Longwood

[EwanCameron]

Thinking of coming to do it this Sunday

What are water levels like?

And advice?

Worth doing if we only have 1 day?

Yours
Ewan

 

[Les W]

Thinking of coming to do it this Sunday

What are water levels like?

Water levels are fine at the moment

And advice?

You will need permits and a key. You will be able to get these from the Wessex on Sunday as there will be plenty of committee members about (Bloody committee meetings...  :-\ )
You'll want a couple of ladders and some rope.
No fat blokes...

Worth doing if we only have 1 day?

Yes, very much so. It is possibly the finest streamway on Mendip 
Longwood Main Stream is superb, also come out via the August Streamway for a very sporting round trip.

 

[EwanCameron]

Sweet sounds good what's the water like down there at the moment ?

 

[Les W]

Water levels are up but not bad. Typical winter stream levels.
I would expect them to respond quickly to heavy rain, but none is forecast, is it? 

Longwood is big enough to cope with most weather but there are a couple of low places that will get sporting (or impassable) in high water, and August Streamway will be very sporting in high water. I reckon it will be quite a good trip at the moment... 

 

[graham]

Agree, should be nice and sporting at the moment, but not for fat blokes.

 

[ah147]

but not for fat blokes.

Are we to worry about Jason, Ewan?

 

[jasonbirder]

Are we to worry about Jason, Ewan?

Jason says Eff Off!  :chair:

 

[graham]

Do I surmise from this that Jason is of ample build?

 

[Les W]

's not that tight...

However, the small tube in August just before Wet Chimney, will back up in front of fat blokes and add a certain degree of urgency for those of ample build (unless they can breath water...)  :tease:

 

[EwanCameron]

He's a bit of a chunk and I'm not skinny by far!

 

[twiglet]

One pinch point very near the entrance for the larger chested caver to be aware of is "the letterbox" We had to abort a trip at this
point several years ago when a chap build like a rugby player found it too tight.

 

[Gerbil007]

I have a pretty broad (chubby) build, but absolutely love Longwood! The Letterbox squeeze isn't too bad if you take plenty of care to position yourself just so and fully commit (i.e. push off something with your feet and simultaneously exhale/relax your chest). The traverse in main chamber can provoke wobbly legs moments for the less confident and it may take you a couple of goes to find Christmas Crawl?
Overall a cracking trip that provides a bit of a challenge, plenty of pretties, water? what more do you want?!