Cave Dale
Cave Dale's mysterious entrance (below right) is just a few metres from The Old Workshop's front door. Once past the old lead miners cottages, you enter a narrow passage before emerging into a mighty limestone dale (above). Either side are high cliffs, grazed by gravity-defying sheep and to your right as you walk up the dale is the imposing presence of Peveril Castle.
Further up two small caves have been dug into the rock face, evidence that lead ore was dug from these hills and further up still you have to tread your way carefully through a rock strewn section which often has a small stream flowing amongst the rocks.
It is thought that Cave Dale is as the name suggests as collapsed cavern; the roof giving way thousands of years ago. AN alternative theory is that, like is steeper neighbour Winnats Pass, it is the point where submarine currents running from the lagoons above to the deeper basin below kept the 'dale' clear from the build up of limestone. Whatever it's origins, it is a fabulous gorge.
The stream mentioned above may have raised a question in your mind. How come a stream is flowing in a limestone dale and why does it stop halfway down? The answer for the first lies at the top of the stream section (by where the photo below left was taken). The exposed rock on the eastern side of the valley is basalt which lies underneath the section you have just walked up. Basalt is impermeable and lies underneath the
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