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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