With Dani, Martin, Brendan and Beverley

Yes, well, most informative.

haha.. my sister kicked me off before I could finish..... sorry about that!

We know that Chloe (who is a one year old female from Wookey) has been to Goatchurch Cavern recently, possibly as recently as last night, and it's her first trip. She uses a Petzl Elios helmet, bulb-technology lighting (at a guess probably a retrofitted speleotechnics helmet-mounted headlite battery set-up) and has access to a Warmbac oversuit. We also know that Chloe loves caves, has a sister, is apologetic when circumstances dictate, has a sense of humour, has been caving with Dani, Brendan, Beverly and Martin (so that's three females caving with two men - giving opportunities for further conjecture, but that's another thread perhaps), and that Chris Castle is 46 and seems underwhelmed with Chloe's trip-report-writing prowess. I'm sure that Poirot could infer more than I.

Seems relatively informative to me.

I am afraid Cap'n Chris has made that classic error of thinking she is from Wookey when in fact it is Wookey Hole. An entirely different place altogether.

This means that the butler did indeed do it.

Elaine said:

This means that the butler did indeed do it.

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Ah but where did he do it? The place called "Hole" with no holes or the place called "Hole Hole Hole" which does have holes?

She also has a neighbour who sounds exactly like me, but  I live nowhere near Wookey Hole.

cap 'n chris said:

We know that Chloe (who is a one year old female from Wookey) has been to Goatchurch Cavern recently, possibly as recently as last night, and it's her first trip. She uses a Petzl Elios helmet, bulb-technology lighting (at a guess probably a retrofitted speleotechnics helmet-mounted headlite battery set-up) and has access to a Warmbac oversuit. We also know that Chloe loves caves, has a sister, is apologetic when circumstances dictate, has a sense of humour, has been caving with Dani, Brendan, Beverly and Martin (so that's three females caving with two men - giving opportunities for further conjecture, but that's another thread perhaps), and that Chris Castle is 46 and seems underwhelmed with Chloe's trip-report-writing prowess. I'm sure that Poirot could infer more than I.

Seems relatively informative to me.

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What I want to know is
how many years can Chris keep pretending that he is still 46
as far as i know he's older than me
and i am definately older than 46.
It is a real mystery.
:-\

chloe_loves_caves said:

Hmm, I have a strong sense that some people have far too much time on their hands..

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Haha! An Excellent point!
How did you find Goatchurch? Took a friend new to this lark down on Thursday. He had a good time, having a proper cave experience; we've taken him to the Balch Aven chambers before this, but that didn't show him the full scale of things. Nice to hear him say (about the drainpipe on the way back) "Is this the same bit! It's much bigger than I remembered". Nerves conquered I think.
Might see you around Mendip sometime.
Enjoy your caving.

Do you still call it a crawl when that is all you can do? Just a thought.

I don't think it was ever intended to be a "successful show cave"; the owner of the manor at the time during the period in question (1901-1904), James T. Gibson (IIRC) had the gate, railings and steps fabricated so that the first large chamber was easily visited by unequipped venturesome friends/invitees, in a similar vein to the Victorian romanticised/Gothic grottos which were popular during the C19th. The gate fell into disrepair; by 1923 there was a second entrance (Back Door) excavated by UBSS thereby circumventing the Main Entrance. If the late Dave Irwin is turning in his grave I apologise.

Chris is somewhat on the right track. I doubt it was ever meant to be a "successful" show cave in the commercial sense. It was more that Mr Gibson had the gate and railings installed both to facilitate access for his visitors and to protect the formations from the depredations of vandals.

chloe_loves_caves said:

...my lying down giggling for about 5 minutes.. (but as Brendan pointed out this is a far better reaction than tormented screaming)

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I've actually heard someone screaming in a cave - out of fear, too!  That was at the Troubles in Swildon's Short Round Trip. In case you don't know, there's a short tunnel which is (or was) usually nearly full of water so it's a case of kissing the roof to breathe (some people just hold their breath and plunge through) and she didn't fancy it one bit. Don't let that put you off, though, it's a great trip, honestly

really it was mostly to do with the fact I was having great difficulty in actually advancing through the tunnel.. it's a bit too tight to crawl through in the first little section of it but I eventually managed to find a kind've clawing-dragging-legs manoeuvre which seemed to do the job quite well.. and unlike your friend, I forgot to laugh on the way back and it seemed to be far longer and more chlostrauphic than it had been the first way through, but I would be quite happy to tackle it again.

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There's another tunnel a bit like it not so far away. Considerably tighter and ends in a chamber the size of a fallen-over wardobe. I got three of us in it and managed to do my shape-shifting trick and flow onto the roof to let one of them turn round. I'd made the other one go in feet first as I knew there'd be complaints if he had to go out in reverse!

The coffin-lid was great too, it struck me how unlady-like the position is that's required to climb up it without a rope.. and annoyingly frustrating.. but with a good push I was well on my way.

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It can be quite unlady-like with a rope, if you have to be hauled up like a sack of potatoes. Done that (mind you the lady was 62 and had never done anything like it before!) I've never been fond of the coffin-lid, the slide itself is OK but there's a big hole at the bottom and I always have visions of breaking an ankle in it if I slide off recklessly. Oh, and there's a way to get underneath it and go "boo" to your friends - only the grumpy old men decided last year that playing tricks in caves is not a good idea.

On the subject of grumpy old men, bubba will probably move this topic to Trip Reports 

There is a little bit further possible to go after the drainpipe. In the chamber at the end, if you look right there is a rift, and at the start of this on its left side, a low passage with a couple of twists in it, a tightish rifty bit, a couple of puddles to shimmy over, then you'll reach some dexion shoring the rocky walls up. You can stand up from there, and climb up a few metres to a small chamber, and another climb up another ascending passage, and voila, a nice size chamber with some of the best of what decorations goatchurch has left intact, and a couple of digs.
All in all, a nice addition to the trip, but a lot harder than the drainpipe itself.

The other long shiny black pipe we call the 'Rat Run' and some little weasel of a boy took me down it on my first trip.  My knees took weeks to recover (nice bit of exaggeration there  )

I still love the coffin lid so polished and black.

Nice cave, has bits for everyone.

chloe_loves_caves said:

I think I'd cry if I had to go through that tunnel full of water at the moment.. I need to build up my confidence a bit more. I find that I start to feel exhausted after about 2hours and any emotional trauma means I use up my vital reserves much too soon! I'm slightly terrified of water.. and very afraid of heights/big drops. Working on it..

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It's good to know your limitations - especially the difference between just feeling shattered and true exhaustion. You're right, work on the fears, a lot has to do with having confidence in your equipment and technique. I get vertigo, and hate looking over drops, but feel as safe as anything once I'm dangling on a rope.

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Where's the drainpipe-esque tunnel then? Just imagining going through the drainpipe in reverse.. and I thought I had problems!! atleast it opens up alot at the other end - Is there much beyond that?
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I've only got to the stand-up stuff at the end of the Drainpipe. There was a dodgy climb up over decrepit Dexion, would you believe, holding everything together (more or less) to some crawling when I was last there. I got the impression my hand would go through but very little else. We despatched a mobile piece of string and there were scuffling and grunting noises for about half an hour which didn't seem to fade away very much, but I think there's a lot more now (passage, not noise). Whether it's got any roomier is another matter - Cap'n Chris will tell you. But I'm, well, not small.

I assume you've done a lot of caving in Wales? - I'm a bit gutted about a cancelled trip to OFD2 having seen some rather nice pictures, but there'll be other oppurtunities ohh yes!

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I wish! I've been to OFD2 and a few other S wales caves but that was before I came to the area. There's a reason for my avatar Still, maybe a squirt of oil in the old joints...

Lovin' the purple text........