Bull Pot of the Witches

andywebman

Active member
The tree used for SRT descent of the entrance pitch of Bull Pot of the Witches has been felled due to it being killed by ash dieback. This route is no longer safe to use. Please use the alternative entrance via path around the south slope and a handline into the small passage leading to the 7m descent into South Chamber.
 

CNCC

Well-known member
Full story here:


Many thanks indeed to the team involved. We will hopefully look to see if the Direct Route can be reinstated via an additional anchor or two, as we know it was popular with lots of groups - albeit not Lancliffe ;) - but in the meantime the topo has been updated to remove this as a route.
 

andrewmcleod

Well-known member
Now might be a good time to produce a Topo that actually has all the bolts on it on the approach route to the chimney pitch. I know they aren't 'approved' anchors but they are big Petzl resin anchors, so they really ought to be fine.

I hate to think of some less experienced group turning up in the wet and heading down to the chimney entrance without a rope on that wet, slippery slope - I'm happier free-climbing the pitch than that bit!

The first anchors are on an outcrop of rock in the field next to the enclosure - after crossing the stile into the enclosure and walking around the top path, hop over the fence (at the top of the slippery slope down, where there is also a crappy rusting belay stake) to find them. There are then resin anchors all the way down. I can't remember exactly what you need but it's probably 30-40m of rope, and maybe 5-10 carabiners.

Giving a topo which misses this out for a novice cave commonly used in horrific weather is potentially just leading people into trouble...
 

Fulk

Well-known member
I was interested in andrewmcleod's comments above, because on one day of bad weather a year or two ago I slipped and rolled down the path; had I not been clipped into a rope, I would certainly have fallen into the open shaft . . . so it's not just novices who (might) need protection.
 
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