anyone done any decent caving this week?

[JB]

I've been down Merlin's Mine and Suicide Cave in the Peak. First time I'd been down either of them. Merlin's Mine was really enjoyable (especially as I'd been before and failed to find it in the dark) - made a nice change to be underground and walking upright in Stoney Dale. Suicide Cave - well you probably know what it's like. Saw the dodgy boulder at the end of traverse and didn't go past that. Is there anything worthwhile beyond...? Does the trav carry on a bit? Was hoping to get to Kingsdale today but the weather intervened. Would like to get out tomorrow but need inspiration.

 

[cap n chris]

"the weather intervened"....

The TV news seems to support this. The forecast for tomorrow seems rather daunting too.

 

[paul]

A trip to Mendip for the weekend with a trip to Shatter Series in Swildons. What a pain bailing the Mud Sump! - impressive engineering, though.

Spent Sunday wandering around Burrington with trips to Pierre's Pot. Sidcot Swallet and Goatchurch Cavern.

 

[SamT]

What did you reckon to shatter series then.

I wasnt that bothered, bit dull and muddy. We got to some sort wet tight sump/duck and bagged it off. Especially considering we didnt really know where we were going and given JT's past experience with Swildons sumps we thought better of it. Did you get all the way to the main streamway?

As for my weekend, spent saturday capping a shaft at Moorfurlong. Job is finally done (bar the shouting). Looks very neat - even if I do say so myself. Cheers to JT and the barnsley lads for all their efforts, Also cheers to Mark (Noble) for the invaluable loan of kit.

 

[mudmonkey]

Paul - did you get to the Pierre's Pot streamway? a bit of a snug squeeze but quite pleasant below....

 

[paul]

What did you reckon to shatter series then.

We didn't get far to tell the truth as we had intended to have a look at Renaissance and the guy organising the trip thought it was down Shatter Pot when its actually NEAR Shatter Pot but upwards somewher according to the survey...

So we didn't go very far in Shatter Series!

 

[Brendan]

D'oh

 

[paul]

Paul - did you get to the Pierre's Pot streamway? a bit of a snug squeeze but quite pleasant below....

No - the guidebook we had a look at (I think it was "Selected Caves") didn't mention the steamway so we didn't know about it. We were just poking about having a look at the cave. I had a look at my 1999 Mendips guidebook last night and spotted that there was a streamway accessible via a squeeze.

I doubt that I could have got through the squeeze anyway as I remember looking at a route downwards through a tight slot and I thought I would never get through. Since we didn't know there was much past the squeeze none of the thinner members of the party bothered to try it either! D'oh!!

 

[Hammy]

Couple of Easegill trips this year so far - before this weekends rain though!!

First one into Mistral to Gour Hall and Leck Fell Lane and the second one Lancaster to Cape Kennedy/Fire Hydrant.

I wonder how far the sump backed up on Saturday night......????? :shock:

 

[JB]

Replying to my own post now. Went down Odin Mine (Castleton) last night; really good trip. The mine down to the Cartgate isn't really loose despite what you hear. Found the handline climb up the chimney near the start hard work though. Proper slippy. Didn't go further than the Cartgate (which is a really impressive place). Anyone know when the mine finished working? Been down the 40m pitch to the lower levels? Got any other interesting info about it?

Came out about 10:30. Lovely evening - really clear sky last night.

 

[SamT]

You want to read Dave Elliots "Treak Cliff Hill" journal from the eighties - that has a survey of the lower levels. They sound horrendously loose - and that was 20 years ago.
I am of the opinion that Odin to the cart gate is great trip with a great deal of historical mining interest to be seen (namely that awsome ginged roof) but essentially the lower levels are not justified since there is not a lot down there and its hanging.

As for the history - theres probably loads of bumpf in the tourist info in castleton. If your interested in mining history - then 'Lead mining in the Peak District' (see here )
is a great read.

 

[mudmonkey]

I've been to the bottom with CaveTroll. Once. That's the only time I've been off the tourist route - he knows it better than most.

The lower levels are pretty loose. There are a couple of levels/crosscuts where the roof is made of deads, held up by rotting timber and tradition. It's a long-standing tradition but still..... :uhoh:

There are a few nice mud formations in the sump chamber and I guess the mine must have been pumped once as a mined-out vein appears to continue underwater.

There are horizontal routes going off as well. Have heard a few horror stories including sections of the mine going into the shale that makes up Mam Tor. It sounds like those areas may be quite interesting but again, very scary.....

 

[Brendan]

I've been down to the lower levels of Odin, and it is a very interesting place. The roof is looser than a badgers bottom, there are wood stemples in the roof that are a good 200yrs old (and pieces of rotten wood, previously in the roof, now on the floor, you can push your finger straight through them), and the floor is probaby supported by the same stuff.

Cartgate trip is nice though - also worth a quick look at the pasasges on the L on the entrance level - don't go very far but quite pretty.

 

[Andy Sparrow]

No - the guidebook we had a look at (I think it was "Selected Caves") didn't mention the steamway so we didn't know about it. We were just poking about having a look at the cave. I had a look at my 1999 Mendips guidebook last night and spotted that there was a streamway accessible via a squeeze.

The lower series of Pierres Pot is the best caving trip in Burrington Combe; although, as one of the cave's discoverers I am guilty of some bias. What the guide books don't tell you about is The Hanging Gardens - a superbly decorated high level chamber. It was agreed by the diggers that we would not publicise the quality of the formations in the cave hence the incomplete descriptions in the guidebooks. I don't think there is any harm in revealing this - it is quite widely known in Mendip caving circles and the difficulty of the squeezes and routefinding should deter any potential vandals. The squeeze, being vertical, is intimidating but not ultra tight. Go and have a look I say - and let me know how you get on. When you find the 5 foot stalactite you are in the right place!

 

[dunc]

Easegill.....I wonder how far the sump backed up on Saturday night......?????

Friday night it more than likely peaked as I was told by someone who went in Lancaster on Saturday that the tide mark, in the high level passage was:
ABOVE the level of the rope climb down to Fall Pot...... :shock:

 

[Hammy]

:boz: !! Gulp !! :boz:

 

[mudmonkey]

Andy - just to check I'm thinking of the right chamber - Hanging Gardens has a pool in the floor with formations around and above, and there's one more chamber beyond with a flowstone ramp (slightly muddy/discoloured IIRC)? Don't remember the formations being 5' long but it is rather pleasant - some quite good moonmilk and helictites (baby ones...) near there too. It's a good little trip.

 

[Andy Sparrow]

Yes, that's it, the big stal being right in the middle of the chamber. Being the first person to ever see it is one of my fonder caving memories.

 

[Cave_Troll]

I'm the person that took mud_monkey and Brendan down Odin.
I decided not to publish any surveys of the lower levels of Odin on safety grounds. the crewe rigging topo is sketched off umm someone's survey.. can't remember who's. but the "tourist" trip is acurate as i resurveyed all that and overlaid it all ok.

 

[SamT]

spoke to Mark Noble last night - he was waxing lyrical about the lower levels - and a main cartgate that dissappeared off towards rushop edge - considered too difficult to peg along at the time (dodgy floor) but possibly worth a look with a drill and some bolts - so what do you know.