Giants Hole , Bring your own flippers

Well I new from the start that this trip may not go ahead, due to the fact that we have had a long dry spell and the ground had become rock hard, so any rain we would have wouldn't be able to soak into the ground, it would flow straight into the streams and rivers, and guess what its poured down for the last two days.
So on arriving at the car park for Giants I wasn't surprised to see a pond, but we all got changed and headed off to the entrance, hmm streams flowing well into the entrance, not looking good ,
sump one had started to back up towards the blasted passage - definitely not looking good,
on through the blasted passage we went, then  met the "Guinness" full width across the passage and flowing quiet well and the roar from Garlands Pot was horrendous,
we got to garlands and it was like a mini Niagara falls , a quick look over the edge revealed about two foot of water in the pot, hmmm going to be sporting down the Crabwalk -" DING" sensible head kicked in - I have novices with me time to get out.

So that was that and off to Carlswark Cavern we went, where I used slings and belts to fabricate harnesses so that I could lower everyone down Eyam Shaft on a fig of eight, we had a short play in there for an hour, then i showed everyone where the resurgence entrance was, but that was now under about two feet of water.
To end our short caving day I sent the novices off into Merlins Mine to have a wonder around all by themselves, while I got changed and has a nice cup of tea ... in the pouring  rain.

Present: Andy, Mell, Becca, Tango Man Phil, and Rain maker Ian

Ogof Y Ci - Where The Sun Don't Shine

Making the most of the fine weather we decided to visit another wet cave where we would benefit from water that was a little less chilly than normal. Parking up the road from the farm we took a short walk through the farmyard, around the barn and then down into the gorge. The middle entrance was located between boulders a few metres away allowing us to get out of that horrid sunshine stuff. A short scramble down the polished boulders took us into the rather nice main stream passage. We decided to head upstream first as our plan was to exit via the lower downstream entrance. We soon met a low flat out crawl in the stream, but like most of the low wet sections, there was a dry bypass to it. The passage was more pleasant than we had expected and were greeted with much less crawling than expected. We took our time exploring all the side passages and oxbows and eventually reached a sand filled passage at the end of the cave. The survey we had was incomplete and so we missed one of the passages that branch off towards the end of the cave, something to come back to another time. We then headed downstream taking photos as we went. We passed the middle entrance and continued to follow the water through flat out crawls until we reached a maze of passages near the lower entrance. We first headed out of the dry upper entrance, after which Mark headed back in the lower wet entrance and then came back out the upper entrance.

Jess in a smaller passage - Ogof Y Ci

Jess in the main streamway - Ogof Y Ci

Jess in the main streamway - Ogof Y Ci

Jess in a side passage - Ogof Y Ci

Mark in the main streamway - Ogof Y Ci

A fun cave that was more extensive and pleasant than we had originally anticipated.

Present: Brendan Marris, Mark Burkey and Jessica Harding

Porth Yr Ogof - Caving in the heatwave

In the middle of the July heatwave we decided to visit one of the highlights of wet South Wales Caves. We parked quite a way from the cave and clad in wetsuits we headed on a long walk with the sun beating down on us. We arrived at the cave to find perhaps twenty groups of children being led in the cave, it was manic. Heading into the Main Entrance we headed into the left hand series and into Upper Stream Passage where we took photos. We then followed the water to have a look at Sump Four and then down towards Sump Five. We then backtracked to the Main Passage inside the entrance and crossed into the Right Hand Series, entered via The Letterbox, just for fun. We headed down to the Great Bedding Cave, before heading back to the entrance to put on our buoyancy aids. We then followed the river all the way through the cave.

Jess entering Upper Stream Passage - Porth Yr Ogof

Jess in Upper Stream Passage - Porth Yr Ogof

Jess in Upper Stream Passage - Porth Yr Ogof

Jess in the low passage that heads to Sump 5 - Porth Yr Ogof

A nice cave for a hot sunny day.

Present: Brendan Marris, Mark Burkey and Jessica Harding

Eglwys Faen & Pen Eryr: Caving's too tight to mention

Not having any work this week, and we'd had a txt from Chloe asking to let her know if anyone was caving on Tuesday, Jess fancied a play in Eglwys Faen. I mentioned to Brendan we were doing this and he said he'd be available and we could combine it with a jaunt around Ogof Pen Eryr.
We met at the very sociable time of 10am for a Luigi breakfast before heading off for the Car park.
We quickly found the entrance in the cliff face and followed Brendan through. After trying the Corkscrew Squeeze on both sides Brendan decided it was easiest done on his left and slid through. I followed with a fair bit more grunting, to be followed by Chloe who had 'a moment' getting her hips through, and then Jess.
After this the cave opened out to easier passage before reaching a boulder choke, then a slide over an awkward boulder. Brendan led the way, I tried a couple of times and couldn't get an angle that would allow me over. Chloe slid through to the one side with ease so I copied her example and slipped down to join them followed by Jess. After this it was easy caving with crawling and a corkscrew choke leading to larger passage and finally the terminal chambers where we paused for pictures. In reverse the slide over the boulder was much easier, but Chloe and I found the drop back through the entrance squeeze far more interesting. Jess led the way, making it look easy, followed by Chloe who again really struggled getting her hips through.
Time for the chunky caver next.... I tried every angle before realising there just wasn't going to be an easy way to do this. Coming up I'd been able to push off with my feet to get through, but going back gravity wasn't going to give the same umph. Jessica tried pulling on my wellies, Brendan tried stamping on my head. Jess wrapped my boots with a sling which just added to the feeling of being trussed like a hog for roasting and I realised I was going to have to do this myself. Trying my best to relax (which involved a slight quivering lip whilst breathing in followed by manic wriggling when all air had been expelled from my lungs) I gradually moved millimetre by millimetre until after a week or so I finally popped through. Brendan exclaimed that he was starting to get worried for a minute there....not for my sake....he would have been stuck on the wrong side and didn't fancy having to eat his way out! ;)

Jess and myself at the corkscrew squeeze

Jess in the corkscrew squeeze

Chloe crawling in to the final calcite chambers

Me in the final calcite chamber

Finally freed from the cave we all skipped down the hillside to the cars which we jumped in to drive up to White Walls and the second cave of the day Eglwys Faen. We entered via the large entrance and paused for a couple of pictures before heading off right in to the wet crawls to Glump Sump. After a poke around the passages we headed back to the main chamber and on through to the climb up to 'The Warren' where Brendan and I shot down the passage exploring with Jess and Chloe bringing up the rear. After a good poke around some of the interesting digs at the end of the passage we headed back with no sign of Jess or Chloe. There were only a couple of alternatives, both of which would dead end, so I wasn't too worried and decided to head back to the ladder to see if they were there. Arriving back at the entrance to 'The Warren' Jess gave me a stern telling off for shooting off. Chloe was complaining of her shoulder hurting and Jess had been worried that they may have needed to head out before us. Fortunately we had arrived back to re-group just minutes after them so it hadn't been necessary. I was given some evil looks when I suggested going out via the waterfall to take more pictures so we made our exit via the more straight forward main chamber.
Changing back at the car, whilst being eaten by midges, Chloe showed off the bruises she'd sustained whilst doing the earlier squeezes to her hip and shoulder which I have to admit were quite impressive and I could see why she had been in discomfort!

Main Chamber Eglwys Faen

Present: Chloe Burney, Brendan Marris, Jessica Harding & Mark Burkey

Right Hand Series - Dan Yr Ogof

A trip to the Far North of Dan Yr Ogof is one finest caving trips you can take. Almost all visitors will take the Left Hand Series following the massive passages to visit the Far North Chokes at the end. In doing this the smaller sized passages of the Right Hand Series are missed which take the cave further north that the other branch. We decided on this trip to make our target the end of the passages on the Right Hand Series and ignore the larger passages on the standard route. Knowing that the passages in our target area were smaller than those of the other branch we took a lightweight (1 Pelicase) camera kit with us. Starting into the cave at 8.30am we made good time to the Starting Gate, the point where the two route diverge. We followed the water coming from the Right Hand branch and soon following a much smaller passage, crawling over fallen blocks. The passage was mostly low with a section of flat out crawling before the stream was regained and we crawled along a small tube over the stream in a rift. After 150m of mixed caving we broke out into a larger stream passage which was quite pleasant for 100m or so. Ice Cream Aven was explored on the left while stream inlets were followed on both sides until they choked or emerged from avens. A climb up and a traverse led to the final section of this branch of the cave where a hole in the floor of a chamber led to a large passage with sand chokes at the lower end and a boulder choke upstream.

Jess viewing formations in the Right Hand Series - Dan Yr Ogof

Jess viewing formations in the Right Hand Series - Dan Yr Ogof

Mark viewing formations in the Right Hand Series - Dan Yr Ogof

Mark viewing formations in the Right Hand Series - Dan Yr Ogof

Jess viewing formations in the Right Hand Series - Dan Yr Ogof

Jess in Ice Cream Aven - Right Hand Series - Dan Yr Ogof

Back at the car park after 12 hours underground we were eaten alive by the midges.

Present: Brendan Marris, Mark Burkey, Jessica Harding and Richard Frost

Upper Piccadilly - Ogof Ffynnon Ddu

Brendan, Jess and Mark were staying at SWCC for the weekend. They had planned a mega-trip into DYO on the Sunday, but not could decide on a caving trip for the Saturday. These days I have to be motivated to go caving. Just going caving isn't enough. I have to have a purpose for the trip, so I wasn't really thinking of joining them on the Saturday unless they could come up with a trip that inspired me, and blank faces told me they hadn't.

Then in a moment of madness I suggested a return visit to Upper Piccadilly in Ogof Ffynnon Ddu. I had been to this area of the cave on three previous occasions, but there was still one high level passage that none of us had not visited. Our first visit was to have been Jess’ first SRT trip but when Brendan and I got to the top of the pitch and saw the state of the ring bolt and the awkward ‘get off’ we decided that it wasn't suitable for Jess after all. On the second visit we got a little further, but were put off the next stage of the exploration by an exposed 60 degree climb up a calcite slope. We took along a fearless climber, Mark, for the third visit and got up the slope by means of a hand line rigged by Mark and got to photograph the magnificent rock bridge, but couldn’t complete our exploration as the next climb up was extremely exposed and the only means of ascending it was by climbing an electron ladder of unknown antiquity. Jess hadn't accompanied us on trips two and three so had yet to see any of these high level passages.

To my surprise they all readily agreed – not put off by the dodgy ring bolt, the awkward ‘get off’, the exposed climb up the calcite slope or the unknown ascent to the final high level passage. What could possibly go wrong?

Well as they say in the best adventure stories, it all started well. We entered the cave through the Cwm Dwr entrance and made rapid progress to the boulder choke. After we were all through I turned to the others and recalling an earlier rescue said, “You need to be careful from now on. There’s no way a stretcher can fit through the choke.”

All continued to go well as we made our way to the ‘pull through’ pitch up to Upper Piccadilly. As the lightest I was elected to go up first. At the top I blanched as I inspected the ring bolt, my single point of attachment on the climb. I quickly got off the rope and rigged a back up so that the others could come up in relative safety.

Our rope was still in situ on the impossible calcite slope so we all managed the climb up easily.

It was now time to visit uncharted (well uncharted as far as we were concerned) territory and it was Mark’s turn to enter the danger zone. There were two old spits in the left hand wall and we used these to give Mark a little protection, even so we all held our breath as he managed what seemed an impossible climb. We had taken the rope off the first climb and Mark rigged this from a large boulder so that the rest of us could attach an ascender to it to protect us one the climb.

The passage at the top is massive and consists of a very steep slope of loose boulders terminating in a large boulder choke. It was obvious that we were in a very little visited area of the cave. We spent some time ferreting about in the choke looking for possible ways on before starting of journey out.

Coming back down the loose boulder slope was an interesting experience. We has to come down one at a time as with almost every step a boulder was dislodged and went crashing down the slope. Eventually we were all safely down and were getting out of our SRT gear while Mark was de-rigging the pitch and stashing the rope back in the tackle sack. We all felt a great sense of relief that the most dangerous part of the trip was over. As we started to move off Mark smiled and said, “Well no one died or nufink.” Famous last words!

As we walked up Nether Rawl on the way to the Smithy, I slipped on a simple climb, slid down about two feet and landed on my feet. The rest were therefore a little surprised when I fell on the floor, swore loudly several times and did a very good impression of rolling on the floor in agony. What they didn't know was that a few weeks ago I had torn the ligaments in my upper left arm and had pulled them again as I slid down. Ligament pain I am told is worse than a break and I can believe it! After about ten minutes the pain started to subside and I tried to assure my caving buddies that I was OK to make my way out, but they insisted on carrying my SRT gear and camera bag. So it was a very easy exit for me from the cave, but I don’t think I’ll pull that stunt again.

The Upper Oxbow in OFD II via the Midnight Traverses (and other interesting bits)

 

When Chloe turned up at the club one Thursday for the first time and was asked why she wanted to try caving, “I want to find something that scares me” was the answer she gave. Since then she has been caving regularly and has gone from strength to strength, so when she asked for a caving trip to celebrate her birthday, Mark thought he’d sort out a memorable one – the upper oxbow in OFD II, with a choice of the easy route up the Skyhook pitch or the more challenging one across the Midnight Traverses – guess which Chloe chose? 

Going via Edward’s shortcut, where Chloe demonstrated a ‘dive-bombing’ caving move, cushioned by Mark who didn’t get out of the way in time, we first went to the Skyhook pitch, where Mark rigged the rope and we attached our SRT kits to it. We then arrived at the Midnight Traverses in good time. “This is the worst bit, if you can do this, you can do anything” said Mark.

All went well until we reached the corner, where Chloe had to be coaxed down the rift like a kitten from a tree, one inch at a time. “Maybe this is the worst bit!” said Mark. He then ascended the rope ladder. Ladders have never been Chloe’s favourite, and on seeing the ancient ladder declared “I feel more sick now than I did when I had to perform an enema with a hangover!”  

Mark meantime was ‘sorting something out’ at the top of the ladder pitch, and once we got to the top we found that he had discovered that  one of the ropes between the rungs of the old ladder was badly damaged, so he had reinforced it with a sling so that we could climb safely. 

“Yay, you’ve done the worst bit now!” said Mark, just before we came around a corner to see a rather intimidating climb up. “Oh, I forgot about that” said Mark. He whizzed up and down to show us the way, followed by me and then Chloe. I found that there were enough hand and foot holds to manage without help, but poor Chloe’s legs were still doing the Elvis shake. However she didn’t give up, and with more than a little moral and physical support from Mark she got to the top. “Actually, maybe that was the worst bit” said Mark. 

After a few more awkward moves that Mark had ‘forgotten about’, we could finally relax in the Upper Oxbow and take some photos. Mark pointed out the three ways that go to the oxbow – a traverse round a hole, a tight crawl or the way we went. He said he didn’t think he would fit through the tight squeeze, but Chloe dived through, and with a bit of wriggling she disappeared into the crawl, so of course we had to do it too. Once we’d all got in, we had to wriggle back out again – easier said than done! With nothing to push against, it was a case of using upper body strength to pull ourselves out…   

After a lot of grunting and squirming with no gain, ”Just leave me here!” said Chloe.  I popped back in again to get behind Chloe to give her some purchase, and with her wellies squishing my helmet onto my head she was able to push herself out.  

The only obstacle left was the skyhook pitch, which in typical South Wales caving style involved a suicidal climb down to the pitch head itself. “I did remember that”, said Mark, “But thought I’d better not mention it!” Using a couple of slings we safely gained the pitch head and were swiftly back down and ready to head out.  

All in all a really enjoyable trip and one which Chloe says definitely fulfilled her caving ambitions and gave her a birthday trip to remember!

 Present: Mark Burkey,  Jess Harding, Chloe Burney