JC leading DG and RM around Goatchurch as leading practice @JonnyC: Off to Goatchurch for an easier cave, but where DG an I will be leading RM around. This is to give us a taste for leading a group, but also to put us in a position of self dependence rather than taking the support for granted. Not too difficult, my knowledge held out for most of it apart from not quite spotting the entrance to the drainpipe. Headed down the the drainpipe and back out of the Tradesman’s, only to be ridiculed by RM f ...

Oxbows and Main Chamber

First mine visit for JC and DG @JonnyC: Great fun visit into SRM, and our first mine exploration.

Exploration of Sidcot for a warm dry trip @JonnyC: Our caving trip this week was a centred around a warm and dry trip to Burrington. We had a quick squint down through Aveline’s Hole up to the gated archaeological dig and then proceeded up West Twin to Sidcot Swallet. Sidcot is immediately an interesting system, as much of the first descent is centre around one main rift split into several crawls/sections by boulders. We took the route down through Hell Series, Lobster Pot into Paradise, although I ...

Not much to say @JonnyC: Quick look at the archaeological dig site, and then out again.

A trip into Swildons two, first sump for many. @JonnyC: Took a trip down Swildon’s from the Wessex club, via the short dry way, this time progressing all the way to sump one. Although time was pressing we took the opportunity to dive under the sump into the Swildon’s Two stream way. Because I was only wearing my TikkaXP I decided to ditch the lamp this side, and use my zip lock sealed MyoXP reserve on the far side. We did not stop for long, but nevertheless a tantalising view of future jaunts. The ...

Exploration by survey of the upper end of Porth yr Ogof, played around in the maze @JonnyC: To finish the day off in style, we donned our caving gear and headed down into Porth yr Ogof cave. A strange place in that it is very difficult to see your way around in the entrance chamber, because your night vision keeps getting messed up by the massive entrance. We spent a little time playing around in the maze, before heading down through the right series through the pool. Darren abandoned his desire ...

@JonnyC: Car park on A470, Fan Fawr, Storey Arms. QHWD

First descent of the twenty for some of the party and visit to the pretty Barnes Loop @JonnyC: A trip down Swildon’s and our first attempt at the twenty. I was a little nervous about the twenty, right up until we got there, but actually doing it was awesome, I had no problems with confidence (probably in great measure due to the lifeline) and soon got the technique nailed. We proceeded on down to Barnes Loop which was very impressive, although we turned back at the end slide of the loop. The climb ...

First visit for JC to Swildon's @JonnyC: My first visit to Swildon’s hole, and what a different place, right from the outset with the blockhouse entrance into the stream and an immediate wetting. The sight of the collapsed entrance chamber does play on the mind a little, but is soon replaced by the experience of climbing down the rift to the right. We made our way down the wet way which ensured I had a constant smile on my face, just like gorge walking but on a smaller scale and underground! To ens ...