lugubrious

[twiglet]

A few of us are coming over from Mendip with an OFD permit this Sat 24th Nov. As the streamway is likely to be in flood,
I had a look at the pics on www.ogof.org.uk and thought that Lugubrious passage would be a suitable destination. Any tips
on route finding to this area would be most welcome. I have successfully found my own way to the Selenite Tunnel before
and I think that it is nearby. Do we need any tackle to get to lugubrious ?

 

[dudley bug]

From Selenite Tunnel you will find your way to Shatter Pillar, where there are a variety of routes off. These radiate off towards Edwards Shortcut, Cross Rift and there is another passage that heads off for a distance until a hole in the floor is found, this drops down into Lugubrious Streamway, I cannot recall if you can go upstream from here, but downstream is where you want to go. This goes for a good distance until a bend is reached with a passage branching off on the right (this will give you a route to Midnight Passage and back up to the far end of Cross Rift). Beyond this junction you can climb up to a balcony (with nice formations) on the left that overlooks the Main Streamway. Continuing along Lugubrious past this you come to a point where  the roof tube of the passage splits off to the right away from the stream (the stream heads for 50m or so and cascades down into the Main Streamway) Climbing up into the tube you hit a section of sandy floored passage much like Selenite Tunnel. This runs for a distance before it joins the roof tube of the Main Streamway.
A nice area to explore, and you can approach from Selenite Tunnel and return via Midnight Passage / Cross Rift.

 

[twiglet]

Wow, what a fantastic, detailed description Dudley Bug, many Thanks