7 awesome YouTube channels for cave, rock and fossil fans

While checking out my socials recently I came across this post from Stump Cross Caverns. I was flattered to see that my YouTube channel features in the list and I smiled when I discovered what is their favourite Caver Keith video. Can you guess what it is?

7 awesome YouTube channels for cave, rock and fossil fans

David and the Wolf: A Cautionary Tale

In days of old, when knights were bold
And monsters didst abound;
One spirited squire, to glory aspired
And thought to seek it underground.

Though eager, tis true, the squire he knew
To rush in upon dangers beneath
Would swiftly wend to a most sticky end
So he first sought out Caver Keith.

That wizened enchanter, was not enthused by this banter
(He was cosy at home, in his slippers
And had no desire to be torn from his fire
By unseasoned, unwary day-trippers.)

But the squire persisted until Keith desisted
And consented - upon the conditions -
That the nagging would cease; he would be left in peace
To reminisce with his fellow magicians.

Keith’s first cunning scheme to subvert this mad dream
Was to conjure a kit list of length:
No mere man could sustain the tackle sack’s strain
Surely the squire would not have the strength?

Though the weight was colossal, the squire was no fossil
(And he had eaten his Weetabix for breakfast)
So through the iron doors, into OFD’s jaws,
They delved deep into the darkness at last!

As a second stratagem, this quest to condemn
Keith had invited along the squire’s missus
Their pace thus affecting for she was six months expecting
So went slowly with wheezing and hisses.

Keith started to send his charge down dead ends
In the hope that he’d grow weary or bored
But each time the squire returned still a’fire
For monsters to despatch with his sword.

The wizard, now much vexed, contemplating what next
Recalled a contrivance compelling:
“Now, If you still dare” (he thus laid his snare)
“There’s a fiend most foul smelling, dwelling in a lair quite repelling - in dire need of quelling – ideally expelling:
And this origin of a thousand conspiracy theories
Can be found in the depths of the Prokofiev Series!”

“Lead on!” urged the squire, his ambition soaring higher
At this prestigious path to elation.
So by a circuitous way, ne’er suspecting foul-play
He followed Keith to that perilous location.

He fought through the squeeze, slightly skinning his knees
Then balanced across the crevasse
Till he came to a cliff: a climb indeed stiff
But there the squire met with impasse:

For from the top of the climb there came a fell whine:
A hideous, blood-curdling screech!
The squire’s knees trembled, his bowels disassembled
And he hurried back over the breach.

So adventurers be warned – tis better to be scorned
As a coward than to come face to face
With the demonic queries of the Prokofiev Series
And the cave-wolves that lurk in that place.

Cavers: Keith, Anne and Dave
Photos: Keith
Trip report: Anne
Photos: Keith

In which Dave finds himself in a tight spot

 "Show me the route into the Prokofiev Series", he said.

Return to Aquamole - Hidden Earth 2024 Video Salon Winning Film

This 10 minute edit of my film Return to Aquamole was placed first in the Video Salon at Hidden Earth 2024. The complete film was premiered in the Underground Session at the Kendal Mountain Festival on Friday 22nd November 2024.

In 1974 legendary cave diver Geoff Yeadon was the first to pass the 168 metre sump upstream from Rowten Pot in Kingsdale Valley. He discovered the impressive 40 metre high Aquamole Aven.

Geoff retired from cave diving in 1997.

In the winter 2000 Rupe Skorupka and Martin Holroyd scaled Aquamole Aven to a height of 50 metres. It pinched out, but they were able to gain access to a second series of inlet passages, the top of which was radio-located to a point 10 metres below the surface.

Rupe was joined by Bob Jacklin and members of the Northern Speleological Group and work started in January 2002 to dig out a surface shaft. Aquamole Aven was finally connected to the surface in June 2002.

A trip beginning by descending Aquamole Pot, as it is now named, to exit at Valley Entrance is now a classic through trip for cave divers and is considered to be a somewhat of a right of passage for the new generation of underwater cave explorers. In spite of his underground discoveries in Kingsdale Valley it was a trip that Geoff Yeadon had never done.

However, on Sunday the 6th August 2023, Geoff supported by a team of over 20 cavers and cave divers, was persuaded out of retirement to complete for the first time this classic descent and cave dive.

OFD1: Round Trip and Waterfall Series

The plan for today was to do the OFD1 Round Trip, with the Waterfall Series tacked on for good measure. Having done most of her caving in Yorkshire, this was to be Phoebe's second trip to South Wales. As a classic introduction to OFD, this trip seemed to fit the bill nicely.

Plodding through the entrance series we quickly reached the Step in the streamway and found water levels to be nice and low. We stomped up the streamway over the pots and into Boulder Chamber via Upper Flood Passage. Here we took the exposed traverse up to the start of the Waterfall Series, where we soon found ourselves bridging across a deepening trench with the Wet Way entering after a short while on the right.

Continuing to the end of the trench, a tight squeeze up through boulders led to the Dry Way and before long we arrived at the climb up to West Leg. Here we went up a somewhat exposed and polished 4m climb, with me reassuring myself that we didn't have to come back this way. Soon I found out that we did have to come back this way, as I’d misread the survey and led us straight past the connection to Highgate and Crystal Pool Chamber.

Nevermind; we reversed the climb down and soon found ourselves tackling the short - but fun - climbs up to the rift that leads into Crystal Pool Chamber. Having finished our business with the Waterfall Series, we headed back to Upper Flood Passage, this time climbing down the Waterfall rather than the exposed traverse into Boulder Chamber. But before doing so, I couldn't resist having a peek down the passage at the entrance (exit?) to the series that takes you high above Upper Flood Passage. This section of cave was very short, but led to a spectacular position; possibly a good place for a future photograph?

Before long we were climbing up into Lowe’s Passage and then up into the Rawl Series. Towards the beginning of this, a short, polished step up led to a long crawl that quickly gained height above the main passage below. We didn't follow this, but looking at the survey, I think this was Don’s Crawl that leads to Starlight Chamber. I was quite excited about identifying this, as I've seen impressive photos of the chamber and want to visit at some point.

Carrying on, we made progress to Roundabout Chamber, Shale Crawl and eventually Pi Chamber, spotting the squeeze down into the Subway en route. From Pi Chamber, things got really exciting, with the slither down the Elephant’s Arse to the start of Bolt Traverse over the main streamway. This is another spectacular position, accessed by a ladder and then a slide over the top of a large boulder suspended between the two sides of the canyon that takes the stream. This slide is a little awkward and exposed, and turning to Phoebe to advise her of this, I found that she had squeezed through an impossibly small hole between the boulder and cave wall. The benefits of being small!

After the Bolt Traverse, Phoebe opted for the Maypole Wire and chain back to the streamway rather than the Dugout. After a short walk down the streamway, we again found ourselves at the Step where we made our way back to the entrance series. Shortly after the Toast Rack I saw a side passage that looked like it needed exploring and dived down this. I dived a little too eagerly, however, as I quickly became separated from Phoebe. Several minutes later, after we had both wandered around shouting to find the other person, we met up and headed out of the cave.

All in all this was a fun trip, with Phoebe giving it a 7 out of 10. Although I've been in OFD1 several times before, I can't tire of the streamway, and the Waterfall Series and Round Trip are as enjoyable as they were the first time around.

Cavers: Phoebe and Dave
Pictures and report: Dave

The Geryon

The original plan for today was to go down Nettle Pot in Derbyshire. Unfortunately, Dave J (who was due to collect the tackle from the mill) had come down with the lurgy, and as I didn't have the time to get it myself a rethink was in order.

In the end, George and I decided to revisit Draenen and push to see the Geryon. This had been our plan a few weeks back, when - along with Mel, Loz, and Paulina and Bartek - we had attempted this trip for the first time. Unfortunately, difficulties with route-finding had put paid to our plans that time, so armed with greater knowledge we set out to complete some unfinished business.

We made rapid progress, popping through the u-bend in the Last Sandwich into MSAD in far less time than we did last time. From here, fairly straightforward navigation saw us through to The Hall of the One and the start of Luck of the Draw. After the interminable crawling in the Last Sandwich, the boulder-hopping and walking that characterised these sections of cave were quite pleasant.

Once in Luck of the Draw we began to see some intricate cave formations before too long, including boulders coated in pure white calcite. Despite many caving trips, I had not yet seen whole boulders coated this way, and “breathtaking” would not be too strong a word to describe them. However, things got better with the arrival of Medusa’s children. Here the passage is liberally decorated with formations in all sorts of shapes and sizes. Columns, helicities and more white boulders abound, and everywhere we looked there was something to marvel at. In fact, it was hard to know whether to sit back and try and take it all in, or zoom in and observe the sheer intricacy of individual formations. Eventually, we pushed on knowing that we would stop for photos on the way out. We also didn't want to get distracted from our main objective: the Geryon.

Soon after leaving Medusa's children, the passage lowered to a crawl. Judging by the description, we were on the cusp of the Geryon’s Lair. Shortly afterwards, we found ourselves in Cantankerous Surveyors’ Passage and after a couple of minutes, we were climbing up a slope into the Lair itself. There were two things that were enjoyable about being there. Firstly was seeing the Geryon itself! It truly is a remote wonder: intricately formed and tucked away in its own elusive chamber. Secondly was seeing the logbook entry from Keith, dated 2010!

After marvelling for a good while, we started the long trudge back out. This was interspersed with various photo opportunities, and I'm quite pleased with how the photos of Medusa’s Children turned out. Although, they're so impressive, it's almost impossible not to get a good photo! Eventually, after plenty of crawling, boulder-hopping and plodding, we emerged into the evening gloom and started the trudge back to the cars. This was an excellent trip and one that will have to be followed up with a visit to Circus Maximus!

Cavers: George Tolley and Dave
Trip report: Dave
Photos: Dave