Wormy
New member
What started out as a well defined plan to go and do Tutmans hole rapidly descended into chaos (as usual). Off the top of my head I decided that Elpha Green was a viable option so we jumped in the car and headed Allendale-wards!
The Cave guides advise asking for permission to access Elpha Green caves at Elpha Green farm, after trudging up the track to the (very picturesque) farm past the wrecked BMW full of rubbish, the lady we met there advised that she had inherited the farm from her father and that the caves entrances did not belong to them and as such she couldnt give permission to enter. After a little deliberation we decided to do it anyway and trudged up the stream, this was the first of the midge filled stream valleys of the day.
Unfortunately it would appear that (a lot of) clay has washed into the cave and halfway along the main central squeeze it gets so low that my ribcage became wedged twixt rock and clay. Unfortunately we did not have any tools with us but I think about 20 minutes with a trenching tool would clear it out enough to get through.
Anyway after tramping back down the valley we settled on Ayleburn as our next destination!
But on the way we first found Rampgill firestone level, which we had a mooch about in and the other bit of it that comes out in the shale of the valley on the other side of the road.
We set off again intent on getting to Ayleburn but as we passed Nentsberry Hags we realised we'd never poked our heads in here either so got our for a look around.
to be continued:
The Cave guides advise asking for permission to access Elpha Green caves at Elpha Green farm, after trudging up the track to the (very picturesque) farm past the wrecked BMW full of rubbish, the lady we met there advised that she had inherited the farm from her father and that the caves entrances did not belong to them and as such she couldnt give permission to enter. After a little deliberation we decided to do it anyway and trudged up the stream, this was the first of the midge filled stream valleys of the day.
Unfortunately it would appear that (a lot of) clay has washed into the cave and halfway along the main central squeeze it gets so low that my ribcage became wedged twixt rock and clay. Unfortunately we did not have any tools with us but I think about 20 minutes with a trenching tool would clear it out enough to get through.
Anyway after tramping back down the valley we settled on Ayleburn as our next destination!
But on the way we first found Rampgill firestone level, which we had a mooch about in and the other bit of it that comes out in the shale of the valley on the other side of the road.
We set off again intent on getting to Ayleburn but as we passed Nentsberry Hags we realised we'd never poked our heads in here either so got our for a look around.
to be continued:
