Elaine
Active member
13th December 2007
Hughie and Elaine.
We had arranged to meet Les, Gnomie and a novice (that Les knew - turned out to be someone called John) somewhere in Swildons. They intended to go to Sump One and back if they had time, they would cut the trip shorter if necessary - depending on whether they could get out and back to the pub in time! We carefully avoided meeting them at the Wessex as it would involve tea drinking and chatting first, and tea is vile stuff.
So when we got to Priddy Green I phoned them to see if there was an answer (no answer would suggest they had left the hut) and guess what - they were still drinking tea. But we did shame them into getting a move on, and we said we would find them down Swildons somewhere. We took our own kit to leave at the 20 in case we missed them on the way out and they left us with no ladder.
We got to the blockhouse with no sign of them. As they were walking from the Wessex we thought we might spot them coming across the fields, but it was not until we had reached the cave that we first heard Les, and saw the first signs of 'the scurion' sweeping across the sky.
After a very long wait, we hid in the depression, deciding we would see if we could follow them in quietly and see how far we could get before we were spotted. There wasn't much of a plan, but I thought it might be interesting! So we waited behind the blockhouse, hearing Les get closer and closer until their lights came over the brow of the decline, rather like something from War of the Worlds - very spooky!
We did wonder if we would know whether they had gone the Wet Way, the Short Dry Way or the Long Dry Pretty Way, but luckily for us Les announced their intended route (short dry way) at the blockhouse. And off they went. We started to follow them only to quickly jump back out of sight as they seemed to be looking up at the grill by the tree. We thought we had been discovered before we had even started. But, no, it went quiet and dark, so we snuck in with as minimal lighting as we could get away with. Each corner we waited a while after their lights and voices faded before proceeding. All went very well up to the Water Rift, when waiting for them to disappear from the Old Forty, Les looked back up the passage. Unfortunately Hugh had his light on, and although he quickly switched it off, I am sure Les saw something as he looked back up the passage for quite a while before climbing down the 8 foot drop and carrying on his way.
We gave them a few minutes to get right out of the way before climbing down - I want my full light for that job. Especially as water levels were 'pleasantly sporting'. Then we plodded on as discretely as possible before again seeing somone shine their light back up the passage. I am sure they saw Hugh's light this time. We knew they were probably at 'Les's rock' (a 3-4 tonne rock that used to be wedged high enough up the stream passage to be able to walk underneath it - until Les stood on it to pose for a photo! Now it resides at stream level!) The lights went and we followed again. We weren't far from the 20' pitch now. My plan did not go as far as this - so I had no clue what to do next. However, I was suddenly surprised by 3 lights being turned on next to me, and finding them perched up on a ledge hiding in the dark! Les had realised what we were up to and they had hidden from us. Yes, very clever. Don't you know you should not play tricks in caves!!! I could have fallen into the stream and made my new hair-do wet.
It was funny though, and off we went to Barnes Loop where the four cavers amongst us suddenly dropped to our knees and peered into the gour pools. I wonder if John thought we were praying to the cave gods or had just gone mad! But we were shrimp searching. We did not see any. We each looked in every pool we could see both there and the way out. Nothing. Oh well, the pub was calling so we headed back out.
John the new boy was very good for a beginner. I was glad he was not slow as I had forgotten how cold cave water is in the winter. Brrr.
Les bashed his leg on a rock on the way out, and tried to get sympathy in the Hunters later by taking his trousers down to show us his bruise!
Hughie and Elaine.
We had arranged to meet Les, Gnomie and a novice (that Les knew - turned out to be someone called John) somewhere in Swildons. They intended to go to Sump One and back if they had time, they would cut the trip shorter if necessary - depending on whether they could get out and back to the pub in time! We carefully avoided meeting them at the Wessex as it would involve tea drinking and chatting first, and tea is vile stuff.
So when we got to Priddy Green I phoned them to see if there was an answer (no answer would suggest they had left the hut) and guess what - they were still drinking tea. But we did shame them into getting a move on, and we said we would find them down Swildons somewhere. We took our own kit to leave at the 20 in case we missed them on the way out and they left us with no ladder.
We got to the blockhouse with no sign of them. As they were walking from the Wessex we thought we might spot them coming across the fields, but it was not until we had reached the cave that we first heard Les, and saw the first signs of 'the scurion' sweeping across the sky.
After a very long wait, we hid in the depression, deciding we would see if we could follow them in quietly and see how far we could get before we were spotted. There wasn't much of a plan, but I thought it might be interesting! So we waited behind the blockhouse, hearing Les get closer and closer until their lights came over the brow of the decline, rather like something from War of the Worlds - very spooky!
We did wonder if we would know whether they had gone the Wet Way, the Short Dry Way or the Long Dry Pretty Way, but luckily for us Les announced their intended route (short dry way) at the blockhouse. And off they went. We started to follow them only to quickly jump back out of sight as they seemed to be looking up at the grill by the tree. We thought we had been discovered before we had even started. But, no, it went quiet and dark, so we snuck in with as minimal lighting as we could get away with. Each corner we waited a while after their lights and voices faded before proceeding. All went very well up to the Water Rift, when waiting for them to disappear from the Old Forty, Les looked back up the passage. Unfortunately Hugh had his light on, and although he quickly switched it off, I am sure Les saw something as he looked back up the passage for quite a while before climbing down the 8 foot drop and carrying on his way.
We gave them a few minutes to get right out of the way before climbing down - I want my full light for that job. Especially as water levels were 'pleasantly sporting'. Then we plodded on as discretely as possible before again seeing somone shine their light back up the passage. I am sure they saw Hugh's light this time. We knew they were probably at 'Les's rock' (a 3-4 tonne rock that used to be wedged high enough up the stream passage to be able to walk underneath it - until Les stood on it to pose for a photo! Now it resides at stream level!) The lights went and we followed again. We weren't far from the 20' pitch now. My plan did not go as far as this - so I had no clue what to do next. However, I was suddenly surprised by 3 lights being turned on next to me, and finding them perched up on a ledge hiding in the dark! Les had realised what we were up to and they had hidden from us. Yes, very clever. Don't you know you should not play tricks in caves!!! I could have fallen into the stream and made my new hair-do wet.
It was funny though, and off we went to Barnes Loop where the four cavers amongst us suddenly dropped to our knees and peered into the gour pools. I wonder if John thought we were praying to the cave gods or had just gone mad! But we were shrimp searching. We did not see any. We each looked in every pool we could see both there and the way out. Nothing. Oh well, the pub was calling so we headed back out.
John the new boy was very good for a beginner. I was glad he was not slow as I had forgotten how cold cave water is in the winter. Brrr.
Les bashed his leg on a rock on the way out, and tried to get sympathy in the Hunters later by taking his trousers down to show us his bruise!
He's still dropping his trousers at the least opportunity to show all his injuries. This saturday in the carpark at the hunters.....
