock Black Marble Mine, Ashford -
LEADER: Paul Chandler (PDMHS/Masson Caving Group).
To book your place(s), please visit our website: massoncaving.wordpress.com
Evening trip. Easy grade, dry trip. There is a short, low crawl near the entrance, which leads into the main part of the mine. The remainder of the mine is mainly walking or stooping size. Arrock is quite different to the Rookery Black Marble Mine nearby in that timber has been used to support the roof, some of which you might say has seen better days! Although less extensive than the Rookery Mine, it is arguably more interesting. BCA Public Liability Insurance Cover or similar, essential. Access is by permission from Chatsworth Estate. Optional drink after trip in Bulls Head Inn, Ashford. References: Derbyshire Black Marble by J M Tomlinson, PDMHS Special Publication No.4 (1996) and Mining History (PDMHS) Vol.20, No.3 (2018). PDMHS MEET - "All welcome". NOTE: I only organise this trip every two years, next in 2021.

Tuesday 26 March 2019
Underground Trip: Holmebank Chert Mine, Bakewell -
LEADER: Paul Chandler (PDMHS/Masson Caving Group).
To book your place(s), please visit our website: massoncaving.wordpress.com
Evening trip. Easy grade, dry trip (although lowest workings are flooded). An ideal trip for novices and also of interest to experienced explorers. Mostly large, walking or stooping size passages and easy scrambles. The mine is quite extensive, with around five miles of passages! The
popular through trip is planned, exiting via the quarry entrance, with various points of interest enroute. An interesting mine and well worth bringing a camera. BCA Public Liability Insurance Cover or similar, essential. Access by permission from Oldfield Design, Bakewell.
References: Mining History (PDMHS) Vol.13, No.5 (1998) and Vol.19, No.6 (2017). PDMHS MEET - "All welcome".

Meets can be cancelled at short notice please ensure you have contacted the organiser.

08/02/2018

Contact us For specific types of enquiries, you can email us by clicking on the appropriate link below. For general enquiries, you can use the form at the bottom. As a charity, run by volunteers we aim to acknowledge relevant queries within two working days. If you don’t hear back from us within t...

06/02/2018

Giants Hole - we have a beginners trip going to this classic Peak cave on Saturday get in touch if you are interested in going.

01/02/2018

Cumberland and Wapping - Land of Dope and Story
21/01/2018
Hi all its been a while but here’s a trip report and photos from last month when Laura, Peter and Alex from Nottingham University caving club (NUCC for short) got off the train here in Matlock for a guided tour of one of the gems of the gorge. As you may recall it was a miserable day and we got changed in one of those blizzards of really light snow that keeps getting blown into helmets and making small snow drifts in my car. We entered through Wapping and immediately got sucked down into the maze which isn’t called the maze for nothing! We spent a good couple of hours exploring like Theseus but didn’t find the Minotaur haha. There are some great crystals down there to admire. When we eventually escaped the maze, we headed up to Cumberland, a former show cave which bears some impressive spiral staircases but also some great psychedelic graffiti walls. The psychedelia as well as the trail of Beer cans through the ages was left behind by the Troglodytes who lived in Cumberland during the 1960’s smoking and decorating the walls with the words of King Bob of Cumbo. Coming out of Wapping the snow had turned to rain, so we retired to take a drink at the Fishpond (not the one containing Koi carp) and sampled some of their famous pizzas. We were then to stuffed to be bothered with exploring another mine and just spent the wet afternoon in the pub .
~ by Frances Porter, caver

07/01/2018

Hunt for the Overseer: Trip Report
8th of Janurary 2018 Gentlewomans to Youds Level
Reputably the best through trip in the Matlock area Gentlewomans to Youds level is a strange mixture of mine and natural cave that begins at the top of Masson Hill above Matlock Bath and goes all the way through the hill emerging by the river Derwent at Artists Corner. My goal on this trip was to find the famous carving of the ‘Overseer’, a tunicked caricature possibly of the mine agent.
A team-up with Nigel Berry and Alex Bradley we descended the Gentlewomans Shaft (55m) on top of Masson into a complex mine (Old Jant mine) that led us over high stopes and deep pits to the infamous ‘connection’. Here the mine suddenly narrows into two very tight wet squeezes. The first of which I had to jettison everything out of my chest pocket to get through!
In the second section of this trip I began to encounter mine artefacts and graffiti. The water which we had been following ultimately drained into the Youds Level sough a 1200m long handpicked coffin level, a real feat of engineering, which takes you under the road to exit via a heavy steel lid in the playground!
Despite not managing to find ‘the overseer’ (something to go back for) this was an excellent trip that I’ve been waiting to do for ages, it didn’t disappoint!
By Frances Porter, caver.