Goatchurch confusion

stealth

stealth

New member
I have just been reading the Goatchurch description in "Mendip Underground" and it mentions a passage called orange peel passage, where is this? it does say in the book that at the bottom of the giants staircase there is a hole at floor level on the right which leads to a short series of small decorated passages leading to orange peel passage. this is reached by a small decorated chamber some 6m long. Now either me and my gang are blind, or something else  :-\  we have had a good look around the bottom of the giants staircase and we can only find back filled holes. are we looking in the right place? Any suggestions and help please.
 
C

chriscastle46

Member
It's there all right - look harder! On the right as you descend the Giant's Staircase. It is tight - I doubt if I could get in it now.
 
cap n chris

cap n chris

Well-known member
It's the penultimate tube at ground level* as you descend towards the sharp left turn at the base of Giant's Steps. It is awkard going for "normal" sized people but OK for small/thin types.

* It's under a calcited ledge.
 
stealth

stealth

New member
I'll give it a go, put my specs on and might be able to find it. Do you think I'll do it though.  42" chest, 40 around the middle. Maybe if i run around the block a few times i'll lose a couple of inches  :LOL:
 
Hughie

Hughie

Active member
stealth said:
I'll give it a go, put my specs on and might be able to find it. Do you think I'll do it though.  42" chest, 40 around the middle. Maybe if i run around the block a few times i'll lose a couple of inches  :LOL:
Click to expand...

Easily.
 
axbridgecaver

axbridgecaver

Member
Myself and two other diggers found it when the SSSI closure of most caves occurred on Mendip in 1987. It was named Orange Peel Passage since the walls of the descending passage looked as if they were covered with Orange Peel; however now the air currents have changed the walls have dried out and it looks like most other cave passages. The dig was exciting since after the initial breakthrough the passage was strongly draughting. The dig continued in mud downdip and your head was jambed into the roof supporting all your weight on your neck. The dip was at such an angle that you had to be pulled out by your feet as it was not possible to reverse uphill. About ten digging sessions revealed a horizontal rift which was dig open and this led to a vertical rift. Then we heard voices - yes our extension had linked up to the main passage via a very small hole. Still we discovered 130 feet.

I returned to Orange Peel Passage earlier this year and it has not changed since we discovered it - the formations are still there.
 
Elaine

Elaine

Active member
I had been in Goatchurch loads of times and never noticed it until Whitelackington mentioned it during one trip and made us have a look. I know he went in there once as I was there!

A tip to finding it is to go to the bottom of the Giant's staircase and then start going back up whilst looking for it at the bottom of the left hand wall. It is really difficult to see whilst going downwards.
 
stealth

stealth

New member
Me and the gang will be attempting to find it in a couple of weeks time and have a look around. looking forward to it. The boys are well up for this. Is it roomy enough to get 5 people in.?

Spongebob asked me to ask if anybody thinks there is more to find in Goatchurch. Or has it all been found?
 
cap n chris

cap n chris

Well-known member
stealth said:
Is it roomy enough to get 5 people in.?
Click to expand...

You'll soon find out.....  ;)  8)

And, no, all* of Goatchurch hasn't been found yet - there's the extensive extension series yet to be discovered! - follow the wind!.....


* Pure guess.
 
Cookie

Cookie

New member
stealth said:
Spongebob asked me to ask if anybody thinks there is more to find in Goatchurch. Or has it all been found?
Click to expand...

The general consensous is that there are still three undiscovered chambers yet to be found.  ;)
 
cap n chris

cap n chris

Well-known member
Cookie said:
stealth said:
Spongebob asked me to ask if anybody thinks there is more to find in Goatchurch. Or has it all been found?
Click to expand...

The general consensous is that there are still three undiscovered chambers yet to be found.  ;)
Click to expand...

No, seriously though; there is a strong draught in Goaters which as you will know indicates further void beyond the present cave. There are compelling reasons to believe that there is plenty yet to find.
 
stealth

stealth

New member
If that is the case and there may be plenty left to find, how come there is nobody looking. Is it because it is such a popular cave, other parties would get in the way, or there are more important sites to push such as Upper Flood Swallet,or could it be nobody has the time.  It is intriging that this cave may have lots to give up. To me Goatchurch has always been my favourite Burrington cave ( maybe because I dont need to struggle too much) (not 100% fit)  It seems a really interesting situation. Maybe when me and my gang ( kids) go that way in a couple of weeks we will follow the wind (cave, not the person in front)  :-[ and see where it leads us. 
 
A

andymorgan

Guest
A friend and I looked at the drafting bit a couple of years ago for digging potential. The good drafting bit probably needs explosives, which probably isn't best to use in a cave where there can be constant access by anyone. Secondly spoil storage and removal from the drainpipe area could be a problem (the cave needs to be kept tidy for the other users).
Probably why others don't look at it is beacuse maybe it doesn't have as much potential as the caves on the mendip plateau (who knows!), and  more likely it is too far from the Hunters to be a regular dig!
 
stealth

stealth

New member
Is the good draughting bit in the extension beyond the drainpipe, or is it in the bit where you come out of the drainpipe. Sorry about asking so many questions its a while since i've been down the drainpipe  :confused: 
 
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