Croesor - Rhosydd request for info

[ChrisJC]

You could do it in a Montego in 1996:

It is not a vehicular right of way though, and the feed troughs strategically placed are there as a deterrent I believe.

I always walk over from the Rhosydd side as it means it's a shorter walk back to the car after the trip.

Chris.

 

[royfellows]

Remembering the condition of your Montego I can well believe it.

Mind, the red Mazda I had for years was very authentic.

 

[speedycaver]

Make sure you take a pulley that will fit over a 12mm cable for the first zipline!

There's a three wire traverse line (hands, feet and cows-tail) there too, so a pulley isn't essential.

I've heard rumors that the canoe has sunk

The canoe was fine on the 16th October.

Yes, the pulley isn't essential but why would you not do the zipline, it was always one of the most fun parts of the trip ? 

The canoe is afloat and in good working order, along with all the other equipment 

Need to replace some of the rope protection mats on both abseils. There is a new slight rub point 10ft down the first abseil where that huge slab is slowly peeling off and sticking out    Not an issue yet, just something else to look at at some point.

Could do with sorting out a largish trip to take a few 'beginners to mine exploring' who have met me heading up there over the year and keen to give it a go.  I always make sure they have rope experience but not many know SRT. Ideally, one to one on experienced to newby would be good.  Will see later in the new year.

 

[alex17595]

Croesor ... where do you park at that end down at the main road ?

There is a car park in Croesor village: turn left at the crossroads and it's on the right just before the bridge. There was even a porta-loo there in October. SH 6315 4469 https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/side-by-side/#zoom=18&lat=52.98208&lon=-4.03977&layers=193&right=osm

Back at the crossroads, turn left, walk for 600m and take the right fork uphill by the houses. It's then about 2.5km and 300m of steady ascent to the entrance.

It sound as though its just as easy to go from the Blaenau end past Conlog and Rhosydd ?

The path up over the top between Croesor and Rhosydd isn't great, I wouldn't want to get stuck up there in the dark.

 

[LarryFatcat]

Can anyone suggest a bunkhouse for a Croesor trip?
I stayed in a nice one at the bottom of the hill somewhere but that was a decade ago so can't remember where it was.

 

[samh]

Can anyone suggest a bunkhouse for a Croesor trip?
I stayed in a nice one at the bottom of the hill somewhere but that was a decade ago so can't remember where it was.

I stayed at http://www.ypengwern.co.uk/ when I went in November, which was fine (although the Drovers fair was on outside at the time, which made parking a bit harder).
I believe Lancashire Climbing and Caving Club have a hut nearby as well.

 

[alanw]

Can anyone suggest a bunkhouse for a Croesor trip?
I stayed in a nice one at the bottom of the hill somewhere but that was a decade ago so can't remember where it was.

The Lancashire Climbing & Caving Club has a hut in Tanygrisiau. I haven't stayed there in many, many years. A couple of our party stayed there in October, but I didn't hear any comments about it.

https://thelccc.co.uk/club-huts/dan-y-mynydd/

 

[David Rose]

A case of COVID in my house meant we had to postpone our planned trip but Paul Cooper and I did it today. Fantastic. And all the gear needed is currently in place and in good condition. A terrific outing.

 

[David Rose]

Thanks to everyone who posted useful info.

 

[cavemanmike]

There is a new alternative and spicy start to the route if you can find it 

 

[David Rose]

Tell me more - where does it start and what does it consist of?

 

[Cantclimbtom]

Do you want the straight answer or to be teased?
If you look at aerial images, look for a face, 2 round eyes and a square mouth. These are 2 big winding wheels and a shaft 340'

Edit, I'm hoping to have an explore of that in Feb

Edit2:  https://imgur.com/a/PEJrHra

 

[David Rose]

That sounds interesting! Where would would it join the existing through trip?

 

[Cantclimbtom]

As you walk-in along the Croesor haulage adit and pass over the false floor of the main haulage incline (flooded) there is a slight left bend /dog-leg where you can see some winch/engine mountings.

At this point there is a short hand over hand old rope to get past that to a smaller scrappier incline (with the big smoke pipe). As you progress up the incline at what seems the top are heavy iron bars. CRTT turns left there for the first pitch. The incline continues a short way behind the bars (bars installed when it was used as ICI/Cooke's explosive store) and that is the bottom of the shaft.

Originally there was the largest sized Robey portable steam/wining engine at the top of the incline and the smoke went up the shaft. However as the main incline (now flooded) is out of sight of the engine operator, it got moved down the incline (with smoke pipe) so that the operator could see the main haulage incline. The manager at the time (Moses Kellow) gives an account in his autobiography as the chain broke during lowering and it came down the incline but luckily for Moses (who was standing half way up the incline below the engine) it jammed on the wall at half way.

Anyhow the shaft is 340' and coated in many years of soot, so don't wear your finest crisp white caving suit or white dinner jacket discussed in other thread. There was originally a small portal and short adit leading into the shaft at the top and I think that enters 10m???  down, although collapsed at entrance there is some kind of ledge or feature of note just down the shaft. I hear there were spit anchors there but maybe they need replacing. If they are confirmed as old I may be able to put in some 12mm stainless coeur in Feb?  for there you have 100m or a touch less to the bottom.  Nearish the bottom there are tunnels to East and West.  One to West comes out high above the big lake chamber you will have seen to your right when you came in. One to East comes out into the large unstable chamber of first pitch of CRTT and can be used to continue instead of having to slither through the bars at bottom. Unless you are a racing snake (and a thin one at that) they may be a challenge.  I don't know the current condition of anchors there either, can review in Feb some time but if you go before that  feedback from others useful.

What also interests me is the very top. While there are whopper winding wheels to anchor, how easily (or wisely?) they could be used as a pull through is of interest, otherwise someone is going to have to walk back up the side of Moelwyn Mawr to get the rope again

 

[David Rose]

Fascinating.

You'd need a big rope for a pull-through!

 

[Cantclimbtom]

Yes...  but I'd hope a short ab from surface the 5 or 10m to the former entrance could be pulled through (or a short rope left if not possible due to edge friction) then an ab down the main shaft from there - maybe again pull through. If there was a bomb-proof anchor at half way (from there) it could be done as a multi-pitch abseil. Not sure if multi-pitch [pull through] abseils are a "thing" in caving, but mountaineering it's a bread-and-butter skill. Sounds a candidate to be done with 2x50m ropes if the route was equipped accordingly?
Thoughts/suggestions/gestures anybody?

 

[Ian P]

[quote author=Cantclimbtom]
Thoughts/suggestions/gestures anybody?
[/quote]

A fireman?s pole ?

Sounds very interesting. A multi pitch belay system would seem the best option if possible. I guess the ?stances? would be the critical part. (Number of people on them etc).

A nice project for you 

 

[langcliffe]

Not sure if multi-pitch [pull through] abseils are a "thing" in caving,

Quite common in France. I guess the nearest thing we have in Yorkshire (without a big ledge being involved), is the Great Aven pitch in Simpson Pot.

 

[David Rose]

Multi-pitch pull through abseils are very much a thing in Cantabria - where the 300+ metres shaft of the Coventosa system is broken not by ledges but chains, on which everyone has to hang while the ropes are pulled through. Awkward if a rope gets stuck...

 

[cavemanmike]

That sounds interesting! Where would would it join the existing through trip?

When you approach the first pitch at the top of the internal chimney go right instead of lef, there's a traverse which takes you to a ledge. Climb up the small incline turn left and traverse a shaft and onto the first of 3 ziplines which also include an electron a traverse and an abseil then you end up at the top of the second pitch. Really good fun. Good look. Ps.
There are some nice artifacts on that route so please take care