Eldon Hill quarry, Castleton, Derbyshire, August 2020

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HughieD

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1. The History
Eldon Hill quarry is in the Peak District National Park, Derbyshire, England, 4km south-west of Castleton. It is a 470-metre limestone hill of pure limestone resulting from squeezing and upfolding of geological forces to form a dome. On the northern limit of the carboniferous limestone in the Peak District and the name was first recorded in 1285 as “Elveden”, meaning 'Elves' hill'.

Quarrying permission was granted in 1950 and huge quantities of limestone were excavated, mostly for road-building purposes. Hence a big chunk of the north and north-west slopes of the hill have been gorged out. In 1995 RMC Aggregates applied to extend the quarry eastwards but this was denied as part of the tightening up on environmental problems caused by old mineral permissions granted between 1948 and 1981. Hence as a result of this the quarry closed in 1999.

Since then there have been some attempts at natural restoration with several aquatic pools being established in the former workings and cavers can now explore some of the narrow caves exposed by the work, including Sidetrack Cave which was discovered in 2002.

2. The Explore
Not too much to say about this place really. Possibly one of the most brutalist quarries I’ve been to. What man-made structures that were there when it was in use as a quarry are now gone so it’s all about the rock. We rocked up on a very sunny August afternoon. To our surprise there were security at the side road up to the quarry and lots of temporary structures up on the rim of the quarry. Having chatted to the security guy, typical of our luck, the quarry was being used as a filming location! However, not to be beaten, we headed west up the footpath and then hopped over the fence to look at the western end of the quarry. Hence, we never got down to the quarry floor, but we got to see the best bit of it anyway.

3. The Pictures

50200868093_4fb2563d3a_b.jpgimg7998 by HughieDW, on Flickr

50201410961_053e34a706_b.jpgimg8002 by HughieDW, on Flickr

50201674302_017c99886f_b.jpgimg8004 by HughieDW, on Flickr

50200866068_36efd1944c_b.jpgimg8007 by HughieDW, on Flickr

One of a few fossils we spotted in the limestone rocks:

50201409156_d1b391986d_b.jpgimg8009 by HughieDW, on Flickr

50201671542_9a34e9d128_b.jpgimg8014 by HughieDW, on Flickr

Looking down the quarry eastwards. In the distance you can see the tented village for the filming:

50200864098_364c69f2ac_b.jpgimg8015 by HughieDW, on Flickr

50201670447_734087f14c_b.jpgimg8019 by HughieDW, on Flickr

50201669872_44d5a1d9b1_b.jpgimg8020 by HughieDW, on Flickr

50201669382_2904eb5fbe_b.jpgimg8021 by HughieDW, on Flickr

50200861743_220aee4ecd_b.jpgimg8022 by HughieDW, on Flickr

50201404626_1e3ebb46b1_b.jpgimg8023 by HughieDW, on Flickr

50200860618_78889cea03_b.jpgimg8024 by HughieDW, on Flickr

50201403556_f187aab385_b.jpgimg8027 by HughieDW, on Flickr

The norther face of Eldon Hill Quarry. These terraces look almost like they were cut as roadways for lorries:

50200859743_23342f5906_b.jpgimg8028 by HughieDW, on Flickr

50200858703_bfc2f56cd7_b.jpgimg8031 by HughieDW, on Flickr

50201401096_31b36ba2b0_b.jpgimg8033 by HughieDW, on Flickr

50201400631_bc90f56ebd_b.jpgimg8035 by HughieDW, on Flickr

50201400216_ef1a340f49_b.jpgimg8036 by HughieDW, on Flickr

50201425186_a7d62cde20_b.jpgEldon Hill 01 by HughieDW, on Flickr

50201689282_024fe1cfab_b.jpgEldon Hill 02 by HughieDW, on Flickr

50201424616_1892ed2cf2_b.jpgEldon Hill 04 by HughieDW, on Flickr

50200881218_3695a27190_b.jpgEldon Hill 05 by HughieDW, on Flickr

50200880878_b9df9a9abc_b.jpgEldon Hill 07 by HughieDW, on Flickr
 
Great pictures and a good dog walking general area with lots of mining remains further up the track off to the right! it always surprises me that there are not more mining levels exposed by the face. it very much reminds me of Horseshoe quarry though that one is more main-stream being a climbers paradise.
 

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