Daren Cilau - Ogof Cnwc and back!

drainrat

Member
Who: Myself (freelance), Oggy (DCC)
Where: Ogof Daren Cilau, Welsh Wales
When: Friday 7th September 2012

It was about time we tried a decent length trip after all the messing about on Mendip and in the Peak, so where better to have a baptism of fire but down Daren!

Hearing of the entrance series fearsome reputation it only made sense to go for the through trip and out of Ogof Cnwc. Looking at the surveys, once in Antler passage, the cave was rather linear with not a great number of side passages to get lost up. With that in mind we thought what could go wrong?

To cut a very very long story short, we made light work of the entrance series (vice? what vice?) we had a good explore up to surveyors passage, round the loop route and then off down Epocalypse. Antler was a doddle if rather long and we eventually got to Busman's. By now we'd been in the cave 7 hours, with all the looking at pretties and exploring side leads we were fairly tired. Callout time was in another 4 hours so when we couldn't find the way on, we got a little worried.

John Stevens from the Chelsea has since sent me a very detailed survey of Busman's and it appears we had gone past the connection and were too far south. We could either have spent forever looking for the exit, or sensibly turned around and caved out to make our callout time. We opted for the latter and with very heavy hearts turned around knowing there was a long way back out.

At the start of the crawl we drank as much as possible from the little stream and made out a sensible pace. 1 1/4 hours wasn't bad in our tired state, I was suffering from cramp in my legs. We were just 27 minutes overdue back down at the car park, 12 hours after leaving. Turns out we had been less than 15 minutes from the Ogof Cnwc exit.......

Note to other cavers:
-A rudimentary survey (what we took) will get you 99% of the way through
-Take a detailed survey of Busman's or you'll regret it!
 

Alkapton

Member
There are couple places you can be confused by, one is around Antler/Busmans junction, bedding plane on left, tight crawl on right and crawl in middle which is the way on.  End of Busmans could be fun, after you climb up and go through narrow taped route with pritties keep going in same direction untill you hit wall, main passage goes right, but out is left, here you will see orange telephone line, just follow it.
 

Alex

Well-known member
Yes the entrance to the exit tunnel is quite well hidden behind a large boulder on the left about 20 minutes from the end of busmans. You really have to know its there otherwise you won't spot it. Luckly we had someone who knew the trip so route finding was not an issue.

My best advice is to scout in from the other entrance first before doing the through trip as its only 15 - 20 minutes to busmans, you will know when you are in it coming from the other direction as it's the first big bit of passage you come to.
 

shortscotsman

New member
here goes...

Coming from Antler to Busman's. 

After the metal ladder climb into Busman's its quite a long way to the entrance/exit.  Mostly obvious.  It includes a flat-out crawl section.  There is fairly little formations and relatively little tape.  Just before the exit,  it changes and there is rather nice stal/calcite.
[called price's prophecy?]  The route here is quite narrow with red/white tape on both sides and goes over smooth calcite and down and up  a little. after a little rise the LH tape falls away and tape continues on the RH.  The exit route is obtained by following the LH tape to the hole behind the large boulder.

If you go too far it becomes an awkward crawl


....it must have been a long trip back to the main entance!


..added..  If you go to  http://www.ogof.org.uk/ogof_cnwc.html  then there are some nice piccies. The top-left is takedJUST before the  LH tun to the exit
 

mrodoc

Well-known member
Oh dear! don't worry have done something similar trying to do OFD2 to OFD1 on 2 occasions. I swore the first time I would never do Cwm Dwr crawl again and then I had to next time :thumbsdown:
 

Alkapton

Member
The description is a bit out of date re aids, and the survey don't show Man in the roof.  I want to be sure to be shure.  So from Cnwc getting into Antler, or even in Antler there is a big boulder with a short chain and two foot plates on its right.  Is that the overhanging boulder the guide says is a climb on the left?  This is followed by steep climb up boulders in middle of deep rift.
 
I agree the description is out of date regarding the fixed aids. I did the trip about 3 weeks ago for the first time since they were installed and afterwards suggested to John Stevens that it could be updated but he's also only done it once since they were installed!

As I recollect the first fixed aid reached is the ladder down from Busman's into Antler. The entry to this boulder ruckle was marked by a large arrow scratched on the right wall.

The rope hanging down where Man in the Roof joins Antler hangs several feet short of the floor and is most unlikely to be taken as the route.

I recollect the chain and footholds but can't remember exactly where they are in Antler.

Having said that, we didn't use the description but just followed the well worn path.
 

Alkapton

Member
While poking about just before the hole down to ladder into Antlers, I go up steep exposed boulder slope on left of passage...  There is i guess 3m climb up, there is tatty blue washing line hanging down, it tied to decent sling on good hanger, a high rift seems to go on... any ideas?  But i aint climbing washing line, no no no.
 

NigR

New member
Full marks to Greg and Oggy for being resourceful (and fit) enough to get yourselves back out before callout time. Also for putting your trip report on here so that other people might benefit from your experience.

Alex said:
My best advice is to scout in from the other entrance first before doing the through trip as its only 15 - 20 minutes to busmans.......

I would echo this advice and would suggest following a similar course of action if contemplating undertaking any other through trips in South Wales that you might be unfamiliar with. Route finding can be a little more complicated than in some other caving areas.

JohnMCooper said:
However you need a key from Whitewalls to get in Cnwc but not to get out.

Worth mentioning that if anyone wants to organise a trip in advance you can arrange to borrow a key by contacting Stuart France (contact details on CSS website). Or (even better in my opinion) just send Stuart a cheque for ?10 and he will send you back your own personal key that you can use whenever you like.

 

Trig Gledhill

New member
Old thread I know but an update for anyone who fancies doing this trio.

There is nice sign now in Busmans pointing you in the direction of the Cnwc exit. In the pretty Prices Prophecy, head to the left instead of the right (We headed right at first even though we knew it looked wrong on the survey but it kid of leads you) and you will see the sign quite nicely behind the boulder that previous have mentioned.

Hope this helps,

Rave safe

Sent from my SM-G920F using Tapatalk

 

Trig Gledhill

New member
Trig Gledhill said:
Old thread I know but an update for anyone who fancies doing this trio.

There is nice sign now in Busmans pointing you in the direction of the Cnwc exit. In the pretty Prices Prophecy, head to the left instead of the right (We headed right at first even though we knew it looked wrong on the survey but it kid of leads you) and you will see the sign quite nicely behind the boulder that previous have mentioned.

Hope this helps,

Rave safe

Sent from my SM-G920F using Tapatalk

Apologies for my spelling!
 
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