Hi,

Under what conditions are caves such as Wretched Rabbit, County, Link etc at risk from flooding? I appreciate that the borehole could flood very quickly as it is at stream bed level but the others have been shored up etc but they still essentially all quickly enter passages below stream bed level.


So.. if the stream ( easegill beck) is flowing should you stay out completely, or.. can you explore but plan not to go into the lower level passages and the main drain, would it be 'sporting' or 'no sporting interest whatsoever'

Just wondering as I've never been in when the beck looked even remotely like flowing but know of a group taking novices down recently when it was raining, the ground was saturated and the normally dry river bed had started to flow????

any knowledge or advice would be much appreciated

newcastlecaver said:

Under what conditions are caves such as Wretched Rabbit, County, Link etc at risk from flooding?

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From my experience, Link Pot and Mistral are fine.

County's also fine, and you can then get into Far Easegill through Manchester Bypass (although you'll get wet at Showerbath Corner).

I have never known water go down the entrance of Wretched Rabbit, although the cascades further down can get sporting. You can then reach Far Easegill though Four Ways Chamber or Depot 1.5 Passage.

From my experience, Link Pot and Mistral are fine.

County's also fine, and you can then get into Far Easegill through Manchester Bypass (although you'll get wet at Showerbath Corner).

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I'd agree with that.
Can't remember if I've been in or out Wretched when the beck is flowing, but have exited Wretched as part of Lancaster through trip when its been wet (ie. main drain was partially flooded at Fall Pot)

So.. if the stream ( easegill beck) is flowing should you stay out completely, or.. can you explore but plan not to go into the lower level passages and the main drain, would it be 'sporting' or 'no sporting interest whatsoever'

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If the beck is flowing pick one of the above mentioned caves and it would be very wise to avoid the lower level passages and main drain.

I once took a group of freshers down County when the beck was running quite hard and as long as you stay in the upper parts it's fine. If you want to get to the other parts of the system then as the others have already said Manchester bypass is the best way, a fine little passage.

I also once came out of wretched rabbit whilst it was in full flood conditions. The climbs were very sporting and at times quite an effort to get up without the water pushing you back. However between the climbs the stream didn't seem much worse than usual. The major difference being at the end of the big rift where you emerge from the stream there was a giant waterfall falling from the aven which gave us one last soaking. We exited to find the beck a mere foot away from the oild drum entrance and perhaps around 2 inches lower! :shock: . We then went to look at a couple of other entrances and pool sink was under water but county, link and mistral were all still above water level, if not by much.

Lower Wretched Rabbit can back up a considerable distance from Eureka Junction during flood conditions, even as far upsteam as the way into Four Ways Chamber.

In addition, large areas of County can become hazardous or impassable, such as Mushroom Passage, Pierce's Passage, Trident Series, etc. Also, the inlet just downstream of The Showerbath, which is normally dry, can create a formidable wall of water.

Regarding Wretched Rabbit, we (RRCPC) have recently connected The Big Rift to Spiral Staircase Passage in Borehole. This creates an interesting round tip, and a short-cut to Pool Sink for getting to Holbeck Junction. However, as Limestone_Cowboy mentioned, the aven at the end of The Big Rift (which is directly above the connection) becomes impressively active in wet weather and it goes without saying that you woulodn't want to be relying on the as your escape route out of the system!

Andy

AndyW said:

Lower Wretched Rabbit can back up a considerable distance from Eureka Junction during flood conditions, even as far upsteam as the way into Four Ways Chamber.Andy

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Which way into Four Ways Chambers, Andy? I once found it backed up below the normal climb, but I was able to slip down from the end of the chamber directly into the bedding passage.

I have seen foam on the roof of the bedding at the upstream end of Four Ways, i.e if you slid down the polished tube at the far end of Four Ways into WR. This would be the first climb up into Four Ways if coming down WR.

I have only seen this once. On the same trip foam was also found on the roof of Pierce's Passage almost to where Ignorance is Bliss enters in the roof. Euraka Junction has also backed up (foam on roof) nearly all the way to the downstream side of the Stop Pot boulder choke!!

The little muddy trench section, just as you enter Eureka from Pierce's was completely covered - floor and roof - in foam. It was like being inside a washing machine! Wish I had a camera with me..

P.S The previous day I had visited Lancaster Hole during the peak of the flooding to see how much Fall Pot had backed up. About 5 metres below the lip....

Craptrap and the handline climb down Fall Pot were submerged!

Andy