Reservoir Hole stuff, and boy there's a lot of it
- Thread starter The Old Ruminator
- Start date
Ali M
Active member
Please note that the Press release at the top of this thread was just something that was quickly done for Cheddar Caves. The final chamber is 30m high at one point and is certainly very big, but we now need time to survey the whole extension to get an accurate length and also to determine the size of the chamber. Pete will be producing a full detailed write-up and description in due course.
steviet_scg
Member
Is it really bigger than GB main chamber 
Fab work :bow:
Fab work :bow:
Pie Muncher
Member
Hats off, absolutely fantastic achievement.
Congratulations to all! Sounds to be a truly excellent find. I'll have to visit once access is allowed. Just shows how much motivation is generated in a bunch of Mendip pensioners and near-pensioners by the thought of the J'Rat Award going to Scotland for two years in a row! Appin, with 100m, was (according to Martin) in the lead when we spoke just over a week ago.
mrodoc
Well-known member
I am still at present as you might imagine. There has been much and so far the team hasn't with each other! The survey will take to produce as to protect the cave hitec methods (ie pda and distoX) will be required. Running about with a tape is just too inefficient.Whether it is Mendip's biggest can be debated when we have the survey data. Unlike GB Great Chamber it is essentially on one level slightly divided by a 2 metre high arch. I suspect it is the same age as GB (not a geologist but passage dimensions suggest it is of great age).
at present as you might imagine. There has been much and so far the team hasn't with each other! The survey will take to produce as to protect the cave hitec methods (ie pda and distoX) will be required. Running about with a tape is just too inefficient.Whether it is Mendip's biggest can be debated when we have the survey data. Unlike GB Great Chamber it is essentially on one level slightly divided by a 2 metre high arch. I suspect it is the same age as GB (not a geologist but passage dimensions suggest it is of great age).
Andy Farrant
Active member
Great stuff, and well done for persevering with it. Always knew that dig would go somewhere!
Have to say the new chamber is probably younger that the GB Main Chamber, or rather it formed over a shorter timespan. The Main Chamber in GB has formed over at least the last c. 330,000 years (and is still forming today), whereas Reservoir I suspect is younger, probably less than 200,000 years. A few mg of calcite from the centre of that big stal would give a minimum age...
Andy
Have to say the new chamber is probably younger that the GB Main Chamber, or rather it formed over a shorter timespan. The Main Chamber in GB has formed over at least the last c. 330,000 years (and is still forming today), whereas Reservoir I suspect is younger, probably less than 200,000 years. A few mg of calcite from the centre of that big stal would give a minimum age...
Andy
The Old Ruminator
Well-known member
Ahh Photobucket is now Ok. Apologies for the poor photos. All taken on the run on the day of discovery.
Incredible fragile 5m column.
Over the hills and far away.
In "The Frozen Deep "
Majestic 5m column.
50ft wall and stal coated boulder.
These are all over the place.
Lovely stalactite.
Grotto.
The Glanvill gets a clout. Base of 12m pitch The Frozen Deep .
We have only had three hours in The Frozen Deep. There are large areas of mud floor with drip pockets etc. Also large areas of big boulders.
I am not sure if the others noticed the arch. It spans the width of the chamber maybe 50m across. Perhaps 25m at its highest point and perfectly symmetrical.
Apart from " Resurrection " which we have related to Golgotha by name and geology other names relate to Charles dickens born 200 years ago.
Incredible fragile 5m column.
Over the hills and far away.
In "The Frozen Deep "
Majestic 5m column.
50ft wall and stal coated boulder.
These are all over the place.
Lovely stalactite.
Grotto.
The Glanvill gets a clout. Base of 12m pitch The Frozen Deep .
We have only had three hours in The Frozen Deep. There are large areas of mud floor with drip pockets etc. Also large areas of big boulders.
I am not sure if the others noticed the arch. It spans the width of the chamber maybe 50m across. Perhaps 25m at its highest point and perfectly symmetrical.
Apart from " Resurrection " which we have related to Golgotha by name and geology other names relate to Charles dickens born 200 years ago.
The Old Ruminator
Well-known member
Tony at the top of the scree slope. Resurrection.
Peter and Ali wait for the pitch to be laddered above Resurrection. Available light.
Nigel drilling for the ladder bolts.
Nigel removing loose wall slab at Resurrection balcony.
Nigel stares into the vast void at The Frozen Deep.
Peter makes the first decent.
I nipped down to see him arrive.
Er no. Its peter coming back up.
Peter and Ali wait for the pitch to be laddered above Resurrection. Available light.
Nigel drilling for the ladder bolts.
Nigel removing loose wall slab at Resurrection balcony.
Nigel stares into the vast void at The Frozen Deep.
Peter makes the first decent.
I nipped down to see him arrive.
Er no. Its peter coming back up.
The Old Ruminator
Well-known member
Ali in The Frozen Deep.
Rob in Great Expectations. The last boulder is hauled out.
Nigel makes the first decent of Hard Times.
Half way into Hard Times. A boulder is dragged out. Nigel disappears. A far away voice says - " It's fu==ing huge." " Eh " say the ones at the back.
Following the fault.
Yes I always knew it would go.
Here is the fault at Resurrection. We had followed it all the way from Topless Aven.
Two little heads stare down in wonder . Above The Frozen Deep. Ali and Nigel can only wonder. We had to wait another week for Peter to return from Iceland.
Available light.
Rob in Great Expectations. The last boulder is hauled out.
Nigel makes the first decent of Hard Times.
Half way into Hard Times. A boulder is dragged out. Nigel disappears. A far away voice says - " It's fu==ing huge." " Eh " say the ones at the back.
Following the fault.
Yes I always knew it would go.
Here is the fault at Resurrection. We had followed it all the way from Topless Aven.
Two little heads stare down in wonder . Above The Frozen Deep. Ali and Nigel can only wonder. We had to wait another week for Peter to return from Iceland.
Available light.
The Old Ruminator
Well-known member
When all seemed lost. Desperation, collapse and endless 50m trundling at Glanvill's Grottole. 33 m into the Golgotha choke.
" The Gatekeeper " Black space beyond the choke. It was another month before we got in.
Glanvill emerges from The Grottole. Great Expectations await.
Nick at Great Expectations deep within the Golgotha choke.
Ali fixing the measuring tape at The Mother Of All Boulders. Great Expectations.
Nick passes the Low Road into the 7m high chamber at Great Expectations.
Only Ali and Nigel could pass through The High Road. ( now collapsed ).
Ali tapes Great Expectations.
" The Gatekeeper " Black space beyond the choke. It was another month before we got in.
Glanvill emerges from The Grottole. Great Expectations await.
Nick at Great Expectations deep within the Golgotha choke.
Ali fixing the measuring tape at The Mother Of All Boulders. Great Expectations.
Nick passes the Low Road into the 7m high chamber at Great Expectations.
Only Ali and Nigel could pass through The High Road. ( now collapsed ).
Ali tapes Great Expectations.
The Old Ruminator
Well-known member
Ali above Glanvill's Grottole looking down from Great Expectations.
Ali working behind acro prop. Glanvill's Grottole. Available light.
Hanging death and fault plane. Upper Great Expectations.
The Low Road downstream end. This will be shut once the High Road is reopened.
Nigel clearing fallen bedding beyond which will be Hard Times. Martin looks back down into Glanvill's Grottole.
Out of the fault and into the bedding. Now we know we have cracked it.
Ali working behind acro prop. Glanvill's Grottole. Available light.
Hanging death and fault plane. Upper Great Expectations.
The Low Road downstream end. This will be shut once the High Road is reopened.
Nigel clearing fallen bedding beyond which will be Hard Times. Martin looks back down into Glanvill's Grottole.
Out of the fault and into the bedding. Now we know we have cracked it.
The Old Ruminator
Well-known member
Log.
Great Expectations before Hard Times entered.
We had spent months tunneling beneath this void without knowing it was there.
Great Expectations before Hard Times entered.
We had spent months tunneling beneath this void without knowing it was there.
The Old Ruminator
Well-known member
Log.
Section. Great Expectations.
Section. Great Expectations.
