Babyhagrid
Well-known member
Having been to Galeria Galimperos extensions in Ogof Draenen recently, the small Y Gwter Fawr streamway had caught my eye. research of the previous trips yielded lots of tales of the duck being heavily silted and nobody actually making it to explore the passages beyond. i decided as I am extremely small and love swimming that this would the perfect trip to distract me from my impeding Thesis presentations.
Matt and I had an early start at the kit store and after forgetting the key and having to go back, we were swiftly on our way. We stopped on route to acquire a spade in case we could try and shift the silt and wriggle round. after a cold changing session, we zipped off into the entrance and baptised the spade with some bashing through the crawls and scaffolded shafts. Soon we made it through Gilwern passage and through to the hearts of olden glory streamway. Here we put on our extra layers and crawled down to look at the duck. I volunteered to have a go first and crawled in on my front, head first. this did not go well as the stream and my balaclava gave me a Guantanamo style treatment. Then I retreated, ditched the balaclava and tried again, helmet in hand, this time on my back. this was much more successful and I made very slow but steady progress to the constriction before the "airbell/mendip chamber" this constriction was tight on my chest and gave my ears a nice dunking but was swiftly over and I could get my head into the space above. from here the duck improves and soon I had arrived on the other side and shouted for Matt to join me.
Once, on the other hand, we decided that it wasn't that bad at all and that it was quite good fun. St Giles passage soon followed with some lovely crystals and beautiful mud formations, and soon we arrived at passionfruit chamber with its lovely straws.
we then turned around and set out, stopping at the start of the duck to actually use the spade and remove some small amounts of sediment that were holding the water back. the way out felt wetter than the way in, but this was probably due to the bow wave of the stream on the back of my head.
Once at the choke and skydive back to Gilwern passage,e I realised that my helmet clip wasn't doing up properly due to the grit and sediment in it and had to perform some interesting climbing with one hand on the helmet and the other on the wall. a quick spritz of water sorted this out.
we then set off out feeling quite accomplished and only slightly cold, wet and muddy. and soon opened the gate to lovely blue skies.
good trip but definitely a dry day job.
Matt and I had an early start at the kit store and after forgetting the key and having to go back, we were swiftly on our way. We stopped on route to acquire a spade in case we could try and shift the silt and wriggle round. after a cold changing session, we zipped off into the entrance and baptised the spade with some bashing through the crawls and scaffolded shafts. Soon we made it through Gilwern passage and through to the hearts of olden glory streamway. Here we put on our extra layers and crawled down to look at the duck. I volunteered to have a go first and crawled in on my front, head first. this did not go well as the stream and my balaclava gave me a Guantanamo style treatment. Then I retreated, ditched the balaclava and tried again, helmet in hand, this time on my back. this was much more successful and I made very slow but steady progress to the constriction before the "airbell/mendip chamber" this constriction was tight on my chest and gave my ears a nice dunking but was swiftly over and I could get my head into the space above. from here the duck improves and soon I had arrived on the other side and shouted for Matt to join me.
Once, on the other hand, we decided that it wasn't that bad at all and that it was quite good fun. St Giles passage soon followed with some lovely crystals and beautiful mud formations, and soon we arrived at passionfruit chamber with its lovely straws.
we then turned around and set out, stopping at the start of the duck to actually use the spade and remove some small amounts of sediment that were holding the water back. the way out felt wetter than the way in, but this was probably due to the bow wave of the stream on the back of my head.
Once at the choke and skydive back to Gilwern passage,e I realised that my helmet clip wasn't doing up properly due to the grit and sediment in it and had to perform some interesting climbing with one hand on the helmet and the other on the wall. a quick spritz of water sorted this out.
we then set off out feeling quite accomplished and only slightly cold, wet and muddy. and soon opened the gate to lovely blue skies.
good trip but definitely a dry day job.
