Next Evening Meet:

Alderley Edge mine

Tue 23rd Apr, 2024

The Alderley Edge mines in Cheshire, UK, were mined from the Bronze Age (c. 4000 years ago) until the early 20th century.

Most of the mines are still accessible although many surface features have been obscured by vegetation over the years.

Many of the mines are owned by the National Trust and have been leased from them by the Derbyshire Caving Club which maintains access and continues to explore and search for areas of mining that have been closed for centuries.

Yvonne and a friend from Derbyshire Caving Club with lead a trip around the mines. There is a maximum group size of 12, so please contact Yvonne directly to make sure there's still available places. (please email @enquiries for contact details if needed)

What to bring:

• Helmets and lights can be provided if required. 

• Good footwear with ankle support is essential and wellington boots are recommended. Trainers are not suitable for some trips.

• Waterproof clothing is not required but clothes, which will not suffer from contact with sand and mud, are strongly recommended. The temperature in the mines is cool, but constant at about 10-12 degrees C. Dress as if for an autumn day in the garden!

• You can bring a camera or camera phone but please be aware of the risk to the camera from sand and water and also respect the privacy of other visitors.  

To be prepared for the trip, you need to remember that you will be entering an abandoned mine with uneven floors and low ceilings.  You are very likely to have to stoop at some places, and may need to crawl on hands and knees in others.  Some trips will include a flat-out crawl. 

We will be meet in the main National Trust car park at 6.30pm and the trip will last approx. 2-3hrs (it can be extended or reduced based on people preferences on the night). 

A donation of £8 towards the maintenance of the mines would be gladly received by Derbyshire Caving Club if you're able to contribute via cash on the night or bank transfer beforehand please. Bank details provided upon request.

During the spring and summer months evening meets are held outdoors at local crags, usually on Wednesdays, weather permitting. Keep an eye on the scribbles for the latest information. Indoor climbing wall meets start again in the autumn.

Some lucky people may be able to get out climbing nice and early, but this will vary depending on work hours and the traveling distance. Generally you should find KMC climbers at the crag by 6pm and some might still be there after its gone dark.

If you have any questions about coming along to a meet, or if you want to try and arrange car sharing, etc., then just send us an e-mail. For the latest information check the Scribble pages.