Just outside the village of Foolow (yes there really is a place called that) in Derbyshire one of the consequences of old mining activity has been revealed in the landscape. A 50 metre wide sinkhole has opened up with the subsidence of some old fluorite mines. The limestone of the south of Derbyshire was heaviliy mineralised with hydrothermal veins of lead and copper ores and with fluorite (including the famous and rare variety of Blue John). The legacy of this mining can still clearly be seen in the landscape and it continues to throw up surprising events such as this. It does show the importance of engineering modern mines to prevent such problems in the future.
There clearly wasn't much going on in Derbyshire over the Christmas holidays though as the Police had to warn people to stay away as crowds were gathering to watch a big hole in the ground.
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