Double Booked in Llanelly Quarry Pot

We met up in Luigis for coffee and breakfasts before heading up the Clydach Gorge and onto Llanelly Hill. We were a little surprised to see a group of cavers already kitted up in the layby beside the entrance to the quarry. This was quite a surprise as this is a little visited cave and we made quick introductions to the Hungarian Caving Club - London.
They were already kitted up and quickly headed up to the cave while we changed and sorted out our kit. When we entered the cave there was a rope down the entrance and the main pitch had already been rigged so we shadow rigged the pitch just leaving the main rope in the tackle bag ready to drop down if they exited before us. Knowing their plan was to explore beyond Ryan's Duck we first headed in the opposite direction downstream towards the Midsummer Nightmare Streamway, turning round when things became throughly unpleasant. On the return we took a few photos of the nicer sections of the downstream passage before leaving the camera at the point we joined the streamway. We then headed up the much nicer upstream passage and met up with the Hungarians at the waterfall. Pausing at the start of Ryan's Duck we checked that all were in the mood for a drenching before we swam through to emerge in the fault Series, where we headed through the boulders and made it to the muddy duck, the link to the final chamber and upstream sump. We decided that no one wanted to go through so we headed back keeping up a reasonable pace so we could warm up after the duck. We again met the Hungarians at the point you leave the streamway to get to the pitch and was agreed that we would go out first. All went well until we reached the entrance rift when things slowed somewhat.

Matt in the downstream section of Llanelly Quarry Pot

Matt and loz in the downstream section of Llanelly Quarry Pot

Matt and loz in the downstream section of Llanelly Quarry Pot

Matt in the downstream section of Llanelly Quarry Pot

Four kit bags and a camera box made the exit from the entrance rift a little slow. We were fortunate in having the Hungarian cavers behind us to help the last person exit the slot at the top of the entrance rift.

Some more information and photos of Llanelly Quarry Pot here

Present: Matt Maylin, Loz Appleby and Brendan Marris

Escape From Llanelly Quarry Pot

Our plan for Sunday had been to pay a return to Draenen, but an issue with keys resulted in a last minute change of plan. Daren was going to be our substitute for Draenen, but Mark then queried how close we were to Llanelly Quarry Pot. As we had ropes and SRT kit from the previous day, it sounded like a great plan. We had only one rope, so our first task when we got to the cave was to check that at least one member of the party could make it out the entrance unaided. Mark took this task and soon he had wriggled into the cave, dropped the climb and slithered down the rift. With the obstacles done he then returned, making lots of painful sounds as he pulled himself out of the slot at the top of the climb. Knowing there was a reasonable chance that at least one of us would be able to get out we headed into the cave, with four kit bags and a camera box. Mark rigged the pitch and soon we were all down and heading towards the streamway. We first headed upstream to Ryan's Duck where Chloe 'Water Baby' Burney took the lead as we headed through this long wet section. Mark was the only one of us to make the last part of the journey to the blue sump at the end of the cave. We then returned, taking photos in the Midsummer Night's Dream Streamway. On the way back downstream Mark climbed the Totem Aven Series, and is keen to go back for for a better look in future. Back at the entrance passage we dropped the camera box and headed downstream. I have to say that this was a lot more pleasant than I had remembered and will return to take some photos at some point. We continued until the passage became very unpleasant and due to time and lack of enthusiasm we made our way out the cave. Mark headed out the entrance first, taking a rope with him and after some thrutching at the top of the climb was able to tie off the rope. Chloe made the next exit, again really not enjoying the slot at the top of the climb. This just left Brendan, four tackle bags and a camera box at the bottom of the rift! I really should have seem this coming. Mark then dropped down the entrance climb and with the rope we ferried up each tackle bag and box in a similar fashion to how we had across the traverse into the Prokofiev Series. With the tackle now out Mark reclimbed the entrance. This just left Brendan who got his hips wedged in the entrance slot and after a lot of cursing and a tug from Mark popped out.

Mark in the Midsummer Night's Dream Streamway

Chloe in the Midsummer Night's Dream Streamway

Mark in the Midsummer Night's Dream Streamway

Chloe in the Midsummer Night's Dream Streamway

We had all emerged half an hour past our call out and were glad to get back to the cars and stand down Keith. We were impressed with the downstream cave passage and am sure that we will return to take some more photos and to revisit the end of the Midsummer Nightmare Streamway.

Present: Chloe Burney, Mark Burkey and Brendan Marris

Llanelly Quarry Pot, Clydach Gorge, South Wales

Well our first obstacle was to remove all the boulders from the entrance so that we could get in, even with the boulders removed I knew I was going to struggle to get in, but I rigged a hand line and eased my way down the rift followed by Mel. Then we came to a chamber with a large shaft which is where I was sure we had to go, but the guide book confused us a little and we decided the way on was around a tricky traverse on the left hand wall, which isn’t for the faint hearted and Mel was heard saying she needed longer arms and legs. Well we got it wrong, and the way on isn’t to follow the traverse, but to go down the large shaft as you enter the chamber, but it isn’t obvious, as you can't easily see the P hangers to rig from. Once at the bottom of the pitch we went upstream to Midsummer Nights Dream, which is well decorated before continuing on until we came to the Ryan's Duck where we turned back to go down stream as far as we could, before turning around to head out. Now getting out for me was a bit of a challenge to say the least, and take my advice – don’t try to climb up the rift wearing your SRT kit as you will only get stuck, and trying to remove it in the rift is somewhat awkward!!! 

See photos of Llanelly Quarry Pot here 

The Team: AnGr & MeWa

Llanelly Quarry Pot, Clydach Gorge, South Wales

The entrance consists of a drop down a 10 metre very tight awkward rift impassable to 'persons of larger than average build' which is much more difficult on the way out! This is followed by a small stream which leads to a 20 metre pitch. This leads to a boulder floored chamber where a 5 metre climb down an excavated 5 metre shaft leads to a small inlet stream which feeds the main Midsummer Night's Dream Streamway. We explored the streamway between Ryan's Duck upstream to Hammer Passage downstream. The expedition went very smoothly with everyone managing to climb up the entrance rift in a reasonable time, but ask Brendan if he enjoyed his trip.

Jessica in the Midsummer Nights Dream Streamway.

Rachel in the Midsummer Nights Dream Streamway.

The Totem Pole formation in the Midsummer Nights Dream Streamway.

See more Llanelly Quarry Pot photos here 

The Team: KeEd, JeHa and BrMa + Richard & Rachael from WMCEG