- This ancient
lead - mining village is one of the most popular in the Peak
District. There are 4 seperate spectacular caverns awaiting visitors:
the Blue John, Speedwell, Peak and Treak cliff Caverns. Between
them they present a dazzling display of stalactites and stalagmites.
Blue John, a translucent fluorspar peculiar to this area has
been mined since Roman times and today 5cwt of stone a year is
chiefly made into jewellery for tourists.
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- Speedwell Cavern,
at 600' below ground, is the deepest cave accessible to the public
in Britain. Venture down 100 dripping steps and take the boat
- ride through a quarter mile- long tunnel that was blasted out
in search of lead. At the end lies the Bottomless pit, a pool
where 40,000 tons of mining rubble were dumped without raising
the water level.
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