Saturday 2 November 2024

The Geryon

The original plan for today was to go down Nettle Pot in Derbyshire. Unfortunately, Dave J (who was due to collect the tackle from the mill) had come down with the lurgy, and as I didn't have the time to get it myself a rethink was in order.

In the end, George and I decided to revisit Draenen and push to see the Geryon. This had been our plan a few weeks back, when - along with Mel, Loz, and Paulina and Bartek - we had attempted this trip for the first time. Unfortunately, difficulties with route-finding had put paid to our plans that time, so armed with greater knowledge we set out to complete some unfinished business.

We made rapid progress, popping through the u-bend in the Last Sandwich into MSAD in far less time than we did last time. From here, fairly straightforward navigation saw us through to The Hall of the One and the start of Luck of the Draw. After the interminable crawling in the Last Sandwich, the boulder-hopping and walking that characterised these sections of cave were quite pleasant.

Once in Luck of the Draw we began to see some intricate cave formations before too long, including boulders coated in pure white calcite. Despite many caving trips, I had not yet seen whole boulders coated this way, and “breathtaking” would not be too strong a word to describe them. However, things got better with the arrival of Medusa’s children. Here the passage is liberally decorated with formations in all sorts of shapes and sizes. Columns, helicities and more white boulders abound, and everywhere we looked there was something to marvel at. In fact, it was hard to know whether to sit back and try and take it all in, or zoom in and observe the sheer intricacy of individual formations. Eventually, we pushed on knowing that we would stop for photos on the way out. We also didn't want to get distracted from our main objective: the Geryon.
Soon after leaving Medusa's children, the passage lowered to a crawl. Judging by the description, we were on the cusp of the Geryon’s Lair. Shortly afterwards, we found ourselves in Cantankerous Surveyors’ Passage and after a couple of minutes, we were climbing up a slope into the Lair itself. There were two things that were enjoyable about being there. Firstly was seeing the Geryon itself! It truly is a remote wonder: intricately formed and tucked away in its own elusive chamber. Secondly was seeing the logbook entry from Keith, dated 2010!
After marvelling for a good while, we started the long trudge back out. This was interspersed with various photo opportunities, and I'm quite pleased with how the photos of Medusa’s Children turned out. Although, they're so impressive, it's almost impossible not to get a good photo! Eventually, after plenty of crawling, boulder-hopping and plodding, we emerged into the evening gloom and started the trudge back to the cars. This was an excellent trip and one that will have to be followed up with a visit to Circus Maximus!

Cavers: George Tolley and Dave
Trip report: Dave
Photos: Dave

Saturday 26 October 2024

The Time Machine

This was my third attempt at reaching the Time Machine in Daren Cilau. The first attempt was aborted at the bottom of the ladder up into Higher Things (when Anne got very cold) and the second was a non-starter, as George did his back in a week before the planned trip. However, it was third time lucky as Jas was both free and willing to do the trip.

The entrance series went fairly quickly; in fact I was pleased that it took just over an hour, and that was pushing a bag the whole way. I was less pleased that Jas didn't fall for my trick of trying to get him to go under a boulder at the end of the crawl rather than over. This boulder has caused me some difficulties in the past, when - crawling with my head down - I have failed to see the obvious route and instead ended up in a very tight squeeze. Sadly Jas made no such mistake!

After the entrance series, we made rapid progress through the boulder choke into Jigsaw Passage and eventually to Big Chamber Nowhere Near the Entrance. From there, Eglwys Passage, Five Ways Chamber, Valentine's Chamber and Preliminary Passage all followed quickly and without difficulty.

Before long it was time for the infamous ladder climb up Welly Boy Aven. Everyone we had spoken to said how hard this climb is, mostly for different reasons! These included: a) the ladder being overhanging, b) the rungs being spaced too far apart, c) it being hung upside down meaning bits of it catch on your caving suit, and d) it being bolted to the rock really awkwardly at the ledge halfway up. All of these reasons were at least partially true, but it wasn't as bad as I'd feared. In fact, pulling the lifeline through the figure 8 as Jas climbed the pitch proved harder work than the ladder itself!

Having conquered Welly Boy Aven, we cracked on with the traverse over White Passage (a nice bit of exposure!) and the two climbs with handlines down into the passage itself (easy but serious given the consequences of a fall). From there, a few minutes’ walk led us to the Time Machine which really was impressive for sheer size. After stomping along it for five minutes or so, and the obligatory photo, we turned round and headed back towards Big Chamber. Jas found downclimbing the ladder much harder than going up it. As he went down each rung, his kneepads would catch and he would have to climb back up to free them. Nonetheless, even with this difficulty he was quicker than me and it wasn't long before we were back at the logbook.

Here I was relieved to hear that Jas thought the through trip would be a good option, as I really didn't fancy reversing the entrance series! The through trip went without incident, with the exception of a minor navigational error in Antler Passage, which was quickly corrected. There were a couple of moments in Busman's Holiday where we had to guess the way on, but before long we saw the reflective sign for Cnwc which showed us that our guesses had all been right.

In Cnwc, Jas saw what he thought was a handline, but in fact was an SRT rope. He decided this was the way out rather than the passage ahead of us, even though it involved a horribly sketchy, overhanging climb into a hanging rift several feet off the ground. Being in awe of his machismo (and also because it was quite funny!) I let him get a few feet off the ground before telling him I’d take the easier route out. While it may have been easier, it was still not easy, but after a bit more squeezing and crawling, we eventually exited Cnwc into the evening gloom. And I had the satisfaction of finally getting to the Time Machine!

Cavers: Dave & Jas
Trip Report: Dave
Photo: Jas

Monday 21 October 2024

Dudley members - Bartek, Graham, Jess, Keith, Loz and Paulina were involved in this film project. Not only is it being screened on Friday 22nd November at this year's Kendal Mountain Festival, it has also been selected for the International Film Competition.

The film documents Geoff's Yeadon's return to cave diving after a break of 26 years.

Geoff is a legend in British caving diving. Geoff and his diving partner Oliver “Bear” Statham are famous for undertaking a world record-breaking cave dive of 6,000 ft (1,800 m) from West Kingsdale Master Cave, in North Yorkshire to Keld Head. The dive was documented in a Yorkshire Television production called the Underground Eiger which was first broadcast on 21st February 1979 to an audience of 20 million viewers.

In 2020 Geoff was awarded the British Empire Medal for services to cave diving.



Saturday 28 September 2024

Ogof Draenen: a failed trip to the Geryon

The Dudley chose Ogof Draenen for their September trip, with Mel, Loz, George, Paulina, Bartek and Dave on the roster. The Geryon was our proposed destination, however after route-finding problems, slower than anticipated progress, and losing Bartek between Snowball Passage and the Last Sandwich, we decided we would turn back and leave it for another day.
Not to worry; we still enjoyed plenty of great caving, with the beautifully decorated midwinter chambers and the Snowball being particular highlights. Wyvern Hall was also impressive to see, and a visit there helped cement a little bit of knowledge of the long round trip.
A less delightful part of the trip was The Last Sandwich. Although it wasn't that bad at all, it was more miserable than I remember from last time. The rock seemed particularly painful on the knees, and it was hard, dry work that felt somewhat interminable. However, once we arrived in MS&D, I was buoyed by the thought that it was time to turn around and start making our way out.
As is often the case, Bartek was our photographer extraordinaire and decided that getting an interesting shot of the Snowball was necessary. To this end, the following conversation took place:

Bartek: “Dave, I need you to lie flat on those rocks over there.”

Dave: “you mean the sharp, jagged ones?”

Bartek: “yes, those are the ones.”

Dave: “why?”

Bartek: “so I can get a picture of your head on top of the snowball. You'll look like a snowman.”

Dave: “I see. Can't someone else lie on the sharp, jagged rocks?”

Bartek: “no, it has to be you.”

Dave: “why?”

Bartek: “because in Poland, a snowman is someone who's an idiot. You fit the bill perfectly.’

Dave: “ah, I see. Hang on while I get into position…”
Despite this cruel abuse, this was another thoroughly enjoyable trip. There remains much for us to explore in Ogof Draenen, and I'm sure club members can look forward to several return trips.

Trip Report: Dave
Photos: Bartek
Cavers: Bartek, Paulina, Loz, Mel, Dave, George

Sunday 1 September 2024

Yorkshire Weekend: Shuttleworth Pot & Mayday


Shuttleworth Pot: Trip Report by George Tolley

I met Dave and Anne in Ingleton and we had a quick bite to eat in Inglesport cafe. We then made our way to leck fell. Where we parked in a lay by.

We made our way across the fell in lovely weather, following a stone wall on our left, over a little mound, then you start descending the hill and the cave is across to your right.

The trip started with a short descent down the manhole into a very wet puddle. Then out into the cave where we carried on down to the bottom of pitch 1.

Then a short hands and knees crawl over loose rocks to the top of pitch 2. This pitch consisted of a few small drops then a nice final descent to the cave floor, a fixed hand line helps to pull yourself up a loose rock bank.

We de-kitted from our srt gear and followed the passage leading to another crawl, along a mud floor passing some beautiful formations, of straws and helictites. Popping out in a large chamber, winding our way through with high mud banks either side of us. We come to a fork with the left path leading up for a short way until stopping. The right path takes you past some straws and then into a very muddy passage which comes to the end of the passage.

We then turned for home and made our way back to the surface, to find the weather was still lovely so a nice stroll back to the cars.

A very good trip, thanks Dave and Anne.
Mayday: Trip Report by Dave

Our second trip in Yorkshire was to be a major step up in terms of difficulty. Roo had suggested Mayday Hole as a way to test ourselves, and particularly my rigging skills. So after the obligatory breakfast at Inglesport, we started the trudge up to the entrance, carrying some planks for a dig a little further on that Roo is involved in.

The entrance into Mayday was blummin awkward: a tight squeeze down to the first pitch head, with very little room for a tackle sack. After getting in a twist, I eventually managed it and dropped down to the start of a tightish rift (Razor Traverse). Thrutching along the rift whilst rigging was interesting but short lived, and finished with a nice y-hang that allowed quick progress down the second pitch. This was swiftly followed by the third pitch (called The Nipper) which was the tightest of the whole lot. Gravity obviously helped on the way down, but George nonetheless made the comment that perhaps Roo’s recommendation of cave reflected a certain dislike of us!

A short crawl later saw us to the top of Doughnut Pitch. Coming down this, George had an interesting fight with a tackle sack. The tether snapped, and - fortunately for my head - the bag got wedged. After retrieving it, we all grouped together at the bottom, and here Anne decided that she was too tired to go any further.

Leaving Anne to have a rest, George and I cracked on with Frank's Pitch, and then Baby and Boom pitches. These last two in particular were very fine pitches. The cave changed character and became much more spacious, and easy rigging and abseiling quickly led to the boulder choke right at the bottom of the cave. All that remained now was prussiking back up 120 metres, and the first 70 odd meters (back up Boom and Baby) were very pleasant indeed.

In fact the whole outward journey wasn’t too bad, although managing the rope to avoid it snagging took some thought. At least the outward journey wasn't too bad until we got to the Nipper. After hearing Anne grunting and struggling with this, it was my turn to face it. It was pretty hard work, with one large bulge (ahem, I'm referring to the shape of the cave, not my physique) causing particular difficulty. At this point, I decided that George was wrong: Roo didn't dislike us, he hated us! To make things even worse, the tackle bag weighed a tonne, and decided to snag and catch on everything. Nonetheless, a good struggle later, and there was only the second and first pitches to go.

These passed without too much difficulty, and the nice dribble of water down the first pitch was very refreshing. Finally, all that remained was getting out of the cave. This proved as difficult as getting in, but fortunately George helped by taking the tackle sack off me.

To sum up, Roo’s recommendation was very good and Mayday Hole definitely didn't disappoint. It was testing but great fun. Had I realised how testing, I would have chosen another cave as it was only George's second SRT trip. Nonetheless, he did a great job, meeting every obstacle head on and making them look a lot easier than me!

Saturday 24 August 2024

Daren Cilau Through Trip

A repeat of the Daren through trip was high on Anne’s to do list (or at least a visit to the Urchins was) and foolishly I agreed to go with her. The entrance series was as tortuous as ever, particularly as I was carrying a bag this time. However, by cracking on we made reasonably light work of it and the calcite squeezes weren’t nearly as bad as I remember. There was an incredibly tight squeeze towards the end of the crawl which played the xylophone on my rib cage. I was about halfway though and on the verge of becoming stuck when Anne popped her head over and asked why I had gone under rather than over? The answer being that I was so used to putting my head down and squeezing that I hadn’t looked up to see the obvious (and spacious) route over the top. Fortunately I was able to push through and squeeze out the other side, which is just as well as going back would have been very, very difficult.

Once out of the crawl we made quick progress to the first boulder choke, making a quick detour to see the dried out crystal pool towards the end of the old main chamber. This was very impressive and well worth the five minutes it took to view it.
We wriggled through the first choke out into Jigsaw Passage where nice easy caving brought us to Big Chamber Nowhere Near the Entrance. More easy caving down Epocalypse Way took us to the White Company where we stopped to get a couple of photos of these very beautiful formations. Carrying on we managed to mistake the entrance to Urchin Oxbow, do a complete 180 and end up back at the White Company! This was no hardship as they are very beautiful 😊
We did a better job second time around and clambered up the climb into Urchin Oxbow where another couple of photos were in order. Shortly thereafter the long trudge along Antler Passage started. Antler Passage is rather interminable with lots of boulder hopping and regular obstacles to climb up and through, including 4 laddered sections.

Just before one of the climbs we passed a handline coming down from Man in the Roof. This is a route I’d like to go and see at some point, however making the exit using just the handline looks like sheer lunacy. It must be 6 to 7 metres high with just a thin cleft in the face of the rock for footholds. This route may require some planning, and going with someone who has prior experience of it…

We ploughed on and eventually reached the fourth laddered climb (with a very slippery approach!) which took us up into Busman’s Holiday. Thereafter easy caving took us through Prices’ Prophecy to the exit via Cnwc. While Cnwc is tight and crawly it is nothing in comparison to the entrance series and before long we arrived at the gated exit and emerged to a beautiful sunny afternoon.

Total time was 6 hours, which isn’t bad as my first attempt took over 7 hours.

Cavers: Dave & Anne
Trip Report & Photos: Dave

Saturday 17 August 2024

Ogof Craig a Ffynnon

Having missed the Dudley’s July trip to Craig a Ffynnon I was keen to finally make it through to the elusive Helictite Passage.

Water levels were extremely low; the first choke was dry and Gasoline Alley a mere puddle. But the second choke was as muddy as ever, and a very slippery corkscrew climb had to be squirmed up with great difficulty. This was by far the most arduous part of the route in, but a delight to slide down on the way out!
The entrance to Travertine Passage provided a few more specimens of mud (who but cavers truly appreciate the wide variations in mud?) with the treacherous welly-eating squelchy mud, fun mud-slide mud and just enough caked on mud to make boulder hopping a precarious pursuit. Travertine Passage and the Hall of the Mountain King were as stunning as ever, but we pressed on into Hurricane Highway (initially a slippery mud but increasingly more Velcro mud), and were back at the fourth choke where the navigation had defeated us on our first trip. The way on was embarrassingly obvious when you know where…
Then finally, into Helictite Passage! It was certainly worth the mud, the squirming and the squeezing. A stunning array of formations. I particularly appreciated the pom-pom. Definitely a must see for any calcite enthusiasts out there. 😊
On the way back we made use of the low water to wade through to visit the crocodile in North Western Inlet. He was cheerful as ever, welcoming unwary cavers in with gently smiling jaws. Needless to say we backed off hastily.

Back at the car park, we had the usual conversation with a passing motorist who couldn’t understand why anyone would choose to go caving. I’m sure if more people were introduced to the joys of calcite, and mud, mud, glorious mud, it would all make much more sense!

Trip Report: Anne
Photos: Dave