Having left one of his video cameras the wrong side of a nasty squeeze on the last trip into the cave, Keith was keen to return to take some additional footage so a video of the cave could be completed. Brendan was also keen to take a couple of additional photos and so this return trip was hatched. We had no navigational difficulties this time and we made the slow slog up the escarpment to the elusive entrance. Mark was straight in and rigged while the three remaining donned their SRT kit on the tiny ledge in front of the cave. We dropped down one by one watching giant rust flakes fly of the belay bar as we abseiled down. Finally Keith came down sporting his "Welly Cam". After Mark went back up and came back down the entrance pitch with Keith's video light we made it one by one through the squeeze to the Second Aven being videoed as we went. Our route to the Third Aven and then towards the Fourth Aven was recorded from all angles. At the Fourth Aven Chloe was videoed on the climb down where cry of "Shit, Shit, Shit, Shit" was heard in an increasingly higher pitched voice. We then spent some time in the flat out muddy crawls to take the final shots for the video.
Chloe in the crawls in Pwll Y Gwynt
Mark in the crawls in Pwll Y Gwynt
Keith eyes up the squeeze in Pwll Y Gwynt
Chloe Squeezes out of Pwll Y Gwynt
As we headed up the pitch we all breathed a sigh of relief as we got off the rope having seen the deterioration in the condition of the belay bar on the pitch head.
Present: Keith Edwards, Chloe Burney, Mark Burkey and Brendan Marris
Gwynt Yr Eira has a reputation for being very loose and so we headed down very gingerly. The start of the cave was a little more straight forward than expected and we were able to free climb down to the top of the Drop The Dead Donkey Pitches. On the first of the pitches a fixed ladder is installed halfway down the pitch and serves to make getting on the rope a little easier. The rock ledge is littered with loose rock and one by one we made our way across and down the next pitch. At the bottom of the second of the pitches Mark had an explore of some high level leads before we dropped the final pitch towards the sumps. The streamway was followed upstream before we headed to the sump and digs downstream. We headed back up the pitches to search out the Road To Nowhere, we soon found our way through to Alaska and spent some time exploring routes in The Squalors. It was here that Mark found a promising lead and after pulling out some rocks sent Jess ahead into the virgin passage. Jess reported that she was in a small chamber big enough for a couple of people, with no way off, and so she returned. We then headed back to search for the route on. At this point Mark spotted a large block of rock peeling off the roof and shouted a warning ahead to me. The rock landing on the slope above me lost a lot of its energy and rolled relatively slowly into me - a near miss. We searched what we thought was all routes and could not find the Road To Nowhere and so abandoned the cave to return to SWCC for the bonfire night celebrations.
Jess above Drop The Dead Donkey Pitches
A cave that we will return to with the aim of finding the route into the Road to Nowhere.
Present: Jessica Harding, Mark Burkey and Brendan Marris
Having promised Ian and Becca a novice SRT trip into P8, as the day approached and weather warning started, a back up plan was devised, to do an exchange trip from Wharf mine to Hillocks. Although the weather seemed reasonable on the day, group discussion over breakfast came up in favour of the mines exchange, as we could park fairly near and the trip would be fairly dry.
It turned out to be an excellent plan with something for everyone - except Phil, who broke down on the way and had to spend the day sorting his vehicle! From the Wharf end, Chloe did her first lot of rigging, under supervision from Mark, which included a difficult deviation and rebelay, and Ian abseiled right down to the bottom of the Engine shaft. From the Hillocks end I rigged the pitches (for the first time in ages, but didnt want to worry Becca with that information!) and Becca coped admirably with the SRT.
We all met up under the Engine Shaft and had a poke around all the tunnels, then realised we had a perfect opportunity to practise more SRT so we girls went back up the rope, past deviation and rebelay, across the ledge and back down the straight engine shaft rope, where Mark made the girls practice changeovers.
Once Mark had derigged the extra rope we all made our way out of Hillocks. The ascent is awkward to say the least, but Ian made short work of it with a little help from Mark and some excellent coaching from Chloe at the awkward pitch head. Becca took it all in her stride, in spite of the fact that her chest croll sprung open twice on the ascent - she just swore, snapped it shut and carried on.
Once out we pulled up the last rope, jumped in the cars and we were in the pub with hot drinks within minutes. A very successful day!
Present: Mark B., Jess H., Chloe B., Becca K., Ian M.
This trip was arranged for Josh, to give him a taster caving trip. I also had an ulterior motive. With a frozen shoulder I needed to see how badly it has affected my ability to go caving. Amy had recently contacted the club with a view to joining so even before I had met her, I asked if she would like to join us.
I selected the route which I believe gives new members a really good caving experience. The route was Big Chamber, Gnome Passage, Swamp Creek, Judge, Trident, Crossroads, top of Maypole Inlet, Cross Rift, Shatter Pillar,Selenite Tunnel, President's Leap, Crossroads, Salubrious Streamway and back out.
Everyone seemed to enjoy the trip, especially Josh and Amy, so hopefully we will see both of them back at the windmill demanding more trips.
Some video was taken using pre-positioned fixed lighting. It may appear on YouTube sometime in the future.
And how did I get on with my frozen shoulder? It was the best physiotherapy I could have had. After the trip I had a lot more movement in my arm. Unfortunately it has stiffened up again now, so I'll just have to go caving again.
Present: Josh Anstey, Pete Anstey, Jess Burkey, Mark Burkey, Keith Edwards, Andy Grimes and Amy Sawyer.
Our original plan was to visit Deja Rue, but due to a late start we decided on a shorter trip and to head down Lugubrious and return via Midnight Passage. We headed into towards Edwards Shortcut via a route that was alleged to miss out the traverse, but joined Edwards shortcut just before the traverse. Jess and Chloe headed across while Brendan headed with Mark via a longer route to all meet up at Shatter Pillar. Once back together we headed dropped down the hole behind Shatter Pillar to take the short passage to the hole down into the Lugubrious Streamway. We all fitted through easily this time and so started our plod down the stream. We stopped off at the balcony that overlooks the Main streamway to take a couple of photos before heading down to the end of the passage.
Chloe viewing formations in Lugubrious Passage
Jess viewing formations in Lugubrious Passage
At the end of Lugubrious we were again able to look down on the Main streamway before we headed back and took the passage on the left to head to Midnight Passage. We then headed out along Cross Rift with Mark exploring a horrid low crawl that he found in the side of the passage.
Present: Chloe Burney, Jessica Harding, Mark Burkey and Brendan Marris
The profile of Dudley Caving Club has been enhanced over the last 2 days at Hidden Earth.
2 DDC members, Emma Porter and Dave Bowdley, helped deliver a session on cave rescue.
6 DCC members, Emma Porter, Mike Clayton, Bartek and Paulina Biela, Brendan Marris, and Dea Wilkins, were busy over the two days assisting with all sorts of things including producing the timetable, chairing sessions, judging competitions and providing technical support.
Also DCC members starred in no less than 4 out of the 7 entries in the video competition, including the opening AV for the conference and my video of Shakespeare’s Cave was awarded a merit. So I must thank all of the members who made it possible - Andy Grimes, Mel Wakman, Steve Wallis, Mark Burkey, Jess Harding, Brendan Marris and Chloe Burney. Brendan, Mark and Jess deserve a special mention as they have been the long suffering members who have helped with nearly all of my videos.
Here’s the video:
Present: John Smith, Dave Bowdley, Keith Edwards, Emma Porter, Mike Clayton, Dea Wilkins, Bartek Biela, Paulina Biela, Richard Wilkes, Jess Harding and Mark Burkey.
After a pleasant day at Hidden Earth on Saturday, Mark and I
headed off to Penwyllt so that we could go caving on the Sunday. After a bit of
a false start (the key got jammed in the lock) we got into OFD Top Entrance and
set off for the delights of OFDIII, with quite a lot of trepidation on my part,
as Brendan had described in detail the ‘head-banging traverses’ which awaited
us. Mark enticed me, however, with promises of a warm dry photographic trip – a
rarity for us caving ‘models’.
We made good time to the Crevasse and rigged a ladder down
to continue. I toddled along quite happily up and down awkward climbs and across
holes in the ground until we rounded a corner and came upon an impossible-looking
bit. “You’ve got two choices here” said Mark. “You can traverse across this
pot, feet here and arms on the wall opposite (about 12 feet away), or you can
climb up this overhanging slippery climb with almost no holds, above a really
nasty drop.”While I stood there
whimpering and pointing out that actually there was a third option (turn round
and go back), he proceeded to shimmy up and down and across to prove how
utterly failsafe any of these manoeuvres were. As he did so, I began to see that
there were actually just enough footholds to traverse across upright, if I
could convince my legs to stretch far enough and not wobble at the wrong moment.
A deep breath and a few whimpers later and I was across!
Well, after that, the rest of the traverses weren’t really
anything different from others that OFD has to offer (horrible, death defying and scary),
though I did appreciate Mark showing me where to change levels etc. In fact the
scariest thing was after the traverses, when Mark popped down between two
boulders and misjudged slightly – his shocked face as he slid quicker and
further than he meant to, followed by a thud as he hit the floor, made my heart
race as much as the first traverse, but luckily he was fine.
A squeeze up between boulders proved problematic – tight for
Mark and too high for me, but he pushed through, and I got there by standing on
the camera box, which meant we had successfully completed the planned route. So far so good for the warm dry trip – now for the
photographs…he only found a waterfall for me to stand in! Just downstream of
where OFDIII drops into the streamway, I got to get thoroughly drenched for the
sake of art!
Stopping for more photos on the way back, we made our way
back across the traverses to the scariest bit. With Mark standing underneath
and guiding my footsteps I actually found it easier on the way back, but then
had to be helped on all sorts of silly bits afterwards – I think I used up all
my adrenaline! I froze solid on Poached Egg Climb, which I’ve never struggled
with before and called Mark back to help me. He then tripped over his feet and
rolled down the slope to me, just stopping before the drop. With my heart
thumping over the near miss, he then made it a hat-trick by standing up under a
boulder and cracking his head hard enough to see stars. Personally, I just
think he’s trying to catch up with his mates Brendan and Keith for injury time.
Very happy with the trip, the photos and the conquest of the
head-banging traverses, we made our way back to the hut.
