Dunald Mill Hole - June 2017
On 24th June 2017 we
arrived early at Dunald Mill Lane just off the Kirkby Lonsdale Road from
Halton. Sam and I lathered up with Skin So Soft, as we were expecting midges once
out of the car, then sat and waited for the others to arrive. We were joined by
first bill Holden and just behind him Peter Standing. As the approaching
witching hour arrived Johnny Baker turned up but we were still missing our
guest caver Andrew Hinde from Natural England. By the time we’d changed at the
Gas Terminal Andrew had caught up with us complaining about my directions, well
I had been starting from Halton so my left had sent him down to Aughton, oops!
We set off down the road to the Mill
House and entered through the gate into the copse and down the slippery slope
to the entrance. It is a very impressive sight and so unexpected in such a soft
environment. This was my first underground trip, if you don’t count digging,
since damaging my shoulder and having it sewn back together. In that time I’d
noticed the hair had started growing back on my knees and elbows so I was glad
to start caving again to stop me reverting back to a hairy monkey.
The entrance and most of the rocks
was extremely slippery due to the amount of greenery around or just maybe the
run-off from the farms further up the valley, yuk! Anyway we all made it down
through the 1st Chamber easily enough but with care and then to the
2nd and 3rd Chambers. The walls of the cave have some impressive
white calcite flows and some very pretty small gours. Even further into the
cave you have to remain wary of the slimy cobbles and bedrock. By the time we’d
reached the first crawl we were one member short as Peter had a prior
engagement or two, busy man. At Boss Chamber we stopped to admire the chiselled
graffiti from the ancients, they knew how to do it properly, no MUFC or KIROY
sprayed quickly, only careful and uniform stuff was left by them
When Sam and I visited over a year
ago it had been quite dry and although it’d not rained much the week before the
trip was quite wet and the crawl down to the sump was quite aqueous. Even when
we got to the sump the level had gone up considerably and we were at least 5
metres away from our previously furthest point.
A leisurely retreat ensued until we
reached the entrance again where some of the more adventurous members went off
to explore Dunald Mill Cave. They returned after half an hour to report on
draught and possible continuation and covered in mud. We retreated to the cars
and had only a Grade 1 change, as it was warm, not raining, non-midged and on
asphalt how good is that?
Group at Dunald Mill Johnny Baker in crawl Sam Lieberman in 1st. Chamber
Ray Duffy