After prussicking about fifty feet up Henslars Aven yesterday, I suddenly realised that I was in the purest, longest, cleanest and most perfect back-and-foot chimney imaginable. This was like Yosemite, but with round corners.
I don't know if the bottom section would be free-climbable, I didn't look. But the top two thirds has the potential to make an awesome bolt protected free-lead.
Imagine being fifteen feet above your last runner, 100 feet above the floor, in a competely smooth and holdless, parallel sided scoop, eying-up the next runner and the ledge above. The urge to retreat is almost overwhelming, but you push on, clip the runner and continue to the ledge, where there are in-situ abseil chains. You bring up your second, then both ab down and exit via Bar Pot.
Later, in the pub, you meet your mates and you debate the relative merits of Henslar's and The Superdirectissima on Kilnsey. Both now prized ticks in your guidebook.
After a few pints you might also speculate on potential free-caving through trips, maybe a pull-through descent of Disappointment Pot followed by a free ascent of all the pitches in Henslars Pot. Now that would be a good trip.
Maybe I'm dreaming, but before Martel, a descent of Gaping Gill was just a dream, and there were many then who said it couldn't, or shouldn't, be done.