Dowkabottom

[huwg]

Went down here on the weekend, and in the large end chamber followed the water down the small passage. I went down the 3m waterfall and then continued a way past what looked like an old (?) dig with bits branching off to the right. I didn't explore these but carried on down until a flat out bit in the stream. I turned back here, does anyone know how much further along it goes, and if anything has changed since the NC1 description?

I went up to the choke and the far end of the terminal chamber too, it feels like it can't be far to the surface from the top of that, though the choke looks uninviting! I can't seem to get on the Earby site to see what they were/are up to.

Short trip report here

 

[Badlad]

I visited that downstream passage a few times years ago. We were banging a small side passage just before the end choke with a hope that it would bypass it. The streamway does get very low at one point before the end, can't recall exactly where, and it was prone to gravelling up. Very interesting cave, almost feels foreign.

 

[JasonC]

I last went two years ago, and had a very similar experience - crawling until the flat-out bit in the stream. Likewise, the other members of the party hadn't come with me, so it seemed best to turn back. But it did seem to invite a more thorough poke round, perhaps on a warmer day...

 

[huwg]

I visited that downstream passage a few times years ago. We were banging a small side passage just before the end choke with a hope that it would bypass it. The streamway does get very low at one point before the end, can't recall exactly where, and it was prone to gravelling up. Very interesting cave, almost feels foreign.

Did you get far with the banging? I didn't poke my head in that bit. I haven't seen a high Res survey for it anywhere.

The low bit was full of cobbles and looked like you might need to push some to the side, but it didn't look particularly unpleasant, I'm definitely keen for another look!

There was also a spit over a drop just after the climb down from the climb up out of the pool. On the left hand side going into the cave. That looked very tight after not too far though.

A dowkabottom to sleets gill through trip would be a top trip....

 

[Alex]

Did you get far with the banging? I didn't poke my head in that bit. I haven't seen a high Res survey for it anywhere.

The low bit was full of cobbles and looked like you might need to push some to the side, but it didn't look particularly unpleasant, I'm definitely keen for another look!

There was also a spit over a drop just after the climb down from the climb up out of the pool. On the left hand side going into the cave. That looked very tight after not too far though.

A dowkabottom to sleets gill through trip would be a top trip....

It definitely would, and would provide a separate flood escape route, but I think there is a long way to go yet.

I seem to remember a wet downclimb below that choke but I don't think I went that much further either. I keep forgetting I need to recruit a few people to attack from the other-end (sleets gill) who don't mind dragging digging trays through Hydrophobia, to a very interesting place I found near the bottom of the slope. It's NFTFH getting there some quite low crawls to get to it, but I recall there being stacking space, just too awkward to pass the material back up the drop just before the end without something to put spoil in.

 

[huwg]

I've never been through hydrophobia, but would like to go now I have some neoprene. I could probably be persuaded to at least drag some stuff through when the weather is nicer.

 

[JasonC]

I need to recruit a few people to attack from the other-end (sleets gill) who don't mind dragging digging trays through Hydrophobia, to a very interesting place I found near the bottom of the slope...

So your intended site is near the bottom of the Ramp? In which case, only empty digging trays would need to come through Hydrophobia - so not too terrible then, at least in dry weather. Or have I misunderstood?

 

[Alex]

Yeh dry digging trays and prob a crow bar and of course a rope of about 10m or so, or maybe 30 if spoil taken out of the passage entirely.