Pwll Dwfn

 I got up on the 17^th Sept expecting it to be raining due to the fact it had been forecast to rain so it was a pleasant surprise when it was just overcast, but even so i put on my waterproof hi-vis jacket and trousers and loaded my motorbike ready for the 3 hr ride to South Wales Caving Club.

I set of at 6.20am and arrived at South Wales Caving Club at just after 9am which was alright, and no it hadn’t rained at all so all smiles, I arrived and Mark got up and went and had a look at the streamway, because as of yet we hadn’t decided what trip we were going to do.

In the end, although the streamway seemed ok,  we decided to of to Pwll Dwfn, and so that’s what we would be doing, so off we went to Dan yr ogof car park, and got kitted up. And off we went up the hill and past tunnel entrance towards Pwll Dwfn, and I didn’t moan once about the walk up the hill. ( Okay i may have moaned once or twice.) 

We found the entrance fairly easily as Mark had done the trip the week before and was kind enough to take me down there. So both of us put our srt kits on just inside of the entrance, and Mark headed down the first pitch I followed and off we went, onto the second pitch which I admit I had a little bit of trouble getting my small cowtails out of the p-bolt on the re-belay, I used a little trick that Mark had showed me using my hand jammer and down I went past the deviation, a total of 45m of rope are used on these two pitches.

The 3^rd pitch is about 20mtrs of rope with a deviation which i completed without incident happy to report and onto the 4^th pitch which had a re-belay which Mark went down first and talked me through what he did to tackle the re-belay, and down I went following him down the pitch, and again using the hand jammers krab I successfully passed the re-belay without to much trouble. This is probably the longest pitch out of the 5, and straight onto the 5^th pitch without much of a break. Which has another deviation which we sailed past, we got to the sump at the bottom of the 5 pitches and Mark starts telling me about the 3 pitches upwards, I ask if there is any pretties to which he tells me no so as Mark has already been up them I decide I will give them a miss if there is nothing of value seeing. So we turned round and headed out.

As we were climbing up the rope Mark was telling me how to improve my technique which is a must as it really hurts my arms because I’ve not got the right technique yet, so more practice is required, I think, but even so it was a enjoyable trip even though it was a short trip I am always grateful when Mark will redo trips just so I can do them, we managed to do the trip in around 3ish hours.

All in all a good trip and well worth the trip, if for nothing other than to practice your srt technique. We both made it in and out in one piece and as Mark says “we didnt die or nothing”. 

Those in attendance Kayleigh Wood and Mark Burkey.

Signing off now

Kayver Kay.