could Goatchurch and Sidcot connect?

[stealth]

I was reading an old post somewhere on here ( i had nowt to do so stayed up and read old postings) that sidcot and the GC may have once been connected before the stream eroded the west twin valley down to its present state. If that is the case would it be feasible that in theory at least they could still connect at some point?, let me know what you think. ta very muchly.

 

[whitelackington]

You should
A) get permision from somebody?
B) Then get your tribe to formulate a plan
C) puchase some digging apparatus
D) have a go


It might work

 

[Andy Sparrow]

I was reading an old post somewhere on here ( i had nowt to do so stayed up and read old postings) that sidcot and the GC may have once been connected before the stream eroded the west twin valley down to its present state. If that is the case would it be feasible that in theory at least they could still connect at some point?, let me know what you think. ta very muchly.

Yes, it could happen.  The place to look is the chamber below the Coal Chute.

 

[stealth]

You should
A) get permision from somebody?

Who?

B) Then get your tribe to formulate a plan

How?

C) puchase some digging apparatus

What?

D) have a go

Maybe!

 

[cucc Paul]

What,

Bucket
Blue Rope
Spade (smallish)
Crow Bar
Lots of effort
Small People

 

[stealth]

got that  next  one please

 

[Les W]

Who

Graham can sort you here. 

From the CSCC Access pages.

"Digging is in the control of the UBSS on behalf of the land owners. All would-be diggers must first obtain the approval of The Secretary, University of Bristol Spelaeological Society, Students Union, Queens Road, Clifton, Bristol. BS8 1LN before starting work."

 

[whitelackington]

Now u need to formulate your plan

 

[stealth]

this is the bit i will get stuck on i haven't a clue.

 

[Les W]

A plan is easy, carrying it out is more difficult. 

First build a picture of the relationship between the two caves. Do this by looking at surveys and talking to people who know. Andy has already suggested that a good place might be below the Coal Shute, I don't know if that is the best place as I haven't personally studied the cave with this in mind.

Now visit the location(s) you have identified and determine how easy it will be to dig. Things to consider might be:-  How easy will it be to dig? Will it need more extreme techniques or just hammer, chisel, crowbar and spades etc? Is there plenty of room for dumping spoil (neatly)? How long term is the dig? How many people will it need to dig it efficiently? Will the dig be a hazard to other users of the cave?  :-\

Just some ideas to get started 

 

[cap n chris]

May I suggest that your starting point will be to survey Sidcot Swallet from the entrance to the "bouldery fun" that is Purgatory Series; then cross-correlate your data onto a surface map and then check it against the survey data we are currently collating in Goatchurch; the degree of overlap/void between the two will tell you whether or not it's a goer. Assuming that it is, you will then be in a position to determine whether or not you wish to devote many years of your life engineering a through trip from Sidcot Swallet to Goatchurch Cavern. My guess is you'll be looking at coming up in Goatchurch somewhere around the far left lower end of the (presently named) Dining Chamber.

 

[stealth]

thanks Les and everybody for that info, we already have surveys of both caves, looking at maps of how the land lies, we are going to go up there and have a look about this Saturday and if we think there may be a chance of anything will seek permission and advice from you guys if thats ok. We are all totally novice at this sort of thing, suppose you've got to start somewhere though.

Just read your post capn chris will take onboard your suggestions thanks, as i said above we don't really know what we are doing ( im being truthful now) and it will probably be a very steep learning curve for us all. But I think I can say we are all keen to learn.

 

[whitelackington]

I would take maximum benefit from the positive responces to these replys.
Most people get shot to bits, instantly for coming up with any new ideas.
GO FOR IT

 

[stealth]

Just to say thanks for all the positive replies, my lot are over the moon with these replies, lets hope things can move on, it would be an interesting exercise to see if these to caves would connect.

 

[Peter Burgess]

Assuming you have full permission etc etc.....

How much debris is there in the valley floor? You would need to be below this in solid ground in order to stand any chance. Consider the depth of the fenced off swallet. Is this typical of the valley as a whole, or just this spot?

The distance is not that short in Burrington terms. Unless you find significant cavities, you need to consider where you are going to put the spoil.

If you can I would suggest you consult whatever vertical sections exist to see how deep you need to be to stand a reasonable chance of achieving this.

 

[cap n chris]

I do not mean to be off-putting but it's worthwhile mentioning something which was said to me when I embarked on cave digging (it was supposed to put things into perspective for me!). "Digging progress on Mendip is often measured in inches per month; don't expect too much to start with".

 

[truescrumpy]

I do not mean to be off-putting but it's worthwhile mentioning something which was said to me when I embarked on cave digging (it was supposed to put things into perspective for me!). "Digging progress on Mendip is often measured in inches per month; don't expect too much to start with".

Phaa ...Only if you're an office worker, us proper workers measure feet per month !  :icon_321:

 

[Razzerip1]

Out of interest

What would be the horizontal and vertical separation of the two caves be? (from the perspective of dig sites)

The Altitude difference is 13m

 

[graham]

The Altitude difference is 13m

Between what and what? The vertical distance between the two entrances of Goatchurch is 6 m The entrance to Sidcot is well below that.

 

[Razzerip1]

Between what and what? (from the perspective of dig sites) if there are any!