To make it a through trip was my idea to help my route finding, but would make the trip a bit longer, so planned to meet at 1000. I forgot they mess with the clocks this weekend and went for my customary run thinking I have loads of time, oops!
Tony Seddon happened to be at SWCC so we both went on a shopping spree, Mark buying undersuits and yes you guessed it I bought over suit! Plus, a new helmet, having spent a lot of Sat hitting my head due to wearing a helmet 2” bigger than my actually head.
Wearing our new attire, we eventually got underground around 1130. I managed to navigate most of the way to the confluence with only a few pointers from Mark, we reached the climb up by the scaffold bar in about 2hrs.
Mark did a super job of rigging the pull through for the ladder pitch and we retrieved the rope for the awkward climb up in to the passage way that leads to the pompom. The rope being 8mm dynamic made the climb all the more interesting, with mark literally picking me up by my belt and lifting me up and over the edge of the 2ndledge, at that point I was struggling to grab the next knot with all the stretch in the rope, so was glad for the assistance. ;)
The gypsum passage was stunning and as we continued to the crystal pools things got even prettier! We carefully climbed over the pools with camera gear and got a good routine sorted for packing up between shots. Surprise, surprise we did end up taking a bit longer than anticipated doing photographs but well worth the results!
We existed via Cwm Dwr as it was shortest route but not the easiest each with bags, I only had ladder and rope bag, poor Mark had heavy camera bag and ended up using his head to get the bag up the final chimney as he didn’t have a sling. All in all a good trip, plus I also got my new helmet presented back to me with my Scurion attached, thanks Tony. :)
Present: Mark Burkey & Loz Appleby
Trip report: Loz Appleby
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