Oxlow Cavern - Castleton
Oxlow Cavern, a partly natural and partly mined cavern near Castleton in Derbyshire, England, is a dry (at times), deep, and mostly large passage formed within a mineral vein. Entrance is via a narrow 17.5-metre (57 ft) mine shaft, leading past a mined level to the top of a slope in a natural vein cavity. Two further pitches descend to a col 70 metres (230 ft) below the entrance, offering two routes. To the east, a descent continues into the very large East Chamber. To the west, the impressive West Swirl Passage slopes down at 45° to the base of the fourth pitch and the massive West Chamber. A passage at the far end of West Chamber connects to the bottom of Maskhill Mine.
Oxlow is a popular through trip among Peak District cavers and is best undertaken as an exchange trip. This involves two parties entering at opposite ends and exiting the other way, de-rigging the other group's ropes as they ascend.
