On this day . . .

[grahams]

"They had reached the second Gothic Arch (see picture, taken yesterday evening) by 29th September and two labourers then continued as far as Lake Avernus. (Giants Hall wasn't found until later on.)"

That's interesting Pitlamp. How do you reach Avernus without going via Giant's Hall?

 

[Pitlamp]

Easiest answer - follow the telephone cable.

Slightly more comprehensive answer - walk to far end of the 2nd Gothic Arch (see photo above) instead of ducking under the left wall partway along to get to Giants Hall. There is a stooping height passage continuing to your left. Follow this a short distance to a slide down a gritty flowstone slope. Straight ahead is usually blocked with sand but a bit of scraping normally opens a short crawl to gain the stream. Or, to the right at this point, there is a narrow rift. Shuffle through that and you arrive at what is called the "Oxbow Pool" (at the start of the short bedrock crawl leading to the main stream).

 

[langcliffe]

"They had reached the second Gothic Arch (see picture, taken yesterday evening) by 29th September and two labourers then continued as far as Lake Avernus. (Giants Hall wasn't found until later on.)"

That's interesting Pitlamp. How do you reach Avernus without going via Giant's Hall?

There's a crawl at the end of the Second Gothic Arch which drops you down into the GHBP. It's currently the voie normale as the Giant's Hall route is normally filled with sand.

Sorry - posted a few seconds later, Pitlamp!

 

[Ian Ball]

It is tales of this exploration period that make you realise how easy we've got it now with reliable weather forecasting and lighting, knee pads and warmth retaining clothing all at quite cheap prices.

 

[langcliffe]

It is tales of this exploration period that make you realise how easy we've got it now with reliable weather forecasting and lighting, knee pads and warmth retaining clothing all at quite cheap prices.

But we don't have a pistol to warn those underground that it has started to rain...

 

[Pitlamp]

An excellent point, Langcliffe.

 

[Ian P]

On this day one year ago.
The 3 Counties Traverse was completed.

 

[Pitlamp]

Blimey - is it a year already . . . ?

 

[Pitlamp]

On this day, a year ago, the OFD rescue was in full swing.

(Or so Radio 4's "Today" programme reminded me early this morning!)

 

[Pitlamp]

Sorry in advance of you reading what follows but (personal note) I just realised that today is the 20th anniversary of my moving to live in the Dales. I've never regretted it, even when winter seems to last for 9 months. We had a cold snap during that December as well, just like this one. Fuel and sparks were considerably less expensive then though!