Robinson's
Pot - 1st. July 2017
Present: Bill Nix (co-ordinator),
Alex Anderson, Phil Gillespie, Ian Mister, Phil Withnall,
Toby Speight, Steph (ULSA) Matt Jenkinson,
Ian Goodall.
Robinsons Pot is a rather unique cave
in so much as its entrance and a lot of the entrance series are beneath Darnbrook farmhouse. The cave was explored in part in 1862
to a chamber beyond which some ways on close down, and the main way also lowers
to a crawl. The cave was covered over and sealed up until nearly a century
later when builders working on renovations on the farmhouse, one of which was a caver, discovered the
entrance. Previously to this the Brindle brothers in particular David Brindle
(CPC) had spent years looking for cave passage in and near the dry streambed,
when in 1975 the entrance he had been searching for was finally located beneath
the farmhouse kitchen window!
At this time it was farmed by the three Robinsons brothers who had been
there for over thirty years. David was a
close friend of theirs after getting to know
the Robinsons when his car broke down above the farm one winter. The
Robinson brothers shared a few Christmas's with Denis and his wife and family.
They also got involved with his various projects over the years whilst he was
looking for the lost river of Darnbrook, hence the
cave name Robinson's Pot. The entrance location limits the number of permits
issued for this rather special cave, however the current tenants are very
helpful and appreciative of our little gift (the
farmer's wife certainly, not sure if she was joking about drinking it all
during Love Island or joking about watching Love Island!)
The weather had held good, mostly,
during the week and nine of us assembled with a huge amount of gear, just to
entertain the photographical contingent of whom there were four of us! We soon
negotiated the entrance pitch, landing in the pleasant chamber there. An easy
climb up leads along a small passage filled with glacial debris, though
possibly river deposits, to a climb down again. We followed the passage to 1862
chamber which was the furthest point reached by the original explorers who
wrote their names on the wall and the date. (the
cave was sealed for over a century after their visit as they assumed it would
be possibly never visited again due to its location). A fascinating inlet
sump enters on the right at this point whilst further on in the chamber you
have two options ...
I have lost count of how many times I
have reached this point and got it wrong. Both ways look right but only the
lower route is. It was decided that the right hand route was definitely right
so we set off up there. After a little way the passage got muddier and closed
down at a rather pretty area. "It doesn't go! Sorry it must be down the
hole on the left. We need to go back" ...
It's worth coming here to see this
pretty area though. I was nearly run over by the rush of people wanting to
crawl up the wet muddy bit to see the end. We returned to the far end of the
1862 chamber. "Sorry it's been a year since I was last here" I set
off down the hole, still not feeling confident, especially when presented with
more options, however I picked the right option dropping us in a chamber with
water. From here, the correct mud crawl,
a dry mud floored tube (that I still
don't like, even despite numerous trips through it) was followed around a
bend and on to eventually debauch into a chamber with several ways off and a
stream flowing through it. This time there was no issues route finding. It is
one of those classic caving moments that I still remember from my first visit
down this amazing cave. You are in a
nice wide passage, not quite high enough to stand (unless you're a short arse!) - with nice
obvious options, or a low wet grovel in water and gravel. It is not the big
passage! The crawl isn't difficult just a tad refreshing which though welcome
after nearly succumbing to overheating in the dry passages previously, lasts a
bit too long. There are a few enlarged cross rifts that give the weary explorer
some respite, to get out of the water and encourage you to keep going. It is
worth it. At the end of a downhill flat out crawl in water you arrive in
McColl's Rift. Wow! This huge passage crosses over the original passage that
goes to a sump in the opposite wall that leads to the main streamway under
water. I still need to return to this area for a picture I want, maybe next
year. Everyone was relieved to be out of the crawl and exploring the wonders of
McColl's rift.
We climbed up the mud bank to the top
where the high rift passage carries on past some fantastic mud formations. The
passage lowers, then opens up again and carries on like this to the end.
"Look out for a hole on the left hand wall" I said, "No not that
one, you can't mistake it". The group stopped at the next hole. "Yes
this one". There is an amazing area
of deep sticky mud just at the point where you want to drop down before the
muddy link passage. Past experience has taught me how to avoid it! Not everyone
was so lucky! We set off down the muddy link, a short cross passage that drops
down into the main streamway. (a short
ladder aide the descent to the streamway) downstream is nice but lowers
eventually to two downstream sumps.
We set off upstream to the upstream
sump. Some of us had done this cave previously. but even despite that it is
still a fantastic cave to visit. It holds a few unique features as well as just
other really nice features including a floor of cobbles in an oxbow on the
left. The streamway is rather fantastic and one can only imagine Denis Brindle's excitement at finally solving the mystery of the
(dry) lost river of Darnbrook. Mostly walking, with
one or two small cascades to ascend we eventually reached the wide corner with
a cobble slope on one side that indicated we were nearing the end. A lot of
people often turn around here as beyond is a very spacious aquatic duck with
airspace into the sump pool chamber. From here a wet muddy passage - Gloop Crawl, leads off to more passageways and the Worm
Series.
I have been to the sump pool many
times as well as through Gloop Crawl but I was not
rushed on going through it again. I had in fact come to take a nice picture in
the sump pool chamber (5th. attempt?) so I started getting the camera out when
everyone disappeared into Gloop Crawl (I had encouraged them but initial
enthusiasm hidden very well!) I decided to follow, rather than stand and
wait, waist deep in cold water! Gloop Crawl had
changed somewhat since my last visit, mud and silt had moved making it more
accommodating. It is not a long crawl, debouching into a small chamber with the
way on to the right along another crawl that was less accommodating though now
equally wet.
Once through we appeared in a
comfortable chamber with different ways leading off. Heading to our left we
went to the Worm Series where climbing part way up it was possible to view the
very nice white stalactite/curtain formations that always remind me of Dr
Aspin's Halberdiers in Monster Cavern (Lancaster Hole). Carefully descending we
returned to the junction to find others had disappeared up the other passage, This
passage starts off as walk then leads to a ramp / climb up into a
rift before choking.. There is a lot of potential here as the passages are on
the same parallel line as McColl's Rift.
Once more we headed back through the
now wetter crawl to the chamber from which a comfortable exit was made back to
the sump pool via. Gloop Crawl. The silt had moved so
much here it was not only no longer flat out but room enough to turn around so
that rather than emerging head first into water whilst trying to stay above it
and rotate as fast as possible, a more pleasant feet first and move away could
be achieved.
Now feeling "damp" and cold
I had lost enthusiasm or taking a photo in this fascinating chamber so I
followed the water out to where some of the group waited at the cobbled covered
corner. After some brief discussion we set off up for a photo shot here, though
the effects of cold numbing water were heavily distracting. Starting at the
corner we took it in turns to model and take pictures, moving on down the
passage to a rather pretty formation of flowstone and gours.
I do really like the streamway here and think it is very rewarding to reach it
after all the low grovels through mud tubes and wet bedding planes.
Time was moving on so before everyone
got too cold (incl. me!) we returned
upstream and packed up the kit, heading off at a pleasant meander to the short
pitch. Some of the team were already up and away. To keep things moving, I
followed, went through Crossover Passage (aka.
the muddy link) back to the staggering McColl's Rift. Up and over mud banks
left by water flows in the distant past I reached the end. At the top of the
mud slope I set up some gear and waited for Alex, Ian, Matt and Phil. We
managed to get a quick couple of shots here before waning enthusiasm coerced us
into a final retreat! Alex and I were the last to go through the flat out wet
grovel, broken by occasionally by cross rifts offering some relief.
Finally the end. This is the section
of cave that one always blanks out of one's mind after the trip because
although not difficult it is unpleasant.
My least favourite section of passage
followed. The dry mud tube that is followed to near 1862 chamber. Mostly it is not bad though a narrower bit
always unnerves me (I have a broad
frame/shoulders). I was reminded of how nice it is not to have an Oldham
Cap Lamp strapped to my waist, reaching around to position the battery to
topside, where it should be out of the way only to feel it move to where it
wanted to be in an awkward section. I waited at the end foe Alex, to give him a
pull with his blue bag of camera kit at the awkward end section. We scrambled
out into 1862 Chamber, nodded to the brave Victorian explorers who left their
mark, before heading outwards, past a bank of sediment and small pebbles. Up
the wooden ladder, traversing and scrambling along the small stooping passage
to the entrance chamber where the ladder and daylight awaited. I climbed up the
ladder leaving Alex to tie the gear onto the lifeline once I had surfaced. It
is a lot easier dropping gear down than bringing it out due to the nature of
the shaft and entrance shape.
The good people at Darnbrook Farm were notified that we had exited and thanked
for their hospitality and use of the hose pipe to clean the mud off!. All in
all another enjoyable trip down this fabulous cave. Next stop the Falcon in Arncliffe for refreshments in the sunshine, We plan to
return in 2018.
Bill Nix