To Squirm like a Worm...(or not)

The original plan for today was to visit The Score in Ogof Draenen and try and force our way through what sounds like a very unpleasant squeeze to see the White Wormery. However, as this trip involves 70m of flat out crawling in Back Passage and the possibility of flooding (thanks to Storm Claudia), we decided that the more sensible option would be an easy bimble through Gilwern Passage to Galeria Garimpeiros. This decision having been made, it was remarkable how much my mood lifted and I started to look forward to the trip! As Jas commented when I told him that part of me always feels that a trip isn't worth it unless it involves challenge, suffering and misery, sometimes you just have to tell that part of yourself to shut up!

With the thoughts of arduous and unpleasant flat-out crawls and doing an impersonation of a worm firmly banished from mind, we nonetheless decided that a high level of caution and conservative decision-making would be necessary given the very high water levels. It boggles the mind that we could even consider going into Draenen (which is - in the main - highly flood resistant) when just up the road a critical incident was declared in Monmouth due to flooding. Driving past and seeing the damage from flooding really does make you feel for people whose lives have been turned upside down overnight.

Cautiously we made our way into the new entrance: Ogof Tarddiad Pwll Du, where we could hear running water bubbling loudly. Making our way through, it was clear that water levels were high and the stream was flowing quickly and making some impressive cascades. Nonetheless, the passage clearly hadn’t flooded recently and given the improving weather forecast and the large outflow for the stream, we made the decision that water levels couldn't really rise and it was safe to proceed. And if the worst came to the worst, the original entrance series is reported to always be passable, if somewhat intimidating.

Having dropped into the cave, we made swift progress through Cairn Junction, Wonderbra Bypass and Tea Junction to the start of Gilwern Passage. The stream that flows between Wonderbra and Tea Junction was very high compared to normal and in much of the passage big pools of standing water had formed. These didn't impede progress, but as similar pools can form in White Arch Passage we thought this was additional justification for not entering the flat-out crawls which lead from it to the Score.

We made rapid progress along Gilwern Passage past a remarkably beautiful calcite flow. Soon the pleasant walking gave way to typical Draenen boulder-hopping and we reached a junction where the way on was to the left. This immediately led into a wet crawl and a tight-ish squeeze all within a choke, and from there to the start of Galeria Garimpeiros. However, Loz and Jas decided that the crawl didn't appeal and having gone through first I spent several minutes waiting for them to join me. Eventually I gave up as they were evidently dead-set against getting wet (an effort which, as it was later to turn out, was completely in vain).

Crawling back through the choke, it turned out that they had climbed up it into a passage above. This climb sounded very spicy due to navigating a “boulder of death”. Having joined together again, we followed the start of Morgannwyg Passage and climbed up to Old Illtydian’s Chamber, which was worth a quick look around.

From here, we made our way back down Gilwern Passage to Tea Junction and then opted to exit through the original entrance. Here we anticipated a somewhat intimidating amount of water; indeed I had visions of partially waterboarding myself. As it turned out, although there was certainly a lot of water the waterboarding never materialised. In fact, the exit was great fun! It was very sporting and involved a thorough drenching without ever being difficult. Definitely the best part of the trip!

After exiting, all that remained was the trudge up to the car and getting changed. The Score - and more specifically the White Wormery - remain firmly on the agenda for a future trip!

Cavers: Loz, Jas and Dave
Photos: Jas
Trip report: Dave

Nearly given the Cold Shoulder by the Coldfinger

A trip into Draenen to see the Coldfinger had been on my radar for some time, and after a quick message out to the Dudley, three of us (Jonny, Anne and myself) found ourselves squirreling around Draenen’s labyrinthine passages. Having heard that the Coldfinger was quite difficult to find, we were unsure whether our trip would be a success; nonetheless we were determined to give it a go.

None of us knew the nav from Wyvern Hall; fortunately we were equipped with Tarquin’s description which helped greatly. This led us through walking passages, tight squeezes, over traverses and along various crawls to reach Ponderosa Chamber having successfully navigated through Isotonic Weird Ways. Up to Ponderosa Chamber, the route for the Coldfinger follows that of the Long Round Trip (a bonus, as learning the nav for this is something I'd wanted to do). From here on in, however, the routes diverged. Before long, we had picked up Pond Life which led us - after some unpleasant crawling over rocks - to a taped off section of cryostal. Here the description told us that the route to the Blue Room / Yanto’s Grotto could be accessed by a very tight crawl at the bottom of a hole in the floor.

Dropping down this, I poked my head into the crawl to find that it immediately went through a very tight squeeze into a passage that looked ridiculously narrow, and which evidently had to be travelled whilst lying flat out on one side. I couldn't fit my helmet through this squeeze, and the thought of traveling through this passage for 20 metres and becoming wedged part way along it was extremely unappealing. Deciding that caution was the better part of valour, I backed off and got Anne to have a look. After she turned a remarkable shade of white just looking at it, we decided that the so-called “Easier Route” would be the option to take.

This decision initiated about an hour and a half of hunting around trying to find its entrance, and led us into some rather unpleasant places. At one point, Anne shot down what was clearly a dig, and after a few minutes we decided this couldn’t possibly be right. Coming back up through a tight-ish squeeze, I reached up to pull on a rock to help me get through, only to find that it - and a small section of the wall - decided to come down on top of me. No harm done, fortunately, and it had the bonus of making the squeeze larger for Jonny! However, I've decided that I prefer not being buried by the cave.

More hunting around found me sliding down a sandy slope through a small, tight hole into a chamber. It was immediately obvious that this wasn't the way on (which should have been obvious by the fact that the route wasn't at all travelled!) and I spent a few anxious minutes trying to get back up the sandy slope. A bit of digging and a stiff struggle were required, but eventually I was out.

After this, we decided that time was up and we wouldn't see the elusive Coldfinger. Jonny started the return crawl down Pond Life with Anne and myself following, and quickly said “there's a passage on the right, here”. Sure enough, this passage (which was about as obvious as the sun) turned out to be the “Easier Route”, and after carefully crawling flat out under its shattered roof, we found ourselves at a traverse over a deep pit into the Blue Room. With a lack of confidence-inspiring footholds, this was a bit of a “squeaky-bum” moment for Anne and myself, though Jonny didn't even bat an eyelid.

The Blue Room itself was very beautiful, with big swathes of calcite on one wall and a collection of small, blue formations. To the left of this chamber, a route through a very loose boulder choke led via a hole in the wall into a dig. At this point, we were on the verge of having to turn around, but Anne spotted what she thought was the “awkward climb” up into a passage at roof height. Scrambling up this, she poked her head around the corner into the passage, before exclaiming “I can see it!”. Jonny and I had a quick butchers, and on seeing how bright blue it was, decided that the trip was certainly worthwhile.

After that, all that remained was finding our way back out. So it was back over the traverse above the pit, where the one inviting foothold decided to snap off as I put my weight on it (leading to double squeaky-bum time). Having successfully navigated the traverse, we passed through Pond Life (where time didn't permit us to visit any other beautiful formations) and on into Ponderosa Chamber and the maze of passages that led us back to Wyvern Hall. I was very grateful for Jonny marking the way with rocks at key junctions as it turns out that following the description in reverse is much harder than I anticipated!

All-in-all, this trip was well worth it, even if the Coldfinger certainly made us work hard for the privilege of seeing it.

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

Simpson Pot Pull Through Training

I was very much looking forward to today's trip, as I had booked onto a CNCC underground workshop on pull-throughs. Despite high water levels, given the improving weather forecast the decision was made that it was safe to proceed and after some initial instruction overground, the three of us (Ian (CNCC trainer), Charlie (another participant) and myself) wandered up the hill to the entrance of Simpson Pot.

Taking it in turns to rig the pitches, we made quick progress through the cave which involved a fun mixture of stooping, crawling, squeezing and scrambling, as well as a fun little duck before we reached the head of Great Aven. This was a superb pitch, with a tight abseil down a rift to the pitch head and then a wide open void dropping down 30 metres. This wasn't a pitch to be rushed, but one to abseil slowly so the fine position could be thoroughly enjoyed.

Having all arrived at the base of the aven, all that remained was to make our way down the Simpson / Swinsto stream to the Kingsdale master cave. I'd been wanting to visit the master cave for a long time, having only ever been to the head of the pitch in Valley Entrance before. It didn't disappoint and high-ish water levels added some spice to splashing downstream through the rapids.

Around 5 ½ hours after setting off, we emerged out of Valley Entrance having had a great trip and having practised some new skills. All credit to CNCC for putting on such excellent training workshops.

Cavers: Ian, Charlie & Dave
Photos: Ian
Trip Report: Dave