Digging @RichM: First visit in 2012, washed clean after heavy rains, no progress at dig face. Two holes drilled chemicals applied to break boulder jammed in rift. Survey needs updating.

Trip through the frothy scum to Sump 2 @RichM: A late start from the Wessex we headed to the entrance where there was a good healthy streamway disappearing into the blockhouse. Down through the rift, short dry, water chamber a wet 20, double pots, inclined rift to sump 1. Enticed by the deep layer of frothy scum we headed for sump 2 and returned via same route. Good trip.

Exploration of GB, to much chatting led to a couple of navigational mistakes by JC, but soon put right @JonnyC: A leisurely trip through GB, unfortunately I was navigating whilst chinwagging which led to some pretty bad navigation, although it did give me the opportunity to tick off a few passages. We headed down through the entrance into the first grotto and on down mud passage and eventually dropping out into the gorge. We headed straight down under the bridge to the pitch to see how the water w ...

Leading Kyle down into Swildons for his first time, little drier than last week @JonnyC: An opportunity to show Kyle what Swildon's is all about and demonstrate the difference from Goatchurch! Water levels were ok, unfortunately nothing like last week when I omitted to drag the camera along. We headed down over the entrance rift, through the zig zags dropping down jacob's ladder into the short dry way, a lifelined twenty, down through the inclined rift to sump one which was nice and foamy again, K ...

Digging @RichM: Following heavy rain, passageways washed clean. Blacked large boulder, opening up a continueing rift. Big dilemma on progress possibilities due to no space to stack spoil - worth pushing bit more to see what happens, water going in same direction as dig and drafting.

Very wet trip into sump one @JonnyC: A superb trip down into Swildon's after a significant reduction in caving lately. The stream into the block house looked higher than I have seen it in a while, and even the first drop into cave was a drop into white water. The descent through the rift was pouring and the rest of the cave matched. Because I was pretty tired we headed in and out via the short dry way, and didn't attempt the sump. We met three other cavers emerging the sump into the scum! ...

@JonnyC: A get away break into the Beacons. I took Rich to see the four waterfalls walk and to walk behind Sgwd yr Eira whilst combining some photo taking and risk assessment. The wet weather led to some very impressive falls. We of course had a peak inside Porth yr Ogof and at the resurgence. We headed east across to the Black Mountains to stop overnight at the Grwyne Fawr Reservoir Bothy. We sat down to a delightful meal of pasta and sauce with cake and Port in front of the wood burning ...

Digging failed, unded up in Swildons sump one @RichM: Normal sunday digging saw only two intrepid explorers available without a key component for Bath two ladders. The ensuing conversation pondered the merits of warm fires, pipe & slippers but caving won over. Soon we were hurrying from the Wessex towards Swildons to escape the cold night air. Short dry, twenty, AVP went Barnes loop as the 20 was rigged to see if we saw anyone whilst I did the inclined rift meeting downstream only each other on to su ...

Rich led a nostalgic return for one into Goatchurch @RichM: Following a request for a trip down Goatchurch from someone who had not been there since a venture scout many years ago I agreed to lead the adventure. A hasty repair of my old caving light [now good as new] and other cobbled kit we ventured in through main entrance, blody tight, the terrace to stop and reflect at the boulder chamber. Onwards to the water chamber where I could not entice company into see the water fall. Off down to the drain ...

Digging @RichM: First time back to the dig for some weeks. Chemical persuasion had been applied to a large boulder during the week so debris to clear and other boulder to attack with crow bar. Running short of space to stack spoil which could stop the dig, however there is a drafting hole downwards in the bottom of the rift. Slow tired retreat out, but pleased to get digging again - both pitchs negotiated without life line [forgot to take one underground] which was good for confidence.