Ogof Craig A Ffynnon

This was a well attended trip put on for the newer members and also to give trainee reporter Rebecca an insight into why we go caving. With closed motorways and and the lack of adjustment to British Summer Time we arrived somewhat late to the rendez-vous at Luigis in Abergavenny, where the team assembled and the comestibles were consumed. We headed up to the cave in glorious sunshine and were soon changed and heading underground. Ogof Craig A Ffynnon for those of you who don't speak Welsh translates as "Cave of the Bearded Ladies". After signing in the logbook, Mark and Jess headed off to rig the pitch up to the second boulder choke while we paused at Gasoline Alley to take a couple of photos with Rebecca.

Rebecca at the start of Gasoline Alley

Rebecca near North-West Inlet

A little faffing on the pitch followed and then we headed up and through the Second Boulder Choke. Water levels were very low in the cave and there was hardly any water flowing through Gasoline Alley and also the choke, so we stayed quite dry. Descending from the Second Boulder Choke to the lower passage beyond we encountered the mud, which was as gruesome as ever, wellies were lost in the quagmire and Brendan lunged at Jess after allegedly slipping on the mud. Again we paused for a couple of photos alongside the fantastic calcite formations which are a marked contrast to the mud in this section of the cave.

Rebecca viewing the formations after the Second Boulder Choke

From here we headed to the start of Travertine Passage and the route into the Hall of the Mountain King. It was now time for Mark to meet his Nemesis as see if two stone lost on his diet would allow him to pass through the squeeze in Hurricane Highway and passage into the Severn Tunnel. He made it and most of the group followed for a short distance before we regrouped and headed back out. A final photo taken at the formations with Chloe sporting a fine mud beard.

Chloe viewing the formations after the Second Boulder Choke

See more photos of Ogof Craig A Ffynnon here or see the video by clicking below.



Present: Graham Smith, Keith Edwards, Mark Burkey, Jessica Harding, Brendan Marris, Phil Lester, Chloe Burney and Rebecca Carr.