Pete K
Well-known member
There is no far pitch any more. We crowbarred off the bit of wall that had one of the Y hang bolts in it. The rest of the anchors were cut off.
Suicide cave has the short pitch near the entrance (free climbable underneath so you can do circuits) and the bigger pitch on the other side of the same space. To get to this, go along from base of 1st drop, down a hole and under some jammed blocks. Then turn around and climb back up over where you just came from. Eventually you reach a ledge overlooking the 1st pitch. Straight drops, rebelays and deviations are all possible here.
Where it says loose rocks on the above guide is where the far pitch used to be. There are more anchors in the cave than the guide shows, but many will need 8mm hangers and bolts bringing.
I've got to echo the above comments about big pitches on dynamic rope being not recommended. It'll be bouncy as hell on the big hangs in Eldon, and you'll have tonnes of stretch to deal with at rebelays. Crack on by all means, but that's gonna be hard work on big free-hangs. Take a very fit and able team. With that much bounce, make sure your rigging is spot on and the rope can't touch rock anywhere at all.
Have you considered somewhere like Snelslow Swallet? Your 80m rope would reach from the first pitch to the bottom of the main chamber pitch and the largest single hang is about 20m. Still bouncy, but far less so than Eldon. You can have a rebelay or deviation (or both) on the big pitch.
Suicide cave has the short pitch near the entrance (free climbable underneath so you can do circuits) and the bigger pitch on the other side of the same space. To get to this, go along from base of 1st drop, down a hole and under some jammed blocks. Then turn around and climb back up over where you just came from. Eventually you reach a ledge overlooking the 1st pitch. Straight drops, rebelays and deviations are all possible here.
Castleton : Suicide Cave : Details
Locations: Peak District, Location: Derbyshire, Location: Staffordshire, Caves, Mines, Potholes, Caving, Potholing, Guides, Surveys, Speleology, Hydrology
www.peakdistrictcaving.info
Peak District Rigging Guide - Suicide Cave
www.ccpc.org.uk
I've got to echo the above comments about big pitches on dynamic rope being not recommended. It'll be bouncy as hell on the big hangs in Eldon, and you'll have tonnes of stretch to deal with at rebelays. Crack on by all means, but that's gonna be hard work on big free-hangs. Take a very fit and able team. With that much bounce, make sure your rigging is spot on and the rope can't touch rock anywhere at all.
Have you considered somewhere like Snelslow Swallet? Your 80m rope would reach from the first pitch to the bottom of the main chamber pitch and the largest single hang is about 20m. Still bouncy, but far less so than Eldon. You can have a rebelay or deviation (or both) on the big pitch.