Compton Martin Ochre Mine, Mendip.

When:  31 July 2013  19.30 – 21.15 pm.
Where: Compton Martin Ochre Mine, Mendip.
Who:    Darren T, Rich T. B Hanley and S Tidey.

Compton Martin Ochre mine is at the back of opencast workings in a bed of red ochre.  The mine was dug by using the pillar and stall method.
There was once two openings into the mine but sadly one collapsed and the remaining one was looking very precarious but thanks to two bodies of like minded enthusiasts it has been shawled up with wooden beams and a concrete pipe so should be ok for a while longer.  However once inside it is a different matter as a lot of the original wooden supports have rotted away and the roof is looking very unstable in places.  Its a small mine with a maze of passages and falls.  Some of the supports have fungi growing out of them and some have disintegrated altogether.  Its a very interesting mine but you wouldn't want to spend too long exploring it.

 

 Damp and rotten roof support.

 

 Fungi growing on roof support.

 

Passage with roof supports.

 

 

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Sludge Pit Hole, Priddy, Mendip.

When:  17 July 2013  19.00 – 21.15 pm.
Where: Sludge Pit Hole, Priddy, Mendip.
Who:    Darren T, Rich T. A Sparrow, C Castle, N Denis, T Denning-Kendle and S Tidey.

This was the first time most of us had visited this cave as there has been no access for the past twenty odd years.  Andy and Chris have been down before as they have been caving for donkeys years. There has been a number of access restrictions placed on the cave, such as an admission fee and peoples names put in a visitor book.  This is all done just inside the entrance. Once we had signed ourselves in and paid our dues we rigged the pitch with a ladder and lifeline and descended to the bottom.  We assembled in Fault passage and headed down towards I think Shale series then down Tributary passage, left at the end into four pots rift.  Most of the team went through this but Chris, Trish and myself opted for the easier option through the Maze into the area past Triple Arch.  After a short rest we backtracked through the Maze and into the main rift.  We then went to the end and had a look at the dig by the sump.  On the way out some of us went through Aragonite rift and Strike chamber.  We were soon all ascending the ladder and back to the surface.  This is a short but very sporting cave (very tight in places).

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Sally's Rift Cave,

When:  3 July 2013  19.30 – 10.00 pm.
Where: Sally's Rift Cave, Bathford.
Who:    Darren T, Rich T. A Sparrow, B Handley and C Castle.


This was our second trip to this cave and almost exactly two years since we last went.  (See report June 2011).  This time we went with Cheddar caving club.  We met at the layby and got changed.  I had the GPS coordinates on my phone for the entrance and after 15 minutes or so we found the hole. This time we free climbed down the pitch which last time we climbed over.  Its easily doable as its not very steep.  At the bottom we went along the main passage until a sort of crossroads and turned right into a rift passage, at the end of this it comes to another passage which runs parallel with the main passage.  Turn left and continue until there is a turning on the right.  Continue left then right and this brings you to the bottom of the climb with the bar at the top.  You are now in the boulder chamber with a decorated rift to the left.  Through a hole in the side you go down a tight 5 meter pitch.  The ladder was rigged for this to make it easier on the exit.  This is where it starts to get fun as some of the rifts and passages are quite tight and awkward.  Climb up and over a coffin shaped slab and you will soon come to the boulder rift,  this is where it gets very tight.  Andy could not get through and was very disappointed as 30 odd years ago when he last came here he could get through into the last section of the cave.  We reversed our route and soon were free climbing out to the exit.
We decided that we would return another day with a hammer or some caps and enlarge the hole slightly so we could all fit through and make it to the end.

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