Advice on Bath Swallet - Rods throught Trip

Sounds like we need a poll going here! What is your preferred way of doing the Bath-Rod through trip

  • Ladder it

    Votes: 8 30.8%
  • Abseil it

    Votes: 7 26.9%
  • Free climb it (if you have a death wish)

    Votes: 4 15.4%
  • Zorbing ball

    Votes: 4 15.4%
  • Teleport

    Votes: 3 11.5%

  • Total voters
    26

hornbydd

New member
Hello Mendip cavers,

I was hoping I could get some advice.

I've found out that there is a through trip from Bath swallet TO Rods pot. I've been in Rods pot a few times many years ago so I'm keen to have ago at this through trip and would like some stats from you guys, first one to answer gets a pint at the the Hunters on the 12th!  :beer:

[list type=decimal]
[*]I am right to say you go from Bath to Rods?
[*]Is it one pitch you need to set up at some point in Bath swallet or does one need to pop into Rods as well to set up a pitch out?
[*]From my searching on the internet I'm unsure if there is actually a P-bolt to rig off or does one use naturals?
[*]How big are the pitches, would you use a ladder or SRT (I've got 30m of SRT rope)?
[*]How long does the trip take (with faffing) so I know what sort of call out I need to do?
[*]I remember having trouble locating Rods pot entrance last time, how far is bath swallet from it "as the crow flies", just to stop me wandering around in circles...
[/list]

Thank you for time.

Duncan
 

Andy Sparrow

Active member
hornbydd said:
Hello Mendip cavers,

I was hoping I could get some advice.

I've found out that there is a through trip from Bath swallet TO Rods pot. I've been in Rods pot a few times many years ago so I'm keen to have ago at this through trip and would like some stats from you guys, first one to answer gets a pint at the the Hunters on the 12th!  :beer:

[list type=decimal]
[*]I am right to say you go from Bath to Rods?
[*]Is it one pitch you need to set up at some point in Bath swallet or does one need to pop into Rods as well to set up a pitch out?
[*]From my searching on the internet I'm unsure if there is actually a P-bolt to rig off or does one use naturals?
[*]How big are the pitches, would you use a ladder or SRT (I've got 30m of SRT rope)?
[*]How long does the trip take (with faffing) so I know what sort of call out I need to do?
[*]I remember having trouble locating Rods pot entrance last time, how far is bath swallet from it "as the crow flies", just to stop me wandering around in circles...
[/list]

Thank you for time.

Duncan

1.  You can either way but Bath to Rod's is simplest.
2.  Shower Pot in Bath has two sections of about 12 and 7 metres.  The connection to Rod's has a fixed rope (I fixed it and cable-tied the knots so it should be there).  It's just a handline climb.
3.  There are no P bolts in Bath.  There are a couple of little rings bolts that a thin rope will pull through if you are careful.  You can just use the rope in one length and then retrieve it afterwards - that's probably the best way.
4.  See answer above.  First section can be free-climbed but lifeline advised.  Second section is more of a pitch but can be bypassed down an obvious route, otherwise use a ladder.  Easiest to abseil the whole thing.
5.  A couple of hours - but make sure you turn left at the bottom of the Bath pitch!
6.  The two caves are only 30 metres apart, with cave rescue signs, right next to the track.

Be aware that the cave floods to the roof near the connection point in very wet weather, which is every few days at the moment!  Bath pitch will be very wet under these conditions.

Someone else can have the pint - I'll be skiing!

Hope this helps.
 

hornbydd

New member
Hi Andy,

Thanks for the advice, it's been really helpful and I hope others can benefit from it too. I still owe you a pint!

Duncan
 
I've found the easiest way is go and ladder Bath first (make sure you descend the first ladder to ensure the second reaches the bottom!) and then go from Rod's to Bath. That way you don't need to carry any tackle through Rod's; you can slide down the handline Andy mentions (it's very muddy) so care is required. Derig Bath on your way out.
 

dugadig

Member
JohnMCooper, hi mate, bit confused about your post?
How can it be easier to drag two ladders down Bath, rig one, then descend it and rig another; and then make your way back out of Bath from halfway down the pitch, then walk over to Rod's entrance?
When you come back to the bottom of the pitch in Bath Swallet, of course you will have to contend with your de-rig of two ladders and then struggle with them to the entrance.
Think Andy's post makes more sense there... Do it from the Bath swallet direction, rig one rope for an abseil straight down both pitches... make your way through to Rods Pot carrying no kit whatsoever,(because you would have clipped all that to the bottom of your entrance pitch rope).
Exit via Rods, then make the very short trip to the head of the pitch you descended in Bath, pull up one rope plus your sling harness and descender... pack it in a small bag, exit and go to the pub.
Thats my view anyway, but have fun. :)
 

dugadig

Member
JohnMCooper said:
Ladders are club kit, SRT is personal and I don't have any.

Sorry mate, didn't realize you meant that was the easiest option to yourself with the kit available to you. :-[
Have a good trip...  (y)
 

Aubrey

Member
It is a matter of  personal choice. We always use ladders when digging Bath.
The bolts at the top of Shower Pot are positioned for ladders rather than abseil rope. In either case a sling is useful as a hand hold at the top of the pitch.
The pitch is close to the entrance so you do not need to carry the ladders very far.
You may have problems pulling up the rope with tackle on the bottom because there are plenty of places where things can catch.
Finally if you found the Bath/Rods link flooded you would need to climb back up Shower Pot, which can be interesting without ladders or long legs.
 

dugadig

Member
Aubrey said:
You may have problems pulling up the rope with tackle on the bottom because there are plenty of places where things can catch.
Finally if you found the Bath/Rods link flooded you would need to climb back up Shower Pot, which can be interesting without ladders or long legs.

Thats why I would attach it to the bottom of the rope in a small SRT bag, and would have had the foresight to include a jammer and a bit of spare rope to improvise a basic srt kit.. so that should be easy to pull up the pitch without too much difficulty.
And I would also be armed with a weather forecast, remember how much rain we have had or not, and took into account ground conditions.

Just the common sense stuff really if your going down a cave.  ;)
 

tim.rose2

Active member
Just to add to what others have said...
Abseil down baths (tie rope to natural flake on left at top of pitch + something else above for back up rather than the bolts).  I tend to wear a harness through the rest of the cave or stick it in a bag & carry - as other have said they are snaggy bits on the pitch which might have undesired effects if you tie the kit to the end of the rope.  The climb out of rods is easy with the handline in place, however if you're fairly competent at climbing greasy chimneys the handline is not required.  Before the permanent one was in place I climbed up first and put one on for the rest of the group.  Afterwards pop back to the top of baths pitch and retrieve rope (takes a few mins).  25m of string is enough.  If you take a tibloc or other jammer you can always climb back out of baths if shit happens with the comfort of being attached to the string.  Have done the trip this way several times.
Tim
 

And

New member
Is Purple Pot (the connection to Rod's) more stable now? I chimneyed it not long after the connection was made and it was quite loose near the top.
 

mrodoc

Well-known member
We put a short ladder on the top of the Bath pitch and that was the only tackle we used although there was rope on Purple Pot at the time. I reckon Purple Pot would be quite strenuous to climb but a doddle to slide down :) You could free climb the whole of the Bath pitch but the top 3 metres is very exposed which is why we had a ladder on it. As one poster did write you could free climb with a jammer as I do in Manor Farm entrance pitch (the only tackle you need for the cave imo). It all depends how confident a climber you are. I am not a super confident climber but it seems from observing others that I am more confident than some!
 

Dingley Dell

New member
mrodoc said:
We put a short ladder on the top of the Bath pitch and that was the only tackle we used although there was rope on Purple Pot at the time. I reckon Purple Pot would be quite strenuous to climb but a doddle to slide down :) You could free climb the whole of the Bath pitch but the top 3 metres is very exposed which is why we had a ladder on it. As one poster did write you could free climb with a jammer as I do in Manor Farm entrance pitch (the only tackle you need for the cave imo). It all depends how confident a climber you are. I am not a super confident climber but it seems from observing others that I am more confident than some!

Well, this kind of answers my question.  I was going to ask if the through trip would be viable (subjective I know) with a 30m rope, a 10 metre ladder and not much else??
 

ArchaeoScott

New member
Funny, that's exactly what I was going to ask ;) Are the bolts at the top of Showerpot useable, or best avoided?  If best avoided, where is it best to rig a ladder? Dingley Dell and I will be heading out there tomorrow morning for a through trip (as long as the weather doesn't have other ideas).
 

hornbydd

New member
ArchaeoScott ,

Don't know if you are up for this but my friend and I, could we gate crash your trip, or at least follow behind if you are familiar with the route? I'm staying at the BEC, getting there tonight after the obligatory stop at the Hunters... If you are OK with this what time were you planning to be at the caves?

Duncan
 

Aubrey

Member
We always use the bolts at the top of Shower Pot for ladders, hang the ladder on the bigger one (nearest the drop).  Clip a tape sling between the two bolts to give an easy hand hold for getting on and off the ladder. This will also provide backup.

We have done literally hunderds of trips down Bath using the bolts and are happy to use them even when carrying bags of sand and cement. As with all fixed aids it is up to you to check before you use them.


 

Burt

New member
In addition to the bolts there are a couple of natural threads about 1m upslope form the bolts. You'll need thin slings or 9mm rope 'cos they're quite small gaps to thread through.
 
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