ARCHIVES 2001

The trip to Meregill Hole was my first SRT trip since we went down Bar Pot in February.

The Mere entrance was sumped so we descended via the Aven entrance, at the second pitch some of the bolt holes were in very poor condition, but we managed to get around them.

We had forgot that the cave was only rigged with bolt hangers and found ourselves running short of anchors, which made for a wet descent of the third pitch.

At the top of the fifth pitch we only had five anchors left, so we decided against descending as it would mean a very wet knot pass on the way down.

On the way out we spent some time clearing rocks to drop the water levels in the pools at the bottom of the Canyon.

We got into the cave at ten a.m. and quickly made it down the first pitch and into the long crawl.

Half way along the crawl one of the party started feeling unwell but plodded on until we reached the top of the main pitch, he felt it unwise to descend because he felt too weak, so we descended while he remained at the top of the pitch.

The descent was wet and the accent even wetter, we then headed out and sun bathed on the grass verge after we had got changed.

Hardrawkin, Chapel-le-Dale, Skirwith Cave, White Scar and Big Bertha, Swaledale.

We set off to do the first bit of caving since February, with plans for a trip to Hardrawkin on Chapel-le-Dale, but when we got there the rivers and beck's were in flood.

We retreated to Inglesport to see if they could suggest an alternative, but they could only suggest Bar Pot, which we rejected due to lack of equipment and the long walk.

So we decided to try the old show cave, Skirwish on White Scar, when we got in to the water the flow nearly took our feet from under us, as we proceeded further in, the water got deeper, it was up to our chests and the roof was coming to meet it, we turned back.

Yet another visit to Smallcleugh, we explored some very unstable parts of the 2nd Sun Vein in Middlecleugh level.

We also had a drive up the road to have a quick for the entrance to Nentsberry Haggs level.

For this visit to Smallcleugh we were joined by Chris Clarke, a local mineral collector who we had met on a previous visit.

First we headed to the 1st Sun Vein and on to 2nd Sun Vein, from there on to Cowshill Cross Vein.

We explored various levels and rises, climbed up and down ladders into more veins ending up at the forehead of New Cross Vein.

We headed up the level, passed through the North End flat and on to Wheel Flat and into Hetherington's.

At the end of Hetherington's we entered 1st Sun Vein and proceeded to the famous Ballroom and the Longcleugh workings.

From here we spent several hours exploring various passages before returning to the surface around 1 p.m..

This left us with enough time for a Boddingtons shandy at the Miners Arms and a quick stop in Stanhope for chips and gravy before heading home.

We took a rope with us with the intention of descending a bolted sump (a pitch to us cavers) that we had spotted the week before.

The sump was rigged using a thread belay to a small bolt traverse and a rebelay from a sling wrapped around a log.

We descended around sixty feet to the next level, from here Rampsgill level can be seen below, and the end of Carrs level can be seen but not entered because of a gate.

After a quick prusik back up into Smallcleugh level we spent the rest of the day exploring numerous passages.

For our first visit to Smallcleugh we were lucky enough to meet two mineral collectors at the car park.

They kindly offered to show us around Smallcleugh, we headed up the level, passed through the North End flat and on to Wheel Flat and into what was described as the dreaded "Hetherington's" by one of our guides (he was of a large persuasion).

Hetherington's turned out to be a 1m high series of meanderings, which were no problem for people of a average build and hardened cavers like ourselves.

From Hetherington's we entered 1st Sun vein and our guides led the way to the famous Ballroom.

After signing the guest book we thanked our guides and headed of exploring on our own.

We spent the rest of the day exploring every little passage or hole in the wall or floor that we came across.

On the way out we came across several sumps (or pitches to us cavers) one of which was bolted, but as we had no rope or harness's with us we had to leave it for another time.

We left Darlington at 8 am, we were the first to arrive at the mine heritage centre, and we changed very quickly as it was very cold.

Our plan was to visit Smallcleugh, so we headed up the track to the area where we thought the entrance was, we were acting on directions given the previous week by a member of the heritage centre staff.

There was only two visible entrances in the area, one was gated and locked entrance to Carr level (this level is used by the heritage centre for tourist trips), and the other a smaller entrance in the hillside to the right and slightly higher than the entrance of Carr level, we entered this level.

After going several hundred feet in, it became apparent that this level did not fit the description of Smallcleugh we had heard and read, so we turned back.

Back on the surface, we had another look around for the entrance, not finding anything and no wanting to waste more time going further up the valley we headed back down to Rampgill.

Once inside the first stop was the Brewery shaft from here we proceeded to the first junction, where this time we took the passage on the left (as the lads took the passage on the right last week) this soon deteriorated in to small passage with loose slate walls which had collapsed at regular intervals.

Soon we encountered some stone step leading up from the left, so we followed these, they entered a small passage which was gradually heading upwards, in a small room on the right we encountered two other explorers, who explained to us where to find the entrance to Smallcleugh level.

We continued further up the passage exploring the side passages, but as there was little to see so we decided to return to the main level.

Back on the main level we started exploring some of the levels above us, to gain access to some of these Tony used Ste and myself as human ladders and bridges.

With plenty still to explore we decided that we would come back again in the future, next time possibly with a maypole or ladder.

Back outside we decided we still had time to have a quick look in Caplecleugh level.

Inside the water was thigh deep most of the way but sometimes reached our waists, we came across old signaling stations and the signal wires still running along the walls.

As we continued it was obvious that wetsuits would be needed to fully explore this level and made our way back out.

With the continuing access restrictions to most caving areas due to the Foot & Mouth outbreak, we'll have plenty chance to explore these levels.

We left Darlington at 8:45am and headed for Stanhope, hoping to do Four Fathoms mine /cave, but we found foot and mouth restrictions on all the access points to the mine.

So we decided that we had better think of somewhere else to go, luckily the latest copy of Descent had arrived this morning and it said it was possible to do Rampgill and Smallcleugh mines at Nenthead so that's where we headed.

Not having a lot of knowledge about that area we asked at the visitor center and was told we could do the mines.

We decided on Rampgill mine, and were amazed at how large the mine is, with over forty mile of passage.

First we came to the Brewery shaft and had a look down to the main level over 262 feet below (the top of the shaft is 98foot above this point), hopefully in the future we would like to descend to the main level.

From the shaft we then carried on, bearing right at every branch in the passage and explored what we could without getting lost, the mine is confusing at points with several branches all with two or three passages leading off.

After about three hours in the mine we headed out without too much trouble, we only explored a small part of this large and impressive mine, it would take a lot of trips to get to grips with the route finding.

We are hoping to do Smallcleugh mine next Monday which is linked to Rampgill.

by Ste Myers.

As we rigged the first pitch I realized that I had forgot to bring any slings, so we improvised, using a rope I had brought for hauling.

We descended the pitch, passing the constriction with ease, at the bottom we first headed upstream past the fine formations, up several small cascades and climbs until we reached straw chamber, I had forgot what a fine caving trip Hagg Gill is.

We then went downstream to the sump, climbed a small water fall and followed the inlet for as far as possible before making our way out.

Ingleton was the next port of call to look around the shops before returning home.

Weather: Cool and dry with low lying cloud on the fells, clearing to bright sunshine by midday.

The days caving was jaded by the tragic news of the death of two cavers, Julian Carrol and Ray Lea , in Ireby Fell Cavern over the weekend.

Although we didn't know either Julian or Ray, I had, had several correspondences with Julian during the previous fortnight, as he had just started caving again after an eight year gap and was looking for a local club that did weekday trips.

I spoke with Julian for the first time the night before the accident, he was looking forward to the trip with Ray on Saturday and then joining Ste and I on Monday.

Unfortunately the first I knew of the accident was when I rang his house on Sunday afternoon, to organize Mondays trip.

We would like to pass on our deepest sympathies to the family and friends of both men.

Yet again Tony and Barry had been unable to get any caving done on Sunday because of the weather, everywhere they looked was flooded.

With this knowledge in mind we headed for Bar Pot, knowing at least we could get down there.

We left at 06:30, and within minutes the car was filled by a cloud of toxic fumes, courtesy of Ste and the curry and large amount of larger he had the night before, the rest of the drive to Clapham was spent with the windows being opened every couple of minutes.

We arrived at Clapham around 8a.m. kitted up and made for the fell, all the streams we passed on the way were carrying large volumes of water and large areas of the route were thick with mud.

Ste, quickly rigged the first pitch and we descended , I rigged the second pitch and from the bottom we made for Gaping Gill main chamber.

In the main chamber a very large amount of water was coming down the main shaft, Jib passage and from another inlet to the left of Jib.

With alcohol in mind we headed out and made for the surface, had a quick across the fell to Gaping Gill to get a better idea of how much water was flowing in to the main chamber, and then headed for home.

We left home at 6:30 a.m. with know clear idea of where we were going or weather we would get there, the day before Pete Roe had rang Tony and told him not to bother trying to get in to the dales, they tried anyway but were turned back by worsening weather as they drove along the A66.

The road were clear until we reached Richmond, we were soon traveling on uncleared roads in snow over a foot deep.

We hadn't got much further when a van in front of us became stuck, after spending 20 minutes trying to dig it out we gave up and carried on, an other ¼ of a mile we were also forced to turn back.

We soon came upon the van again which had got moving again and tried to follow us, and had then became stuck again, 30 minutes of digging it was still stuck and the local farmer had to tow him out with his tractor.

The farmer told us that the Catterick to Hawes road was clear, so we thought we would try it before giving-up and going home.

Sure enough the road was clear, so we headed for the dales, on the way deciding that the best option in this weather was Sell Gill Holes, so we headed for Horton-in -Ribblesdale.

When we got there we parked up, and after I recovered from the shock of paying £3.50 for a days parking, we got changed and made our way to Sell Gill, some of the snow drifts in the fields were over 10ft deep and walking was hard going.

At Sell Gill the gully was totally snowed in, I tied a hand line on the first anchor and attempted to find some more anchors but they were all deep under the snow, we rigged the entrance pitch using an old bolted ladder route along the ledge above the gully.

After this we made short work of the rest of the pitch's, and were soon back on the surface having snowball fights, by the time we got back to the car the snow was falling heavy and starting to lay on the road, so we headed straight home.

The A team consisting of Ste and myself left home at 7a.m. with the job carrying the ropes and rigging gear to the cave and rigging the first pitch ready for the arrival of the G (geriatric) team, Tony and Barry (only joking).

After a quick stop to purchase some of Mr. Ginsters fine savories we headed for the dales.

We arrived at parking area at 8:30a.m. got kitted up and headed for the fell, we had just reached Crummack farm when the G team, who left 30mins behind us, arrived at the parking area.

Once at the top of the cave Ste left me to rig the first pitch, while he backtracked to look for Tony and Barry.

By the time Ste arrived back with Tony and Barry, I had rigged the first pitch as far as the beginning of the short traverse above the cascades, while Tony and Barry put on their harness's, I finished the rigging.

Ste had half rigged the second pitch traverse when his lamp failed, luckily he had a spare light with him and was able to carry on, be it with a lot less light.

I rigged the third pitch and we all descended, it was at this point we realized that we had used the wrong rope on the second pitch, and wouldn't have enough rope to continue.

By the time we returned to the fell it was raining quite hard, so we made a quick return to the cars, and left around 3p.m..

DATE.	CAVE VISITED & AREA.
12/11/01	Bar Pot, Gaping Gill.
07/10/01	Rampgill Mine, Nenthead.
03/09/01	Meregill Hole, Chapel-le-Dale.
26/08/01	Swinsto Hole, West Kingsdale.
13/08/01	Hardrawkin Pot, Chapel-le-Dale, Skirwith Cave, White Scar and Big Bertha.
06/08/01	Great Douk Cave, Chapel-le-Dale.
01/07/01	Smallcleugh Mine to Caplecleugh Mine through trip, Nenthead.
24/06/01	Smallcleugh Mine, Nentsberry Haggs level and Rampsgill, Nenthead.
17/06/01	Smallcleugh Mine, Nenthead.
10/06/01	Smallcleugh Mine, Nenthead.
03/06/01	Smallcleugh Mine, Nenthead.
28/05/01	Smallcleugh Mine, Nenthead.
14/05/01	Smallcleugh Mine, Nenthead.
13/05/01	Smallcleugh Mine, Nenthead.
07/05/01	Smallcleugh Mine, Nenthead.
16/04/01	Rampgill Mine, Nenthead.
09/04/01	Rampgill Mine, Nenthead.
19/02/01	Hagg Gill Pot, Lanstrothdale upper Whafedale.
12/02/01	Bar Pot/Gaping Gill main chamber, Gaping Gill.
05/02/01	Sell Gill Holes, Penyghent.
28/01/01	Digging, New Cave.
07/01/01	Juniper Gulf, The Allotment.