Brendan (leading), Bev, Dani, Martin, Chlo? (guest); callout: Sam
I see Dani has already done a write up for this trip, but I wanted to add my penny-worth -- sorry it's a bit late.
We met in the car park in Burrington Coombe, the one next to the cattle grid, and got changed in the wind and cold. There was a group of hikers there all togged out in their cosy winter gear, a reminder that caving gear is meant for the moderate temperatures encountered underground, and is not really warm enough for hanging around in a wintry wind-swept car park.
As there was a bat survey being conducted in the area that day, the conversation naturally moved onto the subject of spiders, creatures viewed with a certain lack of warm feelings by one member of the group. Reassurances were given that cave spiders, while indeed large, are not aggressive, and do not inhabit areas devoid of food and hence totally devoid of light, and that because of the shape of the entrance of Goatchurch cavern there was in any case a negligible risk of encountering any arachnid chums.
The familiar pleasant stroll took us across the strongly-flowing West Twin Brook, then up the side of the coombe to the entrance. We paused for a few moments, then ventured in, disappointed at the lack of spiders, but keeping our un-adjusted eyes peeled for the photophobic little chaps and chapesses, just in case.
The entrance series was not as slippery as it sometimes is, which was nice.
We made a cautious and descent of the Giant?s Staircase, and through the lovely Keyhole Passage into Drunkards Gallery, then there was a pause for there-and-back-again trips along Bloody Tight, the name of which is now misleadingly alarmist, as it is neither tight not bloody, having been dug out years ago, and wiped clean.
The subject of spiders seemed to have been forgotten by then, or perhaps it was just well suppressed. Brendan is training to be a counsellor, and was itching to ask ?And how do you feel?? every few minutes, just like with a client, but managed to resist the urge.
We negotiated the Pixie Steps, and slithered elegantly on our botties down to the Leap of Faith. Personally, I think the Leap of Faith has an over-dramatic name, and should be called the Bit Which One Does Not Want to Fall Through Possibly to One's Death but Which is Not That Difficult to Cross Unless One is Particularly Nervous or Clumsy. However, I accept that this alternate name would take up too much space on the printed survey, so for the sake of harmony in the caving community I am prepared to stick with calling it the Leap of Faith.
The sloping rift took us past the other end of Bloody Tight into the Boulder Chamber, where Brendan showed Beverley and Chlo? the seemingly impossible slit through which, on an earlier trip, a partly d?shabill?e Dani had squeezed into the Water Chamber below. If, dear reader, you have seen this minute crevice in the rocks, you will know that it looks too small even for cat, let alone a woman. Chlo? and Beverley were suitably impressed, and Dani basked in the adulation.
As we did not have a rope, the group temporarily split in two, with Martin and Dani free-climbing down Jacob?s Ladder, and Brendan, Beverley and Chlo? going via the Coffin-Lid Bypass, down to the Water Chamber; Dani came back the up to assist. There we had a good pong round. Beverley and Chlo? went to locate the points at which some of the waters of West Twin Brook enter and leave the chamber. Then in preparation for the Drainpipe, we had a go at a short tube which is slightly tighter than the Drainpipe but much shorter (about 8 feet if entered via side hole), as an aperitival sample of the real thing.
After that we ventured down the new approach to the Drainpipe, those who had been there before in wonder at the new masonry, and the skill and effort which it must have taken to produce it. A couple of previously useful hand-holds have been rendered redundant, and the Nutcracker promontory seems to have been removed or covered over.
After Brendan?s lurid pep talk for the benefit of the two who had not been through the Drainpipe, Dani went first, slowly, to reassure the person behind her. Chlo? went next, and Beverley after her. There was quite a lot of giggling, which is better the demented screams with which most of the adult population would greet the prospect of such an ordeal. Brendan was vividly reminded on his first attempt at the Drainpipe, which he flunked, and his second attempt, which required an extraordinary amount of support from the ever-patient Andy Hebden. The two first-timers on this trip just wriggled their way through with panache, so well done, Beverley and Chlo?. Brendan went next, and Martin solidly took the rear position, his supportive r?le for most of the trip.
We recovered our breath, then returned to the Water Chamber. Brendan took Beverley and Chlo? to the secret waterfall under the Water Chamber (not so secret, now), then we made our way back. There was quite a lot of assisted fun on the ever-tricky Coffin Lid, while Martin free-climbed Jacob?s Ladder and waited for the rest of us at the top. After the Pixie Steps there was a false sighting of our befanged eight-legged friend Meta menardi, but it turned out to be a trick of the light (or was it??).
We attempted to free climb the Tradesman?s Entrance by using the less exposed route on the left. Martin went ahead via the route on the right to lend a hand from above, but as we lacked a rope it proved necessary for the rest of the group to return to the surface via the Drunkard?s Gallery and the Giant?s Staircase.
As it was now time for our callout to alert the Old Bill and summon the lycra-suited superheroes of the MRO, Martin called him to say we were OK.
We were re-united at the main entrance.
As for spiders, nobody got chased, bitten, or cocooned for later, by any examples of Meta menardi, Brachypelma smithii, or Theraphosa blondi, but for a juicy video of what can happen, check out
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2006/10/061027-tarantula-video.html. Poor mouse!
Thanks to Sam for being the callout.
Thanks to Dani and Martin, without whose assistance underground the trip would not have been possible.
Well done Chlo? and Beverley for braving the Drainpipe.
made by me and Jack whilst waiting to do the climb .
