Lionel's Hole

[DaveB]

Hi all,

I'm after a bit of advice on Lionel's Hole. We're thinking of having an explore tomorrow, and having a go at the Round Trip. I've had a quick look at Mendip Underground, and it says nothing about water hazards, but does mention a streamway. Given the recent weather and the forecast for tomorrow (more rain), can anyone advise whether this trip would be suitable? Is there a chance of flooding / getting stuck, etc? Getting wet isn't a problem - getting flooded in is.

If Lionel's Hole is a no go, could people recommend another option (not requiring kit and where access is easy)? We've been caving about 18 months with a club, and have done a fair number of trips (various ones in OFD, Daren Cilau, Aggy, Giant's Hole, Moss Chamber, etc), so we're not complete novices, but not experts either. We would be happy with grade 3 caves, if that helps people make recommendations.

Thanks in advance for advice.

Dave

 

[cap n chris]

Waterwheel Swalllet might be a good plan B.

 

[DaveB]

Waterwheel Swalllet might be a good plan B.

Hi cap n chris, thanks for the suggestion - much appreciated.

I should have made myself clearer; ideally looking for caves with no access restrictions as we want to get an early start. Don't want to spend the limited time we have picking up keys, etc.

Will keep Waterwheel Swallet for another time. Had a quick look on online - looks fun.

 

[PeteHall]

If you've not been before, navigating the round trip might be a little challenging, particularly if you aren't used yo the steep angle of some Mendip caves, which can be suite disorienting!

Rod's Pot is a great cave nearby and no access restrictions.

You can also have a look in Drunkards without kit, which is 100 yards further up the track.

The next cave in the row is Bos, which is a bit of a collectors piece, but I like it. I think there is still my old electron ladder on the first pitch, but I can't vouch for the condition of it! The second pitch is free-climbable, if you are reasonably competent, but you could borrow our digging rope for a handline as long as you put it back (at the bottom of the first pitch)

 

[PeteHall]

I should add that all the above are fine in any weather.

 

[cap n chris]

Hi cap n chris, thanks for the suggestion - much appreciated.

I should have made myself clearer; ideally looking for caves with no access restrictions as we want to get an early start. Don't want to spend the limited time we have picking up keys, etc.

Will keep Waterwheel Swallet for another time. Had a quick look on online - looks fun.

There will be a large number of MCG cavers on site tomorrow from early o'clock so you could easily collect the CSCC Key from there, if you so wish.

 

[DaveB]

I should add that all the above are fine in any weather.

Hi Pete,

Thanks for the suggestions - Rod Pot it is!

Just to be clear from your reply, you're saying Lionel's Hole (in addition to the other caves you mentioned) is ok in wet weather? Will be good to know for the future.

Cheers again.

 

[DaveB]

There will be a large number of MCG cavers on site tomorrow from early o'clock so you could easily collect the CSCC Key from there, if you so wish.

Thanks for the heads up, but I think we'll go with Rod's Pot. Cheers anyway.

 

[tim.rose2]

Lionels - as others have said navigation isn't straight forward. There's a lot of 'finding the right gap' through boulders. Assuming you find your way down to the streamway the 'first duck', where you meet the water, is basically a wet puddle to crawl through. I've never seen this more than annoyingly damp. The 'second duck' on the other hand (about 5m further on) can be dangerous. It's not very big and the water backs up around you (I've heard stories of epics occurring here). My advice is do not go through unless the stream is a trickle. The streamway beyond continues damp and small (mostly belly crawling) for about 30 m until you go up and to the left (Bishops Bypass). This is easily missed - the continuation of the streamway gets smaller and wetter until you realise you've gone too far. I've only ever done the streamway route when it's basically dry and I'd recommend avoiding if there's anything resembling a sensible stream running. In the section of passage between the first and second duck there is a by-pass to the second duck and streamway up and to the right. This is reasonably tight, but no tighter than what you would have already been through (following the round trip the squeeze between boulder chamber and the traverse is a good indicator for the rest of the trip). The bypass exits into a larger passage. Left heads to the end of the cave and the exit from the streamway route. Right is the way out. The route out from here is dry and hence weatherproof, but navigationally challenging and involves a couple more not very obvious squeezes. I believe the Lionel's streamway responds quickly to run off from the road, so I'd avoid the streamway if wet weather is forecast. By using the second duck by-pass you can do the trip in any weather.
Cracking cave and well worth getting to know the place. If it's you first visit expect to get lost, go round in circles and probably retrace your steps back the way you came in.

 

[PeteHall]

Just to be clear from your reply, you're saying Lionel's Hole (in addition to the other caves you mentioned) is ok in wet weather? Will be good to know for the future

As Tim has said above, but for the avoidance of doubt, my comment related to Rod's, Drunkard's and Bos, which are fine in the wet. Lionel's has sections that are NOT ok in the wet.

From Rod's, the through-trip to Bath does flood in Wet weather, below Purple Pot, but that is where you enter Bath. I didn't suggest this trip as it's usually done either SRT or ladder.

The Bear Pit at the bottom of Rod's also takes water, but not in a way that could trap you.

 

[DaveB]

Hi Tim and Pete, thanks for the advice. Will bear it in mind for future trips into Lionel's Hole. Thanks too for suggestion of Rod's Pot - had a great time. Tight, crawly and muddy: three ingredients for a great caving trip

Cheers again, Dave