The Manchester Contingent of the Y.R.C. has from time to time concentrated its attention on the two above named valleys, attention largely due to a booklet entitled “SomeCavesandCragsofPeakland ,” written by The Rev. G. H. Wilson who has spent considerable time in the Manifold Valley as a bone-digger. The whole book has been written merely for bone-digging enthusiasts, more conventionally known as archaeologists or speleologists, but we thought that there might be something of interest from a pot-holing and cave exploring point of view. What I can now say about the matter is that if there is anything of the kind, we did not find it.

In the valley of the Dove we came across practically nothing; several large important-looking cave entrances finish after a few yards ; most of the punctures in the sides of the dale are merely rock shelters and I am of the opinion that digging would not improve matters much. The largest actual cave we found was the northern branch of Reynard’s Cave, which finishes in an amusing climb into the roof, up which, I take it, the goose of fiction flew on its subterranean wanderings to Peak Cavern, Castleton—or am I confusing two different geese? The longest cave-cum-mine we found is immediately below Reynard’s Cave at the bottom of the cliff. We estimate its length as about 45 yards.

Dovedale is a magnificent dale, but the caves in it are, to pot-holers, pretentious frauds ; to bone-diggers, probably very useful.

Concerning the dale of the Manifold there is a slightly longer tale. Starting at Wetton Mill we have a curious limestone hummock which is literally riddled with holes, but as they are quite small affairs there is no necessity for lighting. It is highly amusing exploring this petrified sponge as one is apt to emerge at most unexpected places. The name of this well-known conglomeration of holes is Anna Woman’s Hole or Old Hannah’s Cave.

Continuing down stream for about 300 yards we find Darfur Crags. Here is a “cave of engulfment ” almost at water level, consequently only practicable when the river is low. It descends about 15 feet to 20 feet in a length of about 33 yards (paced), and finishes there as far as we are concerned in a pool of very deep water. Mr. Wilson mentions a hole near Darfur Crags 85 feet deep finishing in water ; we have been unable to find it but have noticed several places along the dry river bed where extensive concreting has been done, presumably by the owner of the fishing rights in an attempt to keep the river above ground.

From Darfur Crag one sees across the valley, about a quarter of a mile further down stream, an imposing portal near the top of a crag. This is the famous Thor’s Cave. Thor’s Cave is really the intersection of two caves, a large opening, such as is found in Dovedale, and a narrow rift cave, a type which seems to have more penetrating power in the district in question. So large is the entrance of Thor’s Cave that it is only necessary to use artificial light at the far end where the cave bends to the left.

At river level, directly below Thor’s Cave is a small group of caves which I understand have been used as stables at some time. They are all choked but one, and that one, after becoming a very narrow crawl opening into a small chamber in which two men can stand up, suddenly becomes exceedingly narrow and develops a wet floor (6 inches of water) on which one would have to lie if there was any chance at all of getting through. We have not seriously attempted it.

We have found nothing between this cave and Beeston Tor about a mile further down stream. At Beeston Tor there is quite a colony of caves ; we found in all twelve of them, that is counting everything except the smaller entrance to St. Bertram’s Cave. Undoubtedly the most interesting cave on Beeston Tor is St. Bertram’s Cave, which unfortunately, the Buxton Archaeological Society have reserved for their own use by putting a door on the entrance, but luckily there is more than one entrance to St. Bertrarn’s Cave, so we can still get in without “ breaking and entering.”

The cave which is second in interest to St. Bertram’s is Lynx Cave. The chief fun to be got out of the exploration is the negotiation of the crawl at the end. It nearly always happens that people try this crawl with their full complement of clothing and it is amusing to watch their efforts. The only satisfactory way of tackling the squeeze is to disrobe considerably first and then slowly work your body through. I personally am in favour of doing it head first, although I have seen it done, quite satisfactorily, feet first. The squeeze leads one into a nice little stalactite chamber where people have been busy at work recently with saw and hammer removing what stalactites and stalagmites they could find. So my advice is that, if you want to see this small chamber, you go fairly soon, or the gentlemen with destructive tendencies will have removed the beauty of the place.

We have searched but have failed to find the cave found by Mr. Wilson in May, 1925, in which he reports fine calcium deposit. I have a feeling that this cave is not very far from Beeston Tor, although he does not actually say so. From Beeston Tor to Ilam Hall we have found no caves other than those made by hand for the purpose of extracting lead. In the grounds of Ilam Hall there is a cave at water level which we saw from the opposite bank but did not enter.