Reservoir Hole stuff, and boy there's a lot of it
- Thread starter The Old Ruminator
- Start date
The Old Ruminator
Well-known member
Its just off the West Mendip Way. There is an " Idiots Path " that takes you right to the edge. Following a slippery descent down to Black Rock Gate and trying to look nimble I performed a near perfect cartwheel in front of several families. I had to get up and laugh it off though the pain was extreme. ( All of this yesterday ). TFD is almost under the highest point of The West Mendip Way.
Fetch !
At Black Rock Gate you can go up the valley to the confluence of Velvet Bottom ( Right ) and Longwood Valley ( Left ). This is an old dig of ours at Timber Hole. I dropped a steel bucket on my mates head here and nearly knocked him out.
Going left up Longwood valley you come to Longwood Valley Sink ( LVS ). This was reopened a while back to help alleviate flooding down the gorge. Digging continues here.
Black Rock Quarry further back towards the gorge.
Not really off topic as all this relates to the Cheddar catchment for which Reservoir Hole may be a focal point somewhere below TFD. Anyway it might keep the fan club duo happy whilst I progress in my convalescence stage. ( Now more psychological rather than physical. )
The drone project is currently in abeyance as the engineer is building a new drone.
Fetch !
At Black Rock Gate you can go up the valley to the confluence of Velvet Bottom ( Right ) and Longwood Valley ( Left ). This is an old dig of ours at Timber Hole. I dropped a steel bucket on my mates head here and nearly knocked him out.
Going left up Longwood valley you come to Longwood Valley Sink ( LVS ). This was reopened a while back to help alleviate flooding down the gorge. Digging continues here.
Black Rock Quarry further back towards the gorge.
Not really off topic as all this relates to the Cheddar catchment for which Reservoir Hole may be a focal point somewhere below TFD. Anyway it might keep the fan club duo happy whilst I progress in my convalescence stage. ( Now more psychological rather than physical. )
The drone project is currently in abeyance as the engineer is building a new drone.
Roger W
Well-known member
I wondered if you'd held your camera over the edge with your selfie stick rather than checking out the slipperiness of that exposed limestone with your boot soles...
Don't think I'd stand just there strapped to a couple of hefty hounds who might decide do do a lemming on me. Mind you, I've never had much of a head for heights ever since my dad sat me on the parapet of the Victoria Prospect Tower in Matlock Bath with my legs hanging down on the outside,so that I could wave to my mum who had sensibly stayed down below.
When do you expect to be back down underground, then?
Don't think I'd stand just there strapped to a couple of hefty hounds who might decide do do a lemming on me. Mind you, I've never had much of a head for heights ever since my dad sat me on the parapet of the Victoria Prospect Tower in Matlock Bath with my legs hanging down on the outside,so that I could wave to my mum who had sensibly stayed down below.
When do you expect to be back down underground, then?
The Old Ruminator
Well-known member
Thanks all. I am actually digging now every week so a bit of caving time is taken up. I still get the shakes looking at the big boulders we have down there. The long view of the Reservoir car park was not with a selfie stick but with hand extended over the edge with my eyes closed. I had my slippery wellies on hence the fall later. I am building up a file of unpublished photos this is one of them-
"Come on through "he says. "Sod off" says I
T'was the same after "The Lost at Sea Incident". Took me two years to get over floating ( just ) around the English Channel all night. Hope to fit in a tourist trip to Reservoir before the open season ends. ( Anyone want a week time very slow one? . Pref Thursday or Friday ).
Onward and downward --
"Come on through "he says. "Sod off" says I
T'was the same after "The Lost at Sea Incident". Took me two years to get over floating ( just ) around the English Channel all night. Hope to fit in a tourist trip to Reservoir before the open season ends. ( Anyone want a week time very slow one? . Pref Thursday or Friday ).
Onward and downward --
Duncan S
New member
Great pic, please keep sharing them!The Old Ruminator said:Hope to fit in a tourist trip to Reservoir before the open season ends. ( Anyone want a week time very slow one? . Pref Thursday or Friday ).
Onward and downward --
Estelle has booked a couple of dates to take me and my camera back down to FD; you'd be welcome to tag along. Sun 30th (next weekend) and Sun 4th Oct.
Aiming to fix the things that weren't quite right with the last set of photos
Duncan S
New member
An opportunity to re-take my favourite photos from the last trip to Frozen Deep.
They weren't quite right and it was annoying the heck out of me; very happy with these!
An excellent trip - whizzed in, took two shots and whizzed out - a thoroughly decent workout.
Lower half of Frozen Deep
Difference with the last image is placement of some cavers in the eye (rather than this side of the eye) and using matched lighting in the foreground (that's the last time I mix lights with wildly different colour temperatures in the same part of the cave).
Upper half of Frozen Deep
Slightly different position for the tripod and I've been far more careful to make sure the distant cavers are distinct from their backgrounds.
They weren't quite right and it was annoying the heck out of me; very happy with these!
An excellent trip - whizzed in, took two shots and whizzed out - a thoroughly decent workout.
Lower half of Frozen Deep
Difference with the last image is placement of some cavers in the eye (rather than this side of the eye) and using matched lighting in the foreground (that's the last time I mix lights with wildly different colour temperatures in the same part of the cave).
Upper half of Frozen Deep
Slightly different position for the tripod and I've been far more careful to make sure the distant cavers are distinct from their backgrounds.
The Old Ruminator said:Thanks all. I am actually digging now every week so a bit of caving time is taken up. I still get the shakes looking at the big boulders we have down there. The long view of the Reservoir car park was not with a selfie stick but with hand extended over the edge with my eyes closed. I had my slippery wellies on hence the fall later. I am building up a file of unpublished photos this is one of them-
"Come on through "he says. "Sod off" says I
T'was the same after "The Lost at Sea Incident". Took me two years to get over floating ( just ) around the English Channel all night. Hope to fit in a tourist trip to Reservoir before the open season ends. ( Anyone want a week time very slow one? . Pref Thursday or Friday ).
Onward and downward --
I would be keen for a Thursday or Friday trip...
Max
tony from suffolk
Well-known member
I would absolutely love to go, but I suspect my arthritis would stop me. So I'll have to content myself with the lovely photos. Unless the MCR want to perform a unique rescue event - stretcher me in as well as out.Duncan S said:Thanks both!
It's a fantastic cave made all the better by Estelle sorting us out to make getting the bags in and out a million times less painful.
If anyone hasn't been - why not !!!!!!
The Old Ruminator
Well-known member
Great shots Duncan and so pleased you added them here.
A couple of points for intended trips -
All trips through Martin Grass please as this stops over booking-
m.grass@btinternet .com
Martin puts them out to the leaders and we pick them up when convenient to us.
Try to make it a three party trip as that makes carrying and rigging easier.
Please supply your own lifeline and ladders as per Mendip Underground.
Remember trips will cease for the season later in October so only two months left.
While it is necessary to be an experienced caver this is not an arduous trip at a slow pace. A caver over 80 has done it.
There may still be hope for Tony from Suffolk.
A couple of points for intended trips -
All trips through Martin Grass please as this stops over booking-
m.grass@btinternet .com
Martin puts them out to the leaders and we pick them up when convenient to us.
Try to make it a three party trip as that makes carrying and rigging easier.
Please supply your own lifeline and ladders as per Mendip Underground.
Remember trips will cease for the season later in October so only two months left.
While it is necessary to be an experienced caver this is not an arduous trip at a slow pace. A caver over 80 has done it.
There may still be hope for Tony from Suffolk.
David Rose
Active member
Fine photos, Duncan. Well done.
tony from suffolk
Well-known member
Thanks for the encouragement Mr Old Ruminator & Laurie. I'm a mere 65 and pretty sprightly. Maybe I should try a lttle jaunt down Goatchurch sometime, just to see how my rubbish joints behave.
Duncan S
New member
Peter Glanville suggested some tweaks to my photo of the top half of Frozen Deep.
Once I darkened the foreground to draw the viewer into the image it emphasised the white balance problems of the cavers head torches, so I fixed that too. I've also de-fished the image so straight lines are straighter.
I definitely prefer this version; Peter I owe you a beer!
Once I darkened the foreground to draw the viewer into the image it emphasised the white balance problems of the cavers head torches, so I fixed that too. I've also de-fished the image so straight lines are straighter.
I definitely prefer this version; Peter I owe you a beer!
