Eat Sleep Cave Repeat. The Time of Our Lives In Daren Cilau

When the White Walls weekend was advertised Becca and Daz contacted me asking if they could have a trip to the Time Machine as a route finding exercise for them in anticipation of a future camping weekend at the Hard Rock Cafe. It is a trip I had heard Keith and Andy G mention a couple of times and a route finding trip I had fancied for a while so agreed to have a go at leading them in.

At the club on Thursday I tried to persuade Mr Edwards to join us and much to my delight he decided to give it a go. Jess, although swearing she would never again do Daren also agreed to give it one last go, and so our team of five was arranged.

Knowing that we would need quite a lot of camera equipment if we were going to try and do the Time Machine justice and also knowing we would need to carry extra food, drink and a first aid kit in with us we emailed Becca the night before to ask if they would mind carrying in some kit; I think I actually used the hook that they would need to carry kit with them to camp so it would be good practice for them :)
As usual our first stop was Luigi's for a good breakfast before heading to White Walls to kit up. Loz was persuaded to give us a lift to the car park (thank you Loz!) and we were enjoying the delights of the entrance crawl by around 11am.
Becca and Daz did a sterling job carrying the heavier bits of kit in, but it did mean the rest of us were able to keep up with them :)
We took a steady pace to Big Chamber and were soon heading off through the crawls to St Valentines Chamber.
Keith and I led off down Preliminary Passage and waited at the bottom of the Ladder climb for the others to catch up.
Jess led up the pitches and was unusually quiet which is not like her. I called up to ask if she was ok....I figured she was either scared or exhausted and called to ask which. After she reached the half way point where there was an awkward change over she called back down to let me know to save my daft questions for when she wasn't using all her effort to climb an awkward pitch.
Keith went up next to take some video and was followed by a very vocal Becca, whom when asked if She wanted me to take the tackle bag declined and climbed with it on her back!
Everyone had struggled getting up the ladder and having belayed everyone my arms were feeling pumped and I was quite nervous.
I shot up the first section of ladder and although awkward didn't find it too bad to the change over to the second section. Here I realised what all the fuss was about as I climbed the overhanging slippery rungs. Red faced, puffing, I worried that my arms wouldn't hold me as I clung desperately to the chain at the top and pulled myself to safety. How Becca managed with a heavy tackle bag on her back was something else.

The traverse and rope climbs caused no problems and we were soon dropping down in to White passage. As we continued onward Keith realised that when he thought he had reached the Time Machine on a previous trip he had actually been only minutes away.
We emerged at the top of  huge boulder slope in to the Time Machine itself and followed markers through to the drop down to The Bonsai Stream Way.
We popped up to the taped section to take a look at one end of the Crystal Oxbow before continuing on to Crystal inlet where we paused for photo's at the services sign.

Time was ticking by and everyone was aware of the return trip that awaited us, so it was decided that we would head back at this point taking some photographs and video as we went.
I could see that the extra weight had taken it's toll a little on Becca and Daz so the kit was re-distributed so that they only had one piece of kit to carry back.

The return trip went well until the entrance crawls where the tired group began to struggle a little in the crawls. Daz kept us entertained with a constant stream of expletives some of which I had never even heard before! He even managed to loose a welly at one point (A trick taught to him by Becca no doubt ;)

Finally after about 12 hours we emerged to find Snow coming down on the escarpment and were very glad to get back to the hut.

All that was left was to eat, sleep and cave the Sunday.....but that's another story.

Present: Keith Edwards, Jess Burkey, Becca Kirkpatrick, Daz Long and Mark Burkey

The entrance crawl

The 65ft Ladder pitch

The Time Machine

The Bonsai Formation by Keith Edwards....and perhaps a little creative editing by Mr Marris :)

Daz and Becca at the services sign

Led Astray In Daren Cilau

After a slight false start, with me leading the group out the car park in the direction of Cnwc and not Daren, I got a quick direction check from Mark and then found the start to the notorious entrance crawl.

I reached the section I recalled to be the ‘Vice’ and reported this to the others, though I thought I must be mistaken as it didn’t seem to present a challenge to any of us, only when I got to call box 3 did it confirm that we had passed the vice, much to the disappointment of Daz, Becca and Mel.

My willing victims proficiently wriggled after me and we got to the cascade in 1hr 17mins.

Dropping down in to Jigsaw Passage, I was glad I’d pre read the description “caution” it said, this was one of the accurate pieces of info it provided, there was a slide down on to a slippy boulder, miss it and end up on the calcite slope a few feet lower with repositioned ribs. Everyone chose to use the boulder and exercised good team work curiously guiding the next one down.

On we went through Jigsaw Passage to the random tight spot “The Wriggle” in the massive walking passage and continued to “Big Chamber Nowhere Near The Entrance”, where Mark took us on a quick excursion to find “5 Ways Junction". With “5 Ways” located, Mark went for a further nose while we headed back to Big Chamber, Mark soon rejoined us an off we went down Epocalypse Passage.

And now some rewards for our efforts crawling, Pretties (particularly for Chloe who had just done a straight in and out the entrance crawl on her previous trip). Daz and Becca cooed appreciatively at each formation, Daz literally head over heels about the latter sections of White Company, he couldn’t take his eyes off them to see the slight depression in the floor in front of him which he went A over T into. Mark happy snapped with his shiny new camera and got some cracking shots.

A check with chief time keeper Mel revealed we’d spent a bit too long admiring this 1^st lot of pretties, with more to see and cave to cover we tried to pick up the pace. Passing the other end of Urchin Oxbow and on past the Kitchen, up the boulders, down the boulders via the hole (for those still craving a squeeze) or the step down on to a pile of stones. We did a quick run down in to Urchin Oxbow, with flash guns at the ready, Mark took a few more shots, his catch phrase “this will be the last one” being repeated 3 shots before the actual final pic.

Onward to Antler Passage and more pretties, but aware we were up against the clock we didn’t dwell too long. Everyone expertly tackled the numerous up and down climbs overs boulders as well as the climbs up the ladder pitches, where my forearms got a good workout pulling the muddy rope through the figure 8.

It took longer than I remember to reach Busman’s Holiday, more pretties but with little time to our call out we pressed on, my main goal was not to miss the turn in to Prices. Successfully found we headed in to crawly passage which I think Daz, Becca and Mel had been missing since the entrance crawl, to Daz’s delight there was more cold water to go through. Up the scaffold and down the mini slide (plank), Daz, Becca and myself converged at junction, with Mel just behind, we realised Mark and Chloe were not in tow. Mel informed us they were playing in the sump, knowing our call out was due and we were nearly out, I wanted to get to continue to ensure a search party wasn’t on the way.

I conferred with the others about which of the passages to take, deciding the passage with most insects lining the wall was the way out and Daz wanting a decision cos he was getting bitten, I ducked down the turning on the right and a few meters a head saw daylight around the door frame, yay, just the door and we were out!

I tried to pull back the bolt to release the door but found this difficult lying on my front, my 1^st proper lead and I fall at the final hurdle, no! I shifted my weight to get a better grip and tried again but still no luck and managed to trap my finger between the bolt and the mech. Deja vu as last time I was in this cave I had reshaped the adjacent finger, so slightly panicked I called Daz to help! He valiantly came to the rescue and freed my finger, the two of us then tried to open the door, looking at the bolt it was well clear of the frame and the door should open.

We tried again and this time, with little force, the door opened and we found Brendan on the other side, I was pleased to see a familiar face and to know that a full rescue wasn’t on the way despite us being a few minutes past our call out. Brendan then revealed he had had to hold the door closed with both hands to prevent Daz and I from opening it! Ha, ha very funny..

Mark and Chloe emerged just after the rest of us, seeming very pleased with themselves, their faces covered with suspicious brown muck... the explanation was they had both made it through the sump (which is apparently normally closed) but to get through it had required them to remove their helmets, hence the extra face paint.

Mark seemed a little disappointed that I hadn’t waited for him to emerge the other side of the sump, I pointed that it was his choice not to play follow the leader and took a detour to try and drown himself. I think that’s why he pushed me over in the “no one died or nuffink” photo.

Thank you to all for allowing me to lead you astray..!

No One Died or Nuffink!

Mel at the Pagoda

Becca at The White Company

Daz at the Antlers

Chloe in Urchin Oxbow

Trip report: Loz Appleby
Photos: Mark Burkey
Present: Loz, Daz, Becca, Mel, Chloe and Mark

Daren Cilau to Cnwc Through Trip

Wanting to cement the route finding for the Daren to Cnwc through trip, Jess, Loz , and I headed in to a very wet Darren crawl for our 5 1/2 hr Sunday trip.

 

Water levels were somewhat higher than I had experienced before and ensured we kept a steady pace to combat against the cold as we made our way in. 

We were soon through the first obstacle, my favourite,  ‘The Vice’, Jess found this so roomy this time around she even tried to thrutch through with a kit bag attached to her belt!

After an hour of crawling and slithering through S-Bends and Stal Squeezes filled with pools of ice cold water we finally reached the end of the crawl and made our way through The Cascade breakthrough choke to Jigsaw passage.

Onward through The Wriggle we were soon at ‘Big Chamber Nowhere Near The Entrance.’ As we were doing well for time we back tracked to mud traverses in Surveyors Passage to have a poke around before continuing on to Epocalypse Passage and The White Company, past The Kitchen, where the water was looking rather brown and muddy, and through the connection to Antler passage where Loz’s skinny butt managed to squeeze down the hole before the climb down.  After proving my butt would not fit through I opted to climb down.

We then took a quick detour to show Loz the stunning Urchin Oxbow before stopping for a drink and chocolate bar at the Antlers formation.

Re-charged we headed out through Antler passage’s numerous climbs and ladders to Busmans Holiday, Prices Prophecy and out through Cnwc in to a snow filled afternoon. 

Navigating the slippery snow covered muddy path proved some fun and we were all glad to get changed and warm.

Stopping off for a well deserved meal on the way back Jess and Loz compared war wounds in the shape of the numerous leopard print like bruises covering their arms and legs, though Loz probably won the competition with nasty swelling and bruising to her finger resulting in an A&E trip on the Monday!

Mark Approaching The Tighter Section of The Vice

Jess admiring the Antlers formation

Jess in Urchin Oxbow

Present: Laura (Loz) Appleby, Jess Burkey & Mark Burkey
(Photo's from our previous trips)

Tight Cave Larger Caver - the 10 Box challenge

As many of Keith's Youtube fans will know, Mark has attempted the Daren Cilau entrance crawl in the past, only to get turned back at the Vice. A couple of trips into Daren via Cnwc (Price's Dig) proved more successful, enabling us to view the amazing formations, but the entrance crawl remained unconquered...

Chloe had been angling for an easy Sunday caving trip that wouldn't leave her covered with bruises (she's going to be a bridesmaid), so Mark decided that the Daren entrance crawl, 550 m of crawling over stones, thrutching through rifts and over boulders and several tight squeezes would fit the bill exactly! Determined to make it to the end this time, and figuring that the 'squeezy' bits in the crawl may be a matter of technique, he roped Andy in as our guide for the day.

With more than a little trepidation the 4 of us met up at the car park and were at the entrance just after 10am. Daren Cilau has a series of emergency telephone boxes (not the sort you put coins in) which we planned to count on our way in, so that we could check our progress. Box 10 was our goal, and Box 0 was just by the entrance. And we're off!

The crawl as far as the Vice was deceptively easy, and the Vice itself definitely a matter of technique; with Andy leading the way (ON YOUR LEFT SIDE!! ON YOUR RIGHT SIDE!! ONE ARM FORWARD!! ) we soon popped through. Box 1! The going got a little harder...Box 2! And yet harder...Box 3! Just when we thought we surely should be at the end...Box 4! Only half way! Then the crawl got really awkward, with many tight rifty thrutches in cold water...Box 5! And then it got even worse...Box 6! At last we got some respite as we were able to get to our feet - stooping mostly though and tight rifts, nothing too easy...Goodness knows where Box 7 was! Now we knew we were approaching the crux of the crawl; the calcite squeezes. Would we get through? Or would all our efforts be in vain and would we have to turn back?

Well...the calcite 'squeezes' turned out to be one of the easier parts of the crawl! We all slipped through with no fuss, technique definitely helping, but none of us found them tight at all. Fantastic! Box 8!

Quite happy with the 1 1/2 hours it had taken us to get in, we made our way onwards, through the  boulder choke (Box 9), and Jigsaw passage (Box 10). A quick wiggle through the Wriggle and a stomp along big passageway brought us to Big Chamber Nowhere Near The Entrance, the chosen destination for our trip.

Oh the ecstasy, the smiles and congratulations! And how quickly they faded as we realised we now had to do it all again! (Except for Mark, of course, who was bouncing like a puppy.)

The reverse trip was uneventful but arduous, especially when we got back to the Vice. Andy and Mark seemed to slip through fairly easily, but Chloe and myself found going out on our left side a lot harder than coming in on our right side. With a lot of heavy breathing and a few squeaks we finally both got through, and then it was just a short crawl to the exit. We had gone a little slower on the way back and so were really starting to feel the cold when we popped out into glorious sunshine.

Mark's now planning a 'proper' trip into Daren... I may be washing my hair that day. Chloe?? Andy??...Keith??

Present: Andy G. Mark B. Jess H. Chloe B.  

Cnwc to the Wriggle in Darren Cilau

On Friday Jess and I headed off for another navigation trip. This time our objective would be Cnwc through to 'Big Chamber Nowhere Near The Entrance' in Darren Cilau.
The last time I had been here I 'd had a few light malfunctions, and although I was fairly sure I would recognise the main routes, I had spent rather a significant period of time during the trip looking at my feet. With this in mind I printed off a survey the week before, and then of course left it at home!

We entered via Price's Dig around 1pm and were soon coated in thick mud as we squirmed through the entrance series and on to Price's Prophecy. Here we paused to take in the chamber so as to ensure we did not miss the route on our return as the entrance is behind boulders and not obvious from the other direction. We then headed off through the crawls to look for the way on to the Busman's Holiday choke ladder pitch.
Jess spotted the drop down through the boulders and we were soon on our way up and down, and up and down, and up and down the many climbs and ladders, until after two hours of unrelenting passage, we were finally rewarded with stunning formations at The Antlers, Urchin Oxbow, and The White Company.

After pausing to take a few quick snaps we continued in search of 'Big Chamber Nowhere Near The Entrance' which was originally my main objective' as this was where I would intersect with any group coming in via the normal entrance for a possible future trip to the Time Machine.
Once we arrived we found previous groups had left a number of surveys and descriptions, so after consulting them we decided we would continue as far as 'The Wriggle'.
This turned out to be a rather awkward looking contortion about 20 minutes from the chamber down some easy walking passage. Very happy with ourselves we about faced for the arduous trip back to Cwnc.
Again we made no errors in navigation on the return and were out well within our planned timings.

Exiting in to a very cold dark night sky with rain beginning to lash down I realised the biggest navigational challenge was going to be finding the car. After following the various paths to no avail, we ended up having to drop right down to the road and double back on ourselves before finding it!

An amazing trip which turned out to be a great warm up for the 5* outing we were to head out on with Keith and Brendan the next morning.

Jess in Urchin Oxbow



The Antlers



Big Chamber Nowhere Near The Entrance





Present: Jessica Harding & Mark Burkey

Hidden Earth Video Competition

Here is what was my entry for the Hidden Earth 2012 video competition.

There were 4 entries on the competition. I didn't win and I didn't get a distinction or a merit, but I did enjoy making it.
I must say a big thank-you to Mark, Steve and Brendan for their encouragement, support and acting ability.

Tight Cave - Large Caver II

We set off for Llangattock with the aim of having a look at a potential dig site near to and above the final aven in Ogof Rhaeadr Ddu - the only cave that so far has defeated me - 3 times! But we were persuaded by Jess to take Mark off her hands for the day and he wanted to go caving.

After the customary brekkie at Luigi's in Abergavenny we set off for Whitewalls to see if we could blag a key to Aggy or Ogof Gwaliau Gwynion (for Brendan to photograph). On the way to Whitewalls we stopped in the Clydach Gorge to have a look at Coal Tar Cave which is on the left near to the top of the gorge. On arriving at Whitewalls we found that no one was at home.  Mark asked what other caves there were in the area which did not require a key. I jokingly replied, "Daren Cilau", but Brendan wanted to have a look at a dig at Chrochan Sion Hopkin at the western end of Mynydd Llangatwg. It is a very impressive 45m deep dig in a shake hole that has required some serious engineering with loads of metalwork.

We then drove to the Llangattock tram road to have a look at our original aim - the potential dig site above Ogof Rhaeadr Ddu. After having a good poke around we concluded that it would require serious engineering and wouldn't be worth the effort as it would only drop into known cave, so it looks like I will have to assemble a team of very thin headbangers to have my 4th attempt on the cave.

It was now half past three in the afternoon. In my opinion, which Brendan shared, too late to go caving. Afternoon coffee and cake got our votes, however Mark had another idea - he wanted to have a go at the entrance series to Daren Cilau so reluctantly that's where we ended up.

I'll let the photos tell the story. The video will follow in the next fews days.

The Team: Brendan, Keith and Mark.

Daren's entrance. The tackle bag gives an indication of the size of the passage.

Mark in the same location.

Brendan in a typical section of the entrance series.

80m in is the first obstacle - the vice. Mark likes vices!

Mark sliding into the vice.

After backing out, Mark has a second attempt. This and the next photos are from the far side.

Mark making the vice look cosy.

And even cosier.

The next bit required helmet removal.

But it was no good.

Brendan guided him back out.

Mark emerges from his first attempt on Daren. 

And tells the story.

THE VIDEO

Ogof Cnwc

A quick trip to Busman's Holiday in Daren Cilau via the alternative Ogof Cnwc (Price's Dig) entrance. Plenty of muddy crawling and awkward squeezing, but this entrance series is much less painful than the other option.

Present: KE, BM, CW
Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nj8JSdTe6Hc

Daren Cilau, Llangattock, South Wales

A trip to the Antlers taking in Urchin Oxbow and White Company on the way.  We also had a look at Man in the Roof.  Chris thoroughly enjoyed his first visit to this notorious system although tales of people trapped by their legs in the Vice did cause a just little nervousness.

Present: KEd & CWe