Pommes de terre - underground
with the Aussies
28/05/2018:
Sam Lieberman,
Bruce Grieve, Justin Wilkinson (no relation), Robert Scorse,
Geoffrey McDonnell
One on Andy Hall's many postings to the club came through:
"We have
a small group of Australians from Sydney Caving Club stopping at the Farm from
25th May - 2nd June lead by Robert Scorse. If you are at the Farm please make them
welcome and perhaps offer to lead them on a trip somewhere."
I'd been out for day 9 of the Slab Pot escapade (seems so long ago
now) and got a pass out from my long suffering wife, Rowena, to stay at the
farm that Saturday evening. Whilst having a laid back chat with team
Aus, I agreed to lead them on a through trip on the following bank holiday
Monday, it should only take 3-4 hours I said. Coincidentally an old friend from
my Manchester days was around in the Dales for the long weekend and was
looking for a caving trip. Since his name was Bruce I thought he'd fit in
nicely with the group from down under so I met him back at home in Settle
on Sunday evening for a beer or three (or four).
Bleary eyed we set off for the farm the next morning, at least I'd
not arranged too early a start and, as it turns out, with the novelty task of
getting SRT gear together and Justin's enormous bag of camera gear we
didn't set off for Lancaster Hole until well after 11am. It was
a pleasant stroll in fine weather over to Lancaster Hole
where everyone was suitably impressed with the entrance. On the way over
Bruce mentioned that he had another engagement later that day and with the
prospect of at least a 4 hour trip (I was dubious even at that time given the
size of the bag of camera gear!) I rigged Lancaster properly with a re-belay at
the ledge so he could escape out that way if necessary.
Justin was next down and immediately saw a photo opportunity
looking up the pitch, so out came the flashguns and his camera with the
most amazing lens assembly I've ever seen, with multiple rings stepping out to
a protective filter plate a hand span across. If Wile E. Coyote had ordered a
camera from Acme Products this would be it. Robert and Geoff were slow on the
abseil and changeover so there was plenty of time for pictures, though flare
from the daylight and troubles communicating with the echoes meant the perfect
shot eluded him.
Onwards! I thought a quick detour in to the Colonnades would be
worthwhile, especially as team Aus. wasn't sure they'd get back down during the
rest of their visit, inevitably more pictures ensued. Pretty's done, it was on
to Fall Pot. Whilst I started taking folk down the hand line climb, Bruce began
to get paranoid and ran back to Kath's Way to reassure himself he'd be able to
find his way out. Regrouping at the base of Fall Pot,
I led the way down the boulders to the streamway, as that was too
good a thing to miss, the water was about as low as I've ever seen
it. Coming from a desert planet, the Australians were not used to
large underground streamways and though impressed
with the austere canyon of the lower main drain they were somewhat trepidatious about getting their feet wet. A quick
scoot down to the sump soon broke them in and out came the camera again along
with all four flash guns this time. Several shots later we arrived back at Fall
Pot and Bruce fretted about finding his way up to the top
again so I led him back up the boulder pile to the hand line, he assured
me he could find his way back out from there and bid him farewell, ne'er to be
seen again.
Back in the streamway, I secretly had high hopes of getting
everyone upstream through to Stake Pot, and after passing the photographic
obstacle course of beautiful streamway and giant swirl pools we were ultimately
defeated at the third pool and the onset of extreme aquaphobia
- so near but yet so far. So it was back to Fall Pot and up through the
boulders (déjà vu?) to the high level. We wandered along to Stake Pot, I
pointed out how close we'd got down
below, then talked the guys down and up the ropes to the high level
continuation. Everyone needed a bit of a breather on the far side and Geoff
seemed particularly out of puff so I gave them an opt out to go back to
Lancaster Hole, but they were all determined to carry on, so on we went. A little detour to Arson Shaft suitably
impressed the guys, quickly followed by the Trident formation (photo), Bob's
Boss and the Painter's Palette (more photos).
Time to get a step on, we were about 4 hours in to our 3 1/2 hour
trip, so we pressed on over the traverses and on upstream. I got to a
bit I didn't recognise with a widening chamber to the
left sloping down, strange.... then I realised what was wrong. We were at Oxbow
corner but there was no sound of a streamway, it was an odd feeling. Crawling
next, to sort the dwarves from the giants (with too much camera gear), then the
climb up to Oakes Cavern and the Minarets. Geoff was
definitely flagging now and
his companions were forcing chocolate down
him (clue...) but we
were past the halfway point so no point in turning round now. More photos of
the classic passage here but they declined the opportunity to see the
remaining Minarets in full, so we snuck through the bypass and plodded on
into Cornes, Snail and Monster Caverns marveling at
the roof formations and cursing the slippery boulder climbs.
Main Line Terminus and time for another rest, over 5 hours in
to the 3 1/2 hr trip. One of the possible targets had been Carrot Chamber but
it was generally agreed that given the increasing levels of tiredness that we
should keep heading out. The terrain on the way to Stop Pot nearly proved too
much with ups and downs through slippery boulders and Geoff getting his leg
trapped at one point. Still, obstacles were overcome and we were soon down the
ladder and winding our way down Stop Pot. I decided that the squirm through at
stream level and more streamway to Eureka Junction would be a bit much for the
weary desert dwellers so took them through the crawl to Four Ways Chamber,
a tiring crawl, but a shorter route and we were then on the final leg to
the surface, up Wretched Rabbit Passage.
I think I forget sometimes that Wretched Rabbit is quite strenuous
for the uninitiated, persons of a larger frame with the dead weight of now
redundant camera gear or at least folk who haven't been up and down it
more times than they care to (or are able to) remember.
Following my lead they all made it over the awkward traverse just
past the crawly bit, the levels of cursing from Geoff were getting louder and I
made a mental note to get worried if he started to go quiet. Up and up we went
with cries of "How much more of these damn meanders are there?", I
was getting concerned that Geoff wouldn't have the strength to get up the
climbs but somehow he made it.
Finally we arrived at the big rift where the tale of the
Spiral Stairs connection and the Wailing Wall were related and, despite the
tiredness, they were suitably impressed with my handiwork. Just a few short
ropes to go, step by weary step we pushed and hauled and grunted our way
towards the surface and then we were out. It was sunny, and now 7 hours in to
our 3 1/2 hour trip, the relief at being back on the surface was plain as was
the elation at completing the through trip, just two short kilometers to
walk back across the fell! As we plodded back it was
mentioned, just in passing, that Geoff was diabetic - but they hadn't wanted to
worry me at the time though I'd had my suspicions back at the Minarets
when they were force feeding him chocolate. Cess
Lavvy as they say in France. We went straight back to the Farm and Justin
assured me they'd go back to de-rig the following day which suited me fine.
After some emergency rehydration I was about to set off home but my
appreciative team had other ideas and kindly offered to feed me, off to Kirkby we went for a slap up meal and a pint at the Royal.
They were a great bunch from the Sydney Speleological Society
(David Fisher and Jasmine Scorse were also visiting
with their group) and various of them managed a Craig a Ffynnon and G.G. trip whilst in the UK, bought a load of
our T-shirts and surveys and left us a standing offer that if anyone's around
that part of Australia they'll do what they can to help out with trips.
Their Web page link is: http://www.sss.org.au/ and
pictures from the trip are posted here on Facebook:
https://m.facebook.com/pages/category/Nonprofit-Organization/Sydney-Speleological-Society-255544877820933/
Not quite the end..... "What
happened to Bruce?" I hear you cry...
Well his car was gone when we got back to the farm and I got a
text from him a day or so later, so I guess he made it in the end.
The end.
Sam Lieberman - photographs by Justin Wilkinson