Swildon's Hole

The team: AnGr, LeTu, MeWa & StWa

Dan Yr Ogof

Mark had not been able to make any of the previous Danny trips and was feeling a little left out, so knowing we were in South Wales for the weekend, requested a trip on the Sunday. A round trip with an excursion up Bog Passage was planned, Mark going out and buying a wetsuit so he could go through the Green Canal. I awoke on Sunday morning to hear the Welsh sunshine pattering on the window. It had rained a good part of the night and on arriving at Danny, the river was well up. With it still raining it would be foolish to spend too much time in the cave, we meet up with a couple of diggers who loaded us up with scaffold bars to ensure that we did not float way through the lakes. A quick dash through the cave was made to Corbels Chamber before we returned. The lakes were now another 3 inches higher, and would have sumped by the end of the afternoon. A little time was spent taking pictures in Lake 1 before returning via Hereford for a meal and pudding served in a fish bowl.

Mark in lake 2 of Dan Yr Ogof.

Chris and Mark in Bridge Chamber.

See more Dan Yr Ogof photos here 

The team: BrMa, MaRo & ChWe

OFD 1 - Waterfall Series and the Round Trip

We head to Penwyllt in a convoy of cars to find workmen at the bottom of the hill doing work to the telegraph poles. The engineers vehicles are blocking the road and there seems to be little prospect of them moving quickly, so Chris and myself decide to walk up to the Club to get a key for OFD1. 15 minutes later as we walk past the quarry, the fleet of cars pass us after eventually being let through. We head into the cave via the streamway and then go up the traverse into the Waterfall Series to avoid climbing up the waterfall. An hour or so playing in the maze of passages up there saw us return down the waterfall and then complete the round trip via the escape route.

Dan viewing formations on the route up into the Waterfall Series

Dan viewing formations on the route up into the Waterfall Series

Jessica and Mark in the Rawl Series.

Jessica in the main OFD 1 streamway.

See more OFD 1 photos here 

The team: BrMa, KeEd, JeHa & DeRo, MaRo & ChWe + New member Dan

Swildon's - Short Round Trip, Priddy, Mendips

I awake to the soothing sound of birds chirping and the first rays of the days sunshine streaming through my window. I turn to look at my clock, to my horror see that I should now be picking up Keith and Del, from West Bromwich, an hours drive away. A mad dash and I am on the road making apologetic phone calls to Keith and Jessica. We arrive in Wells nearly an hour after our planned time, making a trip into Bat Products to meet with Jessica and part with some of our hard earned cash. We then proceed to the City Arms to partake in a full English breakfast with complimentary jam doughnuts for afters. Our plan was a trip into GB cavern and we do a tour of the caving huts trying to find a key to the cave. All attempts fail and instead we fall back on to plan B - The Swildon's Short Round Trip. All the troubles have plenty of airspace, and bar Brendan having a little moment in the Birthday Squeeze the trip goes without a hitch. Jessica tackled the sump with style and found it to be the best part of the trip.

Derek heading down from the landing to the streamway.

Derek heading down from the landing to the streamway.

The team: BrMa, KeEd, JeHa & DeRo