Gaping Gill!!
I have heard of Gaping Gill a few times. Grumpy Gramps keeps going on about it, particularly in August. Nanny and Mummy seem to roll their eyes when he’s waffling on about it.
This year we were all going up to the winch meet and even camping for two nights. I was really looking forward to the trip.
We all had heavy bags and the weather was very
, so it was a really tough walk up. Stopping for an ice cream at the show cave was really nice.
After Gramps had shown us around his very big tent, we had a picnic before walking down to the busy place where people were working away on different jobs. A large engine was making a lot of noise but wasn’t going anywhere??
Gramps showed us a winding-up machine that was connected to a yellow chair hanging over a black hole. This apparently is the famous “Gaping Gill.” It looks just like a hole in the ground to me. Grown-ups are a bit hard to understand sometimes.
It turns out I was going to go in the yellow chair and be lowered down into the “Main Chamber.” This sounds like fun!
Nanny went first into the chair and then she was lowered down into the dark. A few minutes later, the chair returned EMPTY!!
Where was my Nanny?
Apparently, she got out at the bottom and was waiting for me.
Into the chair I went and was well strapped in. The chair started to go down into the dark, but it was fun. I kept going down and down, passing close to the waterfall, which was very exciting.
I then heard Nanny calling up to me and soon I could see her, standing in a really big cave with lights all around. This was more like it!
I had a couple more rides up and down in the chair because it was so much fun, before we all went for a walk around the big cave. It was very spectacular.
The next day Gramps announced that we were going “proper caving,” which I was excited about and ready to get going straight away.
HOWEVER, he started to explain that a film crew from the BBC were coming up to do some filming for a programme called “The One Show” and we were going to be a part of it.
So much for getting straight off caving!
We all met down by the big tent, where we had to sit to keep out of the hot sun. Gramps was called off to go and do some “film work” and speak to the presenter in front of the camera. He really didn’t seem too comfortable about this.
The other club members were apparently giving him some encouragement. It didn’t sound like encouragement to me, but we were all laughing.
TWO HOURS LATER, he eventually came back to the big tent, where I had been having a good time drawing pictures with Baby Penny, the newest member of the CPC.
We could now go caving at last, but it was too hot to get changed and walk to the cave, so we carried the kit over to the cave entrance.
On the way, I was introduced to the TV presenter. Her name was Aimee Fuller. She seemed like a nice person, although she did have a lot of make-up on. I guess she wasn’t going “proper caving.”
We were going to meet her in the Main Chamber in a couple of hours, after I had done some proper caving.
We got to the cave entrance. It is called Bar Pot, but I didn’t see a bar
I have heard of this entrance before and something about it being tight.
We will see.
After we were kitted up, Mummy and Nanny disappeared into the cave and abseiled down a rope through a small gap in the rock.
It was my turn next.
Gramps set up my own rope. He likes me to use his rope and he sets it in a special way so I can’t crash into the floor.
I began to abseil, pulling back on the black lever and pushing the rope up through the metal thing on my harness. Apparently, it’s called a “Rig.”
I went down through the narrow gap, but I fit easily. The cave opened out and I could see Mummy and Nanny looking up at me.
I came to a knot in the rope and stopped above Mummy’s head. Nanny shouted up to Gramps and then I started to go down gently to the floor.
At the bottom of the first bit, we slid down a greasy rock through a small gap. It was a bit like a slide, but not as fast.
The next section meant walking down lots of slippery rocks and mud. Gramps tied a rope to the back of my harness and walked me like a dog on a lead. At least it stopped me falling too far!
We then came to another rope. Here I had to clip my cowstails on and crawl through a gap in the rock.
On the other side there was a BIG HOLE!
Gramps lowered me on this one and I could just lie back and relax. It was a long way down and Gramps kept stopping me to take photos.
Mummy and Nanny met me at the bottom and we set off along more passages. Some of them the grown-ups had to crawl through, but I could just walk along.
I kept hearing Gramps mumbling about how much he dislikes this part of the trip.
I loved it!
We got to a section of the cave which I was informed was called “The Portcullis.”
No idea what this means, but it looked like a sliding door that goes up and down.
I even had to crawl through this bit, but I like crawling in the mud.
Gramps then told us all to wait where we were as he was going ahead to see the TV people.
He soon returned with a piece of wire attached to a small furry thing. Apparently, this was a microphone and I had to wear it.
We carried on and arrived in the big cave where I had been yesterday. It was a lot easier coming down in the yellow chair!
Some bright lights shone on me and the lady with all the make-up appeared and started asking me questions about my trip.
There were lots of people filming us and I went a bit shy, but hopefully not too shy for them.
After the questions and photos, I could get back in the yellow chair and go back up to the sunshine.
I like this kind of caving!
The next day, members of the public turned up to go down in the yellow chair.
Gramps had booked “Team Patrick” to work the first shift underground looking after everyone. I really liked this and even had my own yellow jacket. I also got to go in the yellow chair again!
In the afternoon, Gramps had put us down for jobs on the surface. This was good fun too.
I helped put helmets on people and collected numbered bands from Nanny, who had a clipboard.
When we had finished, we set off walking back to the car park. Luckily, we stopped off at the show cave for another ice cream.
I may have had a little sleep in the car on the way home!!
I really enjoyed my visit up to GG. I don’t think it will be my last!
Lily Patrick – 6¾
Nanny (Lin Patrick)
Mummy (Laura Patrick)
Grumpy Gramps (Ian Patrick)
I have heard of Gaping Gill a few times. Grumpy Gramps keeps going on about it, particularly in August. Nanny and Mummy seem to roll their eyes when he’s waffling on about it.
This year we were all going up to the winch meet and even camping for two nights. I was really looking forward to the trip.
We all had heavy bags and the weather was very
, so it was a really tough walk up. Stopping for an ice cream at the show cave was really nice.After Gramps had shown us around his very big tent, we had a picnic before walking down to the busy place where people were working away on different jobs. A large engine was making a lot of noise but wasn’t going anywhere??
Gramps showed us a winding-up machine that was connected to a yellow chair hanging over a black hole. This apparently is the famous “Gaping Gill.” It looks just like a hole in the ground to me. Grown-ups are a bit hard to understand sometimes.
It turns out I was going to go in the yellow chair and be lowered down into the “Main Chamber.” This sounds like fun!
Nanny went first into the chair and then she was lowered down into the dark. A few minutes later, the chair returned EMPTY!!
Where was my Nanny?Apparently, she got out at the bottom and was waiting for me.
Into the chair I went and was well strapped in. The chair started to go down into the dark, but it was fun. I kept going down and down, passing close to the waterfall, which was very exciting.
I then heard Nanny calling up to me and soon I could see her, standing in a really big cave with lights all around. This was more like it!
I had a couple more rides up and down in the chair because it was so much fun, before we all went for a walk around the big cave. It was very spectacular.
The next day Gramps announced that we were going “proper caving,” which I was excited about and ready to get going straight away.
HOWEVER, he started to explain that a film crew from the BBC were coming up to do some filming for a programme called “The One Show” and we were going to be a part of it.
So much for getting straight off caving!
We all met down by the big tent, where we had to sit to keep out of the hot sun. Gramps was called off to go and do some “film work” and speak to the presenter in front of the camera. He really didn’t seem too comfortable about this.
The other club members were apparently giving him some encouragement. It didn’t sound like encouragement to me, but we were all laughing.
TWO HOURS LATER, he eventually came back to the big tent, where I had been having a good time drawing pictures with Baby Penny, the newest member of the CPC.
We could now go caving at last, but it was too hot to get changed and walk to the cave, so we carried the kit over to the cave entrance.
On the way, I was introduced to the TV presenter. Her name was Aimee Fuller. She seemed like a nice person, although she did have a lot of make-up on. I guess she wasn’t going “proper caving.”
We were going to meet her in the Main Chamber in a couple of hours, after I had done some proper caving.
We got to the cave entrance. It is called Bar Pot, but I didn’t see a bar
I have heard of this entrance before and something about it being tight.
We will see.
After we were kitted up, Mummy and Nanny disappeared into the cave and abseiled down a rope through a small gap in the rock.
It was my turn next.
Gramps set up my own rope. He likes me to use his rope and he sets it in a special way so I can’t crash into the floor.
I began to abseil, pulling back on the black lever and pushing the rope up through the metal thing on my harness. Apparently, it’s called a “Rig.”
I went down through the narrow gap, but I fit easily. The cave opened out and I could see Mummy and Nanny looking up at me.
I came to a knot in the rope and stopped above Mummy’s head. Nanny shouted up to Gramps and then I started to go down gently to the floor.
At the bottom of the first bit, we slid down a greasy rock through a small gap. It was a bit like a slide, but not as fast.
The next section meant walking down lots of slippery rocks and mud. Gramps tied a rope to the back of my harness and walked me like a dog on a lead. At least it stopped me falling too far!
We then came to another rope. Here I had to clip my cowstails on and crawl through a gap in the rock.
On the other side there was a BIG HOLE!
Gramps lowered me on this one and I could just lie back and relax. It was a long way down and Gramps kept stopping me to take photos.
Mummy and Nanny met me at the bottom and we set off along more passages. Some of them the grown-ups had to crawl through, but I could just walk along.
I kept hearing Gramps mumbling about how much he dislikes this part of the trip.
I loved it!
We got to a section of the cave which I was informed was called “The Portcullis.”
No idea what this means, but it looked like a sliding door that goes up and down.
I even had to crawl through this bit, but I like crawling in the mud.
Gramps then told us all to wait where we were as he was going ahead to see the TV people.
He soon returned with a piece of wire attached to a small furry thing. Apparently, this was a microphone and I had to wear it.
We carried on and arrived in the big cave where I had been yesterday. It was a lot easier coming down in the yellow chair!
Some bright lights shone on me and the lady with all the make-up appeared and started asking me questions about my trip.
There were lots of people filming us and I went a bit shy, but hopefully not too shy for them.
After the questions and photos, I could get back in the yellow chair and go back up to the sunshine.
I like this kind of caving!
The next day, members of the public turned up to go down in the yellow chair.
Gramps had booked “Team Patrick” to work the first shift underground looking after everyone. I really liked this and even had my own yellow jacket. I also got to go in the yellow chair again!
In the afternoon, Gramps had put us down for jobs on the surface. This was good fun too.
I helped put helmets on people and collected numbered bands from Nanny, who had a clipboard.
When we had finished, we set off walking back to the car park. Luckily, we stopped off at the show cave for another ice cream.
I may have had a little sleep in the car on the way home!!
I really enjoyed my visit up to GG. I don’t think it will be my last!
Lily Patrick – 6¾
Nanny (Lin Patrick)
Mummy (Laura Patrick)
Grumpy Gramps (Ian Patrick)
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