cap n chris
Well-known member
Sunday 30th January 2005
Cavers: Melanie Lloyd, Danielle Gorman, Matt Blount, Andy Sparrow, Chris Binding.
It was relatively late on Saturday evening at the Galleries Inn when Melanie was cajoled into agreeing to go caving the following day; she had made certain requests, "not wet and not muddy". After a while it was decided that a good site would be Cuckoo Cleeves, especially in the light of the apparent imminent sale, further details of which were soon due - on or around the 5th February (the weekend after this trip). A couple of text messages later and we had a group of five sorted out. The meeting time and place was decided and so ....
Sunday 2pm, "the Centre of the Universe", Hunter's Lodge. We meet and use two cars to ferry us to the parking layby on the windswept open plain of high Mendip where we change in the invigorating open air. Once kitted up we set off on the enormous hike across squelchy fields and wading through thin liquid mud at the gateway. After what seemed like days, we finally arrived at the surface depression, doline - whatever. It was easy to find since there was a large "for sale" sign attached to a
fencepost - a handy sign for any passerby who might be thinking of purchasing a cave. The padlock on the entrance was not locked and it would appear that it has seized so a new one will perhaps be required shortly. A note should be sent to CSCC C&A offiicer so that he can install a new lock; I'll write accordingly and get it done. Mr. Sparrow expertly rigged the entrance tube pitch (5m) with ladder and line and we all descended into the pleasant relative warmth of the cave.
The climb down the ladder brings you into a twisting descent amongst jammed boulders which opens into a rift chamber with a steeply sloping "floor" along which we climb down, crossing towards the right, while avoiding a deep pit directly below; from here it is a simple slide down between the jagged sides of the descending rift to reach stream/ground level. The descent down the loose pebble pathway leads almost immediately to an awkward drop of a couple of metres where a handy sling makes for easier progress. We can all regroup here and contemplate the "finest chamber in the cave" (according to Mr. S - and I agree). "Flat Roof Chamber" is a large dip-dominated chamber with a couple of good vadose trenches running 10m or so down towards the continuation of the stream (when active - it wasn't today). There is a bypass to the climb which I take (preferring to climb up this feature rather than down it) and manage to get a couple of photos looking up while Mel and the others make their way downwards.
From here the going becomes quite simple as we follow the 6m high vadose rift with sharp edges, protruding fossils and loose pebbles adding to the general noise and action of the journey. The passage opens out after a while and the descent is steep - around 40-50 degrees - so we make a good depth quite quickly. Once we get to the bottom of the Canyon there is evidence of previous digging efforts in the form of sandbags stacked up; various ways on are available to us.
Firstly, we all need to squeeze through the eye of a needle. A complete b*stard for pie-eaters like me. That done, now nicely hot and damp, there follows the upwards thrutch through the narrow bit which then goes either left or right; I decided to go left and do the T-shaped keyhole section which brings me out to the small stream flowing in from the right and going off to the left into a narrow tunnel down which I decide not to go, preferring instead to await the arrival of others. No-one arrives. I can hear muffled noises for a while and then it goes quiet. Obviously they're going somewhere else (or out?) so I gird myself and make the return journey, puffing a bit more than I would expect in the process. Air quality not brill?... perhaps.
They'd taken the right turn on coming up through the squeeze, trying to locate the route towards the "swimming pool" (lake); up a hands and knees tube and then straight up-slope towards a narrowing uphill squeeze. Andy and Dani managed to get through and Mel had a go but came back; I squeezed up through and then found the continuation towards Andy just too tight - it was pointless, apparently, since no sooner than passing that bit, it gets totally narrow anyway. Dani did well and persevered with the tight route until it got "rather unnecessary" and then decided to come back.
Mel, Mat and myself slid back down and returned down through the hands and knees tube and then tight squeeze before returning through the narrow and somewhat commiting "eye of a needle" bit whereupon I managed to get a breather - this was far "harder" than it should be and a mild but noticeable headache had me suspecting that the air was indeed slightly off-perfect. Mr. B had a quick look down a dig hole. Soon Andy and Dani rejoined us so we could make our upwards progress; the streambed/rift is a different kettle of fish on the return since the snags of the rock don't want you to slide uphill as easily as sliding down! Nevertheless it is straightforward and reminiscent of Tynings Barrow Swallet and St. Cuthbert's Wire Rift in places (without the void in the floor and the waterfall). We pop out at the bottom of the "best chamber in the cave" and make good climbing moves to reach the top of the chamber; Messrs Blount and Sparrow then go off for an explore to the left while Mel, Dani and I negotiate the short awkward climb with a neat bit of teamwork!
By the time we've climbed up to the base of the ladder pitch section the boys have caught us up and so we all climb out.
Although I didn't check my watch I do know that we met up at 2:00pm and probably got to the cave by 2:30+pm and by the time we'd got back to the car and changed it was around 4:30pm so we'd probably spent about an hour and a half or so underground. A relaxed and unhurried fun and pleasant trip with good company. And some women, for a change. Thank you ladies for making it such a joy.
Quite a good cave, actually.
Cavers: Melanie Lloyd, Danielle Gorman, Matt Blount, Andy Sparrow, Chris Binding.
It was relatively late on Saturday evening at the Galleries Inn when Melanie was cajoled into agreeing to go caving the following day; she had made certain requests, "not wet and not muddy". After a while it was decided that a good site would be Cuckoo Cleeves, especially in the light of the apparent imminent sale, further details of which were soon due - on or around the 5th February (the weekend after this trip). A couple of text messages later and we had a group of five sorted out. The meeting time and place was decided and so ....
Sunday 2pm, "the Centre of the Universe", Hunter's Lodge. We meet and use two cars to ferry us to the parking layby on the windswept open plain of high Mendip where we change in the invigorating open air. Once kitted up we set off on the enormous hike across squelchy fields and wading through thin liquid mud at the gateway. After what seemed like days, we finally arrived at the surface depression, doline - whatever. It was easy to find since there was a large "for sale" sign attached to a
fencepost - a handy sign for any passerby who might be thinking of purchasing a cave. The padlock on the entrance was not locked and it would appear that it has seized so a new one will perhaps be required shortly. A note should be sent to CSCC C&A offiicer so that he can install a new lock; I'll write accordingly and get it done. Mr. Sparrow expertly rigged the entrance tube pitch (5m) with ladder and line and we all descended into the pleasant relative warmth of the cave.
The climb down the ladder brings you into a twisting descent amongst jammed boulders which opens into a rift chamber with a steeply sloping "floor" along which we climb down, crossing towards the right, while avoiding a deep pit directly below; from here it is a simple slide down between the jagged sides of the descending rift to reach stream/ground level. The descent down the loose pebble pathway leads almost immediately to an awkward drop of a couple of metres where a handy sling makes for easier progress. We can all regroup here and contemplate the "finest chamber in the cave" (according to Mr. S - and I agree). "Flat Roof Chamber" is a large dip-dominated chamber with a couple of good vadose trenches running 10m or so down towards the continuation of the stream (when active - it wasn't today). There is a bypass to the climb which I take (preferring to climb up this feature rather than down it) and manage to get a couple of photos looking up while Mel and the others make their way downwards.
From here the going becomes quite simple as we follow the 6m high vadose rift with sharp edges, protruding fossils and loose pebbles adding to the general noise and action of the journey. The passage opens out after a while and the descent is steep - around 40-50 degrees - so we make a good depth quite quickly. Once we get to the bottom of the Canyon there is evidence of previous digging efforts in the form of sandbags stacked up; various ways on are available to us.
Firstly, we all need to squeeze through the eye of a needle. A complete b*stard for pie-eaters like me. That done, now nicely hot and damp, there follows the upwards thrutch through the narrow bit which then goes either left or right; I decided to go left and do the T-shaped keyhole section which brings me out to the small stream flowing in from the right and going off to the left into a narrow tunnel down which I decide not to go, preferring instead to await the arrival of others. No-one arrives. I can hear muffled noises for a while and then it goes quiet. Obviously they're going somewhere else (or out?) so I gird myself and make the return journey, puffing a bit more than I would expect in the process. Air quality not brill?... perhaps.
They'd taken the right turn on coming up through the squeeze, trying to locate the route towards the "swimming pool" (lake); up a hands and knees tube and then straight up-slope towards a narrowing uphill squeeze. Andy and Dani managed to get through and Mel had a go but came back; I squeezed up through and then found the continuation towards Andy just too tight - it was pointless, apparently, since no sooner than passing that bit, it gets totally narrow anyway. Dani did well and persevered with the tight route until it got "rather unnecessary" and then decided to come back.
Mel, Mat and myself slid back down and returned down through the hands and knees tube and then tight squeeze before returning through the narrow and somewhat commiting "eye of a needle" bit whereupon I managed to get a breather - this was far "harder" than it should be and a mild but noticeable headache had me suspecting that the air was indeed slightly off-perfect. Mr. B had a quick look down a dig hole. Soon Andy and Dani rejoined us so we could make our upwards progress; the streambed/rift is a different kettle of fish on the return since the snags of the rock don't want you to slide uphill as easily as sliding down! Nevertheless it is straightforward and reminiscent of Tynings Barrow Swallet and St. Cuthbert's Wire Rift in places (without the void in the floor and the waterfall). We pop out at the bottom of the "best chamber in the cave" and make good climbing moves to reach the top of the chamber; Messrs Blount and Sparrow then go off for an explore to the left while Mel, Dani and I negotiate the short awkward climb with a neat bit of teamwork!
By the time we've climbed up to the base of the ladder pitch section the boys have caught us up and so we all climb out.
Although I didn't check my watch I do know that we met up at 2:00pm and probably got to the cave by 2:30+pm and by the time we'd got back to the car and changed it was around 4:30pm so we'd probably spent about an hour and a half or so underground. A relaxed and unhurried fun and pleasant trip with good company. And some women, for a change. Thank you ladies for making it such a joy.
Quite a good cave, actually.
