Thursday Night Club

26th March 2010 - The Christmas Party

2010-03-31T11:30:00.005+01:00

They say that history is written by the victor.

If however the victors' grammar is truly atrocious and they rely on made up words, then it's probably better if the losers do it...

The going forward of the clocks signals the end of the official TNC season and also the time for our Christmas party. A cave, campsite and pub or two in fairly close proximity are therefore required and 4:30 on Friday afternoon saw the team assembling at Mr Suttcliffe's campsite in Horton in Ribblesdale.

It's a very long "kilometre" slog up the Pennine way from Horton. There has to be a better way than walking. At least the entrances of Sell Gill Holes aren't far from the track. The wet or Goblin entrance was living up to its name so rather than the hope for exchange trip, the whole team set off down the dry entrance. With Tom rigging and two members of the team already fired from photographic duties, the camera passed to Dick as he had recently attended one or two lessons of a photography course.

The only difficulties with the pitches came from choosing which of the many rigging alternatives to use, Tom in the end choosing a minimalist approach to see us quickly to the bottom. The impressively sized chamber narrows and lowers till the stream only has a crawling sized hole to flow through and flood debris can be found high up the chamber walls. The exit passage from the main chamber soon reaches a sump and we returned to photograph the main chamber. The temperature of the water and associated wind coming down from the wet route convincing us we'd made the right route choice.

The sky was still light as we made our way back up to the surface. The long trog back to the village was made a bit easier by the couple of cans Tom had stashed close to the entrance.

Phil having made the sensible decision to take some clean clothes with him was left in The Crown as we passed to secure a table, while the rest of us returned to the camp site to change. Phil did us proud and we were soon digging into a fine supper.

Moving on, we found ourselves in the "Brass Cat" with probably the worst pint of beer we've had all season. Spirits were low, but were soon raised as Phil produced an immaculate blue folder containing the Christmas quiz. Teams were decided and a (impartial) referee appointed.

While John and I graciously conceded that Tom and Dick may just have edged the first round, in the second and final round we were robbed, "zwerving" is not a word!

At least on the final question, to remain and drink awful beer or to head back to the Crown, we were unanimous.

CLICK HERE FOR SLIDE SHOW

19th March 2010 - Jockey Hole

2010-03-20T16:28:00.006Z

A short, vertical objective was required for this evening and Jockey Hole is exactly that, a relatively deep pot with almost no horizontal development.

The absence of deep snow made the walk up onto the allotment easier than of late and Tom's cave detecting, GPS watch led us straight to entrance. The main shaft is vertical virtually from the surface with steep grassy banks leading down to it. Fortunately a smaller hole a few metres away allows easier access to the pitches.

If you go to Jockey Hole looking for pristine, white, calcite formations you would initially be disappointed but the architecture, even of the entrance tunnel, soon overcomes any such dissatisfaction.

On the way up to the Allotment we'd worried that our 6 bolts may not be sufficient for a complete descent, but Tom was soon having to choose between the numerous bolts of different ages as he lead down the inclined tunnel leading to the main vertical shaft.

9 metres below me, Tom had landed on a small ledge before commencing out on a traverse to gain a free hang to continue his descent. The shout of "Rope free", saw Dick descend to the ledge as Tom left it before an enormous crash resonated around the rift.

First pitch - note the block jammed in the rift at the bottom of the photo - this is the one that slipped

Looking down from my vantage point above I was relieved to see two headtorches still on the ledge. What I didn't realise is that the ledge was now about a foot further below me than it had been a second or two before. The "ledge" turned out to be a large chock stone, partially held in place by smaller stones down one side. The movement of these had allowed the block to fall, before once again becoming jammed.

Coming close to the end of the rope, Tom made the most of the ubiquitous bolts and rebelayed.

Decsending the excellent main pitch

His progress down to the bone strewn boulder slope at the bottom of the pot was made with the accompaniment of small stones still falling from the repositioned chock stone.

A short distance down the slope any further progress is blocked by a vertical wall of conglomerate. Above a faint glimmer of light could still be seen at the top of the shaft. A pair of old boots testament to much earlier exploration.

At the bottom - nowhere to go

These boots were made for caving

On the return up the pitches, Tom took the time to retake the pictures I'd taken in a more conventional "in focus" style and as quickly as we had entered the vertical world we were once more in the horizontal one.

Entrance passage

For the last few months the ground has either been frozen solid or under a layer of snow. The return to warmer conditions with the first rain of the year seemed to have brought forth a vast number of worms. As we walked back down to the cars, the ground flickered as they shot back down into their burrows.

Perhaps birds would be better off staying up late to catch the worms.

CLICK HERE FOR SLIDESHOW

12th March 2010 - Sylvester Pot

2010-03-14T18:17:00.007Z

Prologue - A chance meeting.

Making the most of the stunning weather and to break up the journey home, Dick and Mat were taking a stroll from Bull Pot Farm over to Sylvester pot, the team's objective for the evening, hoping to bump into us.

Seeing two cavers, they waved and went over to speak them. The two old timers had been digging and were puzzling over why their dig had filled with water, as there hadn't been any water in it before they'd started. Asking Dick where he was off to, "Sylvester pot" came the reply. "We found Sylvester", said the old timers explaining how it had got its name from the jack they had used to haul out boulders from the entrance crawl, "not many people go down there anymore, what are you off to see?". Dick mentioned that we hoped to go and see the formation of Newton's Wonder, "That's named after me!", replied one of the pair.

Sylvester pot.

Having met Dick at Devil's bridge, just Phil and myself headed back up to Bull Pot farm, with the Sun just starting to set over Morecambe bay in the distance. A solitary hare ran across the road as we caught our first view of Ease Gill and the last remaining patches of snow coloured with the rays from the setting Sun.

A fantastic set of instructions allowed us to locate the entrance without difficulty and the promised crawl through a pool of water fortunately failed to materialize. Leaving a small chamber via a sandy passage that soon lowered to a crawl, we could soon hear a stream somewhere ahead. A large hole in the floor gave us our first glimpse of the streamway, though we continued traversing above it for a few metres until it became just a short climb down into the water.

Turning back on ourselves we followed the stream over a couple of small cascades and arrived at the pitch head. In a first for me, we rigged the pitch from a couple of spits backed up to a natural thread, before I made the slightly wetter than expected descent of the pitch.

Landing in a wet, spray lashed chamber, high above Phil tried to improve the rigging of the pitch to make it slightly drier. With us both down, we found the way on and rather than continuing further towards the main chamber and the eventual way on into the main Ease Gill system, we took a sharp right and headed down Route 880.

Newton's Wonder

The low crawls brought us out into quite a large chamber which, on its far side, revealed a beautiful gour pool with a stunningly decorated aven above, Newton's Wonder. Pictures taken, we decided that the delights of the loose main chamber and the Rocky Horror show beyond would have to wait for another day and headed back to the surface.

Our thanks to Jim and Lionel for digging out the pot, not once but twice!

3rd March 2010 - Notts II

2010-03-04T10:19:00.006Z

There may be snow drops in the hedgerows and daffs out for St David's day, but it felt very wintery as we changed on Leck Fell lane just below the snowline on the surrounding hills.

One of the beauties of caving on Leck Fell is the proximity of the caves to the road, though this advantage is somewhat negated if, as a couple of the members of the party did, you go on a yomp to view the vista of Ireby fell and Marble steps.

Team re-united, we headed off to explore another of the Notts II inlets, which in keeping with many of the others was muddy, aqueous and due to most of the water in the system at present being from snow melt, quite chilly.

A couple of nice formations though made it all worthwhile.

Returning to the surface there seemed to be groups of head torches dotted around each of the entrances on Leck Fell and the lane resembled an Ikea car park at the start of a sale. Fortunately the CRO were only involved in an exercise rather than a real call out.

After another chilly change, the team were soon well ensconsed in the Snooty Fox with pints of Timmy Taylor's Landlord and Cheese and Onion crisps all round.

CLICK HERE FOR FULL SCREEN SLIDE SHOW

25th February 2010 - Beyond Easegill Aven

2010-02-26T12:25:00.010Z

The Easegill system is big.

Despite most of the team having spent nearly two decades ferreting around on a huge variety of trips, it's great when you can still end up in a previously unexplored corner, especially when it turns out to be such a gem.

Heading off caving in daylight has that same strange feeling as when you leave the cinema in the afternoon, it doesn't quite feel right, but nevertheless we were soon making our way down into the rift of Wretched Rabbit.

Once underground the effect of Tom's 70km/week running regime became startingly obvious as Dick and myself sweatily followed the distant sounds of his progress through the meandering passageway. Climbing up into 4 ways brought us onto the Stop pot boulder slope and the ladder that leads to the vastness of the high level series.

The Ladders at Stop Pot leading to Mainline Terminus

Furry suit now soaked and with sweat now running into my eyes, I tried to keep pace with the faint glow of Tom's headtorch somewhere in the distance, the easier ground having allowed him to up the pace a notch. Given the size of Corne's cavern, the entrance to the Mancunian way probably feels tighter than it actually is but it soons gives way to crawling that, if it ever crawling could be described as pleasant, almost is.

Mancunian Way Crawl

The white rock of the trench walls a stark contrast to the dark soil of its base.

At a cross road with the way ahead becoming blocked and the right hand way leading to the start of a dig reminiscent of Skylight passage, our way on lead to the left.

Approaching Easegill Aven

A flat out crawl,which saved the very tightest bit till last, soon opened out into a larger passage way. A short climb up utilising possibly the most perfect foothold led into a small chamber.

After a quick ratch around during which we managed to find ourselves back where we had already been and have to use the foothold again, we found the way on. Unlike the previous crawl, this one was of the quite unpleasant type, over ill proportioned cobbles. A "surprise" does however wait at the end and unlike most treats, which are over far too soon, this one continued as we made our way along the aptly named Nice Way.

Having looked at the survey since, leaving a rope down the County pitch would make a very nice roundtrip via Easegill Aven. As it was it was out the same way as we had come in.

Today the Wretched Rabbit climbs felt very wretched and it was with some relief we gained the surface and much needed refreshment from a spring in the gill side opposite the entrance.

The view down Easegill Aven

The Surprise

Nice Way

Dick working up a head of Steam in Mancunian Way

CLICK HERE FOR A FULL SCREEN SLIDE SHOW

18th February 2010 - Andalucia

2010-02-24T13:37:00.001Z

The entrance was just as we had dreamt, after walking for 15 minutes through the idyllic high pastures of the Sierra Castril the GPS took us directly to the impressive cave entrance, a dark gash in the steep hilside surrounded by rocky bluffs and ancient pine trees.

Just a few feet inside the perfectly placed bolts allowed us all to abseil down the bell shaped shaft in quick succession. Bruce, bringing up the rear, lowered down the carefully prepared leightweight inflatable boat that we would need in order to cross the huge underground lake that lay somewhere beneath us.

The walls of the shaft were now hard to pick out in the vastness of the chamber, but after nearly 100 metres of free hanging decent we landed on the crystaline white floor of the cave, surrounded by spectacular sparkling gour pools. The distant walls of the huge cavern echoing our amazement that such a place could exist.

By this time Johns concerns about the pre-planning of this trip had now evaporated, we knew how difficult caves in this area of Spain are to locate, their co-ordinates and access details shrouded in mystery, jealously guarded by locals. However Bruce had spent several days roaming the hillsides until he had identified first the gully, and then the cave entrance.

A late night feast around a blazing log fire at our high altitude camp the night before had been the perfect start, and the amazing display of shooting stars shortly after midnight seemed like a good omen.

The small but robust boat was quickly inflated, and soon we were paddling across the underground sea, at one point we stopped paddling and as the ripples faded the water became so transparent it seemed as if we were floating many metres above the floor. This really was just like a dream.

OK - you've guessed it it was.

The Reality

Slipping and sliding, engine screaming our little hire car was urged on up the muddy track by the exhortations of the four occupants. At least the arcs of yellow mud plastering sides, windows and mirrors of the Peugeot hid the steep drop off from the track side. A combination of clay, slush and a ramp of snow against the front spoiler where it scraped the track stopped further progress. With a bit of cajoling the car slid back, completed a graceful arc with one wheel more than a foot off the ground and slithered, wheels locked, the way we had come. No country for young Peugeots. Any further progress in search of the entrance to Cueva Fuente Frio was going to be on foot.

Peugeot put to the test

Meticulous planning by Bruce led to a carefully organised chance meeting with Alfonso on main street Castril, he had pointed us this way, “the cave entrance was in the second quebrada at about 1600 metres, but dangerous in the snow” he said. Hours spent plodding to the col at over 1800 metres confirmed what he said. It would be a dangerous descent in the snow; locating the entrance to Fuente Frio and its tropical underground lake remains a good excuse for a long walk on another day.

There is a cave in those hills!

The second cave is even harder to find, a narrow slot somewhere high on the slopes of Pico Del Buitre and almost certainly snow filled. Unable to find two of our three caves this was turning into my sort of trip. So it was time to Fandango with Cueva Don Fernando. Bruce and Tom had already done the real work on this with their previous trip, but it’s still an hour and a half uphill slog carrying 230 metres of rope.

You can't miss this cave entrance

The impressive entrance is slightly marred by the accumulation of years of goat muck, incredibly slippery where wet but with a high incentive not to fall, we left brown ski tracks. Fortunately there is a small clean area before the first pitch to rig up and scrape off the clingons. Pitches, all bolted, descend past the Gran Estalagmita and flowstone features increasingly dominates the cave.

Flowstone formations

A water lubricated squeeze over more flowstone gives access to the lower pitches – no Yorkshire pot this, full of the noise of running water, all is silent. The route climbs gradually again from the pitch bottom and becomes noticeably warmer, white sand and powdered lime covers areas of the floor, sufficiently few people have been here that individual footsteps are identifiable and most of the cave remains pristine apart from the bats! A squeeze into creepy chamber revealed a pulsating lump of aggregated bats huddled together like one organism just above head height. We had swapped from goats to bats – metre high cones of bat crap built up under their populous winter roosts.

Bat "deposits"

Quickly leaving creepy chamber and moving through Bat Chamber the fantastic formations of Sala de la Colada were revealed. The most impressive that I have seen outside a show cave. An enormous screen of flowstone dominates one wall of the stalactite decorated chamber. Plenty of time was spent trying to photograph the splendours of the cave but its size soaked up light and a bigger team with more flash power is really needed to do it justice.

Below - the extensive formations in Sala Colada

We regained the entrance to a wet misty dusk after 6.5 hours underground. It was dark on the descent, but not only had Tom remembered to bring a GPS he had remembered on the way up to turn it on, so without too much staggering about we were back at Cortijo Sierra Castril, wood stove burning, Bruce pouring out the beer, Janice serving lashings of hot food – good country for old men.

CLICK HERE FOR FULL SCREEN SLIDE SHOW

5th February 2010 - Long Kin East

2010-02-06T14:49:00.001Z

Tom had picked out an adventurous cave for the team. Long Kin East. As far as I could make out it was high up on the Sout East flank of Ingleborough. Looking on the map this morning it seems we parked in Crummockdale and walked up towards Juniper Gulf. The GPS led us to the area but it took 15 minutes to find the entrance. Quite an insignificant swallow hole which dropped us into an active stream passage. A high meandering passage took us to the top of the first pitch which cut down in steps to the base of a high aven.

The fine meandering streamway in Long Kin East

The route however led Tom along a sporting traverse, arriving at ther top of the aforementioned aven to take the drop in one. The next section of passageway dropped quite quickly and had its own distinctive feel about it. It led to the top of further pitches, which again looked sporting. The spray and temperature of the water meant we were cooling down, and given that the descent was no giveaway, Tom called on years of experience to make the decision to head for the pub. After much complaining from John in particular we eventually agreed that this was the best option and we'd have to come back another day to do the rest.

Ascending the entrance pitch

We arrived on the top relieved that it was perfectly calm, no wind chill, and shared some rations before powerwalking back to the car.

Above the cave entrance

The pub had everything.....Log fire, atmosphere, comfy chairs, table, a few other punters, and of course, some beer. We spent time gloating over our photos in the new caving guide. Phil in the technical section (Mmmm), John in the 'Where to cave section', and Tom more appropriately nearer the front amongst the important stuff. Arrived back at 23.20 to complete a full day.

CLICK HERE FOR FULL SCREEN SLIDE SHOW

22nd January 2010 - Marble Steps

2010-02-01T11:15:00.009Z

We had got away with it so far in 2010. With snow and ice cladding the hills and fells beckoning the climber we had not had to go caving but with melting snow we once again found ourselves walking across a muddy hill on a Friday night to go caving. The grapevine in Inglesport had told us about an alternative entrance into Marble Steps called Lost Marbles but Grapevine also told us that it had a 'tight five metres' and it was a bit 'grotty'! If this was the description from him who revels in small muddy spaces then the chances were I wasn't going to like it. Marble Steps appeared in the twilight (it is great when the nights start to get shorter and you walk up to the cave in daylight, makes spring seem not far away) and the snow that had blown in during the blizzards formed large banks overhanging the entrance depression in contrast to the snow free moorland we walked over to the entrance. We dropped the rope bags and walked up the moor to where the stream leads down into Marble Steps pot, then headed back down the snow slope looking for the new entrance. As the stream sank in the left bank we saw a hole cleared in a snow drift where the warm air blowing out from underground has melted it. Moving the slab of rock over the hole revealed a blue plastic pipe leading into Lost Marbles. The beta we had received from Grapevine was all too accurate and after a few metres of grovelling we met a not pleasant looking muddy tight bit with a few inches of snow melt water running through it.

No Comment

None of us had the inclination to attack it so we headed out, rather muddy into the cold night air. An exploration to return to later in the year.

Sidewinder Passage

Back at Marble Steps Alistair rigged to the Sidewinder Pitch and then we dropped this to the lower main chamber where a fixed rope was ascended to find a dig in progress.

Main Chamber

Crawl

After reaching the next pitch with no rope to descend it with we headed back out taking photos on the way. In the main chamber we climbed up into the Lost Inlet Series to see where we should have come out had we done Lost Marbles, a fixed rope leading off up into the series. The we headed out and to the pub. A pleasant first trip of the new year.

Click here for full screen slide show

2nd January 2010 - Cueva de Don Fernando - Day 2

2010-01-03T23:45:00.004Z

After discovering what was involved we returned to Cueva de Don Fernando with thicker rope for the entrance pitches, bolt hangers, spanner and even a drill in case we thought it necessary to place some more bolts. In superb weather we scrambled up the steep slopes to the cave entrance (approx 50 minutes today as no snow underfoot and a eased by taking a slightly better line in places). We even discovered some in situ cable allowing a higher line to be taken on the last section across the slabs. We were suprised to see in the entrance some equipment that indicated that some other cavers were also making a descent. Sure enough another rope was in place on the first pitch and actually pretty badly rigged as they also had not brought any bolt hangers with them.

This time with the heavier duty ropes for the entrance pitches and by placing more hangers on the insitu bolts we ended up with a much better line for the rope with no problematic rub points.

Soon we were down the first two pitches (30 metre rope and 25 metre rope) and into what was for us new territory. There were two ways on, either a climb over a "wall" to a possible big pitch or down a calcite slope running with water. Checking the latter it ended up in a squeeze that would get us pretty wet, so we decided to check the climb over the wall that had an insitu rope. This only lead us to an unlikely looking pitch with bolt "spits" that we didn't have the right bolts for. So the only way on was down the wet calcite squeeze. Bruce headed through first and made quick work of it and was soon beckoning me to pass the tackle bags through (we had nearly 200 metres of rope left plus bolt hangers, camera and a few other bits and pieces). The squeeze was not as bad as it looked even with full SRT gear on and although a bit wet the temperatures in the cave were quite reasonable. The squeeze led pretty much straight onto more pitches, with what we later found out were fixed ropes (but again not very well hung).

We ran out another 90 metres of rope over a few pitches and got good clear abseils by using our own hangers. This led us back to another calcite section again running with water, and a larger pitch leading into a huge chamber. This in fact was probably the wettest part as water tended to run down the rope and get you pretty drenched!

We later measured this pitch as 30 metres, so we had 70 metres of rope left over after descending to what was the main lower chamber of the system. A climb over another barrier with fixed ropes led further into the chamber to where we could hear voices, "Luz, luz! Hola! " (the Spanish cavers must have been impressed with the illumination from my new Stenlight!). Soon we were gasping in awe at the size of the cave, the roof at least 50 metres above us and walls 20 or 30 metres apart, it was immense. The Spanish cavers who turned out to be from Murcia asked us about the Sala de la Colada (Room of Columns), and we compared surveys (Bruce had obtained a photo of a basic survey from the Tourist Info Office that morning).

By now if was around 3pm and we had been in the cave for 3 hours, so we had some lunch and took some photos in the main chamber. By the time we had finished the group from Murcia returned and described the great sights to be seen in the Sala de la Colada, and pointed us in the right direction. A bit more scrambling took us to a climb up impressive flowstone formations and into this amazing section of cave with it wide variety of formations, total unspoilt. It was a great opportunity for some photography and we spent 30 minutes exploring the stalagmites and stalagtites, pools and columns and realising we were probably the first British people to see the superb section of cave.

Before heading back we had a quick look at the "pozo" (well) - a large ramp that descended another 30 metres or so and a rather loose looking scramble that must have led onto more chambers. Another visit may give us chance to explore these further as onm this trip we had really run out of time. It was quite physical work getting all the ropes and equipment out of the cave as the pitches were not really free hangs and so the bags had to be hauled up in short sections as well as removing our bolt hangers and of course returning through the wet calcite squeeze. But we made good time and heading up the last section of rope we could see a feint beam of light illuminating the chamber above us, indicating that it was not yet fully dark outside. With all our gear back at the top of the entrance pitch we congratulated each other on a great trip and then realised that the huge mountain of gear we had needed to be carried back down the steep slopes before we could really say the trip was over.

With four large bags (about 25kgs each) that was quite a challenge, but 60 minutes later, our headlights picked out the car through the trees. Hooting owls talked to each other as we came through the boulder field on the lower section, a fine end to a caving trip that is certainly one not to miss!

Click here for slide show of trip

1st January 2010 - Cueva Don Fernando - Spain

2010-01-01T17:45:00.005Z

A 300 km drive from Alicante area on New Years Eve found me at reclusive TNC member Bruce Jardines Hacienda in the remote and spectacular Sierra Castril mountains of Northern Andalucia. Conditions were looking rather wintery and with a rather late start we headed into the Natural park well equiped for the steep walk in of about 90 minutes. On the way we chatted briefly to some of the local outdoor enthusiasts who warned us of possible water in the cave and a what sounded like a possible "duck".

Bruce had visited the entrance before and was reasonably sure of the approach route, but with snowfall the prvious night and occaisional wintery showers rolling across the mountains it looked like it could be quite a challenge in itself. We had nearly 200 metres of rope with us and hoped that this would be enough.

Sure enough after 90 mins of walking through epic countryside that would look great in any spaghetti western the cave entrance was pretty obvious, a huge gaping hole below massive cliffs.

100 metres into the cave the daylight was fading and so we geared up and headed down over deep layers of soil from hundreds of years of goat droppings. Just before the first pitch were some fine active gour pools.

The belays for the first pitch were not the best, a single bolt and a poor thread, so we searched around for alternatives and after a while found a good thread immediately above the sloping ledge we had to descend. 5 metres down there was a spinning bolt and several bolt stubs, so we had to use all our rope protectors to avoid any rubbing points on the way down. The pitch used 25 metres of rope and opened out into another huge chamber which dropped away beyond a large ledge.

The belays for the next pitch were bolt stubs so we could go no further without bring hangers and a spanner to allow us to tie the rope in. By now it was 4pm and so it was time to return anyway, at least we were armed with some knowledge of what was in store for us. From the top of the second pitch there were two ways on that we could see. A fixed rope down a gently sloping smooth calcite slope, or a climb over a 10 metre wall which led onto a further huge chamber.

We left the unused rope we had bought and headed back to the entrance and the long descent back to the car. Tommorrow we would have to return with some more rope, bolts and possibly a drill to improve the rope hangs.

18th December 2009 - Rift Pot (Deep and Crisp and flipping Cold!)

2009-12-18T23:09:00.001Z

Although there had been a sprinkling of snow on the fells around Lancaster the wintery view over the Dales approaching Ingleton foretold of a possibly "interesting" walk in to Long Kin East (our original objective) on the slopes of Ingleborough.

Negotiating the snowy roads in Austwick and driving up the lanes toward Norber was the the easy bit. Once changed the long walk along lanes in the dark was the "warm up" for the full on winter conditions on the 2.2km fell walk across to the Allotment area of Ingleborough. Sections of limestone pavement covered in deep snow made some sections very tricky indeed and Dicks "slick" wellies struggled to gain any purchase on the steeper sections.

Following the GPS trail we arrived to within 100 metres of the Long Kin East entrance, but the "hole" we stood next to did not look very likely, and a search of the area saw us getting very cold in the now arctic conditions. We re-assesed our location and decided check the area to the south, and found the narrow trench of the Rift Pot entrance. We were so cold by now that we all agreed that we should head down this entrance and hope that we would warm up a bit in the cave below.

Dick quickly rigged the entrance pitch and soon we were abseiling into the warmth of the huge entrance chamber, what a relief! We spent 15 minutes warming up and looking at the way on which would connect with our original objective, noting that the only hangers were old "Elliot" style spits, definitely one to come back to though.
Ascending back to the sub zero arctic plateau above us we readied ourselves for a quick return to the cars and civilisation. A 4 hour epic done and dusted!

Click Here for full screen slideshow

11th December 2009 - Caroling in Easegill and up the Arson shaft

2009-12-14T12:36:00.008Z

Proximity to Christmas allows people to engage in behaviour which at other times of year would at least seem strange and at worst have you comitted. Behaviours range from wearing novelty ties/jumpers/hats to the buying of the latest X factor winner's single. Somewhere between these two extremes lies caroling at various points in the Easegill system, carefully chosen for their acoustic magnificance.

Watching Progress down Lancaster Hole

High Level Series

Given that the varying reverberence times of different spaces can affect an ensemble's timbre, we chose the style just after Bull Pot of the Witches as the site for our first few lines, before moving on to Lancaster hole.
Phil showed that men can multitask by rigging the pitch while still continuing the carol, amply lit by the "aven blaster" from above.

Our next site was the Collonade chamber, Tom, Dick and Sharon each demonstrating their individual vocal talents with coreographed solos.

Dropping into the depths of Fall pot it's worth noting that it's quicker to use the climbs than the thick in situ ropes. It should also be taken into account that a key shift of a third of an octave is required to overcome the inherent tininess of Fall pot.

Continuing along the high level series, Phil, Dick and Sharon made their way to Bob's boss and the Painter's pallet, while Tom and I went to have a look at the top of the Arson shaft. A short recce made us determined to return but we had to head back and joined the others back at the foot of Lancaster.

The roads to Barbon were icy, but the fire inside the pub was nice and warm.

Click here for Full Screen Slide Show

4th December 2009 - Committee Meeting

2009-12-05T13:07:00.006Z

You would like to think that the fourth week into the season would resemble the photo below with a full team urging to go caving.

Well, the reality was that this Friday at 4.30pm resembled a PE changing room on a wet December day with students handing in notes from their mummy's explaining why they could not participate in physical activity.

Dear Sir,
please excuse Thomas from caving today as he needs some sunshine on his vitamin D deficient body and has had to go to Spain.

Dear Sir,
please excuse John today from having to do any physical activity as he has to meet some people in Wigan and can't possibly get back.

Dear teechr
alustr wont beabul to go out tdy cos e as to look aftr alfi wot is ill. (we believed this one. ed)

Dear outdoor people
While I was rather looking forward to a trip underground with you fine chaps tonight, I find that I have a rather urgent work commitment that takes me away from the dark and wet. Sharon

Oh, you lot
I live in France/Spain and haven't been all season, don't pick on us!!!

So, Phil and I were reduced to getting into our caving gear on Leck Fell and debating which route down Lost John's we would tackle. Ropes packed in some sort of order from memory (as we didn't have a guide and Ali had planned a trip down Selgill Holes) we set off to the gate only to find ... we were at the wrong gate!

After dumping the rope bags we set of to Committee Pot (the dug entrance into Notts II ) and scrambled down the fantastic manmade entrance to Notts II.

This is what it would have looked like if Sharon had been able to come down the entrance series in Notts II

The entrance pitch breaks into Mincemeat Aven and there are two ropes hanging down in there. The first rope ended at a ledge above the wall of the aven while the second led up into the gritstone boulder strewn lower part of the aven. The aven soared above and brought in a small stream, no wonder it was where the diggers thought they might break in from the surface. Unfortunatly it didn't go any further in the early exploration, ending in jammed boulders after 50m.

Beyond the aven the passage enters the main stream way at Inlet 13. The mainstream from the upstream sump from Notts Pot flows for 1300m to sump 2, initially flowing in a fine drained phreatic tube of low gradient for 700m. A nick point marks the start of a narrow canyon which conveys the stream for the remaining distance to the dark, cobbly lower sump.

We set off downstream in a fine meandering streamway. On the left we discovered a finely crafted rope ladder in front of an active flowstone cascade, which invited the caver upwards to a small passage which turned out to be (Inlet 14) leading to 20 meters of low passage and probably a dig.

The next inlet was above some calcited blocks bridging the passage and is called Gour Inlet (Inlet 15). Entry was gained by climbing the flowstone cascade below the blocks. A stooping height passage lead over fragile rimstone pools fed by drips from the roof. The passage ended suddenly at the edge of a drop of 1.5m into a small chamber. A muddy eyehole was followed to a drop into a small sump pool that made a lovely glooping sound as the ripples touched the roof of the sump.

Back in the main streamway we headed to the final chamber of NottsII. After climbing down the waterfall we arrived at Kleine Scheidegg (which sported a powerful spout of water) there was evidence of recent flooding with froth 5m up the walls.

A romping stride back up the streamway took us quickly back to inlet 13 and we decided to explore upstream to the nick point, passing the majestic speleothem of Vlad the Impaler

Back on the surface the rain was just starting as we headed off for the Snooty Fox. It is amazing how much faster we travelled underground with only the two of us, we were in the pub by 8pm!

ps

Extract from letter home to parents.

'...you son/daughter has been provided with a range of opportunities to be physically active. They should understand how physical activity can help them to be more healthy, and how physical activity can improve and be a part of their every day life. Please ensure that they are available for the lesson next week...'

26th November 2009 - Low Douk Cave

2009-11-30T09:30:00.004Z

With more rain having fallen over the course of the week and yet more again predicted, once more we headed off to find what we hoped would be a relatively dry cave.

Armed with another new light we climbed over the style on to the open moor to find a beautifully made footpath . Unfortunately it wasn't going the way we were.

The sink hole of Low Douk is easy to find but the "new" entrance looks a little unlikely.

The Power of Scurion

After a traverse over an open pot the way on is by way of a perfectly sized tube.

The open part of the cave from the traverse to the entrance

In the "New" entrance series

A short way along the tube a stream enters from the left. The amount of water this was bringing into the tube did not make continuing look like a fun prospect and we decided to turn around. John's perfect trip was in the offing - a retreat to the pub afer less than 5 minutes underground! Unfortunately he wasn't there to enjoy it.

Rather than heading straight back though we decided to try out our lights with a bit of filmaking, Dick trying his hardest to make the open pot look like a long and deep cave exploration. Finally all we needed was an "arriving at the sump" sequence and Dick spotted a likely looking niche in the wall that could serve as our "sump".

To his surprise the niche went, fine dry stone walling and fresh signs of capping leading the way on. In order to avoid a headlong descent onto the head of a small, but thankfully rigged pitch, a feet first approach is to be recommended. This in turn leads through into a small chamber fitted with a handy stemple and scaffolding beam, which again can be made best use of when approached feet first. A final squirm brought us onto a rigged traverse and a short drop into the "visciously" meandering streamway of Low Douk.

This "new new" entrance, courtesy of the Misty Mountain Mud Miners probably renders the old new entrance defunct, offering as it does a relatively easy and SRTless means of reaching the streamway.

We followed the streamway for a way downstream before figuring you can have too much fun constantly changing direction and having to move up and down the height of the rift to find the easiest way through. Having had a quick look in the roof of the rift we made our way back to the surface and a waiting hail storm. Last week getting into the car it had been 16 degrees, this week just 4. It's a good thing we'd chosen a cave on top of a hill as Tom's car wasn't happy without any petrol in it. There's always a reason for everything and had we not had to stop at the petrol station on the way to the Craven Heifer we'd never have seen the Wallis and Gromitesque headline, "Three peaks pooch collared again" on a bill board - must have been a slow news day.

Below - Video of the trip

19th November 2009 - WR to start of Manchester Bypass

2009-11-21T19:58:00.006Z

With the rain having fallen for the last few days and more on its way, caving options were becoming a little limited. Phil though had the great idea of trying to recreate some of the pictures from the 1950s which can be found in the "History of Easegill". As well as providing a dry evening's caving, it would also give us the opportunity to try out some new lights: Tom's "Aven-blaster" and my new headtorch.

Aven Blaster in Action

Not only was the rain limiting our caving options but unfortunately the associated flooding was limiting our caving team too - hope all's well in Kendal Dick. John had also found a much cheaper way of avoiding caving. No need to travel to South America, all you need is a note saying you've got a sore knee!

The water at Devil's Bridge was incredible, none of the usual rocks being visible and whole trees being washed along in the current.

Having changed in the shelter of Bull Pot Farm we made our way across the moor and down into Easegill. As soon as we entered the rift of Wretched Rabbit it was time to try out the new lights, Tom's aven blaster lighting up previously unseen chockstones in the very top of the rift.

It was not a day for visiting Spiral Stairway passage so we continued down the meandering passage.

Wretched Rabbit

Fortunately Tom and Phil know this system well and I was called back from what would have been a very wet rendezvous with Eureka junction and we headed up into Fourways chamber. From here it is just a short squirm to Stop pot (even shorter than it used to be courtesy of a new bit of digging).

Once in the chamber it was time to try and recreate the first of the photos. Tom moved around the most obvious view points before ending up perched on a high ledge affording a stance from which to take the picture.

This is as close as we could get - not far of the original picture - click image to see large version

One photo down, we then needed to find "Carrot chamber, close to the start of the Manchester Bypass". Despite finding many beautiful stal formations, they were never quite the right ones and we had to return to Stop pot without our second image.

Some days the climbs out of Wretched Rabbit feel ok, but on others they feel nearly impossible. It is though, always a relief to be back at the top of them, smelling the fresh air coming from the entrance.

It is also always a pleasure to sit back in the comfy sofas of the Barbon Inn with a nice pint and a packet of Cheese and Onion - caving's not that bad John!

Friday 13th November 2009 - Pillar Holes.

2009-11-21T19:48:00.007Z

With heavy rain forecast the TNC headed onto the moors above Cold Cotes in search of Pillar Holes, a pot which hopefully would be relatively safe if the predicted deluge hit.

Having previously spent an evening wandering this patch of moorland spectacularly failing to find a cave, Tom led the way with his GPS onto the plateau area that continues all the way over to Gaping Ghyll.

There are three entrances to Pillar holes and we split into two teams for a crossover trip between two of them. Tom and John disappeared down entrance One while Dick and I descended a short muddy gully, on the other side of the rock bridge, to entrance Two. A Petzl bolt protected the traverse onto the first Y hang and a short pitch then dropped onto a beautifully carpeted boulder slope. As Dick arrived at the bottom of the pitch, the head of the “carpet” bounced down the rift, to join a friend below. The route then moves into a superb rift and long pitch landing at the top of an extensive dig.

Hearing Tom and John’s voices above us we made the short climb up the rift via another well carpeted area and a digger’s glove into which numerous squatters had moved into, to the foot of their final pitch. Tom was hovering in space as we arrived and he made a short swing across the aven to join us. John soon joined us from above and we conducted an acrobatic exchange in probably the most constricted part of what is on the whole a large and spacious cave.

With the sound of John’s delight at encountering the first wall to wall carpet ringing in our ears, Dick ascended a very fine pitch, literally “getting into the groove”. It was a little unnerving to find just a single anchor at the top though.

Had it been daylight the last pitch or two would have been in the light, but tonight it was only the rain and small ferns clinging to even the smallest ledges that indicated we were now in an open pot.

As we pulled out of the small gully at the top of the pitch, Tom and John were immerging from number Two entrance and the wind and rain were beginning to pick up. John's van provided shelter from the rising storm, allowing a comfortable change before we made our way to the Craven Heifer in Ingleton.

5th November 2009 - Cape Kennedy and Fireworks!

2009-11-09T09:53:00.012Z

There was a big turnout for the photo shoot down Lancaster Hole and through to Fire Hydrant. It was nice to meet up in fading light at Devils Bridge. The cafe seems to shut earlier these days. No chance of a hot chocolate or cake. There were wisteful(?) glances in through the windows of the new Red Rose hut facilities on the way down. Perhaps one of the team could be left on combination code cracking duties whilst the others are on the trip. There can't be THAT many combinations to try?

Observations on the way through......There is a new rope in position on entry to Fall Pot which would take you down to the main streamway. Fall Pot is big, but not big enough for a proper firework display. The use by dates on safety flares are very cautious. The 'safety' ropes down into Fall Pot and Stop Pot are getting too greasy to use.

Tom found the way with the usual slight hesitation at the begining of Stake pot inlets and we all moved along well into Cape Kennedy. The photos were as good as we've done. Through into Fire hydrant and onto the straws. On the way out, at the top of the 88 foot pitch, Dick ran into a bat which seemed a long way in. It must be a wonder of nature as to how they navigate in the dark to such a place.

On exiting Lancaster Hole it was already past nine and we hurried up to the farm and then down to the Snooty Fox. It had been a long first night of the season trip and with three over 50's in the group, quite a good performance.

BELOW: PHOTOS OF THIS TRIP -
CLICK HERE FOR FULL SCREEN SLIDE SHOW

BELOW: VIDEO OF TRIP INCLUDING THE FLARES IN FALL POT !
DOUBLE-CLICK ON VIDEO TO VIEW FULL SCREEN

20th March 2009 - Lost Johns

2009-03-21T23:55:00.002Z

It was quite an evening in Yorkshire. Wonderful light provided by a sun on an early Spring afternoon. Waiting at Devils Bridge it seemed that the whole world was in their cars, but driving up onto Leck fell we surfaced into a halcyon landscape which we had to ourselves as per usual. We headed off down into Lost Johns again, this time the whole team knew where to go, and travelled down four abseils to the sump. We negioatiated the duck en route which seemed the only unpleasant part of the whole system. Back in the Snooty Fox we saw that next Friday is disco night. Something to look forward to at last.

13th March 2009 - Lost Johns

2009-03-14T09:45:00.003Z

With a combined age of over 200 years (when will these guys grow up), the team assembled on Leck fell with an assortment of rope lengths (with a combined age of at least 200 years thanks to Johns museum piece). As usual, some of the team tried to look like they knew what was going on and where the cave was whilst Dick effortlessly put the correct ropes into the correct bags and headed off. We choose two routes down into Lost Johns and had a near faultless trip, meeting up at the swopover for a break.

Phil in New Roof Traverse

Phil's lights were on there way out and Tom's resourcefulness was never challenged as he arranged a jury rig which got the job done and saw him out.

Phil exploring the cave - without a light!

As usual, it was nice to stand out amongst the posh lot in the Snooty Fox where they had matching glasses for each brew of beer. There was talk of an end of season bash but as usual, no driver could be thought of. John tried to engineer an early end to the season but it seems trips up until Easter, not the spring equinox, will have to be tackled.

CLICK HERE FOR SLIDESHOW

5th March. Mistral Hole to Link Pot.

2009-03-09T17:15:00.005Z

The ice gleamed blue in the sunshine and high above a Condor wheeled in the warm air high above the South Patagonian Ice Cap. The horses, grazing quietly on some scrubby grass were glad of the rest after the tough going of the last few hours as John had struggled to find a way around the glacier moraine ... or so he wished. Why was he standing at the top of the Mistral he wondered, on a Thursday night of all nights, facing the next few hours of darkness, wetness and tightness when the rest of the world was beckoning and anything was better than this.

No Comment

The Mistral/Link connection is the remaining section to be checked leading to the linking of sections to become what was at one time the longest underground trip in England, Pippikin to Top Sink. Mistral entrance leads to a drop down to a left hand bend and continuing rift passage that seems less strenuous after having done it a few weeks back. At the top of a 3.7m climb the way on is to the left over a boulder and into a rift which changes to a flat out crawl under a cross rift to emerge in The HOBBIT, a flat roofed chamber.

At the far side of The HOBBIT a fine walking sized passage passes two ropes, past these a large boulder in the middle of the passage at a right hand bend is met, down a trench in the floor the passage changes to a phreatic tube carrying a stream, eventually a slide over calcite on the right drops to a low passage which degenerates to a wet and muddy crawl. Soon drier passage is met and a tall rift in a wide bedding is followed its around two bends up a slope into the low wide flat-roofed chamber of DUSTY JUNCTION with cairn straight ahead. On entering Dusty Junction the draught which whistles through Mistral can be followed around to the left to enter Trowel Crawl which is the way through to Link Pot.

This route is described as Trowel Crawl and the Muddy Wallows! Setting off down the passage the roof quickly came down and the water rose up. Crawling through cold water with gloopy mud underneath it and the roof lowering to flat out crawling eventually led into the roof going up. We had done the wallows! After more crawling the passage opened out and we sort of thought that we had done it but caves have a way of tricking you and immediately, after some photos the roof came down again and we were flat out squeezing through a shingly crawl. On the other side taking another photo Tom realised he had left his gloves behind so he had to go back and through again!

In the Wallows

Beyond this a chamber opened up with a scenic tube heading down at an angle. At the bottom of this the roof came right down onto a wet looking squeeze, this really was 'the wallows'. With head to one side, breathing through the side of the mouth and lots of hiffing and blowing the tight bit was passed. The others came through with helmets off that made ot slightly easier. We were very wet and cold by now and we pushed on towards Pybus By-pass. An awkward squeeze, well John and I made ot awkward but going face down Tom made it look a lot easier, and we popped out into Hylton Hall and our SRT gear dropped down the pitch earlier.

It was freezing at the bottom of Link as the cold air was sinking. The rift that you climb out of on SRT gear is narrow and constricted and with cold hands the change over of ropes was really hard as ones hands were so cold they didn't work. Eventually we were all out on the surface , cold, wet and looking forward to the pub or ... was it Patagonia.

CLICK HERE FOR FULL SCREEN SLIDE SHOW

CLICK HERE FOR VIDEO OF TRIP

27th February 2009 - Top Sink to Wretched Rabbit

2009-02-28T16:04:00.006Z

After a couple of weeks break for half term it was time for the TNC to get back into action. John had also returned from South America after an epic 3 month expedition and was chomping at the bit to get back underground.

Having spent the afternoon getting his gear together, John was suddenly called away on business and though he met us at Devil's Bridge, he wasn't able to join us on the trip. The look of disapointment on his face made all our spirits sink. He had been waiting for this trip for so long and had now had it cruely snatched from him.

The low cloud engulfing the moors on the way to Bull Pot farm did little to dry out our dampened enthusiasm, but at least it wasn't actually raining as we changed outside the farm. We took the well trodden path across the moor and were soon passing the familiar entrances of County and Wretched Rabbit. Top sink though, as its name implies, lies far beyond these and we located it's covered entrance just before night took hold.

Walrus Pitch

Dropping down the entrance climb brings you into a fine meandering streamway whose proportions keep passage with a tackle bag interesting. The first pitch, Walrus, is well formed too, with an interesting move around a corner onto the pitch head and a well deviated hang to avoid the water. Once again the way on is along the streamway before the second, Penknife, pitch. Once along Bradshaw's passage the route finding becomes more interesting, though fortunately Tom always remembered the way on at the trickier points.

Bradshaws Passage

We stopped to take photos of the huge perched blocks in Nagasaki, I hadn't been expecting caverns of this size this far up the system. Back in the more defined streamway we soon found ourselves looking down into a chamber I finally recognised. There was the rib we'd climbed a few weeks previously on our visit to Easter grotto. Another short climb brought us down into the Assembly hall and the well decorated Whiteway that links it to Thackray's passage.

Nagasaki Cavern

The water level in Thackray's was much higher than on our previous visit and we were initially unable to locate the slot through to the dry oxbow that allows further progress down stream.
Having found it and carrying one set of SRT gear, on arriving at Holbeck Junction we decided to exit via Spiral Staircase passage to bypass the lower reaches of Wretched Rabbit.
Though Tom probably didn't see what all the fuss was about, I was definitely glad of the security of a pair of jammers on the second climb. Almost happy to be drawn into its confines by a tight rope rather than fearing being pushed out of it had I been relying on chimneying up it.
The streamway that followed was reminiscent of the passageway below Top Sink, though we were also rewarded with some fine formations.

You think it's been a long week when you find yourself slithering back down the rope on the final climbs out of Wretched Rabbit and you know it's been a long week when your companion has to point out to you that you can stop crawling as you're outside the cave.

A really good trip out and highly recommended, especially with the exit via Spiral Staircase.

Click here for video of the trip

Click here for full screen slideshow

23rd January 2009 - Destination damnation

2009-01-24T13:01:00.007Z

Easegill again ... but this time it was to be one of the many caves that link into the main drain via miles of small passages and sumps. This trip saw us dropping down another RRPC dry stone walled shaft into the tortuous rift that is called Mistral Hole. Twenty minutes of crawling and manoeuvring around left and right angled bends leads one to Dusty Junction, where a left turn leads to Link Pot and straight on goes towards the HALL of TEN.

Hall of The Ten

In there we dropped down into the Pippikin Streamway and followed a meandering passage back towards the last pitch in Pippikin for a while. Retracing our steps to Hall of Ten we ascended the south slope to a silt balcony and a junction of tunnels. To the left a route descended into the fantastically gloopy mud of the HALL OF THE MOUNTAIN KING where we found an amazing piece of mud art!

We then followed the Wellington Boot Traverse and a scramble up a mud slope to gain the high level passages of GOTHIC SERIES and the HALL OF THE DAMNED with a huge fill of boulders and avens.

Back at the junction the main route continues straight on from the wide chamber as a wide and low passage into the vastness of CROSS HALL where an aven inlet sank in a mass of boulders. At this point we thought we were in Gour Hall (but queried why there were no gour pools!!). We hadn't actually got there so ... we will have to return again! Alistair descended a hole down in the bottom NE corner of the hall which lead through a squeeze to a 7m pitch followed by a 3m climb, then an unstable boulder slope and 4m pitch into a small chamber. It was a bit grim and 'out there' so he came back out!

The return journey was tiring as the passage consists of a lot of flat out crawling through sticky mud but once at Dusty Junction the out trip through the Mistral was quickly over, enticed as we were by the breeze blowing in our faces (that is why it is called the Mistral) and out into a fantastic starry night.

Click for full sized slideshow

16th January 2009 - Another fine evening in Easegill

2009-01-19T13:21:00.005Z

11 years ago in 1997 the TNC had an 'exciting half an hour' misplaced somewhere below Easegill Aven and underneath Molluscan Hall ... could we find the way through ... well we must have done because I am telling this story now (read about the 1997 trip here). The plan tonight was to start to re-explore the two ends of the trip with a view to linking it again.

We set off in slightly wet and muddier conditions than last week when the ground was well frozen, across the moor to County Pot where the familiar passages soon gave way to the ladder pitch that leads to Broadway. A quick trip down the classic streamway led to Spout Hall where a climb up into the roof gives the way into Ignorance Is Bliss, which is a bypass leading into Pierce's Passage and the route into the main drain at Eureka Junction.

In the main streamway there was evidence of very high water levels (froth in the roof up to five meters!) that must have happened when the snow and ice melted in the rain earlier in the week. A cold duck through Stop Pot saw us heading up the ladder into the High Level Route and eventually Main Line Terminus. From here the next twenty minutes were a bit frustrating because although we found the Sideline Passage where we wrongly went back in 1997, we could not find the way into the Mancunian Way and the route to Easgill Aven (just like the last time!).

A rest in Carrot Chamber in absolute silence and darkness was broken as we retraced our steps to Mainline Terminus where the Manchester Bypass was taken back to Battle of Britain Hall in County Pot. An exciting route and a useful one to learn as it affords as escape route out of the high level series if Stop Pot is flooded.

A quick return out of County and the soggy plod back across the moor saw us changed and heading towards the Barbon Inn for a pint.

More research needed on Mancunian Way next week I think.

9th January 2008 - A fine evening in Ease Gill

2009-01-11T15:54:00.006Z

Not only are the Red Rose busy above ground, renovating their Bull Pot Farm Headquarters (or are they creating a direct access from the changing rooms straight into Bull Pot of the Witches?), but they've also been busy underground too. At the bottom of the Wretched Rabbit climbs there now sits a dry stone walled entrance into the upper reaches of Spiral Staircase passage. Descending through it we were almost instantly met with the first formations of the evening, a series of pristine straws.

Spiral Staircase Passage

Photos taken, we carefully continued down via a couple of climbs with fixed ropes into Green and Smelly passage, another climb and finally to Lower 'T' Piece passage. Dick and Tom were now in terrority they recognised from years previously and trips down through the Borehole or up to Top Sink. Instructions such as "follow downstream" were harder than usual to follow as most of the water that usually flows down through the Ease Gill lay frozen on the surface. Despite the drought like conditions not helping navigation we soon found ourselves at Holbeck junction, a point we would be returning to later in the evening. We were once again surrounded by impressive decorations as we made our way up the Thackray's Passage streamway and up into the White Way.

White Way

This opens out into the Assembly Hall and the first of the climbs that lead up into Easter Grotto.

Easter Grotto

While the floor is no longer pure white and some formations have been destroyed since its discovery back in the Easter of 1951, it is still an impresive place to visit and the rusty, pineapple like features on some of the stal were a new sight for me. The taped route takes you through into a parallel and slightly less well decorated passage before an ominous looking hole appears in the floor. Dropping through this, the way on is via a 30m long crawl. The crawl is not overly high and a couple of stalagmite stumps restrict movement further. Its floor however is made of calcite and with a bit of water on top of it, progress can be made quite easily by sliding your body along. Over enthusiasm for this means of propulsion needs to be curtailed before the end of the passage however as it appears from a slot about 2m above the floor at the end of Gypsum Cavern. Tackling this obstical headfirst would probably hurt. The cavern is higher than Easter Grotto so its stalagtites hang a safe distance above cavers' heads in all their glory.

Gypsum Caverns

Climbing out of the cavern up another fixed rope soon brought us back to Holbeck junction and the route through to Stop pot. From here it's possible to return directly to Wretched rabbit but we took advantage of the low water conditions and made our way down the trickle of a stream to Eureka junction. Standing with the water barely lapping over our feet it was sobbering to see froth on the roof of the passageway. Then it was 'just' back up Wretched Rabbit to the frozen moor.

CLICK HERE FOR SLIDE SHOW

CLICK HERE FOR VIDEO OF THIS TRIP

31st December 2008 A Yorkshire Classic

2009-01-01T12:48:00.001Z

One of the wonders of our technological age is the speed with which news can travel around the globe.
Barely had the dust settled from the Skylight Passage breakthrough before word had made it across the channel and members of the overseas contingent of the TNC were heading from the cave bereft Vercors to Calais and the first ferry to Yorkshire.
After driving through freezing mist, Ingleton was reached where a recent copy of Descent and a pair of Wellingtons (obviously given the person they're named after they can't sell these in France) were quickly purchased. The survey was then hastily photocopied (it's worth knowing that the very pleasant lady in the Ingleton post office has a copier for these sort of occasions) before we headed up and out of the fog onto sun drenched tops.
The walk over the fell was superb with just the tops of the Marble steps trees poking out of the fog with the shapely summit of Ingleborough behind. Cresting the hill, the majestic Lake District fells too appeared island like above the sea of cloud.
Dropping into the depression that surrounds the cavern we said goodbye to the sun for the last time this year and made our way down through stalagtites and columns of ice before reaching the first of the pitches.
With Ding, Dong and Bell behind us we passed the bottom of Bubble's route before packing away the SRT gear and climbing up into the Glory Holes. The crawl leading away from these had a sauna like quality and a brief break in the Lounge allowed us chance to adjust clothing before pushing on through the Turtle crawl and its green, half shelled inhabitants.
Struggling with a tackle sack along, first Cripple creek and then Numpty rift, Paul cheerily reminded me that not far below us was the huge stomping tunnel of Duke street - not much consolation. This was however provided by the formations and generous dimensions of Womack chamber.
Beyond this point is a true Indiana Jones style adventure with in situ rope ladders taking you up and down through a series of relatively tight crawls before the final fun and games of the breakthrough point pop you out at a traverse across a wall high above the passage floor. A final climb down then drops you into the vastness of Jupiter cavern.
After a brief explore it was time to drop down into Escalator rift and finally a piece of passage way I recognised from our previous visit to Ireby II. Paul stepped into Duke Street II finally fulfilling a long held dream of visiting this side of the sump.
The Skylight passage crawl felt far more spacious than previously, though I think this is in comparison to what had gone before rather than further excavation since our last visit. The passageway to the bottom of the first pitches seemed longer than ever and by the time we passed the entrance to the Glory Holes once again I was beginning to feel the effects of the journey and happily passed derigging duties over to Paul.
Under clear skies the temperature on the surface had dropped even further and Paul's bare hands stuck to the first rung on the metal ladder in the entrance pipe. Avoiding touching the higher rungs we emerged onto the moor to a stunning display of stars and a sliver of the moon, having completed what must become one of the classic yorkshire caving trips.
Huge thanks have to go to those who pioneered both the dry routes through to Ireby II making this trip possible and to Dave in Inglesport for his helpful advice on completing the trip.