Good weather caves?

[caving_fox]

Given the unusually good weather streak we're having what are people's suggestions for (non-diving) caves that can't be done in bad/unsettled weather?

I know of:
Black Shiver
Mere Gill
Mossdale

P8 beyond 'sump'1 if/when it opens.

Are there other sumps that become passable for dry(ish) cavers?

 

[Fulk]

Hi caving fox, the sumps between the downstream section of the upstream passage of Bull Pot ofthe Witches and the upstream section of the downstream passage (get it?) dry out . . . or at least become passable to the non-diver. This means that the upstream section of the cave (arguably the nicest part of it) becomes easily accessible if you're too big to go through the Gour Chamber route – while if you are OK in the Gour Chamber route you've got the possibility of a nice little round trip.

 

[pwhole]

Small article on that bit in last year's BCRA Annual Review:

https://bcra.org.uk/pub/review/index.html?j=21

 

[Benfool]

Sleets Gill

 

[wellyjen]

Various scary places in the bed of the river in the Manifold valley.

 

[Brains]

The Wormway passage in Lancaster / Easegill - not somewhere to be if it floods...

 

[langcliffe]

The Wormway passage in Lancaster / Easegill - not somewhere to be if it floods...

Agreed, but we were in there last year when we really shouldn't have been, and emerged to find too much water in the beck to cross. There wasn't a lot of water coming from the Lancaster end, and very little coming down Echo Aven, but Border Sump was definitely rising. It was a bit drippy in the boulder choke above Echo Aven.

 

[rm128]

Sell Gill final pitch.

 

[langcliffe]

Are there other sumps that become passable for dry(ish) cavers?

One shouldn't forget the upstream passages in Mongo Gill . The first (from Vein Cavern) is usually open, but in dry weather the remaining three become passable, allowing access to a further half a kilometre of interesting cave.

 

[skippy]

Upstream in Cherry tree hole.

 

[alanw]

I can remember floating on my back in the sumps at the far end of White Scar when water levels were low.

 

[langcliffe]

I can remember floating on my back in the sumps at the far end of White Scar when water levels were low.

The first sump has a line in it, I think, and is free-diveable. Before then there is a considerable length of epiphreatic passage, characterised by ducks into larger air spaces which is accessible in 'normal' conditions. Route finding isn't always obvious, and it's great fun.

 

[Ian Ball]

Sell Gill final pitch.

Sell Gill original pitch on the Goblin Route, ( so not really the Goblin Route I wonder?)

 

[Chocolate fireguard]

The one that usually just shows as a couple of spits at water level, if it's dry enough to get that far?

 

[Pony]

Sleets Gill

 

[andrewmcleod]

I rigged and derigged the GG main shaft route on Saturday for people (didn't actually go down it myself as I was taking the rest of the group down Bar Pot). Was apparently a bit damp with spray but not too bad.

PS I had to de-rig because 90m of 10mm rope was too heavy for the people who did go down the shaft to pull up afterwards ended up doing a bit of space hauling to pull a bit up and then pack into the bag. Bear that in mind if you fancy a go...

 

[alanw]

I rigged and derigged the GG main shaft route on Saturday for people (didn't actually go down it myself as I was taking the rest of the group down Bar Pot). Was apparently a bit damp with spray but not too bad.

When we took down the dams that the BPC use to divert the water down Rat 10 days ago, it made no noticable difference to the amount of water going over the lip at the main shaft.

 

[RobinGriffiths]

Be good opportunity to give Afon Meirchion Cave a go.

 

[DuncJ]

Whilst it has generally been good, there have been some very significant, sometimes very localised torrential downpours. Something to be very mindful of if there's instability in the atmosphere.

I'd echo Mossdale, Sleets Gill etc.
Maybe Diccan might be less cold, wet and draughty?
The further reaches of Gingling and Magnetometer would be good.

A warm dry spell is always good for smaller gems like Angels Drainpipe & Devils Grinding Mill.

There's a place in the Peak. Is it Merlin Streamway? I went through a few dried out (or partly dried out) sumps quite a few years back in a reasonable dry spell.

 

[Ian Ball]

Diccan is a bit dull in no water.