Tuesday 25 October 2011

Swildons Hole-Short round trip

Date: 28/04/2011
Team Member’s: Andy, Mark & Dave
Cave Location: Priddy, Mendip
Depth:167m
Survey

The trip began with the usual scramble to get to Mendip straight from work. Luckily the traffic was kind and after a delayed start I soon found myself at the Wessex Cave Club cottage. Andy & Mark had also just arrived.

There had been much discussion over the days leading up to the trip as both Mark and Andy had been out the previous Monday and done a trip to Swildons IV via Blue pencil passage. We soon decided that the short round trip was worth a shot as it would still give us time to get out for that all important Beer and Chilli!
We donned our wetsuits underneath the usual oversuits as this trip involved a number of ducks plus sump one to be negotiated. Wetsuits whilst keeping you warm can be quite cumbersome through the dryer tighter sections of the cave where it gets very hot.

It was a nice day and the walk to the cave entrance was enjoyable. When we got to the cave we found that the stream water levels were very low indeed and that the usual torrent of water rushing through the entrance man hole was non-existent.
We lowered ourselves into the entrance and shuffled forward into the darkness. The entrance series has changed considerably over the last year or so with a number of collapses. The way on is now via an awkward climb down overhanging boulders or an easier squeeze through very unstable looking boulders. A low passage on the right can also take you through the “zig zags” as an alternative option.

We ploughed on quickly keen to make headway along choosing the “wet way” as the more direct route. Again the recent changes in the entrance have effected this first section of the cave as the once wet, first waterfall is now bone dry with the water issuing from a too tight rift on the right at the foot of the waterfall. From here we followed the stream on down through the rest of the “wet way” negotiating narrow rifts and waterfalls along the way as well as the infamous “lavatory pan”.

We forged ahead on through the “Boulder chamber” and into the “water rift”. This narrow rift takes the full stream including inlets that have joined at the “Boulder chamber “from the “dry ways”. The end of the water rift terminates at a sharp left hand turn through a 2 ft diameter hole to the head of a waterfall. This can be quite dramatic as the full volume of the stream is forced through the very same gap. Care is needed on the descent as the white water hides the foot holds and hand holds. Once down the climb you find yourself at the base of the “old Forty”. This once huge waterfall is dry with the water issuing from the water rift which was forged during the floods of 1967. A prime example of the force of nature!

We continued our way along the now taller stream passage, in the distance the rumble of the “Twenty” as the water tumbles over the pitch.

We got to the pitch head quite quickly and soon had the ladder and lifeline rigged for the descent. Andy went first, then me and finally Mark. We were glad of the soaking we got descending the ladder as up to now the stream had remained quite dry and we were starting to get hot.

We then stomped off down the passage way the tall rifts interspersed with narrow sections and small waterfalls. Progress downstream was quick and we were soon at the “Double Pots”. Moving on we took the beautiful “Barnes Loop” detour rather than the deep rift the stream follows which can be hard work in reverse. Following the stream further and negotiating increasingly large waterfalls we soon found ourselves at the point where we climb out of the stream way and bridge up into “Tratmans Temple”. Once fantastically adorned with straw stalactites that were vandalised many years ago.

From here the going becomes harder with some steeper uphill sections and some flat out crawls. The reassuring sound of the stream is left far behind and silence intermingles with the odd drip from the ceiling or from the tip of a slowly growing stalagmite. The pools here are deep in places with waste deep wading requires as we make our way to the next obstacle. The mud sump.

We passed through the “Paradise series” and through the tell tale muddy passage that lets you know you are reaching the mud sump. The sump itself was dry and has been now for a year or so. A flat out crawl through a muddy tube with only a few inches of water in the bottom is all there is to negotiate at present.

From here twisting passage takes you through into the “Shatter series” with its pitch to the left hand side that was rigged with a ladder when we were there.

Evidence of digs lie in this area with the usual buckets, bags, drag tray and pipes diverting the water. We crawled and wriggled through the next few passages and then found ourselves at the bottom of the “Greasy chimney”. An awkward climb of about 12ft or so up a smooth tube with limited holds that earns it its name. Surprisingly not having done it for a while I got up it first time and without too much fuss. Again I was starting to feel tired and hot in these dry strenuous passages where there is limited water to cool you down especially when wearing a wet suit.

We pushed on further through the various winding muddy passages. They are mainly stooping through this section interspersed with crawls through muddy puddles in low passages. We stopped for a breather and a drink at the head of the “Blue Pencil Passage” traverse. It was well needed by me and I was glad of the 10 minute rest. We were soon on the move again, bridging the rift above the entrance to “Blue Pencil passage”. The move is awkward due to the slippery nature of the footholds. The smooth calcite offers little grip for muddy boots and the whole thing is uphill and at an angle!

Moving on we then made our way through the “Trouble Series”. The double troubles are a series of ducks up to twenty feet long with only a few inches of airspace. In times of high water these ducks have to be bailed to make them passable. The dunking was very refreshing! We moved on quickly now happy that the half way point of the trip had been passed. The passage twists and turns through muddy damp crawls with some tighter sections. The most famous being the very tight “Birthday Squeeze” through a nicely decorated section where the ceiling pinches down to a calcite flow in the floor. This section is not passable to larger than average cavers!

We pushed on through more short ducks and puddles and passing a section where the mud banks have been shaped by the water in to fascinating curving features. Finally the passage drops down to the left and any water you disturb passing the passages beforehand now follows you down hill through a squeeze in the floor to the head of “the Landing” and the way down to Swildons II.

Descending the landing is probably the most fun part of the trip as you initially appear in the roof of the Swildons II streamway some 30ft up. You then sit down and basically slide down the steeply descending, smooth floor using an in-situ rope to hold onto to stop you falling into the rift that carries the stream to the right. At the bottom of the slide you are now back in the Swildons II streamway with sump II downstream and to your right with sump I upstream and to your left as you face the Landing.

It felt good to be back in the streamway again with the chatter of the water around us. Splashing our way up stream we passed through several low, wide sections with beautiful water sculpted walls.

Soon we found ourselves at the far side of sump I. A short free divable sump with a hand line running through it. The sump is around five feet in length and lowers to around 2ft in height with a gravel bottom. We took the usual steps and got ourselves ready for the inevitable dunking. Donning neoprene hoods and generally getting “in the zone”. Andy dived first, then Mark and I filmed them as they one by one left me on my own in the darkness. I packed the camera into the dry sack and then into the small BDH container before butting it in the bag. I then gave a couple of pulls on the rope to show I was pushing the bag through attached to my foot. I felt someone grab the bag and clear it from the sump. I then felt two pulls on the rope to show that the sump was clear. A deep breath and a few seconds of scrabbling around underwater and I emerged to the lights of Mark and Andrews lamps!



A few moments to gather ourselves and we started on the long uphill (and against the stream flow) trudge to the way out. We took a detour along the way to take in Barnes Loop, probably one of the prettiest sections of the cave with exquisite flow stone, gour pools , stalagmite’s and stalactites. The climb out of the Swildons streamway is an interesting thrutch up a smooth calcite flow. We traversed out of Barnes Loop high above a deep rift where the water tumbles down noisily into the gloom.

Digging in we continued the uphill march. As it was my first long trip since my operation and I was not as “cave fit” as I normally am and was starting to feel tired. We continued to push against the water climbing waterfalls and squeezing uphill through narrow squeezes against the flow of the stream. We were soon back at the bottom of the Twenty. A relieving sight as I use this as a mental marker knowing that we are only 10mins from the entrance. We were soon all at the top and met another group going in the opposite direction. A quick stop for a chat and then we were off on our way again. At the top of the Water Rift we took a right turn and headed out via the Wet Way. It’s a bit more of a struggle but more direct and quicker. Near the start of the Wet Way you get the inevitable dunking at the Lavatory Pan and then climbed the various waterfalls that line the route. The final and deepest waterfall –The Well is now dry due to a shift in the entrance series that happened a couple of years ago. I always find this a little strange as a large volume of water often crashed over this obstacle but now emerges from a narrow rift at the foot of the climb.

We pushed on to the entrance series and could soon smell the aroma of the damp night air.

A brisk walk back to Upper Pitts and after hot showers and a change of clothes we headed off to the Hunters Lodge Inn for a well earned Pint and bowl of Chilli. Another great trip.....

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