Bull Pot Of The Witches

Getwet

New member
Went down Bull Pot Of The Witches recently for the first time, had a good trip but I am confused as to exactly where we were comparing it to the Northern Caves guide/Red Rose web site guide. Can anyone help.

The guide seems to describe 4 ways on from the main open chamber, however one of the ways we went seems not to fit with any in the guide.

We first went down Cathole and the 8 m pitch, poked around and came back up. (I follow that part!)

We then went down a passage at the far North(open) end, (the waterfall behind us on our right) This passage was a few easy short climbs down into a big Chamber. we took a left here following a passage , over/under a few boulders etc onto a Y muddy junction. taking the left fork here lead back to back to the base of cathole pitch( we know because our rope was still there). Taking the right fork at the Y lead of down a dry passage to a chamber, going throrgh the chamber and slightly to the left over boulders lead onto another small passage and more boulders into another chamber, the only way on from here seemed to be a climb up where a fixed rope hung. We turned back from here re-tracing our steps and back out via cathole.

Confused!! I am. The question is for those still awake, the passage we took down from the north end of the open chamber does not seem to fit any description in the guide. Anyone got any ideas.

I keep reading the guide and its driving me daft!!!!!
 

dunc

New member
:? Looking at the survey/description and what you describe don't match up (although bits sound familiar).. You got any more info on what you did?
We first went down Cathole and the 8 m pitch, poked around and came back up. (I follow that part!)
Is it worth doing that pitch or is it simpler to not bother and just climb down to the same point by the other passage (assuming were talking about the same pitch?)
 

Getwet

New member
Thanks Dunc

I suppose the pitch gives quicker acess to that section of the cave although we didnt find that much of a way on, a couple of tight bits we didnt push too much, and a short passage to the head of another pitch with no p hangers in sight. The other way we found on was back to the muddy Y junction described.But I have to admit if the way on isnt obvious we often miss it !!!
 
C

Cave Ferret

Guest
Getwet said:
The guide seems to describe 4 ways on from the main open chamber, however one of the ways we went seems not to fit with any in the guide.

Firstly, ignore the Northern Caves 3 description - It is confusing and downright wrong in places!

Ok, here goes. Assuming you got to the bottom of the open main chamber via the walk round the side and the climb down the chimney, when you walk into the Open chamber with the waterfall in front of you over to the right:

1st way on - South Chamber (directly behind you back along the passage you have just walked along is a muddy hands and knees crawl that leads to Cavern '32)

2nd way on - Just down the boulder slope and to the left. This passage goes back alongside South Chamber but at a slightly lower level. This is the 8m pitch you described as being the Cathole (but it isn't - will get to that in a minute!). This is the route taken to eventually end up at Downstream Sump.

3rd way on - North Chamber (directly opposite, reached by following the right hand wall past the waterfall and staying high along a ledge to reach the roof above the passage below that takes the water from the waterfall. Not a lot up there).

4th way on - Robert's Passage (directly opposite, down the boulders, over a tree trunk, down some short climbs into the large 'Robert's Passage'. This is the way taken to reach The Gour Chambers', and also connects back to the bottom of the 8m pitch described earlier).


We first went down Cathole and the 8 m pitch, poked around and came back up. (I follow that part!)

The Cathole, as mentioned above, is not the pitch you descended. The Cathole is the route down from North Chamber into Robert's Passage and is very seldom used as it is quite obscure and hard to find. The 8m pitch doesn't actually have a name, but leads to the second pitch - Hidden Pot.


We then went down a passage at the far North(open) end, (the waterfall behind us on our right) This passage was a few easy short climbs down into a big Chamber. we took a left here following a passage , over/under a few boulders etc onto a Y muddy junction. taking the left fork here lead back to back to the base of cathole pitch( we know because our rope was still there). Taking the right fork at the Y lead of down a dry passage to a chamber, going throrgh the chamber and slightly to the left over boulders lead onto another small passage and more boulders into another chamber, the only way on from here seemed to be a climb up where a fixed rope hung. We turned back from here re-tracing our steps and back out via cathole.

The route you describe here is along Robert's Passage then left at Robert's Inlet (the wet aven to the right just after the last short climb down) and along Burnett's Passage. As you said, a Y-junction is reached and left goes back to the bottom of the8m pitch (this route is sometimes used as a pitch bypass). Right at the junction eventually reaches Burnett's Great Cavern where you saw the fixed rope. The rope doesn't go anywhere, just up into an old dig.

Hope this helps. If you need any more info just ask.

Cave Ferret
 
C

Cave Ferret

Guest
Getwet said:
Thanks Dunc

I suppose the pitch gives quicker acess to that section of the cave although we didnt find that much of a way on, a couple of tight bits we didnt push too much, and a short passage to the head of another pitch with no p hangers in sight.

There is a backup anchor a few feet back from the drop, in the roof and two p-anchors in the roof directly over the drop. The rope can then be rebelayed/deviated using the many flakes below to avoid the water. There is a third short pitch immediately following this one with two p-anchors in opposite walls for a y-hang.

Cave Ferret
 

Getwet

New member
Cave Ferret, you have saved my sanity, thanks.I can follow your description fine.

It was the 4th way on that we took after we had been down the cathole pitch that wasnt cathole!

A copule of questions;-

are the Gour chambers reached by climbing up a muddy climb with fixed rope from the base of large Roberts Passage after the climb down from the main chamber via the 4th way on ?

Are you saying the hidden pot pitch has p anchors ?, I didnt see any, but probably didnt look hard enough.

Thanks again for the hep. I just love guidebooks that are wrong !
 
C

Cave Ferret

Guest
Getwet said:
are the Gour chambers reached by climbing up a muddy climb with fixed rope from the base of large Roberts Passage after the climb down from the main chamber via the 4th way on ?

To get to the Gour Chamber: 4th way on, Down the climbs, past the way back to the left (Burnett's Passage) down a couple of boulder slopes until you get to a large block that you have to climb over. On the other side of this is a calcite slope with a narrow slot down in the right hand corner. Slide down this over bulges of flowstone as far as you can (about ten foot). You will then see a narrow slot to the right when facing the flowstone you have just climbed down). Slide through this into a hading rift passage. Along this for a few metres until you see lots of flowstone coming down from above on the left. You then basically climb up this, through a couple of thrutchy bits until you emerge at the top in the Gour Chambers.

Are you saying the hidden pot pitch has p anchors ?, I didnt see any, but probably didnt look hard enough.

Yes, they are there, in the roof.

Cave Ferret
 

dunc

New member
Did wonder if seeing the rope was by going along Burnetts.. It just didn't fit with the Cathole bit..

The Cathole, as mentioned above, is not the pitch you descended. The Cathole is the route down from North Chamber into Robert's Passage and is very seldom used as it is quite obscure and hard to find
Almost as described in NC3 - hence why I asked if it was worth doing that pitch instead of taking the usual easy passage!!

Are you saying the hidden pot pitch has p anchors ?, I didnt see any, but probably didnt look hard enough.
Yes, they are there, in the roof.
When were they put in?? And why - I thought it was possible to use slings(not that I've tried)?

It is possible to free-climb the first pitch and the hidden pot pitch anyway, if you like that kind of thing..
 

Getwet

New member
Thanks again for the help, I can even follow some of the NCguide now !

I think a few more trips down will be on the agenda
 
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