who: Dave G, Tim T, Steve B, Ivan E, Rowan W
where: Ogof Draenen - Gilwern passage
when: 15th December 2013
Link to photosDraenen 15th December 2013After the evening Christmas celebrations in Whitewalls (thanks to Amy) - we were not up for another 6 hour trip and elected
for a much shorter trip into Ogof Draenen with a visit to Gilwern passage. Tim and myself both knew this trip very well as it is possible to do a rushed trip in an evening. I was looking forward to a more relaxed trip where I could take some photos with my new camera and light. We had been planning a longer trip down to Rifleman's chamber, but sadly once again this trip did not get done. It was steve's first trip into Draenen and its entrance series. It was Ivan's second trip into Draenen, but his memory of the first trip was not pleasant - I persuaded him not to wear a wet suit and the entrance series had proved to be very wet as well as the normal crawly/squeezy experience. This time he was wearing a wetsuit under the oversuit (and so was I - the others were in their furries and oversuits and did not suffer, but my thermals were soaking after failing to dry anything in whitewalls). Rowan had done quite a few trips into Draenen but had not been into it for over a year. So we were content with a relaxed trip.
Things did not start well. I could not find the publican of the lamb and fox so we got changed anyway. Bad mistake. It was pouring with rain and cold and we got changed in the car. The landlord arrived and was not keen on us using his car park. So mid changing we moved to where we normally park just above the path to the cave. In the midst of the move I was convinced I dropped the Draenen key in the pub car park. So I walked back up the road in the pouring rain, only for ivan to find it in the back of the car. Thankfully Steve came and got me from the car park, but the others were descending the hill anxious to get in the cave and out of the rain. There was an enormous puddle just before the door, and if anything it looked worse than being outside. We were not thinking like champion explorers, but we went in anyway.
In a rash fit of bravado I went with the bag. I tried to avoid it on the way out but whilst Ivan had it through the crawl and squeezes it found its way back to me. On the climb down through scaffolding just before the junction to spare rib - we had a piece of timber and a couple of stones come loose while we were climbing out. The timbers are very rotten and barely functional, but even without the plank it looked as safe as before. Frightening enough though.
There was plenty of water in the crawl and the wet squeeze so Ivan and myself could feel smug wearing our wetsuits and wallowed in them. However the others showed greater skill and speed and avoided getting anywhere near as wet as us.
The bag contained a ladder and Scott's short rope for the pitch, and so we are getting used to this pitch.
As we arrived at the log book at cairn junction we signed the book, but were tempted by the sound of rushing water, and so we were tempted into our first deviation in our plan (just after commit it to paper in the log book). The water was in the direction of big bang pitch so we decided to take a look at it. Actually the stream making the noise was pretty near and small but we continued up to Big Bang Pitch anyway.
Here is the mud formation just after cairn junction on the way to the bottom of big bang pitch.
Big bang pitch
Ivan inspecting the fixed rope at the bottom of Big Bang Pitch.
The start of Gilwern passage
The Sandy crawl at the start of Gilwern passage
The view from the end of the crawl
A closer look at the interesting ceiling
Tim looking at the formation before the little climb
A closer look at the pool at the bottom
The immense passageway
Ceiling detail
More passgeway
Crystals on the passage sides
A closer look at some of the crystals
Resuming our long walk up the passageway
Details of the passage sides
Stalagmites to the side of the passageway
Tim admiring the formation over the waxy pool
The waxy pool supported by foam
The formation dripping onto the waxy pool
Finally catching up with everyone else (their patience was strained)
Actually the new light was becoming temperamental - the shaking it had taken in the entrance series had taken its toll.
So I was having equipment failure reducing the number of photos I took after this.
But the crystal continued as the passageway closed in
We continued on to the climb into a chamber. I failed to do the climb up but everyone else succeeded and I was not happy
as I could not remember a problem before. But I certainly could not reproduce Rowans technique. Unfinished business as there is lots of passageway beyond this chamber. Another trip.
We retraced our steps and were surprised by how long the chamber seemed on the way out even without taking photos.
Good trip - hope you enjoyed the photos. I am sorry if there were too many. But it is the first time I have had a camera and light that could capture such scenes.
Dave
