Three Counties System
- Thread starter Cave Mapper
- Start date
alastairgott
Well-known member
triple creek?
SamT
Moderator
I've been informed that Rift and Ireby have been connected..
Well done the diggers
8 hours digging doesn't seem that bad for such a prize
8 hrs digging revealed 170m of new passage and the connect to temple of doom passage in rift.
a duck/sump in east inlet in IRB has drained allowing access.
Best way to do it is from rift to IRB, tight awkward bits lots of mud
Well done the diggers
8 hours digging doesn't seem that bad for such a prize Cave Mapper
Member
SamT said:
.. to find out if you can cave from Yorkshire to Lancashire.
It seems you can.
Well done diggers, I can't wait to do it, it sounds like a classic. And Large to Ireby as well.
Is it open to tourists yet? Or is there still stabilisation work, or conservation work, or unpushed leads to complete first?
Is the route finding obvious? Will the drained sump fill up when the rains return?
georgenorth
Active member
I'm not sure if I'm in the In Crowd or not but I can probably give a few details...
On Sunday 30th May 10 of us from various clubs connected our dig at the end of the Temple of Doom in Rift Pot with the newly discovered SE inlet (this is beyond Rope Pitch) in Ireby Fell Caverns. We spent about 6 hours digging through the final 10m or so of mud choked passage to connect the two systems (I reckon the Notts/Ireby/Rift system is now over 20km long). Although the final trip only took a few hours of digging there have been many, many trips into Ireby and Rift over the last year. Probably of more importance than the digging trips were the surveying trips, which were crucial - we spent most of the time digging in the wrong place, again. Previous NCC and KCC discoveries were also essential - we only really finished what they started.
As for the trip...
The first thing to point out is that the 3 chokes in the Temple of Doom need treating with great respect. None of them have any shoring and any movement in the Coffin Shop or Pussy Cat Choke would be very serious!
The nature of Pussy Cat choke means that it's best viewed from the Rift Pot end first - from this direction it's obvious which block not to move and why - from the Ireby side less so!
The squeeze to get into the 1998 ToD extensions is tight and will keep out the large of chest and broad of shoulder.
Obviously we did the trip in very dry conditions. Some sections will certainly be impassable in wet weather - maybe even in normal weather??
Anyway there'll be a proper article in Descent some time soon...
George.
On Sunday 30th May 10 of us from various clubs connected our dig at the end of the Temple of Doom in Rift Pot with the newly discovered SE inlet (this is beyond Rope Pitch) in Ireby Fell Caverns. We spent about 6 hours digging through the final 10m or so of mud choked passage to connect the two systems (I reckon the Notts/Ireby/Rift system is now over 20km long). Although the final trip only took a few hours of digging there have been many, many trips into Ireby and Rift over the last year. Probably of more importance than the digging trips were the surveying trips, which were crucial - we spent most of the time digging in the wrong place, again. Previous NCC and KCC discoveries were also essential - we only really finished what they started.
As for the trip...
The first thing to point out is that the 3 chokes in the Temple of Doom need treating with great respect. None of them have any shoring and any movement in the Coffin Shop or Pussy Cat Choke would be very serious!
The nature of Pussy Cat choke means that it's best viewed from the Rift Pot end first - from this direction it's obvious which block not to move and why - from the Ireby side less so!
The squeeze to get into the 1998 ToD extensions is tight and will keep out the large of chest and broad of shoulder.
Obviously we did the trip in very dry conditions. Some sections will certainly be impassable in wet weather - maybe even in normal weather??
Anyway there'll be a proper article in Descent some time soon...
George.
Andy Sparrow
Active member
Very well done to all concerned.
So, that just leaves the Notts to Lost Johns connection to make the Three Counties System a reality?
So, that just leaves the Notts to Lost Johns connection to make the Three Counties System a reality?
georgenorth
Active member
Notts II to Lost Johns now has a smoke connection. I'm not sure how far Large Pot is from the Marble Steps branch of Keld Head. If those 2 connections were made then the Ireby Fell System would be in the region of 110km long
George.
George.
langcliffe
Well-known member
That's not the way I remember it.Goydenman said:
Wren
New member
Sometime in the 70's; DB "encouraged" me to attempt the old dig in the Mohole. The draft was strong enough to blow out my trusty carbide lamp. However, even with DB's "it'll be alright- just pull out another boulder" etc - EVEN I COULD SEE IT WAS SUCICIDAL!!!. Now with modern technology etc, a concerted effort might just push the Mohole. You heard it here last.
Goydenman
Well-known member
graham said:
In the 70's I met several cavers who said their is not enough data to make the theory hold and even if were too hard to dig. I like it when the sceptics are proved wrong. Like Nelson Mandella said seems impossible until it's done. Yes Graham you are right what an incredible wave of discoveries - they say bad things come in threes seems good things come in greater numbers
