Just an update on the system and what's been happening really. Not a 'club statement' but some info and thoughts as there seems to be some conflicting stories and possibly confusion of late. Hope I can throw some light on it. We've recently been spending a lot of time checking routes, fixed aids and the general condition in parts of the mine as an agreement on access has been reached between us ( Grosvenor caving club ) and other parties again.
Going back a few years, some maintenance work had to be carried out in the mine by contractors and the place had to become a working mine again for legal/insurance reasons , we were asked to refrain from entering for the duration of the work. lt was our responsibilty to keep the access locked ( conditions of 3 seperate agreements ) as we still had access to the short level that leads to the main shaft, which we use to store club equipment. After several years and a lot of negotiations, the working area has been reduced so we can have access for recreational underground activities once again, the only real problem is that the ladder way in Olwyn goch shaft has been condemned after inspection and the owner has forbidden access on safety grounds.
Sadly, the lid has been broken off on numerous occasions, it's even been hurled down the shaft. I wont say too much about it as I struggle to see any sense in acts like that. It could have smashed the ladders and decks or damaged the already old shaft lining near the bottom. The mind boggles.
Anyway, back to the story, a lot of work is underway, new routes, ladders and lines are going in, we want to start taking a few trips down there again in the future, its just a matter of time before we are happy with things. The club is proud of its safety record and it'd be lunacy to jeopardise it.
Sadly ( once again ) a major part of the most recent work trip was made impossible by 'persons unknown' climbing up the condemned ladderway so they could break the lock off and replace it with their own. This meant we couldnt get in to get our own equipment to use to make the routes safer and to take a lot of the hard work out of travelling around the place. In short, it's set us back weeks.
We've been locked out for years, it's caused all kinds of trouble and all we've had is repeated break ins and vandalism. Even safety lines have been cut and the jammers been stolen. I think we may have been made out to be the devil of all caving clubs from time to time too.
If you know who changes locks or breaks lids, could you have a word with them ? Give us a chance. We're trying to get things back to nomal and things like this stop work, cause ill feeling and just slows everything down.
In a long winded nutshell, that's about it, we're back in and chomping at the bit.
It's a very big, very important mine system. I hope it stays accessable for years to come and that future visitors have a safe trip and enjoy it as much as those in the past have.
Going back a few years, some maintenance work had to be carried out in the mine by contractors and the place had to become a working mine again for legal/insurance reasons , we were asked to refrain from entering for the duration of the work. lt was our responsibilty to keep the access locked ( conditions of 3 seperate agreements ) as we still had access to the short level that leads to the main shaft, which we use to store club equipment. After several years and a lot of negotiations, the working area has been reduced so we can have access for recreational underground activities once again, the only real problem is that the ladder way in Olwyn goch shaft has been condemned after inspection and the owner has forbidden access on safety grounds.
Sadly, the lid has been broken off on numerous occasions, it's even been hurled down the shaft. I wont say too much about it as I struggle to see any sense in acts like that. It could have smashed the ladders and decks or damaged the already old shaft lining near the bottom. The mind boggles.
Anyway, back to the story, a lot of work is underway, new routes, ladders and lines are going in, we want to start taking a few trips down there again in the future, its just a matter of time before we are happy with things. The club is proud of its safety record and it'd be lunacy to jeopardise it.
Sadly ( once again ) a major part of the most recent work trip was made impossible by 'persons unknown' climbing up the condemned ladderway so they could break the lock off and replace it with their own. This meant we couldnt get in to get our own equipment to use to make the routes safer and to take a lot of the hard work out of travelling around the place. In short, it's set us back weeks.
We've been locked out for years, it's caused all kinds of trouble and all we've had is repeated break ins and vandalism. Even safety lines have been cut and the jammers been stolen. I think we may have been made out to be the devil of all caving clubs from time to time too.
If you know who changes locks or breaks lids, could you have a word with them ? Give us a chance. We're trying to get things back to nomal and things like this stop work, cause ill feeling and just slows everything down.
In a long winded nutshell, that's about it, we're back in and chomping at the bit.
It's a very big, very important mine system. I hope it stays accessable for years to come and that future visitors have a safe trip and enjoy it as much as those in the past have.