When: 18 Oct 2013 19.30 – 21.30 pm.
Where: Box Freestone Quarry.
Who: Darren T, Dave the Cave, Buxus and Simon.
Full report to be posted soon.
Friday, 18 October 2013
Sunday, 29 September 2013
Swanage Stone Quarrs, Bell Vue Quarr No1 and South Townesend Quarr.
When: 29 Sept 2013 15.00 – 17.00 pm.
Where: Swanage Stone Quarrs
Who: Darren T,Rich T, Oz, Rubberduck and Moleman.
Full report to be posted soon.
Where: Swanage Stone Quarrs
Who: Darren T,Rich T, Oz, Rubberduck and Moleman.
Full report to be posted soon.
Wednesday, 25 September 2013
Lloyd Hall, Gough's Cave, Cheddar Gorge.
When: 25 Sept 2013 20.00 – 22.00 pm.
Where: Lloyd Hall, Gough's Cave, Cheddar Gorge.
Who: Darren T, C Castle. N Dennis, S Clegg, S Tidey, A Sparrow, R Sparrow, Max and J Durber.
Lloyd Hall is a subterranean river chamber in the depths of Goughs Showcave, not accessible to the general public. We assembled outside and got changed into our gear, some of our group opted to abseil and some were going to climb the rickety fixed ladder to the divers platform in the chamber. Chris went on ahead to do some rigging as we faffed about in the showcave. Andy advised that it would probably be best if we split into to groups as there would be a lot of waiting at the pitch if everyone went at the same time. It so happened that all the girls in the group went off and did the X-tream caving circuit, which is a 1 and a half hour caving taster trip around some of the less accessible parts of the cave http://www.cheddargorge.co.uk/x-treme/adventure-caving.
We then climbed round one of the pools on show and disappeared behind it, over a few boulders and into the bedding plane. Its an uphill crawl with about a foot of room from floor to ceiling, this opens out into a chamber with the rift to the right which is the way down to Lloyd Hall. As Andy Judi and myself were going to traverse along the rift to the ladder we went first. Max and Sean were abseiling down. It was quite good fun traversing along a rift using your feet to push yourself against the wall behind you with a forty foot drop to the water below. Don't think even a stick person could fall down though, as the rift got tighter the further down it went. Once on the ladder it was a longish climb down to the wooden platform that is the divers platform where you would need to put your diving gear on if you want to explore this cave anymore. The water level was very low and you could see the different colour to the rock where the level has sometimes been. This was some 12 feet or so above where we were. The water is from an underground river which resurges outside the entrance to the cave further down the road.
We sat and waited for Sean and Max to abseil down to us. After 3/4 of an hour or so it was time to climb the ladder back to the top. We regrouped and then the girls arrived. They wanted to go down to the chamber so went back to the showcave to do the X-tream caving circuit. The bedding plane was fun sliding down head first into the puddle at the bottom. If you fancy spending £20.00 on an exciting challenge then have a go at the adventure caving in Goughs Cave as its a good introduction to the sport of caving. Thanks to Chris for organising this trip and maybe we can do the Hairy Ring sometime.
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Where: Lloyd Hall, Gough's Cave, Cheddar Gorge.
Who: Darren T, C Castle. N Dennis, S Clegg, S Tidey, A Sparrow, R Sparrow, Max and J Durber.
Lloyd Hall is a subterranean river chamber in the depths of Goughs Showcave, not accessible to the general public. We assembled outside and got changed into our gear, some of our group opted to abseil and some were going to climb the rickety fixed ladder to the divers platform in the chamber. Chris went on ahead to do some rigging as we faffed about in the showcave. Andy advised that it would probably be best if we split into to groups as there would be a lot of waiting at the pitch if everyone went at the same time. It so happened that all the girls in the group went off and did the X-tream caving circuit, which is a 1 and a half hour caving taster trip around some of the less accessible parts of the cave http://www.cheddargorge.co.uk/x-treme/adventure-caving.
We then climbed round one of the pools on show and disappeared behind it, over a few boulders and into the bedding plane. Its an uphill crawl with about a foot of room from floor to ceiling, this opens out into a chamber with the rift to the right which is the way down to Lloyd Hall. As Andy Judi and myself were going to traverse along the rift to the ladder we went first. Max and Sean were abseiling down. It was quite good fun traversing along a rift using your feet to push yourself against the wall behind you with a forty foot drop to the water below. Don't think even a stick person could fall down though, as the rift got tighter the further down it went. Once on the ladder it was a longish climb down to the wooden platform that is the divers platform where you would need to put your diving gear on if you want to explore this cave anymore. The water level was very low and you could see the different colour to the rock where the level has sometimes been. This was some 12 feet or so above where we were. The water is from an underground river which resurges outside the entrance to the cave further down the road.
We sat and waited for Sean and Max to abseil down to us. After 3/4 of an hour or so it was time to climb the ladder back to the top. We regrouped and then the girls arrived. They wanted to go down to the chamber so went back to the showcave to do the X-tream caving circuit. The bedding plane was fun sliding down head first into the puddle at the bottom. If you fancy spending £20.00 on an exciting challenge then have a go at the adventure caving in Goughs Cave as its a good introduction to the sport of caving. Thanks to Chris for organising this trip and maybe we can do the Hairy Ring sometime.
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Wednesday, 4 September 2013
Monkton Farleigh Quarry (Brown's Folly Mine).
When: 4 Sept 2013 19.30 – 21.15 pm.
Where: Monkton Farleigh Quarry (Brown's Folly Mine).
Who: Darren T, Rich T.
Last minute change of plan as we were supposed to do a photo trip to Hilliers cave to find the Red Room and the infamous Red Stall.
Due to lack of interest from our club members we decided to go to Browns Quarry and have a look at the good work Mr Brian C has been doing to tidy the place up. Its been nearly a year since we were last there as we used this place to get cave fit again after my eight month layoff with a broken foot.
This is the underground Quarry that first got us interested in underground exploration. We will never tire of exploring it as its got over 20 km of passage ways and part of it was used by the MOD to store Ammunition and Explosive Shells during the Second World War. The quarry was known as CAD 3 (Central Ammunition Depot No 3). It was split up into storage districts. Unfortunately you can no longer access most of these parts as they belong to a secure storage company. However every now and then some parts do become available for exploration, but that's another story perhaps not for today!
The old parts are easy to access and so it was to these we went. We parked and got kitted up and walked to the entrance hole, as always its a bit muddy. We decided to follow the main tourist route we wanted to see the work that has been done. The walls etc are now probably in the condition they were when the MOD took it over and evicted the Quarrymen in the 30s, graffiti free apart from the scribbling's laid down by the Quarrymen over the last 150 years or so.
We continued down Longs Passage into Clapham Junction then down Clapham Passage into Prop Chamber. Railway Passage takes you to the Square Well and the Ferret Cage, said to be used to keep ferrets in by a Quarryman as his wife wouldn't have them at home.
We returned to Clapham Junction and took some pictures. Then we went down Clapham Passage the other way and had a look at the three troughs but they were empty of water due to the hot summer. After a while sitting and chatting we made our way out. At the end of a passage we noticed a hole that we had not seen before, I crawled through and followed a passage for some distance not sure where this led as we were close to the old storage districts. I returned and vowed to come back with my survey as this had been left at home as we had not planed to come here tonight.
Where: Monkton Farleigh Quarry (Brown's Folly Mine).
Who: Darren T, Rich T.
Last minute change of plan as we were supposed to do a photo trip to Hilliers cave to find the Red Room and the infamous Red Stall.
Due to lack of interest from our club members we decided to go to Browns Quarry and have a look at the good work Mr Brian C has been doing to tidy the place up. Its been nearly a year since we were last there as we used this place to get cave fit again after my eight month layoff with a broken foot.
This is the underground Quarry that first got us interested in underground exploration. We will never tire of exploring it as its got over 20 km of passage ways and part of it was used by the MOD to store Ammunition and Explosive Shells during the Second World War. The quarry was known as CAD 3 (Central Ammunition Depot No 3). It was split up into storage districts. Unfortunately you can no longer access most of these parts as they belong to a secure storage company. However every now and then some parts do become available for exploration, but that's another story perhaps not for today!
The old parts are easy to access and so it was to these we went. We parked and got kitted up and walked to the entrance hole, as always its a bit muddy. We decided to follow the main tourist route we wanted to see the work that has been done. The walls etc are now probably in the condition they were when the MOD took it over and evicted the Quarrymen in the 30s, graffiti free apart from the scribbling's laid down by the Quarrymen over the last 150 years or so.
We continued down Longs Passage into Clapham Junction then down Clapham Passage into Prop Chamber. Railway Passage takes you to the Square Well and the Ferret Cage, said to be used to keep ferrets in by a Quarryman as his wife wouldn't have them at home.
We returned to Clapham Junction and took some pictures. Then we went down Clapham Passage the other way and had a look at the three troughs but they were empty of water due to the hot summer. After a while sitting and chatting we made our way out. At the end of a passage we noticed a hole that we had not seen before, I crawled through and followed a passage for some distance not sure where this led as we were close to the old storage districts. I returned and vowed to come back with my survey as this had been left at home as we had not planed to come here tonight.
Clapham Junction.
Clapham Junction.
Three Water Troughs.
Square Well.
WW2 Ammo Cases and other bit and pieces.
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Wednesday, 31 July 2013
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.
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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Wednesday, 17 July 2013
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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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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Wednesday, 3 July 2013
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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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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