Wookey Hole trips

[andrewmcleod]

Hoping to get a Wookey Hole trip in soon, but there is very limited information about the trips in question (to Wookey 24 or Land of Hope and Glory). This is very reasonable, since they are very new trips!

However, it would be useful to have some idea about the trips (if only to try and pick between them)? I get the impression the trip to Wookey 24 is harder. Roughly how long are the trips (and of course how long is a piece of string)? What sort of trips are they? (sporting, long, pretty, geological, tight, wet etc.)

I'm sure there must be trip reports out there already I have failed to find as well thanks in advance...

 

[cap n chris]

CakePHP: the rapid development php framework: Sites

access-guide.cscc.org.uk

 

[cap n chris]

Fwiw,... The very impressive discoveries of Land of Hope and Glory are a fabulous trip in their own right, being at the furthest reaches of Wookey 20 which is regarded by many as one of the finest pieces of cave passage in the UK. The newer link to 24 is not an all weather trip and is not novice friendly and is not currently a rescue-able place.

 

[cap n chris]

I shall refrain from posting any video.

 

[cap n chris]

However, I think it is timely to state that next summer, 2025, is the decade anniversary of the opening up of Wookey 20 to non-diving caver visits. Perhaps a retrospective would be apposite.

 

[mikem]

LoH&G is about 3 hours, connection has been flooded at least twice, pics at:

Land of Hope and Glory

This summer between lockdowns I was privileged to be invited by the digging team to photograph 'Land of Hope and Glory'. The culmination of 4 years of digging effort by the Wookey Hole digging team. The latest breakthrough revealed over 300m of new passage with further leads ongoing. This month...

ukcaving.com

Very few people seem to know about the CSCC access guide...

 

[cap n chris]

However, I think it is timely to state that next summer, 2025, is the decade anniversary of the opening up of Wookey 20 to non-diving caver visits. Perhaps a retrospective would be apposite.

Clarification. Recreational caver access is quite recent. The physical link is ten years old next year. The two are not the same thing. Apols.

 

[andrewmcleod]

CakePHP: the rapid development php framework: Sites

access-guide.cscc.org.uk

Thanks - found that easily enough, it just doesn't give any information on the actual trips themselves (which is quite reasonable as it is an access guide, not a guidebook). Some idea of typical trip times etc. would be good? If Wookey 24 isn't a novice trip, then presumably Land of Hope and Glory is?

 

[andrewmcleod]

LoH&G is about 3 hours, connection has been flooded at least twice, pics at:

Land of Hope and Glory

This summer between lockdowns I was privileged to be invited by the digging team to photograph 'Land of Hope and Glory'. The culmination of 4 years of digging effort by the Wookey Hole digging team. The latest breakthrough revealed over 300m of new passage with further leads ongoing. This month...

ukcaving.com

Very few people seem to know about the CSCC access guide...

I had found that thread already but it's a bit short of description (nice photos though).

Thanks for the timing estimate though (LoHG = 3 hours); would be good to have an estimated time for Wookey 24 to compare with?

It's really useful to have some sense of difficulty and experience/size needed for leader-led trips so you don't accidentally send someone on something they'll hate/get stuck on. I've got a reasonable idea of how hard a typical Cuthberts, Upper Flood, Pen Park Hole or Shatter Cave trip is for example, so I can guess what trips people can do without making life difficult for the leaders/wardens.

 

[Fulk]

cap n chris:

Fwiw,... The very impressive discoveries of Land of Hope and Glory are a fabulous trip in their own right, being at the furthest reaches of Wookey 20 which is regarded by many as one of the finest pieces of cave passage in the UK.

Well, that's quite a claim. Now, I'm not arguing with you; I’ve never been there, but if it's finer than Flabbergasm, Bakerloo Straight (DYO), Lancaster Hole Master Cave, OFD Main Stream passage, Fool's Paradise, to name a few, it must be quite something.

 

[mikem]

He said one of, not the.

LoH&G is closer to shatter, 24 can be done in same time if just go there and back, but should allow longer & more like a harder Cuthbert's (including climbing up an awkward narrow rift).

 

[cap n chris]

If Wookey 24 isn't a novice trip, then presumably Land of Hope and Glory is?

If people think novices should be led into terrain which is unconsolidated and a long way from rescue, in time terms, then I imagine they'd potentially consider it. The likelihood of damage to delicate formations is another consideration.

 

[cap n chris]

cap n chris:



Well, that's quite a claim. Now, I'm not arguing with you; I’ve never been there, but if it's finer than Flabbergasm, Bakerloo Straight (DYO), Lancaster Hole Master Cave, OFD Main Stream passage, Fool's Paradise, to name a few, it must be quite something.

I didn't make the claim.

 

[Fulk]

I realize that – it's still quite a claim, whoever made it.

 

[Jester]

I'd say neither trip is novice suitable, partly because I don't think a tourist showcave is the right place to be taking novices.

LoHaG should be fine for any half competent caver. If you can get to Swildon's sump 1 and back you'd have no trouble. Mike's 3hr time gives you time to have a proper look around, which is the joy of the trip as from a sporting perspective it's not that exciting. There's a few little climbs and a short crawl.

Wookey 24 is much more energetic, so it could be done in under 3hrs if you're fairly quick, 4+hrs is a better estimate for a full party of 6 plus warden. Most of the way is a fairly narrow awkward rift, easy going down but less so coming up. It's not that you're likely to fall down it, just it takes some energy to keep moving up. I'd say difficulty wise it's similar to the 13 pots circuit in Eastwater maybe. Happy to be disagreed with on that. Size wise I think it depends how determined your large person is, none of it is really tight, but is harder work.

 

[Duncan Price]

Land of Hope & Glory is a 2-3 hour trip of fairly easy caving. The route along Wookey 20 to the highest point where the route to 24 diverges is mostly walking but does involve gaining 50 m in height above the water level where you come into 20 via the 2015 tunnel. You will notice this. Carrying on to Land of Hope and Glory involves a rope climb down and then through the initial breakthrough dig into Colston Hall entered in January 2020. The dig can flood in very wet weather. The second breakthrough into Land of Hope and Glory is a short low section which was formerly quite awkward but has now been enlarged. Beyond this two routes lead to the final impressive rift chamber 70 m long, 5 m wide and 40 m high. There's some climbing. This is the bit everyone goes to see. Video tour with Croydon Caving Club last year here:

Can easily be done as an evening trip. It terms of grading, I'd say lower end of 3.

The route to 24 involves dropping back down 50 m in height to the streamway via several narrow rifts and climbs which are easy on the way there but awkward on the return. I find it takes groups about 45 minutes to get there and maybe 30 minutes longer on the return against gravity. 24 itself is a big passage with a river in part of it which can be avoided by a via ferrata around an oxbow. You'll need cowstails and maybe a harness for this. The main route is easy caving. I have done it as an evening trip (on the breakthrough and a follow up trip) - but I'd suggest that unless you want to treat it as a caving workout you'd best allow more time. Extraction of an injured caver would be problematic. Grade 4 (or 5 if you are stupid enough to go to the end of the innocuously-named "Pleasant Valley Sunday"). 24 is an active river passage so can get impassible in flood.

I wouldn't suggest combining visiting both destinations on the same trip. Do Land of Hope & Glory first, then do a a trip to 24 later.

Arranging a trip is fairly easy via the CSCC (above) who will find you a warden to supervise the trip and ensure that good relations with the show cave are maintained.

 

[andrewmcleod]

Thanks for the descriptions Forewarned is four-armed, or something like that...

Sounds like either trip should be fine with the group I've got (none of whom are inexperienced). I've already requested a weekend trip through the CSCC for Wookey 24 but happy to fall back to Land of Hope and Glory if the weather does not comply (which weather often does not).

I'm guessing, from the description, that despite the river passage a wetsuit would still be too much for Wookey 24? (I normally tend to the very-keen-to-get-in-a-wetsuit end of things rather than gets-far-too-warm)

 

[Duncan Price]

I'm guessing, from the description, that despite the river passage a wetsuit would still be too much for Wookey 24? (I normally tend to the very-keen-to-get-in-a-wetsuit end of things rather than gets-far-too-warm)

A fleece undersuit is normally fine - there is no need to get in the river at all - though before the installation of the aids to bypass it one had to brave the river (there is a haul line to aid progress and only a short section of it is out of depth) but you will dry out later. I prefer to take the dry route in and out. Visiting the start of upstream sump (to 25) would require swimming but isn't worth it - there is an inflatable boat but it is punctured (will bring it out at some point).