Croesor to Rhosydd - Crossing the Bridges of Death

An invitation came from Evan of North Wales Caving Club to join them on the classic Croesor to Rhosydd through trip. As it was still early in the year, and not having completed our annual mine trip Keith and myself decided to take up the offer. We set off from Keith's at 6.30 in the morning and proceeded to drive for the next three hours in search of an open cafe where we could consume breakfast. Alas there are no cafes open in North Wales on a Sunday morning, so we had to make do with a coffee, cake and sausage bap from a store in Ffestiniog. We headed up through Tanygrisiau to a car park where we waited to the alloted time. At 10am no one was there so a phone call was made to find that everyone else was in a second car park 200m away at the other side of a spoil pile. We faffed and changed in the rain and wind before setting off on the two hour slog up the mountain to the entrance to Croesor mine. We kitted up and headed off into the mine, only to find a couple of minute in a large mound of snow that looked to fill the passage. A gap over the top allowed us to continue on our trip after taking a photo or two.

Derelict buildings at the entrance to Croesor Mine


Two hundred metres from the entrance a snow plug almost blocks the passage


A flue running up an incline from the winding gear


At the top of the first pitch

We moved quickly through the mine until we came to the top of the first pitch down, where some care was needed with the rope protection and loose rock on the way down. We were now travelling though a very unstable area where numerous roof falls were in evidence. At the top of the second pitch we were greeted with some interesting rigging around numerous boulders, as the walls were too loose to rig from. Heading down this giant gallery a lake is encountered where a steel zip wire provided entertainment in the crossing. A short passage at the other side took us to a second lake which we crossed by inflatable dingy.

A zip wire provides an entertaining crossing to the first lake


An inflatable dingy provides the crossing for the second lake


Crossing the first and best preserved of the bridges

We paused for a drink and lunch at the other side of the lake, before heading off down some straight forward passages to the first of the renowned bridges. This was the best preserved of the bridges and gave is a gentle introduction into the art of balancing on a rotten wooden beam above a massive drop over deep water. Plenty of photos and video were taken as we enjoyed the challenge of the crossing. We soon found ourselves at the second bridge, or what's left of it! Travelling down a zip wire with an acrobatic move half way across to negotiate the only remaining support of the bridge proved fun for everyone.

Crossing the second of the bridges


Crossing the second of the bridges

We then reached the third and most dangerous of the bridges, the fun now stopped as this was a challenge to pass. The first half was a tiptoe along a single rusty rail to the centre support. From the centre a climb up was needed to clip into a zip wire to take you across to the other side. Soon we found ourselves at the final lake with a 6 metre abseil down into a rubber dingy, followed by a paddle across to the far side. A short pitch up took us to the passage that links with Rhosydd mine. A detour was made up one of the inclines, to look at some of the artifacts at the top before we made our exit out of Rhosydd, into the dwindling daylight. We walked down the mountain in the cold fresh air as dusk settled.

Crossing the final and most dangerous of the bridges


Head gear at the top of one of the inclines in Rhosydd mine

The walk up the mountain had nearly killed me, but this was one of the classic trips, and I am very glad that I did it. The company of the NWCC crew was very much appreciated and look forward to getting them into Dan Yr Ogof, if the weather will ever let us.

Present Keith Edwards, Brendan Marris, Simon (Excellent Stuff) Evan, Alan and Mike from NWCC

The Quest for the Geryon's Lair

Two years ago, Jessica, Chris and Brendan had been persuaded by the two Doctors to join them on a trip to the far south of Ogof Draenen. The trip had gone well and a final photo call was made at Medusa's Children, but were were out of time to reach our real target, the elusive Geryon.
The return trip would take some good planning, and Whitewalls was booked for the night before so we could make an early start into the cave. A survey was obtained and the route description was copied, Pelicases were stuffed with photographic gear and tackle bags rammed with food and drink. The only thing we could not plan was the weather, and the snow almost put a stop to the trip, with three or four inches covering the top of the mountains. Breakfast was cooked by Rachel at Whitewalls and we tucked in at 7.30 am ready to head to the cave. We changed in the snow and then slithered our way down the hillside to the cave entrance, where after a short spell of deicing we entered at 9.30am. For the next four hours we put our heads down and dealt with the monotony of the cave, the entrance series, Wonderbra Bypass, Lamb & Fox Chamber, Indiana Highway, Megadrive, Elliptic Passage, Midwinter Chambers, Snowball passage and then the endless crawling that leads to the flat out Last Sandwich dig. A sudden change in Character occurs as you enter More Singing & Dancing, one of the largest sections of passage in the cave, yet more boulders to hop across. Soon a rope climb up to the Luck of the Draw is reached and a pleasant walking passage is entered, many fine crystal arrays and formations adorn the floors and wall here as we head towards Medusa's Children. We hardly pause as we reach this fantastically decorated chamber as our quest is to find the Geryon's Lair, much further to the south in the Cantankerous Surveyor's extensions. Progress slowed once reaching Medusa's Children as the passage is lower and the roof floor and walls are covered with a profusion of pure white formations. After some crawling the passage size increases once more and we find ourselves looking up at a calcite covered roof from which hangs the Lightbulb formation.

Keith Edwards in the passage below the Lightbulb Formation


A close up of the Lightbulb Formation

Our quarry is not far away now, all we have to do is negotiate a maze of interconnecting crystal covered passages to find the rocky slope up into the Geryon's Lair.

A closeup of the Geryon Formation


Keith Edwards viewing the Geryon Formation


Rachel Dearden viewing the Geryon Formation


Richard Dearden viewing a cluster of aragonite needles in the same chamber


A close up of the aragonite needles

After an hour of taking photographs and having pork pies and drink, we decide to try and find the Needles in the passages in the extreme end of this system. A few minutes later they are located, although very hard to see as they are so fine and transparent. We spend a few minutes with the difficult task of trying to photograph them.

Keith viewing the Needle formations


A closeup of the Needle formations

All that lay ahead now was the small matter of getting out the cave, there was a vast distance between ourselves and the entrance, and we were already very tired from the trip in. The next six hours were quite painful as we stumbled from rock to rock, and forced our way through the crawls with our tackle bags and boxes. At 10.30pm were were climbing up the scaffold shaft to the entrance, only to find that it had frozen solid and could not be opened. After a good ten minutes a well aimed boot released us from our frozen tomb into the icy atmosphere of Pwll Du at night.

The Complete Caving Manual

This month has seen the publication of the new revised edition of The Complete Caving Manual by Andy Sparrow, which was reviewed in the recent edition of Descent. This authoritative guide is printed full colour throughout with some fine photos to illustrate it. The more observant amongst you may recognise some familiar faces amongst the pages!