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Sunday, 18 January 2015

Double Booked in Llanelly Quarry Pot

We met up in Luigis for coffee and breakfasts before heading up the Clydach Gorge and onto Llanelly Hill. We were a little surprised to see a group of cavers already kitted up in the layby beside the entrance to the quarry. This was quite a surprise as this is a little visited cave and we made quick introductions to the Hungarian Caving Club - London.
They were already kitted up and quickly headed up to the cave while we changed and sorted out our kit. When we entered the cave there was a rope down the entrance and the main pitch had already been rigged so we shadow rigged the pitch just leaving the main rope in the tackle bag ready to drop down if they exited before us. Knowing their plan was to explore beyond Ryan's Duck we first headed in the opposite direction downstream towards the Midsummer Nightmare Streamway, turning round when things became throughly unpleasant. On the return we took a few photos of the nicer sections of the downstream passage before leaving the camera at the point we joined the streamway. We then headed up the much nicer upstream passage and met up with the Hungarians at the waterfall. Pausing at the start of Ryan's Duck we checked that all were in the mood for a drenching before we swam through to emerge in the fault Series, where we headed through the boulders and made it to the muddy duck, the link to the final chamber and upstream sump. We decided that no one wanted to go through so we headed back keeping up a reasonable pace so we could warm up after the duck. We again met the Hungarians at the point you leave the streamway to get to the pitch and was agreed that we would go out first. All went well until we reached the entrance rift when things slowed somewhat.

Matt in the downstream section of Llanelly Quarry Pot
Matt in the downstream section of Llanelly Quarry Pot

Matt and Loz in the downstream section of Llanelly Quarry Pot
Matt and loz in the downstream section of Llanelly Quarry Pot

Matt and Loz in the downstream section of Llanelly Quarry Pot
Matt and loz in the downstream section of Llanelly Quarry Pot

Matt in the downstream section of Llanelly Quarry Pot
Matt in the downstream section of Llanelly Quarry Pot

Four kit bags and a camera box made the exit from the entrance rift a little slow. We were fortunate in having the Hungarian cavers behind us to help the last person exit the slot at the top of the entrance rift.

Some more information and photos of Llanelly Quarry Pot here

Present: Matt Maylin, Loz Appleby and Brendan Marris

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