Wednesday 11th July 2018
Bull Pot of the Witches
Jack, Phil, Fraser (Jack’s grandson)
With just Phil and me available for this Wednesday, and Fraser starting his summer holidays, it was a perfect opportunity to continue his caving career…
Brilliantly hot and sunny. Rigged a handline for the path down to the small opening and the chimney down. Into the open pot, then down Robert’s Passage to the slot down. Slither down, along the passage and then up the climb. Except it’s quite small, really, the fixed rope proving useful. Fraser followed, slowly. Though 12 years old he fits my caving gear – and the slot! So a fair struggle before he reached the top, glowing with the effort and pleased to be out of it. (Hmm, had I made it clear to him that he’d have to go back through that?)
Which left Phil at the bottom … which is where he still was after some considerable huffing and puffing, so a quick look at Gour Chamber, and back. Gravity did its thing, so Fraser was easily down and back into the bottom of the hading rift …
… and up – where now Fraser found that gravity didn’t work upwards…
Back to Robert’s Passage, along to Burnett’s and his (her?) Great Cavern, then down the boulders to the pitches. 2 short ladders and we were into the non-existent stream. And so out swiftly, emerging to more glorious sunshine after 3 hours. A sporting trip with lots of interesting situations for the novice caver, though I’m not sure I’ll ever bother going down there again.
Jack Upsall
Anyone else interested in the odd Wednesday trip, do get in touch: mjupsall@btinternet.com
07837 276798