THE HAMPS AND MANIFOLD VALLEYS SSSI – Darfar Ridge Cave
Although not designated specifically for cave features, the site contains a number of caves with features of special scientific interest. There are two groups of
caves, the active caves (valley floor caves and Ilam Risings), and the relict caves. The most important of the valley floor caves (described below, and with
surveys) are Darfar Pot, Ladyside Pot and Redhurst Swallet which provide excellent examples of recent and active cave passage development beneath the
modern valley floor. These, together with the many other small (in both length and passage dimensions) caves that are not described individually in this
report, provide the only example in the Peak District of a new cave system developing under a valley floor and gradually capturing the surface flow. The Ilam
risings discharge all of the flow of the Hamps and Manifold rivers except in very wet conditions, when there is surface flow throughout. About 250m of active
phreatic passage has been explored to a depth of 54m, although the survey is incomplete and has not been included in the present report. The explored risings
provide a good example of active phreatic passage but are not known to contain any other features of special interest.
There are a number of high level caves, of which the most important are Elderbush Cave and Darfar Ridge Cave each of which is described below. Thor’s
Cave is a truncated phreatic passage with a very impressive entrance but no survey is available and the cave does not contain clastic sediments or speleothems
that have been studied.
Darfar Ridge Cave. S.
A series of relict phreatic bedding plane passages and linked chambers extending for approximately 100m. A cave
conservation plan was compiled by Hardwick (1995). The cave was reported as containing the most prolific assemblage of
active speleothems of any cave in the Manifold Valley at the time of discovery although it is thought to have suffered from
vandalism since then. In addition to the active speleothems, older flowstone has been dated to 284+34/-27ka by Rowe et al.
(1989). This shows that the cave was drained by c. 300 ka. The cave also contains important archaeological and
palaeontological deposits.
CAVE CONSERVATION MONITORING FORM (Version 4 - May 2006)
Darfar Ridge Cave
Please annotate survey map, where possible, to show location of assessed feature, if not clear.
Feature
Description of interest features
Are the features Comments on the condition of the
number
still present?
features
S - Speleothems
on
Y/N
survey
1
S: Darfar Ridge Cave
A series of relict phreatic bedding plane
passages and linked chambers extending for
approximately 100m. / contain a most prolific
assemblage of active speleothems and an older
flowstone. / also contains important
archaeological and palaeontological deposits.
General comments
on conservation
status of the cave
Please indicate on map location of any mineral
deposits and any unauthorised collection.
Name:
e.g. ?intact/?smeared with mud/?still
active/growing/ ?erosion occurring.
eg Heavily used cave, much carbide,
pollution, changes to drainage system,
specimen collecting, areas inaccessible
due to rock fall etc)
Date of visit:
Contact details: Tele/Email:
Please return this form to Dave Webb, DCA, 3 De Vere Gardens, Woodthorpe. Nottingham . NG5 4PH
“Thank you for assisting in the conservation of this cave.”
Darfar Ridge Cave, Wetton Mill
ALTITUDE: 228m (750ft)
SOURCE: MILNER, 1983.
LENGTH: 107m (350ft)
NGR: 0980 5588