Dogging in the Forest of Dean

We begun our weekend with breakfast in Coleford before heading to the camp site to meet up with the others.

Ian and Rich were joining Emma, Bartek and Paulina on a trip in to Old Ham.

Chloe, Brendan, Myself and Jess would be heading in to Wet sink / Slaughter stream and would leave the pitches rigged as Emma's team would be heading in on the Sunday.

Brendan was going to cave in his birthday suit, but apparently it was still a little sticky.....I am of course referring to his new Warmbac which he has prepped the stitching with aqua sure. So in his recently repaired AV he announced we would be going dogging that morning, more specifically to see the dog's skeleton in Dogs grave passage in Wet Sink.

We dropped down the 3 fixed entrance ladders and were soon rigging Balcony pitch with a 7m ladder. PenPot pitch was rigged with two 10m ladders and a 50m lifeline which turned out to be a little excessive as the first 10m ladder would just about reach the balcony at the base of the pitch and could be free climbed from there.
After the pitches there are 30m of cobbled crawls before emerging at the slaughter stream cross junction. We headed upstream to Zurree Aven and climbed the waterfalls through to the Graveyard. Passing through Gnome Garden we entered the Chunnel and headed in to the sand crawls that would take us through the three deserts section. Emerging at Vittals we popped in to flow choke passage to an unstable choke which took us to Hall Passage. Here the plan had been to drop through a hole in the floor (Normans Invasion) but after putting a body length in I wasn't 100% sure I would fit through and didn't fancy wedging in the tight rift when there was an easy route to the same place. Chloe took a quick look at the rift, but as the last couple of meters to the ground bells out, decided to also take a look from the other side. Backtracking we entered in to Dogs Grave Passage past paw prints and on to the skeleton of said unfortunate mut. We found the other side of the drop down and had a little play to see if it was possible to drop through. Everyone had a little giggle as I forced my chest up the rift standing on Jess's shoulders with my gut hanging over my belt below ;)
We continued on to the pig trough camp site where Brendan and Chloe made use of the bed rolls whilst Jess and I popped over the traverses to check the route for a future trip to the Snow Garden. On the way out we took a couple of photo's and exited in plenty of time to head back in to Coleford for 80's music and Tapas!

Pen Pot Pitch

Gnome garden

Three Deserts Passage

Now that's what I call a post caving meal!!!

Present: Brendan Marris, Chloe Burney, Mark Burkey & Jess Burkey

Wet Sink

After a busy Saturday the Dudley group set off  to explore Wet Sink on the Sunday - after the obligatory breakfast and faffing of course!

Knowing that most of the caves in the Forest are small and muddy, and with Brendan trying to scare us with tales of sewage strewn streamways, we really didn't know what to expect from Wet Sink, but we were in for a very pleasant surprise.

Efficiently dropping down the entrance series of ladders and pitches, we soon met the streamway, which was low and sewage-free. We headed upstream, hoping to be able to find our way around the round trip which would bring us back to the stream downstream. A series of sandy crawls and roomy passages, including the impressive Chunnel, showed us that the cave is really very extensive. When we stopped to look at the survey we found that although we had been trotting along at some speed, we had hardly visited any of the 13km cave system.

Brendan and Mark successfully navigated us along the round trip and we popped out above the streamway, which we then followed downstream to the sump. It was hard going, with the floor determined to trip us up and squeeze our feet, but beautifully sculptured rock. Climbing back out of the streamway we made our way under a rather smelly but very picturesque shower inlet back towards the entrance series, and were soon all out in the sunshine.

Matthew Maylin - The Chunnel - Wet Sink Cave

Chloe, Mel and Jess consulting the survey - The Chunnel - Wet Sink Cave

Loz in the Lower Streamway - Wet Sink Cave

Mel in the Showerbath - Wet Sink Cave

Jess in the Showerbath - Wet Sink Cave

Well worth a return visit here I think!

Present: Brendan M., Mark B., Jess B., Mel B., Chloe B., Loz A., Matt

Wet Sink

A trip down the main stream and into the rifts beyond. We completed the trip by going up Coal Seam passage and coming back down stream.

Rachel in the Showerbath in Wet Sink.

Richard in the lower end of the Main Stream - Wet Sink.

The Team: KeEd, BrMa + Bill, Rachael & Richard (WMCEG)

Wet Sink, Forest of Dean

The round trip with an excursion to see the dead dogs, plus a diversion to go downstream to sump two - very nice keyhole stream passage just before the sump.

Emma Porter at the Showerbath.

Present: BMa, EPo & others

Rescue Callout, Slaughter Stream Cave, Forest of Dean

We arrived at 12:30am (Sunday morning) to be told that the rescue team were making good progress and were on the pitches. We ascertained that no further assistance was required due to the progress made and phoned the MCRO individuals who were currently travelling and told them to stand down. Keith, Mike and I then assisted on the Entrance Pitch. Robbie, the casualty who was in good spirits then exited at approx 3am.

Present:  MCl, KEd & EPo.  DBo, ACr & ASt were stood down whilst on route.

Rescue Practice, Wet Sink, Gloucestershire

The Gloucester Cave Rescue Group hosted this practice from the end of East Stream Passage in Wet Sink.  EPo, MCl and GSm went underground on the first stretcher party whilst JSm wandered about in the hell hole of a field bathed in sunshine talking on the Heyphone.  This was followed by a great barbecue. Great Forest hospitality as ever.


Present:  MCl, EPo, GSm & JSm