Titan Shaft Access
Bookings
Booking details are available here.
General Information
Titan is part of the Peak-Speedwell system which represents the deepest, largest and most complex cave in Derbyshire, furthermore Titan has the largest underground pitch in the UK (145 metres). As a result anyone entering MUST be fit, competent with all aspects of rope work and have experience of big pitches.
Individuals must be over 18 years of age and covered by a suitable insurance policy such as the BCA scheme when entering any part of the Peak-Speedwell system. This includes Titan. In the event of not being a club member and having BCA insurance it is possible to become an individual member via the BCA website.
http://british-caving.org.uk/wiki3/doku.php?id=legal_insurance:pl_insurance
16 to 18 years olds can do the trip but must be accompanied by a parent.
Titan enters the Peak system on the upstream side of Far Sump and consequently allows relatively easy access to the bottom of JH and the upstream section of Speedwell.
Both Peak and Speedwell Caverns have their entrance series as Show Caves and as a consequence have a separate access systems in operation. Please respect all the rules associated with these access arrangements.
It is therefore possible to undertake a variety of trips into Titan as it not only connects to the two show caves but also to ‘JH’.
UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES MUST YOU EXIT VIA SPEEDWELL CAVERN. There are two gates to prevent you from doing this, one at the bottom of Pilkington’s Passage and the other at the end of the Speedwell canal, just up from the Bung. These gates are permanently kept locked by the Speedwell Cavern management.
Peak Cavern Through Trips
If you are intending to take part in a through-trip to PEAK CAVERN you must contact a Key holder to arrange access or egress to/from Peak Cavern. Indemnity forms and the usual booking procedures apply, even if you are only exiting from Peak and indemnity forms must be filled in prior to entering Titan. Arrangements must be made for the collection and depositing of the Peak Cavern keys by contacting the Peak key holder on the particular day of your trip.
It is recommended that anyone undertaking a through-trip has a relatively early start as it is the Peak key holder’s responsibility to ensure that the cave is secure at the end of the day. This especially applies to those key holders who do not live locally, who may be waiting for you to exit the cave and have a long drive ahead of them potentially late at night.
You are responsible for your own call out arrangements, it is not the responsibility of the Peak key holder. Last party must ensure that all the gates associated with any of the entrances used during trips into the system and in particular Peak Cavern entrance, are closed and locked once all party members are out of the cave. Ensure that you return the necessary keys to either the person who issued you them or to the particular location as instructed by that person.
James Hall Exchange Trips
If you are intending to take part in a exchange trip to James Hall Over Engine Mine you must pay the landowner at Rowter Farm the fee of £2, even if you are exiting the mine only.
Ensure that during all hours that noise levels are kept low, and that respect is given at all times to the landowners property.
Other Information
The entrance shaft is on land owned by Aston Lane Farm and it is important that all gates remain closed to prevent injury or loss of stock.
It is not permitted to drive over to the entrance shaft, vehicular access is only for people who have made an arrangement with the land owner.
You should receive a key, which is for the padlock to the lid on the surface of the entrance shaft.
Open the lid, under the surface concrete cap is piece of yellow painted channel, which has pre fitted shackles for rigging ropes off. There are additional holes in case there is a need for multiple rigging operations.
IT IS IMPORTANT THAT YOU ARE HARNESSED UP AND CLIPPED ON WHEN DOING ANY RIGGING OPERATIONS AS THERE IS A 48 METRE PITCH DIRECTLY UNDER THE LID.
IN ADDITION YOU MUST CLOSE THE LID ONCE YOU ARE DOWN THE SHAFT TO PREVENT LEAVING AN UNPROTECTED OPENING.
At the end of any trip into Titan it is your responsibility to close the lid and lock it.
Variety of trips
As a result of the time involved in clearing pitches we recommend that the sensible number for a party is somewhere between 2 - 6. Timescales of trips can be long, here is a rough guide to the length of trips for an average party of 4 competent cavers having to rig or de rig the necessary routes;
- Titan, run around then back out Titan 4 hours
- Titan – JH 5 hours
- Titan – Peak (via Colostomy crawl) 6 hours
- Titan – Peak (via The White River Series) 8 hours
Any through trip or exchange with either Peak or JH will have to take into account the necessity to de rig the pitches, it is not possible to rig Titan as a ‘free hang’ as was once the case. Don’t even think about a ‘pull through’!
Flood Warnings
Water & Weather information is available at:
During wet weather the bottom half of the Titan shaft (third pitch) can become virtually impassable in a 60m waterfall, if you get to the Event Horizon and find that the water levels are too high then turn round at this point.
The water that feeds Far Sump from the rest of the system to the west backs up at the base of the big boulder choke in very wet conditions and likewise the connection with JH sumps.
If you are intending to do a through trip then you need to be aware that parts of the system become impassable and water can ebb and flow by as much as 3 - 4 metres under certain conditions.
The water that flows through the bottom half of Titan flows into Far sump and subsequently out of Peak Cavern.
Digging
Digging activities are very much still active and have a priority over all sport trips, however most of the operations are concentrated in heading West and shouldn’t interfere with access to the main shaft.
Fees
There are currently no fees for access to Titan, fees are levied for exiting from JH and Peak Cavern, and arrangements must be made prior to entering the system.
Tackle Requirements
- Entrance Shaft: 50 m rope, 2 krabs/maillons, belay ‘yellow channel’
- Titan – Top section: 80 m rope, 3 krabs/maillons, belay M12 stainless anchor plates
- Titan – Bottom section (re belay at Event Horizon): 65m rope, 2 krabs/maillons, belay M12 stainless anchor plates
Fixed Aids
Other than the items listed in the Fixed Aids log, the peak key holders and Peak Cavern management are not responsible for the upkeep, maintenance and inspection of any fixed aids, anchors, ropes and connectors left in situ within the Peak - Speedwell system.
You are responsible for the inspection of all anchors, ropes and connectors left in situ, prior to use. Please report any damage to any fixed aids in the system immediately.
Fixed aids Log maintained by Peak Cavern key holders committee:
- Surprise View Ladder
- Egnaro Aven Ladder
- Fawlty Tower Ladder
- Ropes, Anchors and Connectors in Block Hall
- Anchors only on direct descent Titan
- Ladder on Bung Hole pitch
- Treasury Bolts