GB Cave. Charterhouse, Mendip.

When:  23 November 2011 7.15 pm to 10.00 pm.
Where: G B cave Charterhouse Mendip.
Who:    Darren T, Rich T, Rachel Sparrow, Daniel Govier, Nicola Dennis.


 This was our first trip with Cheddar Caving Club. We met at the Charterhouse centre, which is about a mile from the cave. Rich was hiring an oversuit and helmet from the club so Rachel issued him with his kit and we all had to fill out a form so we could be issued with our permits to enter the cave. Parking is a bit tight on the side of the road by the cave so 5 of us piled into the caveclimb 4x4 and Rachel drove us to the lay-by. We met the other members of the trip and got our gear on and proceeded across the field to the cave entrance blockhouse, which is locked. We took the easier route Mud passage that is a flat out crawl this enters into a dry passageway, which continues some 60 meters down. We then came to a gorge which is a stream passageway some 6 meters wide and up to 12 meters high in places.
In another chamber 20 meters wide and 23 meters high for a length of 122 meters there is a bridge formed out the rock by a stream, which can be very fast flowing in the winter. We went down a tight passage and emerged by the side of a waterfall after climbing down we continued to the end of the passage. We then retraced our steps but this time climbed up the entire length of the waterfall and continued to make our way to the surface.
G B Cave is a very pretty cave with lots of calcite and stalagmites and stalactites, which is why it’s locked.

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