Slaley Sough - Alan Brentnall

A warm but wet evening, and seven of us gathered at the long layby where you park below Goodluck Mine, deep in the jungly valley of the Via Gellia. Pete opted to head over to DCRO base, where cas carers were updating their fentanyl training, in the hope of getting cheque counter-signatures for some important payments he needed to conclude on behalf of the team. Chris, Steve, Grace, Jen, Bernie and I changed and headed down the A5012 past Tufa Cottage in search of Bonsal Lees Level.

It was January 2017 last time we ventured into Slaley Sough, and my notes from that trip suggested that the best way to find the entrance was to first visit Bonal Lees Level, a large passage cut into the side of the A5012 Via Gellia road which leads in 200m, past two powerful but tight inlet streams, to a dead end. Back in January 2017, it was dark and we totally missed this huge entrance and walked a long way down the road before turning back and finding the entrance. The road through the Via Gellia valley is a bit of a race track, and you don't want to spend too much time on the tarmac there!

Tonight it wasn't dark, but the vegetation in the Via Gellia jungle was at the height of its growth, and, once again, we missed the Bonsal Lees entrance and travelled too far towards Cromford. We did turn round and find it, however, and entered the passage for a look around. A few yards beyond the level entrance, a stream comes down through the steep woodland on the north side of the valley, and this stream leads upwards to Slaley Sough.

As I said, the vegetation was very much in evidence, and getting up the hill to the entrance was "one step up, two steps back and hang on to a tree" - but, after a very muggy struggle, we all made it to the low, cave-like hole beneath a tree, almost at the top edge of the wood.

Appearances can be deceptive, and the low crawl didn't look very inviting, but, once inside, the passage gets much roomier - if a little wet and muddy under foot. Names can be deceptive too, as this place isn't and never was a sough. It's far too high on the hill to act as a sough, and the water appears to be flowing into the hill rather than outwards! All very strange.

Soon we were through the wet bit and into a tall section of passage which soon gave way to a low, square cross-cut with a reasonably dry floor. This led to a junction with a much larger passage with three ways on.

To the right, a passage passed a deep winze before lowering to a crawl into a forefield on the Great Rake Vein. Above us, a raise, still adorned with the occasional black stemple, beckoned, and Steve attempted, unsuccessfully, to climb this. The main way led to the left, down a large (walking height) tramming level which still bore evidence of sleepers in the floor and clay candle holders, with obvious black smoke stains, on the walls. Easy walking took us along this main level to a junction, where a low crawl led into more workings on the Great Rake Vein, and a second raise above to an obvious false floor supported by stemples.

But the main passage swung right, past a recess cut, presumably, to hold a buddling jig, to another junction. To the right, was the very deep (50m) Thunder Shaft. Straight on, the main passage was partly blocked by a huge pile of toadstone, suggesting the presence of a third raise above. We crawled over the toadstone to enter the continuing large passage which follows Parson's Rake.

Soon we came across a fourth raise, with a mound beneath. This had obviously been climbed in the past (a couple of old slings could be seen in a crack) but attempts to climb it by both Steve and Chris failed and we'll need to revisit with some decent protection to see what lies above.

Beyond the raise the passage continues for some distance along Parson's Rake, with some very impressive rhombic calcite crystals showing at intervals in the roof. Eventually, it comes to an abrupt end.

It's all very puzzling, but we would have been very close to Dunsley Springs when we came to the end, and, considering the name "Sough", and the possible buddling chamber, the Dunsley water could have been diverted into the passage through the upper series? Who knows - it would be nice to take a trip into this place with somebody like John Barnatt who could give some answers to our many questions.

Some photographs from the trip: https://photos.app.goo.gl/yh65cwTzucmMkw3U8