Hi Folks,

I posted this on the Newbie forum, thought it may get a better response here.

I had my second caving experience in Pridhamsleigh cavern yesterday and it was great  .  Organised through a local centre we took in the usual stuff from what i can gather, maggot crawl, the mudslide etc... but now I have the urge to explore a little more.

In the new year I plan to head off with a mate to try and learn some sections of the cave just the two of us.  I am aware that Pridhamsleigh is a bit of a maze but from what i can gather failry safe to explore provided we keep to the well travelled passages.

I am confident I can easily get to the lake and back but am keen to get advice on which sections I should seek out and explore first bearing in mind my experience or lack thereof. 

I am keen to explore the attics, cellars and try and find the well, also I have this overwhelming urge to do the small sump off the grand gallery, where does this lead to and is it a good contender as a first sumping experience?  Also is 'the trip from hell' as nasty as it sounds?

I would appreciate any advice or guidance.

Many thanks

Paul 

If you can locate a copy of the survey it helps! Re the 'sump' off Grand Gallery it depends which you are referring to. Going down to the lake on the right a passage leads back to the Stocks and this can be a duck or sump in wet weather. Beyond there are three routes, a squeeze that comes out near Bishops Chamber, something called the Coal shute that runs parallel to the last and just beyond the duck/sump on the right is Oxtongue climb leading back to the top of the Pit.

On the left of GG are the routes to Mystery Pool Chamber - there is a freedivable sump from Mystery Pool that was originally explored by PCG in the 70's with a very short extension to another interesting sump. There are three routes into mystery pool chamber one of which involves a tight squeeze which I may have been the first person to pass (30+ years ago ) as it does not appear on the survey. If you find it it comes out in the roof of Mystery Pool chamber. Another route is Flying Angel Squeeze at mid level and finally an often flooded route in at floor level.

To find the Well go back from the Lake and keep taking right turns and you will eventually locate it. So many people have now been to the Well that it has changed from being a cave diving location to a a muddy wade. Beyond is some nice passage to a flooded rift. There used to be some nice helictites hereabouts.

here endeth the first lesson!

mrodoc said:

If you can locate a copy of the survey it helps!

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Thanks...   When you say back to the top of the pit do you mean the Bear pit? 

I sense this may be the million dollar question but how do i get hold of a survey?

Paul

Coxie said:

I sense this may be the million dollar question but how do i get hold of a survey?

Paul

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Significantly less than a million $$$

The survey was, I believe, published in Cave Science the journal of the BSA back in the 50s or 60s. A copy of that is in the British Caving Library, for sure and following http://www.caving-library.org.uk/ will tell you how they can help. Alternatively I suspect that just about all the major clubs in the area will have copies. Yet another benefit of being in a club.

or alternatively you could sit tight and wait for the updated version that mrodoc has been hinting at.

You could drive down or up to Chard and borrow my copies! there is more posted alongside your duplicate posting. the Pit is the thing you traverse around to get to the lake (where the mysterious fallen stal block is) unless you have done Ox tongue climb and come in via the Stocks.

mrodoc said:

You could drive down or up to Chard and borrow my copies! there is more posted alongside your duplicate posting. the Pit is the thing you traverse around to get to the lake (where the mysterious fallen stal block is) unless you have done Ox tongue climb and come in via the Stocks.

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Thanks for the offer but i have a copy on its way to me although i think it's of a fairly small scale and a little out of date but I'm sure it will do the trick. 

Is another name for Oxtong the mudslide by any chance?  :-\

[/quote]

Is another name for Oxtong the mudslide by any chance?   :-\
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As a local and regular to prid, in all honesty don't worry too much about the survey, you'd be better of with a bag of bread crumbs than any survey ive ever seen. The chambers above mystery pool are the nicest probably as aready mentioned

Thanks for all the info everyone...  I went down again on with a mate of mine (noob too) on monday evening and pretty much found my way around without too much embaressment. 

I am now going in search of the deep well and hope to make some sense of the cellars (breadcrumbs at the ready).  Hoping to find the trip from hell too.

Cheers

Coxie said:

Thanks for all the info everyone...  I went down again on with a mate of mine (noob too) on monday evening and pretty much found my way around without too much embaressment. 

I am now going in search of the deep well and hope to make some sense of the cellars (breadcrumbs at the ready).  Hoping to find the trip from hell too.

Cheers

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Glad you had a good trip. Keep it up and soon you will be sufficiently experienced a caver to make meaningful contributions to Global Warming and British Economy Meltdown discussions. 

Coxie said:

I am now going in search of the deep well and hope to make some sense of the cellars (breadcrumbs at the ready).  Hoping to find the trip from hell too.

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watch out the eells don't eat the breadcrumbs!

glad you had a good trip paul, i think i took you down? Robbie from the Rock Centre. We now have surveys and plenty of people who will cave with you. Glad you are enjoying your caving

ecowaller said:

glad you had a good trip paul, i think i took you down? Robbie from the Rock Centre. We now have surveys and plenty of people who will cave with you. Glad you are enjoying your caving

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Indeed you did Robbie and thanks again.  Have now been down several times and seen everywhere (I think) but the mystery pool tour.  Looking forward to my  next exrcursion, need to get underground as much as possible.  I'm doing my cave leader training in south Wales in a couple of weeks.