Hodge Close Quarry

Near Coniston, Lake District

Introduction

I get the feeling that this is one of the old favourite dive sites which is not used much these days. It lies in the southern part of the Lake District about 2 miles from Coniston.

There are two parts to this quarry, the main part is an old green slate quarry which has a maximum depth of about 32m with visibility up to about 10m. there is a tunnel entrance at about 24m which leads to three chambers and 2 interconnecting tunnels, to enter these is serious cave diving and you need to well equipped and trained. There have been a number of fatalities here over the years.

The second part is a small cavern, about 7m deep with a few meters of air space above the water. Access to this is either via a land tunnel or by the "metal jetty". This is quite safe and although the access looks a little scary and there is no natural light it was very enjoyable. It would only take about 5 minutes to explore the whole cavern.     

Access to the quarry is not easy and involves a walk along a 120m tunnel  with full kit. The entrance to the tunnel has about 1m of water in it and you have to bend over a bit, so watch your head and your pillar valve. It is some walk from the main car park to the tunnel, or you can pay £4.00 per car to the cottage owner and he will let you park close to the tunnel entrance. From the other end of the tunnel you descend a scaffolding type ladder down to the quarry (see pictures).

Despite this it is still well worth the trouble. 

Services

Not a great deal to offer

• Parking
• The local cottages were offering teas etc.
• Lovely scenery
  

Through the tunnel

Down the Scaffolding

How to get there

Take the A593 (Ambleside to Coniston) and just under two miles north of Coniston is a road on the left sign posted to Hodge Close. Follow this for about two miles until it opens out into a huge car park. Hodge Close quarry is on your right however the tunnel entrance is on your left, down a steep slope.  It runs the width of the car park).

Carry on through the car park  and the road starts to go down hill, A few hundred yards and you will see the cottages mentioned earlier. From these cottages a rough track bends round to the left and takes you to the tunnel entrance. Unfortunately this road is blocked and you have to fork out your £4 before he will open up the track to you.   

Safety

There have been a number of fatalities here over the years so extreme caution is required if you enter the cave at 24m. There used to be a 14m entrance to the first cavern but this has been covered by a land slip.

It has been classified as an altitude dive although my Aladdin Pro didn't pick it up.

Land slips do occur and should there be an incident of any kind, remember getting access to the quarry will take time and assisting a casualty out of the quarry will too.