How well do you know your caves?

[Caver Keith]

SOUTH WALES
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22. The two great caves are caves are V and W. Cave V was opened to the public in 1939, but shut during the war; and since then high taxation has prevented its opening. The owners, who first broke into it in 1912, penetrated at first as far as the lakes. Later, they brought a coracle from Carmarthen, and crossed the underground lakes. The cave has one and a half miles of passages. Between the third and fourth lake is a waterfall. At the top of it, where the roar of the water is terrifying to the imaginative, another noise is sometimes heard, which feels like the tramp of heavy feet coming nearer with increasing oppressiveness until the noise seems to be on top of one's head ; and then it suddenly ceases. Solitary cavers left on duty to watch while the next man came through by boat have been known to flee in terror from this spot. After the fourth lake the dry passages begin. The cave passages end disappointingly in mud crawls.

 

[BigDyl]

Dan yr ogof

 

[Caver Keith]

The leader board is hotting up. It now contains 9 names with only 1 point separating 1st and 3rd places.
There are 5 cave descriptions left, plus some bonus points to be awarded at the end, so it's anyone's race.
This evening's cave description will be posted shortly after 6.
Thanks to everyone who has taken part.

 

[Caver Keith]

SOUTH WALES
------------------

23. On the opposite side of the Tawe Valley a spring rises near the Tawe. In 1946 excavation of the Combe above the spring broke into cave W. It is one of the finest cave systems in Britain. Three miles of passages have been surveyed. To explore only half of it is an a satisfying and exhausting days work.

 

[Benfool]

Ofd?

 

[Caver Keith]

YORKSHIRE, THE POTHOLER’S PARADISE
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24. Cave X itself has a much less impressive entrance than many pots, and lacks the huge opening of Hull Pot; but the sheer drop of 360 feet leads to the largest single chamber in Britain, 500 feet long. Down below there are many great chambers and three and a half miles of passages. The happy experience is to be allowed to join one of the 'meets' arranged at Whitsun or August Bank holiday by the great potholing clubs, and go down in a bosun's chair, lowered by winch.

 

[BigDyl]

YORKSHIRE, THE POTHOLER’S PARADISE
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24. Cave X itself has a much less impressive entrance than many pots, and lacks the huge opening of Hull Pot; but the sheer drop of 360 feet leads to the largest single chamber in Britain, 500 feet long. Down below there are many great chambers and three and a half miles of passages. The happy experience is to be allowed to join one of the 'meets' arranged at Whitsun or August Bank holiday by the great potholing clubs, and go down in a bosun's chair, lowered by winch.

Gaping gill

 

[Caver Keith]

SOMERSET
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25. Two miles due south of caves D and K, in the fields to the south-east of Tynings Farm, is the great system of cave Y. Two Bristol University students, Goddard and Barker, persisted, and, by digging at another fissure penetrated into this magnificent and lovely cave. After a drop down and a narrow entry passage the first chamber is reached. Just before it a passage on the right, recently discovered, descends; and a hole high up leads easily to the Great Chamber in ten minutes. This route deprives the caver of all the discomfort and all the sport of the cave. Straight on through the first chamber is the ‘Great Oooze’, a drainpipe half-full of mud and water, to be explored only by those who for reasons of health or beauty have been ordered mud baths

 

[BigDyl]

SOMERSET
-------------

25. Two miles due south of caves D and K, in the fields to the south-east of Tynings Farm, is the great system of cave Y. Two Bristol University students, Goddard and Barker, persisted, and, by digging at another fissure penetrated into this magnificent and lovely cave. After a drop down and a narrow entry passage the first chamber is reached. Just before it a passage on the right, recently discovered, descends; and a hole high up leads easily to the Great Chamber in ten minutes. This route deprives the caver of all the discomfort and all the sport of the cave. Straight on through the first chamber is the ‘Great Oooze’, a drainpipe half-full of mud and water, to be explored only by those who for reasons of health or beauty have been ordered mud baths

GB

 

[Caver Keith]

SOMERSET
--------------

26. Cave Z, appropriately named after the watery St Within, is formed by the stream that disappears down the swallet. We have to thank Mr Balch for this cave, probably the most beautiful on Mendip, which he opened in the years 1901-1904.


This part of the cave ends above the forty-foot drop. A metal pipe carries the water to one side, so that those descending by rope ladder only feel the effect of a vigorous shower-bath, instead of a torrent of water that might well break the neck.

 

[Babyhagrid]

Swildons hole?

 

[Caver Keith]

SOMERSET
--------------

The last cave description.

27. Cave AA is the grimmest cave of Mendip. Mr Balch opened it in the years 1902 to 1904. The key is obtained from ********* Farm (pay 1 shilling for each caver). The first hundred feet is vertically down through a mass of boulders; progress is like that of a fly making its way to the bottom of a bowl containing more lump sugar than present rations allow. These rocks are unkind to the clothes and flesh, for the lime in them has been rotted by the water, leaving the jagged edges of the flinty chert and harder fossils. Ahead lies the 380-foot way, a passage descending steeply, with the stream leaping down in steps.
It is an austere, dismal and exhausting cave, which seems to grudge yielding up its secrets; no liberties dare be taken with it.

 

[BigDyl]

Eastwater

 

[Caver Keith]

Thanks to everyone that took part. I hope you enjoyed reading the descriptions as much as I did.

Here are the correct answers.

1 A Monday, 16 December 2024 Lesser Garth Cave
2 B Tuesday, 17 December 2024 Eglwys Faen
3 C Wednesday, 18 December 2024 Agen Allwedd
4 D Thursday, 19 December 2024 Goatchurch Cavern
5 E Friday, 20 December 2024 Bagshawe Cavern
6 F Saturday, 21 December 2024 Stump Cross
7 G Sunday, 22 December 2024 Alum Pot
8 H Monday, 23 December 2024 Llygad Llwchwr
Tuesday, 24 December 2024 -
9 I Wednesday, 25 December 2024 Peak Cavern
10 J Thursday, 26 December 2024 Ogof Rhyd Sych
11 K Friday, 27 December 2024 Sidcot Swallet
12 L Saturday, 28 December 2024 Pant Mawr Pot
13 M Sunday, 29 December 2024 Bridge Cave
14 N Monday, 30 December 2024 Town Drain
15 O Tuesday, 31 December 2024 Giant’s Hole
16 P Wednesday, 1 January 2025 Eldon Hole
17 Q Thursday, 2 January 2025 Nettle Pot
18 R Friday, 3 January 2025 Yordas
19 S Saturday, 4 January 2025 Calf Holes
20 T Sunday, 5 January 2025 Porth Yr Ogof
21 U Monday, 6 January 2025 Pwll Dwfn
22 V Tuesday, 7 January 2025 Dan Yr Ogof
23 W Wednesday, 8 January 2025 OFD
24 X Thursday, 9 January 2025 Gaping Gill
25 Y Friday, 10 January 2025 GB
26 Z Saturday, 11 January 2025 Swildons Hole
27 AA Sunday, 12 January 2025 Eastwater Swallet

And here are the final scores.

BigDyl 8
Babyhagrid 7
langcliffe 5
Benfool 2
mikem 2
andybrooks 1
Lankyman 1
nearlywhite 1
Tritim230 1

Out of the 27 caves, I've visited all but one. Can you name it?

Also there is video on my YouTube channel taken in all but 6 of them. Can you name them? Clue: I haven't taken video in the cave I haven't visited.