Ogof Foel Fawr to Ogof Pasg Through Trip

With eleven cavers it would not be practical to operate as one group, and so we decided to create two teams and do the through trip as an exchange with one team going into each entrance. Chloe and Becca were nominated team captains and so they selected their victims. This report follows Becca's team that entered via Foel Fawr.
Becca not being aware that it was going to be down to her to lead the trip, now had to find a cave entrance on a hillside that she had never visited before. To make it worse, the cave can only be seen from a few metres away. After a false start following the other group, Becca's team split up to scour the hillside for the elusive cave, and after a short while Loz made up for her late arrival by locating the entrance. We were soon underground and in a pattern that was to be repeated through the day, all passages were explored, with us soon heading to explore a dead end. A quick check with the survey saw us on our way again and we were soon at the Fallen Slab squeeze. Keen to not miss any cave, the group headed past and to reach Bone Chamber where the only way on was followed into the Hereford Extensions to find a dig and static sump at the end. We then headed back at the Fallen Slab, and being at the back was a little surprised to find all had slipped straight over it by the time I arrived. I followed feeling a little pinched half way through. Ahead I heard a call that they felt they had reached a dead end, when it was explained that the way on included a duck like going down the U-bend of a toilet a groan was heard followed by squeals as they passed through. We were soon at Pillar Chamber where we could hear the other group coming down the pitch. We spent a few minutes taking photos until the ladder was free and then headed through the canal to reach the ladder. With the ladder rigged from the natural thread it ran over the smooth calcite near the top making it a good test for the new members. All climbed without any problems and we were soon packing up the kit and heading into the main passages of Ogof Pasg. Becca wanted to keep exploring and led the group into Bunny Run passage, not stopping until reaching the bitter end. A few photos were taken with the group before the final dead end passage in Ogof Pasg was explored by Becca until they reached the very, very muddy end, I was glad we took the photos before they went into that one.

Rich in Ogof Pasg

Loz in Ogof Pasg

Becca in Ogof Pasg

Back on the surface we met up with Chloe's team as they emerged on our walk around to the car park. The two trips had been perfectly timed.

Present: Becca Kirkpatrick, Rich Gibbons, Brendan Marris and the late Loz Appleby