Giants Hole Round Trip

This trip was originally arranged for a friend of mine, but unfortunately he couldn’t come. So that left me all alone with three women, luckily I had been caving with them in the past so I knew what to expect and we all had a good laugh. Now for some reason Heather and Jess decided to duck down into the water going threw the vice, which seemed a bit strange to me as they aren’t exactly on the large side, and we all got a good soaking as Jess came down the steel ladder and the water sprayed off her back which set us all off laughing again. Now the rope climbs were fairly amusing, especially as Heather's “dangly bits” (her tackle bag) got tangled up in the hand line making it a bit awkward for her to stand up at the top, and the water level in the wind pipe was fairly low so there was no danger of drowning in there either. The calcite boss on the traverse was a bit off fun, watching them all come through head first, staring straight down to the water below, with an anxious look on there faces. That was it then, just the ladder to go and we where out, now have a guess whose “dangly bits” got in the way again at the top of the pitch, while I was there getting soaked making sure she was safe on the life line. Not to worry it was all good fun……. 

The Team: AnGr, JeHa, HeSi & MeWa

Ogof Yr Ardd

A return to this "collectors' item" to see if this time we could get to the sump at the end of the cave which is not suitable for cavers of the larger variety. We didn't get to the sump.

Chris traverses in the passage that approaches the pitch.

Keith traverses in the passage that approaches the pitch.

Chris in the meandering lower rift passage.

Chris in the lower streamway.

See more Ogof Yr Ardd photos here 

The Team: KeEd, BrMa & ChWe

Ogof Fawr

Pete Hobson in Ogof Fawr.

Pete Hobson in Ogof Fawr.

See more Ogof Fawr photos here

The Team: KeEd & BrMa and Pete Hobson

Ogof Pasg and Ogof Foel Fawr, Herbert's Quarry, South Wales

These two small caves are connected and the plan was to do the through trip. We thoroughly explored Pasg first and stopped for Brendan to take numerous photos. The connection involves descending a pitch and in spite of taking the recommended ladder length and a long tether the bottom of the ladder was about four metres from the bottom of the pitch. The only alternative was to walk around the side of the hill in bitterly cold driving rain and enter Foel Fawr. We did all manage to get through the very tight squeeze and find our way to the canal at the bottom of the ladder pitch, stopping this time for photos and video.

Del views formations in Ogof Pasg.

Del views formations in Ogof Pasg.

Keith passing through the Slab Squeeze in Foel Fawr.

Del in the main passage of Ogof Foel Fawr.

See more Ogof Pasg photos here 

See more Ogof Foel Fawr photos here 

The Team: KeEd, BrMa, DeRo & ChWe

Ogof Clogwyn and Ogof Nant Rhin

An introductory trip for Dean, first in Ogof Clogwyn via a very long walk, and then up the stream to Nant Rhin where we went right to the end including the squeeze through to the final digs.

Dean in the streamway of Ogof Clogwyn

Jessica in the streamway of Ogof Clogwyn.

Dean by the PF formations in Ogof Nant Rhin.

See more Ogof Clogwyn Photos here 

See more Ogof Nant Rhin Photos here 

The Team: Brendan, Jessica and her friend Dean

Northern Lights, OFD2, Penwyllt, South Wales

The Team: KeEd, JeHa, HeSi & StWa + Evan and Alan from NWCC

Through Trips - OFD1 to Cwm Dwr and Cwm Dwr to OFD1, Penwyllt, South Wales

Last minute and hastily arranged, this trip as one of those where from no one wanting to go caving to having almost too many bodies seemed to happen in a matter of minutes. With eight people the only logical thing to do was to split into two parties and do the same trip in reverse directions. We met up underground at the letterbox.

Wal watches Rachel as she posts herself into the Letterbox.

Wal viewing formations in Cwm Dwr Jama.

Wal viewing formations in OFD 1.

Rachel viewing a false calcite floor in OFD 1.

See more OFD1 photos here 

See more Cwm Dwr photos here 

The Teams: 
OFD 1 to Cwm Dwr: KeEd, HeSi & ChWe + Evan from NWCC 
Cwm Dwr to OFD 1: BrMa & StWa + Rachael & Richard from WMCEG