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Valley Entrance - Stuck getting beyond top of Toyland rope!!!!

Tim Hallam

New member
Hi,

Yesterday we managed after many years to get up the fixed rope into Toyland in Valley Entrance and through a sideways crawl (at head height) to a pitchhead. What is the best way to get into the chamber I was staring into? They were a couple of old ring hangers on the wall but they did look, well, old!!!

or was I better off using the crawl at floor height in the small chamber above the pitch from the Milky Way?

Cheers,

Tim
 
In Valley entrance go up the milky way and up the rope into Toyland. At the top of this rope you struggle over the boulder from which the knotted rope is tied. You are then stood in a small chamber from which a winding rift heads off at headheight which appears at the top of a large chamber. This is the point I got to.... :furious:
 
Slightly confused by what you're describing, Tim. If you thrutch up the knotted rope, you reach a small chamber with a grovel along a rift and a step over a hole (Is this your pitch?) If you traverse / crawl over this hole you emerge in a nice chamber with a lovely stream coming in from the left. If you then follow this stream, you come to another rope (short) hanging alomst directly down a waterfall. I have never managed to bring myself to thrutch up this and get totally soaked in the process.
 
If you are where I think you are then you can step across on ledges and climb down a bit later. Or you can go through the crawl at floor level, which is a bit tight. well worth doing, as there is quite a bit of passage beyond
 
Can't recall going over a hole (but it has been a few years), just remember a rifty section after the initial climb up from the Milky Way, which leads fairly quickly to the nice chamber (Toyland) as Damian mentions.
Following the stream from Toyland is worth doing, including the passage above/beyond the waterfall rope (didn't visit the passage off to the right though - Victoria Extension?)  makes for quite a nice excursion.
 
damian said:
Slightly confused by what you're describing, Tim. If you thrutch up the knotted rope, you reach a small chamber with a grovel along a rift and a step over a hole (Is this your pitch?) If you traverse / crawl over this hole you emerge in a nice chamber with a lovely stream coming in from the left. If you then follow this stream, you come to another rope (short) hanging alomst directly down a waterfall. I have never managed to bring myself to thrutch up this and get totally soaked in the process.

If you climb this rope I think there are another two (could just be another one?), followed by a bit of a squeeze, not that tight because my mate bigger than me got through ok, but I didn't on the day. Am not sure whats beyond, I keep meaning to go back for another look one day.
 
We were in this area sunday,

Had a climb up the waterfall but wasn't sure where the rope goes, plus the rock its tied around looks slightly loose  :coffee:

Daz :spank:
 
It's a long time since I was there, but i remember the route being up the waterfall on insitu ropes, through a squeeze, then down a short pitch to access Toyland.

I remember there being an old spit at the head of the "short pitch", but I also remember not using the spit - maybe it looked dodgy? Or maybe I just didn't have a hanger with me.

Anyway, I descended the pitch by tying a rope to an anchor near the top of the insitu rope, and passing the other end through the squeeze and down the pitch. Toyland is worth a visit.
 
Having been there recently I can confirm this second pitch mentioned is a traverse you traverse over, the big chamber beyond before the pitch is Toyland it self.
 
Hey guys, I was in Toyland recently and made it to the chamber past the tight SRT and traverse. Once in the chamber, to the left is a boulder climb you can go up and off to the right at the top was a small narrow flowstone passage. I had to shuffle on my side as it was very tight and after a few metres it stepped up through a hole above into more of the same but it was too tight for my helmet and SRT kit, and maybe even my obersuit. Anyone got any info if this goes anywhere or any survey maps? If not I will have to return. Mind you there was a plastic bag at the step-up so somebody has reached it before, but beyond...who knows
 

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From Toyland you just follow the stream on the left. You get a little wet just where there is some soft white flowstone I seem to remember. Beyond are a couple of short up pitches and then quite a bit of passage. The larger passage ends at a choke which we dug for a while. There are two side passages off to the right both get very tight but continue quite a way. It should all be on the survey. Here is a crappy snapshot.

IMG_1140.JPG
 
It sounds like you got a little way into Cascade Inlet.
Can't be, must be a dead end passage because I'm 5'5, 50kg and I was almost stuck. My passage was also to the right exactly where the nub is on the map. The little nub on the top right of toyland. So I assume it is a dead end. But I'd like to revisit because there was more to it than what I believe the survey shows. Where can I see this survey by the way?
Many thanks
 
This was just a photocopy from when we were digging up there. It is an ULSA survey and doesn't look like it is available on Cavemaps. I expect there is one on the wall in Bernies if you are quick.
 
Can't be, must be a dead end passage because I'm 5'5, 50kg and I was almost stuck. My passage was also to the right exactly where the nub is on the map. The little nub on the top right of toyland. So I assume it is a dead end. But I'd like to revisit because there was more to it than what I believe the survey shows. Where can I see this survey by the way?
Many thanks
Fair enough. From your description it certainly sounds like the start of Cascade Inlet, which is a little snug in places, but you must have found somewhere else.
 
There is quite a good written description on the CNCC page for Valley Entrance.

I’m double your size and couldn’t even get through the sideways rift at the top of the first rope to get into Toyland.
 
Sounds like a dead-end side passage. Once up into Toyland, you should be able to follow a water cascade to reach the next pitch (after a crawling and a couple sqeezes).
 
Sounds like a dead-end side passage. Once up into Toyland, you should be able to follow a water cascade to reach the next pitch (after a crawling and a couple sqeezes).
Yeah there was no water at all down the passage I went, I saw the flowstone waterfall though off to the left where I presume Cascade Inlet was. Although we were unfamiliar with the cave so didn't even know it actually continued past Toyland. Also Dyl what on earth are you doing here too ahaha, what are the chances😂
 
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