anfieldman
New member
OFD 1 on 24th February 2008
Andy M, Mark W & Pete M
Small party here as the others were walking, shopping, drinking etc. (Not all at the same time of course).
We drove the 45 mins from our base near Abergavenny with no hiccups.
In the immortal style of Alan Brasil 'I've never been' in this one. What a different cave!
We met the cave rescue team entering too. They were only there for some photo opportunities but it was reassuring to have them 'just around the corner'.
So we got down to the entrance and found a frog near the door. We thought we would rescue him on the way out. Andy led us past Pluto's Bath to the streamway which was flowing nicely. We then proceeded to traverse up this doing the splits. Being vertically challenged, Pete and I struggled with this whilst Andy was probably sniggering. We looked at some marvellous scalloping and incredibly high rifts.
We strolled on up to the boulder choke that leads to OFD 2 and stood on the 'rocking' boulder. We then made our way back downstream to the 'flood escape' and climbed up the rope into the dry passages and chambers. Upward and onward looking at some lovely formations we eventually came to Bolt Traverse. On with the cowstails and a quite exhilarating traverse some 50 feet above the streamway. Amazing!
We then came down back to the streamway near Pluto's Bath where we decided to have a dip. Brrrrrr!
All in all a very spectacular cave which was sporting and interesting. I can't wait to go back.
Many thanks Andy for a great trip
Andy M, Mark W & Pete M
Small party here as the others were walking, shopping, drinking etc. (Not all at the same time of course).
We drove the 45 mins from our base near Abergavenny with no hiccups.
In the immortal style of Alan Brasil 'I've never been' in this one. What a different cave!
We met the cave rescue team entering too. They were only there for some photo opportunities but it was reassuring to have them 'just around the corner'.
So we got down to the entrance and found a frog near the door. We thought we would rescue him on the way out. Andy led us past Pluto's Bath to the streamway which was flowing nicely. We then proceeded to traverse up this doing the splits. Being vertically challenged, Pete and I struggled with this whilst Andy was probably sniggering. We looked at some marvellous scalloping and incredibly high rifts.
We strolled on up to the boulder choke that leads to OFD 2 and stood on the 'rocking' boulder. We then made our way back downstream to the 'flood escape' and climbed up the rope into the dry passages and chambers. Upward and onward looking at some lovely formations we eventually came to Bolt Traverse. On with the cowstails and a quite exhilarating traverse some 50 feet above the streamway. Amazing!
We then came down back to the streamway near Pluto's Bath where we decided to have a dip. Brrrrrr!
All in all a very spectacular cave which was sporting and interesting. I can't wait to go back.
Many thanks Andy for a great trip