Blaen Onneu Quarry Pot - Warning

Alkapton

Member
Yesterday me and a couple of accomplaces went to Onneu Quarry pot with the intention of cleaning it up a bit and despite it being a deal cleaner than I remembe three bags of crap were indeed removed.

The fun started when I realise I'm the only one with harness, but my accumplaces turn out to be good free climbers, so we head south and I just have to share my harness with one person.  So far so good.  We arrive back at the enterence and I start putting my harness back on whilst one butty goes north ahead of me.... BANG CRASH THUD BANG BANG THUD

After a minuite (seemed longer) I shout "You OK?", "Yea but I think I've f@*&'ed the cave up!"

Other butty goes to see what has happened.  What happened is a mill stone boulder the size of a large tractor engine that used to be at the top of the boulder slope decided not to be at the top anymore.  It is now at the bottom of a redesigned and highly unstable boulder slope.  It came to rest in the top of the constricton at the bottom of the slope above the awkward climb down into more sensible passage.  It also seems to be preventing the boulder slope from migrating north and downwards.  By the time I have my harness on my butties have passed the new 'pitch' and have disapeared taking my bag of ropes with them.

I descend the slope but soon find one false move will bring the slope crashing down on top of me.  Not yet realising the full horror of the millstone grit passage plug I throw my srt bag ahead of me.  Only then do I realise it is impossible to squeeze down behind the boulder, you have to go over it and somehow climb down the otherside.  If you are happy climbing the enterence pitch unaided you stand a chance of getting down - I'm not going to risk it.  Eventually I climb the slope using the wall as much as possible to avoid another landslide. An hour and a half later my butties return further rubbing it in by refusing the offer of my harness to get out.

Then off to the pub for pints of necter.

Beware that boulder slope has become very very unstable.
 

bignikki

New member
Yup! Bit scketchy wasn't it?
For a cave digger I thought I had dome something a bit sacrelidge 'n blocked up half of the passage in a cave. :confused: It's still passable though.(If it wasn't I would not be on here talking about it :-[)
Thanks for a good day underground Chris.
 

Alex

Well-known member
Intesrsting read:
Just one thing, why do you call your mates sandwitches? Is that somesort of welsh dialect or a repeated typo of buddies?
 

Alkapton

Member
Alex said:
Intesrsting read:
Just one thing, why do you call your mates sandwitches? Is that somesort of welsh dialect or a repeated typo of buddies?

It is a Cymru thing relating to mining days when you trusted your life to/with your butty underground.
 

ptpeaty

Member
The Welsh 'Butty' equates to the 'Marra' of the Newcastle coalfields. He is your pal who worked the coal with you.
 

ptpeaty

Member
Went down the cave last night. Could see the gritstone boulder that has moved down the boulder slope in the rift descending on the southern series from the entrance pot. It has come to rest and seems to be wedged now by a section of old tree trunk so it will probably not move further. It is possible to climb over the top of it without touching it.

Good to hear that you removed some rubbish from the cave. Well done,
Cheers
Paul
 
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