Trip suggestion please: Novice SRT locations

[Pitlamp]

If it's not already been mentioned, the entrance shaft of Water Icicle Close Cavern is a pleasant pitch and a wander around the fine phreatic tubes in the old part of the cave has interest. And no need to worry about getting wet.

 

[Brains]

I must be being very thick.

I am looking at DVA page for Jug Holes (https://peakdistrictcaving.info/home/the-caves/derwent-south/jug-holes)
I am looking at the Survey
I am looking at the rigging guide available, which is to traverse the bad step
Also looking at pictures

This doesn't make sense, at least not to someone who doesn't already understand it
There is an "adit" self explanatory the text says "Lower adit entrance (SK 27952 59697) has a gate with a 24mm captive bolt" but that's bot the same grid ref in the site location

There is an "entrance to upper series" on the survey. Is the grid ref for the overall site for that?
there is an "entrance pitch to lower series" - is that the bad step traverse or is this another surface entrance with an abseil?
There is also a picture of an entrance to the water caverns, where is that and is an abseil required - if so is there any rigging guide or rope lengths?

Sorry DCA but I'm finding the Details page very confusing

Booklets

For orders and enquires please email publications@thedca.org.uk. By Mark Cope. Published by DCA in 2014. Price £10 + £1 postage. Specification:68 pages with lots of surveys and colour photos.

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The Jug Holes interpretation pack can be download from here as a PDF
PM sent with directions...

 

[AR]

The bolts in the 2 Pindale mines are fairly new 12mm or 10mm stainless Petzl expansion anchors placed by a local bolting fairy.....

I read this and immediately thought of Ozzy Osbourne singing "Yeah, fairies place bolts and you gotta believe me, I saw it, I saw it with my own eyes"...

 

[Cantclimbtom]

I was being daft, when there... the DCA info for Jug Holes made perfect sense.

And Pete K, please say thanks to this mysterious bolting fairy, as I noticed a resin anchor above the hole down to Jug Holes lower series in addition to the older expansion bolt (I assume DCA?)

 

[Jenny P]

Just one word of warning to say that none of the DCA leaflets or booklets menti0ned on the website are still available in printed form. They are only available as downloads now.

 

[Cantclimbtom]

Bagshawe Cavern Dungeon Pitch, or Merlin Mine Upper Entrance to Adit.

The first one is more exciting. The second one is better. Both are idea. Merlin never has water problems. Bagshawe might do in named storms. Bagshawe Lower series leads to nice cave. The Merlin pitch feels a bit artificial.

Thanks, hopefully we'll try your Dungeon suggestion on Sunday. We got a reply and have the code!!!!

Reading the 1990-1991 survey and the CcPC rigging guide but still have questions please.

1) there is a name marked "The agony Crawl" where the text is written inbetween a cross section (below on survey) and some passage (above on survey). Is the crawl the passage down in the dungeon or in the passage above?
2) abseil down the dungeon seems well described in CCPC but the connection vaguely 100m NE of the dungeon has no rigging instructions, is it an easy free climb, does it need rigging or is it generally better to go back up the dungeon
3) water... there's a lot of watery looking stuff marked on the survey. In dryish weather how wet is the experience and how rain sensitive is the bowels of the dungeon, I'm hoping to see the straw cave but not sure how aqueous the experience might be?

 

[wellyjen]

Agony crawl leads in to the lower series, as does the Dungeon pitch. It is a free climb at the lower series end. Agony Crawl isn't as bad as the name suggests. A wide bedding plane. The route through is pretty obvious. Finding the climb up in to the crawl from the bottom may be tricky if you descended via the Dungeon Pitch, as it isn't obvious.

 

[tdobson]

Thanks, hopefully we'll try your Dungeon suggestion on Sunday. We got a reply and have the code!!!!

Reading the 1990-1991 survey and the CcPC rigging guide but still have questions please.

1) there is a name marked "The agony Crawl" where the text is written inbetween a cross section (below on survey) and some passage (above on survey). Is the crawl the passage down in the dungeon or in the passage above?
2) abseil down the dungeon seems well described in CCPC but the connection vaguely 100m NE of the dungeon has no rigging instructions, is it an easy free climb, does it need rigging or is it generally better to go back up the dungeon
3) water... there's a lot of watery looking stuff marked on the survey. In dryish weather how wet is the experience and how rain sensitive is the bowels of the dungeon, I'm hoping to see the straw cave but not sure how aqueous the experience might be?

1) Agony crawl is a crawl which for *novice* cavers is an accurate named piece of cave.
2) The through route to the dungeon is moderately tight for novice or larger or more skittish cavers. The climb is fairly easy for non-novice climbers, or just relatively competent in their body people.
3) How moist? Your elbows, knees and thighs will get wet on the route to straw chamber, and beyond that, there may be intakes of breath and exhalations of expletives. It's otherwise dry after the wet bits (usually!) though, and fairly friendly.

In general, I'd suggest the SRT route for the trade route, and the agony crawl as "backup flood escape". It's not a "fast nip round" if someone is struggling with SRT for example, or an easy get out - but for anyone fancying the challenge, it could be a good laugh. Personally, I prefer SRT'ing the pitch, because it's such a good SRT training pitch - it feels a shame to let people waste it.

Worth noting that *some novice* people may enjoy a handline or assisted handline on the climb up to straw chamber from the non-lake side. There's a spike at the top in the mud you can use. (10m rope is loads)

Let us know how you get on!