J
joker001
Guest
Anybody know why there is a ladder hanging from the roof in the first big chamber.
Andy Sparrow
Active member
joker001 said:
Do you mean a short mouldy length hanging way up in the roof when you first enter the Gorge?
cap n chris
Well-known member
joker001 said:
Probably because no-one has taken it down. Would you care to do it?
J
joker001
Guest
Andy Sparrow said:
Yes, Does lead to anything
cap n chris
Well-known member
Les is lying. As he well knows it does lead to something but it's way off-limits and secret (for good reasons). The people who exlpored that section of the cave published their findings/photos and retreated but had to leave that section of ladder behind since this was before SRT and they couldn't unhitch the belay on that bit of ladder. Nevertheless, it's safe to say that it's probably too corroded to be of any use to anyone and that further return trips to that forbidden part of GB would need to be done with climbing aids/bolts/SRT.
J
joker001
Guest
How did they get it up there in the first place?
cap n chris
Well-known member
I think it was already there to begin with.
J
joker001
Guest
It wouldn,t have anything with the two other holes in the ground just along from GB?
one at the bottom of a deep sink and the other further along with a grill over it
one at the bottom of a deep sink and the other further along with a grill over it
Les W
Active member
Cap'n Chris is having you on,cap 'n chris said:
you can read about the early exploration of GB somewhere or other (can't remember where, probably an UBSS publication)
The ladder is the remnants of a ladder leading to some tubes in the roof that didn't go anywhere.
The account (as far as I recall) also told of the attempt to bolt across the roof of the Gorge further down to access a passage that could be seen on the far (east) side at roof height. The attempt was made from East Passage or the Art Gallery and the final discovery after the epic traverse across the roof was that it also didn't go anywhere.
T
Tree Monkey
Guest
cap 'n chris said:
I think you might need a May-Pole!
Any volunteers to go up it? 
whitelackington
New member
We, as Tree Monkey knows, have been involved in a few maypoling operations, we can assure u that they are not to be taken lightly, for one thing they are bloody heavy.
You would have to be a lunatic to maypole up that far.
It must be at least 80 feet free hang, one slip and u and your mates would be immortalized.
Mind u, some nice photographer, could nip in to g.B. with a telephoto lese and shoot it.
Make a spiffing front cover for Descent "don't try this at home"
sort of quip.
You would have to be a lunatic to maypole up that far.
It must be at least 80 feet free hang, one slip and u and your mates would be immortalized.
Mind u, some nice photographer, could nip in to g.B. with a telephoto lese and shoot it.
Make a spiffing front cover for Descent "don't try this at home"
sort of quip.
cap n chris
Well-known member
Actually the approach is probably easier than maypoling although it would still require a very brave/stupid (delete as applicable) person; if you walk into the main gorge from the approach tunnel and then look at the tunnel through which you've just entered, you'll notice that the tunnel is at the base of a natural dipped fissure in the bedding; this feature can be followed all the way up the side of the chamber to the level stance just below the overhang where the ladder is; it is a rock climb but protecting it could be interesting.
Alternatively you could bolt your way up. But, as Les has pointed out it doesn't lead to anything, what's the point?
Alternatively you could bolt your way up. But, as Les has pointed out it doesn't lead to anything, what's the point?
Andy Sparrow
Active member
Obviously installing a large number of bolts in GB Cave just to create an entertaining diversion would not be acceptable. But.... there are two high level passages in White Passage one of which (is it the Art Gallery?) emerges into the roof of the Gorge. It would be possible to bolt a traverse from here to a stance on the opposite wall. From here you could rig a short abseil and then pendulumn to another ledge about halfway up the wall. There is a bit of a gulley here which could be climbed (with a few bolts for protection/assistance) and this would give access to the start of the high level oxbow, Whitsun Folly. This emerges opposite Mud Passage, close to and above the old ladder remnant. From here you finish off with a pull through abseil back to the floor. I believe (according to Peter Johnson) there is also a high level passage which can aso be reached from here and must have been unvisited since the original exploration in 1959.
whitelackington
New member
I think Tim Francis & Peat Bennet did something recently and said it wwaas briiliant and gave me much resspeect,
because they misunderstood , they thought I had told them I had done it, NO, I just said I thought it could be done.
I don't think Tim spotted many bolts tough, more of a sling affair.
Y not ask him,
but as his bird is about tto have a baby I expect he will be habging up his caving boots for the forseeable future and seetling down in his slippers to writting his memoirs
because they misunderstood , they thought I had told them I had done it, NO, I just said I thought it could be done.
I don't think Tim spotted many bolts tough, more of a sling affair.
Y not ask him,
but as his bird is about tto have a baby I expect he will be habging up his caving boots for the forseeable future and seetling down in his slippers to writting his memoirs
graham
New member
Wot a load of bollox some people rite. Sorry been away from here for a day or two or could have killed this speculation stone dead.
The ladder hangs from one end of a thing called Whitsun Folly. It was first spotted by two of our guys in the 50s when they had climbed to a blind alcove on the other wall. They climbed across the roof to it & followed a small passage that just leads back into the Gorge just around the corner. It is shown on the Survey and is very boring. It is one of only two bits of GB I've never visited, the other being East Passage.
The ladder hangs from one end of a thing called Whitsun Folly. It was first spotted by two of our guys in the 50s when they had climbed to a blind alcove on the other wall. They climbed across the roof to it & followed a small passage that just leads back into the Gorge just around the corner. It is shown on the Survey and is very boring. It is one of only two bits of GB I've never visited, the other being East Passage.
