The Tuesday Diggers Grand Day Out at Grebe.

[The Old Ruminator]

We met our genial host at the MCG place. You can park closer to the cave but there is a kit wash at the MCG. Grebe is a bit different as its privately owned by an excellent fellow who goes by the name of Cap'n Chris. Grebe was revealed in the great flood of 1968 when I was beating a hasty retreat from Swildons. The Velvet Bottom road embankment gave way causing a deluge of water to head for Cheddar. Ponds remained amongst the gruffy ground one such home to a lonely Grebe. Said pond minus the grebe disappeared down a hole in the ground. Willie Stanton et al dug opened the cave part mine to reveal the features we see today. Willie built naturalistic walls to preserve the features particularly the late 18th century mud inscriptions . The Cap'n inherited the plot and has continued work in the Stanton manner. The cave is a veritable museum of Mendip lead mining and features which the knowledgable proprietor is happy to explain. Trips are limited to three plus " warden " but expect to assist work at Perdition where the team have made remarkable progress over the last 20 odd years. Anyway enough blather lets see some photos.

 

[The Old Ruminator]

Capn's photo of the Tuesday Diggers assembling at the entrance. Me with the usual camera box.

 

[The Old Ruminator]

Our host explains some of the mining relics to be seen in the cave.

 

[The Old Ruminator]

B J at the duck. I should have warned them that there was a duck in the cave. I hope the bit of string is not there to stop the boulder falling off.

 

[The Old Ruminator]

Four of us so two wardens. Nick at the 12m climb. Looking rather worried as the old folk approach.

 

[The Old Ruminator]

Nigel on the 12m climb. Its much easier if you stand on somebody else.

 

[The Old Ruminator]

This is on the original miners way in. An interesting bit of roof so not usually on the tour. Cap'n knows that I have a charmed life with such things so me and the Johnsons went up there for photos.

 

[The Old Ruminator]

Daddy. Uncle Nick said it was fine for me to sit here as long as I did not sneeze.

 

[The Old Ruminator]

Johnson minor on the old route.

 

[The Old Ruminator]

Father and son take in the view.

 

[The Old Ruminator]

There is nice stal in the cave. This on some fault or rake or summat the proprietor will explain.

 

[The Old Ruminator]

With a captive audience the proprietor is apt to burst into the rendition of an old caving song or a bit of impersonation. Par for the course of course. All part of the fun.

 

[The Old Ruminator]

A bit more stal. Nick 2 doing the back light.

 

[The Old Ruminator]

Henry Young's signature.

 

[The Old Ruminator]

A Willie Wall protecting dried sediments from mining below. The notoriously shy proprietor is hiding.

 

[The Old Ruminator]

Yes B J its Galena, lead ore so rather heavy.

 

[The Old Ruminator]

Yes the payback but we have the Tuesday Diggers here. Mendip’s premier digging team. Near the end the dig drops steeply but clever old Cap'n has rigged a Tyrolean rope thing to get the bags up. Against all expectations the combined teams removed all 56 bags from the dig face area in no time at all.

 

[The Old Ruminator]

Up they come. Quick as you like.

 

[The Old Ruminator]

Easy peasy eh Nigel ?

 

[The Old Ruminator]

Johnson Minor and Nick2 at the very end of the dig. Here the passage has changed more to a bedding plane than a rift. There is soft fill at the end. Perdition shows phreatic roof features and no doubt will be heading for the lower parts of Upper Flood Swallet much reducing the trip time to reach there. We took in a diving bottle as the air at the end can get a bit fuzzy. That to be used in the next digging session.