Peter and I had a field trip to lead around at the quarry so thought we would round off our photo week with a look at Balch Cave Aven Chamber. I felt pretty rotten and had lost my voice so Peter had to do the field trip chat whilst I smiled silently looking on.

Pete Rose and I et al rediscovered Balch Aven Chamber high up on the smashed up stal bank that formed part of Crystal Chamber that had recently been destroyed through quarrying. We inserted a temporary oil drum entrance which is still there 46 years later. Its looking a bit rusty now !





We also looked at the Coral Grotto entrance with little enthusiasm. I couldn't get in there 46 years ago and certainly couldn't now. It looks about 9 inches high just inside.



Typical! I have to take SWMBO to the hairdressers as its raining so back later.

Good Lord its the nail stylist later. I must have the best manicured Mrs in Somerset. Anyway a bit of time.

We both struggled on the awkward climb not far from the entrance. A ladder would have saved a lot of effort.



My photo plan was to do some macro stuff and play with Live Composite Mode. Having just two photographers meant that we had to share our time with each other.

Aven Chamber lies to the East of the Withybrook Fault and has been largely unaffected by quarrying. The present way in is not the original route from the rest of Balch Cave. This has been blocked with rubble from outside. This series lacked the profusion of stal seen in Balch though it does exhibit nice Lithostrotian fossil beds.





There is still some nice stal stuck away but in one section there is clearly deliberate mud damage to some white stal. The mud has been wiped onto a curtain in the roof, a large stal boss and a pillar beyond it.



Even this remote one has been lightly muddied.



Some areas remain taped but its the old fashioned sort you see at accident spots. I think you know my feelings on the value of gates. I wont start another discourse on that now.

They cant reach this one.



One gets the impression that the muddied stal was not the work of real cavers as stuff away from the main routes is untouched.





The Live Composite Mode worked well but the cave lacked real " vista " for the shot. I had to make do with the back of the bedding which, I suppose, has some relevance to the history of the chamber.





I am finding LCM useful as it means I can work with a minimum of kit. ( camera and tiny fold up tripod ). Still room for the sandwiches.

Some of the macro shots.

Not the best place to stand.



Ahh. He has noticed. This is the eastern boundary of Aven Chamber with a few possible muddy digs in the floor.



1970. Digging at the top of the smashed Crystal Chamber flow.



Balch corner and the Withybrook Fault c 1972.





The crane now standing in Crystal Chamber. 1970.

Balch Cave today as amended from the original survey 1999 by Rob Taviner. Mendip Cave Registry.

Aven Chamber and Coral Grotto with approx line of quarry face at ground level. Warburton et al. Mendip Cave Registry.