Lancaster Hole, near Oxbow Corner

[seddon]

Those making the Lancs - WRabbit traverse via the streamway will probably know the climb up into the higher levels at the very downstream end of the Oxbow Corner boulder pile (rope up on left when facing upstream).

Last week it was blocked, about fifteen feet up, by a significantly large boulder which has moved - probably quite recently - to prevent access to the high level route. The rope of the handline is also jammed under the block, and tugging on it might have the maximum effect.

The stream level route through the choke is open, so the traverse is still possible. However, whatever caused the block to move on the climb may have had some influence on boulder stability elsewhere. Take care.

 

[Alex]

Yes I know where you mean, its the climb in the middle of the boulder choke isnt it. Pops out onto a large slope in quite a big passage yes?

 

[seddon]

That's the one Alex. Although in this context the only thing that might pop out now, is *not* what you want to pop out at all...

 

[dunc]

Not planning on passing through anytime soon but always very handy to know, although I usually use the stream route - to be honest I expected the constant buffeting from the stream to have an impact on the lower part of the choke first!

 

[Lurker]

Good to know, thanks, might be there this weekend. So to do the traverse via the route dunc mentions, you keep going through the boulder choke at stream level before climbing up the slope on the right?

 

[dunc]

When going through the choke it's a case of stay near the stream/right wall where possible (don't know who told me that many years ago, but it works for me). You emerge at Oxbow Corner, I then usually go (left) up the big slope behind (ie back over the top of the choke) which takes you up to the high level stuff. Not sure about the slope on the right.

 

[Benfool]

yup the slope is on the left (as your going upstream) that takes you to the high level stuff. At the top of the slope turn left for the Minarettes and right for stake pot. There is definitely no slope on your right!

Getting through the oxbow corner bolder choke can be a bit of a pain if you've not done it before - You stick at stream level for all of it, appart from a tiny little bit, start by heading left, then imediatley go through a slot at head level on your right, now stick at stream level on the right hand wall. This should bring you out in the large(ish) chamber just before the dry oxbow of oxbow corner.

NFTFH has a good description of how to get through if you have access to a copy!

 

[Lurker]

Thanks dunc and Benfool. I've managed to find a way through the choke a couple of times, but I'm pretty sure I did it a different way each time.

 

[seddon]

Choke at stream level seemed okay, *but* we certainly went carefully...

 

[dunc]

Despite saying I wasn't planning on passing through anytime soon we went through today at stream level (which was quite wet considering it didn't look too bad on the surface) - that route appeared no different to usual, didn't examine the other way - did look up but couldn't decide if anything looked different on that first bit or not (we guessed the blocked bit was just out of sight)

 

[matthewjc]

Dunc - was that you & party walking down the gill about 3pm..? I had just come out of County (2 of us). Water levels in the main drain were up about 6 inches from Saturday, we had stayed at the hut Sat night and it did rain quite heavily for a few hrs.

Matt

 

[dunc]

Ye that sounds about right, you two were just in front of us going over the fell. I was the one looking like I'd ran a few marathons  :-[

 

[Pete Brookdale]

You were the one we nearly called CRO for lol!

 

[Alex]

See the support for fellow members in the BRCC.

 

[dunc]

Bollocks, was nowhere near that bad!

 

[JasonC]

Choke at stream level seemed okay ...

As of last night, the choke at stream level was fine and dandy.  Having been defeated by it once before, I was surprised how easy it was following the route folk have described here.  To be fair, it also helps if you're following someone who knows the way...

 

[Pete Brookdale]

yep easy, enter the left side climb up a v shaped gap and then stick to left wall staying at stream level as and when possible.