A Thursday evening caving trip with the Axbridge Caving Group

Razzerip1

New member
With the lighter evenings upon us, we decided to take a stroll up to Goatchurch Cavern in the Mendip Hills, Goatchurch has a reputation as a beginners cave but holds a few  secrets in its further reaches.
Our first port of call was a quick look at the entrance to West twin brook adit a failed project which began back in 1941; the Adit is not far from the entrance to Goatchurch.

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Onwards and upwards, we took a typical route into the cave heading to the water chamber and down towards the Drainpipe. This part of the cave has had recent stabilizing work to make the route safe.
We crawled through the 12m drainpipe to the start of the short climb up into a tight crawl with a few nasty bends towards the Dexion shoring, a simple but effective frame work holding back the boulders,  climbing up through the dexion can be a little tricky and almost impossible on the return.

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Once through an awkward climb leads up into a chamber with a few taped of formations and two parallel digs. This section of the cave is definitely not for beginners and makes an interesting evening trip.

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A few more pics on - http://www.flickr.com/photos/steve-sharp/


 

Razzerip1

New member
cap 'n chris said:
Steve Sharp said:
This section of the cave is definitely not for beginners

:-\ Hmmm, I vaguely recall you being taken there on your first trip!

Yes my first trip, I remember not being able to climb up into the last chamber Lol, just didnt want anyone to get stuck in there.
 

Elaine

Active member
Aha, that's where you were then. Dave lied and said you were going to Swildons so we went there to meet up with you!!
 
Steve Sharp said:
heading to the water  climbing up through the dexion can be a little tricky and almost impossible on the return.

Hi folks

How possible is 'almost impossible'? Mendip Underground also refers to a 'committing passage' and the ascent as being 'very difficult in reverse'.

Reason for asking is that as a novice caver, having started along the first tube/shuffle/thing on Sunday, I backed out after a couple of metres, so have an unpleasant feeling of unfinished business which needs to be addressed.

I am, however, quite keen not to get stuck and to have to spend the rest of my days being brought rations in a small chamber.

Cheers
 

mikem

Well-known member
Do you mean the first section beyond the Water Chamber (the Drainpipe), rather than the hole in the wall of the following chamber (where it really gets tight)?

Mike
 

cap n chris

Well-known member
Dexion part can be seen here:

https://youtu.be/yfM44UExovo?t=6m9s

Earlier on in the same YouTube clip you can see Kev crawling through the Drainpipe (in full SRT kit), too.
 

andrewmcleod

Well-known member
As always, depends how big you are :) I found the drainpipe trivial (did it in 15 seconds when I timed it) and the rest entertaining but easy enough - but I'm not very big! I found Hellish Tight snug but not difficult and the smaller unpolished alternative beneath it really quite hard.

If you didn't like the Drainpipe (the first oval-shaped crawling/shuffling/half-running bit) then you will not enjoy the subsequent bits...
 
mikem said:
Do you mean the first section beyond the Water Chamber (the Drainpipe), rather than the hole in the wall of the following chamber (where it really gets tight)?

Mike

Drainpipe was fine, so the opening in the wall to the right of the post-drainpipe chamber and beyond, which I believe is where the dexion is.
 
andrewmc said:
As always, depends how big you are :) I found the drainpipe trivial (did it in 15 seconds when I timed it) and the rest entertaining but easy enough - but I'm not very big! I found Hellish Tight snug but not difficult and the smaller unpolished alternative beneath it really quite hard.

If you didn't like the Drainpipe (the first oval-shaped crawling/shuffling/half-running bit) then you will not enjoy the subsequent bits...

6'2", 44" chest, 34" waist and inside leg about 35".

I did the first part of Hellish Tight (I think) from the Water Chamber, but not the really tight section.

Drainpipe was fine - awkward but easy enough.

What is so hard about the exit from the short ascent after the dexion bit?
 

crickleymal

New member
Steve Sharp said:
With the lighter evenings upon us, we decided to take a stroll up to Goatchurch Cavern in the Mendip Hills, Goatchurch has a reputation as a beginners cave but holds a few  secrets in its further reaches.
Our first port of call was a quick look at the entrance to West twin brook adit a failed project which began back in 1941; the Adit is not far from the entrance to Goatchurch.

3412169470_1e2a890d10_o.jpg
I dug that open abut 20 years ago with a few friends. Basically there was a pile of earth against the door and a FO big lump of concrete. We managed to get the door to open about enough to squeeze through at the top. To be honest it wasn't worth the effort. It's a straight passage for about 1/4 mile and then it stops. Very gloopy mud and no features of any great interest. So we replaced the FO lump of concrete.
 

paul

Moderator
Goatchurch was my first cave many years ago. I was dreading the Drainpipe until we reached it and I discovered it was horizontal! I thought it must be a vertical tube given the name.
 

mrodoc

Well-known member
Haven't done the dexion dig for about 20 years. I took my daughter and a friend who had done hardly any caving in there. Sally went first then me then Barry. Barry got stuck in the first bedding and had to reverse out. To get to head first I had go all the way through the dig turn round and come out head first, guide him out then come out turn round and  go back in. He did wind up on a poster though! Sally wrote a story at primary school - the memorable bit was Barry getting stuck. The formations were badly damaged in the first few years. I will put some pics up on Flickr and post the link as I have before and after shots.
 
Tribal Chestnut said:
What is so hard about the exit from the short ascent after the dexion bit?
The dexion dig is horizontal, whilst the way up to the chamber beyond is roughly vertical. This right angle is tricky because the passage is tight.

If I recall correctly, I found it easier to climb back down (from the chamber at the end back into the dexion dig) head-first so I was able to see how I needed to contort myself.
Being shorter may help.
 

mikem

Well-known member
Tribal Chestnut said:
I did the first part of Hellish Tight (I think) from the Water Chamber, but not the really tight section.

That'll be the alternative route andrewmc mentions (where you have the option of turning right), Hellish Tight is the next tube up, next to rectangular block.

Mike
 

mrodoc

Well-known member
Found the pics:https://www.flickr.com/photos/75822386@N06/37224471554/in/dateposted-public/ and https://www.flickr.com/photos/75822386@N06/24082608168/in/dateposted-public/ and https://www.flickr.com/photos/75822386@N06/24082621968/in/dateposted-public/ and https://www.flickr.com/photos/75822386@N06/26158139809/in/dateposted-public/
The same two sets of formations 12 years apart featuring mother then daughter. Extremely careless damage or vandalism?
 

cap n chris

Well-known member
paul said:
...I was dreading the Drainpipe until we reached it and I discovered it was horizontal! I thought it must be a vertical tube given the name.

YES - THANK YOU!!! ... for confirming in writing what I have long since given up explaining to others... Your observation is precisely the reason why I ceased using that name about 5+ years ago (unless talking with instructors about routes) and began calling it The Tunnel: many parts of that cave have counter-intuitive, unsuitable or archaic and no longer descriptive names, all of which have better alternatives which can be used which enhance a trip for newcomers, and "make sense". Names I stopped using yonks back are: Drunkard's Alley, Coal Chute, Bloody Tight, F-ing Tight, Coffin Lid and Midgets' Steps.
 
Excellent, thanks gents.

I'll have a wriggle around and see how I get on. Not feeling too confident about successfully negotiating the right-angle, but I'll have a look in a few weeks.
 
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