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Finlow MineWood MineTom's Shaft in the Cobalt MineWest Mine1930s visitors at BrynlowRoman coinsT'owd man in Wood MineKey Chamber, Wood MineSRT in Engine VeinDoc MineNorth Boundary Fault, Wood MineBlue ShaftMain Chamber Engine VeinDevil's GraveHistoric artefactsWorkings on the vein, Engine VeinThe Beacon before demolitionThe Laundry Chute in West Mine
Wartling Bunker, KentMoel Fferna slate mine, N WalesLennies Cave, MatienzoAlum Pot, Yorkshire DalesCoventosa, SpainMagpie Mine, DerbyshireGiants Hole, DerbyshireRampgill Mine, NentheadOld Ing Cave, Yorkshire DalesConiston Copper Mine, LakesStockport air raid sheltersFirst Pitch, P8 DerbyshireBagshawe Cavern, DerbyshireBull Pot of the WitchesSnailbeach Mine, ShropshireGaping Gill, YorkshireAven d'Orgnac, FranceNettle Pot, DerbyshireOgof Dydd Byraf, North WalesCarrs Mine, NentheadColonnades: Lancaster Hole
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West Mine is the largest mine under Alderley Edge, and the main chamber, not far in from the entrance, is the largest single open space underground at Alderley. Nevertheless, it is small by comparison with mine chambers elsewhere in the UK. The chamber was excavated by using hand drills and gunpowder and probably took a couple of years to get as large as it is now.
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In the past, one could almost literally walk into a new cave in Great Britain but these days almost all the open cave entrances have been explored. Now, it is necessary to dig one's way into unexplored cave passage. Sometimes, this means removing loose boulders, at other times it means shovelling out clay and sand. If there is a strong probability of a cave, then cavers will even resort to using explosives to enlarge a passage. This dig, reinforced with scaffolding, is at the end of Pooles Cavern in Derbyshire.

The next public event at the Alderley Edge mines is an evening trip at Wood Mine on Tuesday 18/08/2026.To find out if there is still space available, go to the booking page.

In case of emergency at Alderley Edge, call POLICE 999 and ask for DERBYSHIRE CAVE RESCUE.   They will call out local team members.  Do NOT call for the Fire Brigade.