Here is a very incomplete list of some of the trips the Eldon have been up to recently.
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- Details
- Written by: Chris Hibberts
- Hits: 270
Team – Chris, Jim T, Luke, Joe, Jon
We all met in Foolow and Luke had set up a ‘back of a white van’ transaction with Joe from Trogg Shop to get us all kitted out in new oversuits. These had been given the thumbs up for comfort and durability by Luke and Jim last week.
With a stronger team this week, minus Rob E, trying to right last week’s destruction of the dig face and scaffolding was the plan, with the boulder from the roof being the priority. Jim, Joe and Jon seemed to take an age to get ready, so Luke and I head off to the dig with capping gear in hand.
At the dig face not much more had run in from above the rock in the roof and with the area now larger Luke followed along the crawl. With the rest of the team joining, tidying commenced removing small rocks and mud with much more ease that the previous week. With Luke shifting stuff from the floor my attention turned to the dig face as I wanted to give my new mini mattock a try out. Digging to the left of what Rob pointed out as a wall was slowly revealing this to be a large rock which meant digging to the right was also required to remove it. Whilst digging on the right and with the top of the bedding plane now gone the small black space beyond was very alluring. I decided to ignore Robs advice and keep to the right the digging was easier too with not as much mud and more rock.
After pulling more and more rock the larger ones started to reveal what looked like solid roof (similar to the shell bed) or a very large boulder. Underneath this the black space started to get larger too. Luke suggested changing the order of the team and I suggested Jon came to the front for a look at the developments. Taking his time and gas bagging with Jim I continued to remove rocks and could now see a large void beyond which looked like a rift with a solid wall in front. My continuous cometary about the developing situation about A large void with space to stand up seemed to be falling on deaf ears and I shouted to Jon to hurry up as someone smaller may be able to squeeze through.
Jon was excited to see what was in front and was only stopped by an awkward angular rock that seemed to be keyed in with a rock on the other side of the squeeze. We shouted back to see if anyone had a phone to film the proceedings, but they were all back at the cars. With some hammering he managed to take enough off to squeeze through. He reported back of a large rift with a way on in the floor. There was no way I could get through the squeeze, so we worked for about 10 mins to remove the angular rock to allow the whole team to get through.
One by one the whole team got into the rift some 4/5m high, at its widest 1.5m and around 7m long. This was a much more social space and more importantly dry. Our attentions quickly turned to a large flake of rock that was blocking what was obviously the way on. Jon shone his light down to what was a clean washed floor about 3m below, a steady draft could be felt coming up through the rock. This must have been the draft felt coming through the bedding plane. With a bit of poking and prodding the large flake of rock approx. 1m2 and about 400mm thick was moving, this was sitting on another smaller boulder below. We had the capping gear and decided this would be the best approach.
Looking back at where we had dug through, what I originally thought was a roof/large boulder turned out to be half a dozen large slabs of rock that had fallen out of the 5m high rift. Maybe all of us on the same side of the dig wasn’t the best idea so Joe went back through to the other side. This worked well as Jim passed buckets through as we started to removed rocks around the large slab.
After about 25 minutes of capping and removing rocks, Jon tried to squeeze through to the floor below but halfway down had a change of heart as he noticed that the boulder under the flake had a void underneath and should it move, the whole lot would come crashing down and seal his fate. We spent another 20 mins capping the flake and made the squeeze 50% bigger. Luke was then coaxed into having a go at getting through. We slowly saw him inching through the gap an eventually his feet reached the floor which he described as loose.
The whole area below was clean washed and part way down the gap through the flake of rock the bedding plane could be seen. This must have been where all the water was going. Jon decided to have a climb up into the roof of the rift but there was nothing of interest.
Luke managed to move forward about a body length into what was describe as a narrowing rift, at the end of the rift there was another hole in the floor with space below, but he couldn’t turn round to get a look headfirst into it. He came back out and Jon went in for a look he was of the same opinion and the hole in the floor was the way on. The squeeze was too tight for me to get through, but this could be easily made bigger with more capping. This was going to have to happen to make the space below workable so would wait to have a look.
The session was now much longer than we had originally anticipated, and everyone was keen to get to the pub for well earned refreshments and snacks. Whilst waiting for Jon to come back through the squeeze Luke and I heard some rocks falling behind and encouraged Jon to hurry up, I think they might have been from Jon’s earlier climb up, but we weren’t hanging around to find out.
The whole team effort was fantastic and the find is evidence that teamwork pays off. Let’s return next week with boosted enthusiasm and hopefully find out more about where all the water from the waterfall has been going.
Unfortunately, we had no camera with us this week so keep your eyes peeled for next weeks report with added photos.
Post caving beers in the mechanics
- Details
- Written by: Jim Thompson
- Hits: 79
Team: Jon / Jim / Chris / Luke
A small team headed out to Monyash for a nice leisurely trip down Knotlow climbing shaft tonight. Conditions on the surface would have had Noah on edge about the amount of rain, so it was desirable to spend as little time outside as possible. However on arriving at the turning circle and observing every bit of off-road parking looking a lot like axle deep mud, Jim immediately decided to check if it was actually axle deep mud by driving into it. It was. A lot of wheel spinning later it definitely was. No amount of pushing was going to help, although it did manage to cover Chris – still in work clothes – head to toe in the stuff. Fortunately everyone else had taken a more sensible approach to parking so armed with a ratchet strap, Chris got into towing mode and moved the van just far enough for egress before the strap broke. We decided to dump the van back in Monyash and return so by the time we were changed, it was dark and the rain was coming sideways. So much for a quick trip.
Underground was far more pleasant. We made quick progress to the waterfall pitch and Jon did a heroic bit of rigging across the traverse which was just brilliant to negotiate. Down in waterfall chamber we had a bit of fun balancing on the pipe and headed into the coffin level. I’ve recently decided that coffin levels are my least favourite thing. Just too low and narrow for comfort, claustrophobic and oppressive and in this case too full of freezing water. This one seemed to go on forever and I was losing my patience with it but with Chris behind me I pressed on with Jon encouraging me to remove my helmet ready for the duck. I duly did and was getting ready for a tantrum but turned the corner and saw that he was inevitably taking the piss.
Blessed relief for a brief moment after emergence, Jon and Luke headed down the equally wet Crimbo pipe whilst I reluctantly followed Chris back into the level. Fortunately it had got much shorter in reverse and it was an absolute delight to be swinging up off the Y hang and across the traverse once again. Chris followed in style and it was a quick and easy exit. Back on surface the April lion of a night had become far more of a lamb, and we were soon having a really fun night in a buzzing Bull’s Head
- Details
- Written by: Archie Thompson
- Hits: 282
Team: Chris H, Vic, Hal, Archie, Jim T, Jon P, Luke C
The night starts off meeting the team at the artist’s corner carpark where we changed into our suits before barely fitting into Hal’s truck and driving up to the great Masson quarry.
With Luke and Jon leading the way we descended 35 metres down the rather tight Gentlewoman’s shaft. At the bottom we left our SRT kit behind and made a steady approach towards the pipe caverns of old Jant mine. Following some technical climbing, we made it as we observed the beautiful dog tooth crystals that had formed in little crevices all up the walls of the caverns.
Luke and Jon guide us towards the first tight squeeze which required a fair bit of digging as the team gradually moved through, with me and Vic communicating the plan to get through. Jon and Luke were the first to squeeze through the passage and immediately began shovelling and scraping the silt and gravel for Chris to squeeze through. Chris made a good effort to get through to passage which unfortunately had too much sand built up preventing him from freeing his waist out of the squeeze, where i contributed by providing myself for Chris to push off with his legs to make it through. Thanks to Luke and Jon’s digging me and Vic slipped through with no problems.
Following a couple more tight passages me, Chris, Luke and Vic had been split up from Jim, Hal and Jon who i believe struggled to fit through the second squeeze. However we soon regrouped where we saw engravings of old miners on the walls of the cavern dating as old as the 18th century.
We were relieved to see the pathway to the Coffin level was not blocked off this time, which provided an easy and relaxed crawl through a long winding passage dug out by the old miners. We had a quick detour to the miner’s jigging box before entering the coffin level (Ringing Rake Sough). At this point I went ahead along the passage which led to the exit out of the ground right at the carpark where we left off.
An amazing through trip which really provided a mental challenge at times and a satisfaction I think all cavers should achieve.
Luke in the coffin level, by Jon Pemberton
Chris the Legend
- Gentlewomen’s Shaft to Youd’s Level – we will be back!
- Starlink to Jupiter – 18/01/2024
- Winter Evening Giants Round Trip - 11/01/2024
- La Trampa Del Pug - 05/11/2023
- Winnats Head - 16/10/2023
- Castle Town Caving - 04/10/2023
- Sliding in the mud in Merlin’s Mine - 18/7/23
- Giants Round Trip - 27/06/2023
- TSG and SUSS Conquer the Stoney Middleton Master Cave - 10/06/2023
- Tour de Dynamite - 11/05/2023
- Red Salopettes - 29/04/2023
- Catching a Worth While Shuttle - 30/03/2023
- The long-awaited return to MG – 04/05/2023
- Change of Plan - Notts II – 30/04/2023
- Looks crap but he's happy - 20/04/2023
- Clatterways Levels - 14/03/2023
- The Titan Streamway vs Jon, Jim and Ben - 05/03/2023
- Titan through to Peak - 04/03/2023
- Don’t just chuck it in! - 16/02/2023
- Notts II - 15/01/2023
- Gaping Gill / Victoria’s Sponge – 14/01/2023
- Tuesday Nighters out on a Wednesday - 04/01/2022
- Peak Showtime Spectacular – 15/12/2022
- No Warmth, No Dogs, No Messing – 03/12/2022
- The Wrong Rope Grommit - 24/11/22
- Giants Hole with a splash of H2O and Rn - 17/11/2022
- Tasting the Forbidden Fruit – 3/11/2022
- Bruce Lee, Fairy Liquid and an SRT Dildo – 14/10/2022 – 16/10/2022
- Moorwood Sough - Tuesday nighters, again on a Thursday - 01/09/2022
- Trip out to Carlswark Cavern - 21/07/2022
- Buxton Carnival 2022
- Aygill Caverns - 26/06/1988 (+34 years)
- An Ease Gill Traverse - 25/06/2022
- Potholderz - 02/06/2022
- Waterways Swallet -Tuesday Nighters 18/05/2022
- Knickers, Nickergrove and Schrodinger’s Streamway - 05/05/2022
- Tuesday Split - 26/04/2022
- It was a Monday crawl - 04/04/2022
- Hillocks – Wharfe climbing shaft to Knotlow – climbing shafts
- Bagshawe New Bits - 08/02/2022
- Follow the Leader - 01/02/2022
- Lockdown 2.0 - Cackle Mackle Mine - 12/11/2020
- Arbour Seats Surveying - 21/01/2020
- Nenthead weekend - 5-6/10/2019
- Lingards Cave - 04/07/2019
- On How the Eldon ruined the Cow Pot survey, Matienzo - November 2015
- Derbyshire Hall - 22/12/18
- Solo Aboard the Gravy Train - 6/12/18
- Went Boom – 29/11/2018
- Sidetracked by Science - 09/11/2018
- Youth of Tomorrow 9/9/2018
- Ricklow Cave - 2/7/2018
- Dr Jackson's Survey - 07/06/2018
- Newburgh Level - 13/03/2018
- A Game of Thrones - 22/12/2017
- Rowter Xmas trip - 16/12/2017
- Absolution - 12/11/17
- Cripple Creek - 04/11/2017
- Flat Out Walk - 09/11/2017
- A point of engulfment - 07/09/2017
- A bit on the side - 19/07/2017
- Boulder Pot - 14/07/2017
- Englands Green & Pleasant Land - 01/06/2017
- Hollywood Bowl - 17/02/2017
- Picnic Passage 16/11/2016
- Paternity's Fault 15/05/2016
- Carlswark 06/05/2016
- Swildons Hole 01/04/2016
- JH to Peak 16/03/2016
- Mountbatten Pot 21/04/2016
- Trapdoor Pot 20/02/2016
- Giants Hole 30/01/2016
- Ireby Fell Cavern 23/01/2016
- Neptune Mine 19/01/2016
- Stream Passage Pot to Corkys - 23/05/2015
- Water Icicle - 07/05/2015
- Crusader - 03/02/2015
- Water Icicle - 27/03/2014
- Rowter - 20/03/2014
- Titan Streamway Survey Trip - 01/06/2013
- Western Highway - 29/03/2013
- P8: Ben's Dig - 27/06/2009
- Hungerhill Swallet - 22/06/2009
- Nickergrove Mine - 20/06/2009
- Daren Cilau - 20/06/2009
- Nettle - 13/06/2009
- Juniper Gulf - 12/06/2009
- Maskhill - Oxlow Exchange - 29/01/2009
- Titan/J.H./Peak Cavern - 17/01/2009
- Fireset Shaft - 06/01/2009
- Ivy Green Cave - 24/11/2008
- Marilyn and Gaping Gill - 15/11/2008
- Carlswark Cavern (Dynamite Series) - 08/10/2008
- Carlswark Cavern (Dynamite Series) - 08/09/2008
- Eyam Dale House Cave - 07/09/2008
- Nickergrove Through Trip and Carlswark Cavern - 07/07/2008
- Gentlewomans to Youds Through Trip - 29/05/2008
- Bagshawe Cavern - 28/02/2008
- Craig a Ffynnon, South Wales - 16/02/2008
- Bradwell Dale and Bagshawe Cavern Clean-Up - 09/02/2008 & 10/02/2008
- Brown Hill Pot, East Kingsdale, Yorkshire - 09/02/2008
- Bagshawe Cavern in Flood - 21/01/2008
- South Gully Route, Eldon Hole - 20/01/2008
- Caplecleugh to Rampgill Through Trip, Nenthead Mines, Cumbria - 19/01/2008
- Full Moon Series, Bagshawe Cavern - 17/01/2008
- Peak Cavern Entrance to Titan Through Trip, Peak/Speedwell - 13/01/2008
- Titan, Far Sump Extension, Peak/Speedwell - 12/01/2008
- Cwmorthin Mine, N. Wales - 06/01/2008
- Croesor-Rhosydd Through Trip, N. Wales - 05/01/2008
- Cathedral - Dome Route, Lost Johns Pot, Yorkshire - 29/12/2007
- Notts Pot, Leck Fell, Yorkshire Dales - 27/12/2007
- Hungerhill Swallet - 20/12/2007
- Hungerhill Swallet - 17/12/2007
- King Pot, East Kingsdale, Yorkshire - 17/11/2007
- Hungerhill Swallet - 30/10/2007
- Winnats Head Cave - Downstream Pitches - 29/10/2007
- New Oxlow Extensions - 18/10/2007
- Lu Blue Sump and the Streaks Pot through trip - 05/10/2007
- Crumble/Beza route, Nettle Pot - 29/09/2007
- Western Highway, Far Sump Extension, Peak/Speedwell - 24/09/2007
- Filthy Five Pitches, Giants Hole - 20/09/2007
- Perryfoot Cave - 18/09/2007
- North Gully route, Eldon Hole - 18/09/2007
- Dr Jackson's, Perryfoot and the Dr Jackson's - Perryfoot Connection - 17/09/2007
- The Ride of the Valkyries, Far Sump Extension, Peak/Speedwell - 14/09/2007
- P8 to downstream sump - 14/09/2007
- Dr Jackson's Cave - 11/09/2007
- Hypothermia Crawl, Rowter Hole - 07/09/2007
- Heron Pot, Kingsdale, Yorkshire - 02/09/2007
- Giants - Oxlow Connection - 30/08/2007
- Swinsto -> Valley Entrance Pull-through, Kingsdale, Yorkshire - 26/08/2007
- Gingling Hole, Fountains Fell, Yorkshire - 25/08/2007
- Rowter Hole - 20/08/2007
- Buxton Water Aven, Peak Cavern - 06/08/2007
- Buxton Water Aven, Peak Cavern - 31/07/2007
- James Hall's Over Engine Mine (J.H.) - 29/07/2007
- Eldon SRT Rescues/Problem Solving Day, Pindale Farm - 28/07/2007
- Dan Yr Ogof, South Wales - 23/06/2007
- Giants Hole - Novice trip - 23/06/2007
- Grange Rigg Pot, Yorkshire - 30/05/2007
- Rowten Pot, Yorkshire - 29/05/2007
- Ireby Fell Extensions, Yorkshire - 26/05/2007
- Oxlow to bottom of Maskhill - 22/05/2007
- Knotlow Climbing Shaft - 16/05/2007
- DCRO Practice, Stoney Middleton - 13/05/2007
- P8 to Sump 4, Derbyshire - 02/05/2007
- Buxton Water Aven, Peak Cavern - 02/01/2007
- Waterways Swallet, Derbyshire - 13/11/2006
- Daren Cilau, S. Wales - 10/11/2006
- Bar Pot -> Gaping Gill Main Chamber, Yorkshire - 09/12/2005
- Tatham Wife Hole, Yorkshire - 08/12/2005
- Juniper Gulf, Yorkshire - 24/10/2005
- Swildon's Hole, Mendip - 19/04/2003
- Crumble and Beza, Nettle Pot - 06/03/2003
- Bagshawe Cavern - 21/01/2003
- Hillocks Mine - 16/01/2003
- Sidetrack Cave - 04/01/2003
- Birks Fell Cave, Wharfedale - 21/09/2002
- Lancaster Hole -> Wretched Rabbit, Lancaster Easegill system - 27/04/2002
- Croesor-Rhosydd - 02/06/2002
- Eldon Training Workshop - 27/01/2002
- Braida Stomp Weekend (Tatham Wife Hole & Lower Long Churn) - 24/11/2001
- Eyam Dale House Cave - 09/08/2001
- James Hall’s Over Engine Mine (J.H.) - 21/01/2001
- Jug Holes - 29/12/2000
- Lancaster Hole - 18/11/2000
- Bar Pot - 18/11/2000
- Ogof Ffynnon Ddu (OFD), South Wales - 24/09/2000
- Little Neath River Cave - 23/09/2000