New descriptions for May 2022

wellyjen

wellyjen

Well-known member
Having once taken every wrong turn it is possible to take in the entrance series of Cherry Tree, these are greatly appreciated!
 
Cavematt

Cavematt

Well-known member
Yes, I had a few unsuccessful trips to Cherry Tree Hole during my time with YUCPC (it was their 'adopted' cave under the Descent scheme, so we kinda felt like we should pop up now and again to make sure it was still there).

On one trip we spent nearly three hours in fog on the surface unsuccessful in finding it. I believe this is a standard occurrence :rolleyes:

Another, we went so many wrong ways from the bottom of the entrance I'm not convinced we ever made it to Crossover Passage, let alone the streamway! Looks like there's actually lots of good cave to see, a bit of an adventure, and a fairly decent trip to the far ends.

Very keen to return now!
 
T

topcat

Active member
We got turned around 180° in CTH without realising it. Getting concerned 're the call out time I said we'd give it another five minutes then turn back. Luckily a couple of minutes later I recognised a climb we had done half an hour before on the way in ! So rather than being short of time we were ahead of ourselves !
But I have no idea how we managed to turn about without knowing it : there isn't a loop shown on the survey. Apparently we are not the first to do this.

On the positive side, we walked straight to the shakehole :)
 
Alex

Alex

Well-known member
Bit confused by the description where it says it needs a ladder to get up into the upstream? I have definitely been to the cave after Storm Desmond, and definitely did not require a ladder to get there. I do recall the 4m cascade being awkward but one would think I would remember a 3m overhanging climb (that needs a ladder) before that, unless it has happened much more recently than 2016, my trip was in mid 2021. We definitely got through the double duck, so I know we got there somehow. There must be a way of avoiding this, perhaps we just crawled in the stream through the "low" bit?
 
CNCC

CNCC

Well-known member
Hi Alex

Obviously, all our cave descriptions are carefully reviewed as part of the process... but they won't always be 100% right.

We had some very detailed discussions with the author of the description on this matter, who is extremely familiar with the cave and who was with a team who remember it before and after the change and took careful notes on the matter; a scramble up blocks before, but an exposed and overhanging climb after, in need of a ladder unless you are a super-climber. They were very confident that something had changed.

The suggestion of Storm Desmond in 2015 having shifted some boulders was put forward as an estimated date and event for the change (but this was only an estimate).

It is possible if you do not recall such a thing from 2021, either you are a super-climber and just wiggled up with ease, OR there may be an obscure/nonstandard route avoiding this new climb. Perhaps, as you suggest, a low route with the water which is only possible in mega-low water? Or an alternative route through the newly moved rocks has opened?

If you (or anyone) fancies visiting the cave and taking some careful notes/observations, we can always update the description accordingly.

This is one of the joys with the cave descriptions being online; they can be easily updated in response to feedback... we have just updated the extensive Easegill description following feedback from two separate sources that it was misleading about the climb up into Stop Pot when coming from Eureka junction (both had continued too far upstream without spotting it behind them). The wording has been amended to clarify this and the description republished.

Feedback always welcome: https://cncc.org.uk/caving/report/topo-error.php

Cheers!
CNCC
 
T

topcat

Active member
We went as far as the 4m cascade last year and don't recall any particular challenge along the way.
The climb up the waterfall looked untenable as a cave climb and as I only climb HVS on a good day on the surface that prevented further progress...

Definitely didn't do a desperate overhanging climb on the way..
 
S

sn

Member
Re the ladder climb in CTH, when I was in there earlier this year, it was possible to squeeze through underneath the jammed overhanging block where the pitch is described. There was then a short wet sideways crawl. Water levels were fairly low, so may not always be passable, but in those conditions the waterfall climb and duck are probably not either! Thought the waterfall climb quite difficult, but once up we were more concerned with getting back down it in a controlled fashion, not having any rope or slings ...
 
Alex

Alex

Well-known member
Aye it sounds like they went a weird way (or they found it too tight) on their trip of who wrote the description, or the bypass has opened since. The waterfall cascade is not too bad once you find the little hidden foothold about 1.5m off the ground. I cannot get up an HVS outside generally so the cascade can't be that hard, it's just knowing the trick I think. I don't think I am a particular great at climbing underground either.

Indeed going down it was more scary but you can slither/lower yourself down the first 2 meters (where it's not as steep as memory serves), it's just the last two (but again I think that foothold helps), not a place to break an ankle, though!
 
Alex

Alex

Well-known member
Anyway I forgot to say, a good description otherwise. I won't be reporting an error until I can get back there and remind myself, but it does seem I am not alone in thinking there is a bypass but how bad it is or not I can't know until I take a look.
 
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