County Pot to
Wretched Rabbit
Saturday
22nd June 2019:
County
Pot to Wretched Rabbit Pot via Holbeck Junction and Spiral Staircase
Party: Liz Lawton, Bill Nix, Emma Key, Fleur
Loveridge, Stu Weston & Lisa Wootton
We gathered at Bullpot
Farm at around the allotted time, an extra brew in Ingleton having delayed us a
short while. More tea was made upon
arrival at Bullpot Farm whilst the team assembled. Bill sorted out camera gear quietly and the
required tackle for County Pot. It was
primarily a caving trip rather than a photo trip so few pictures were taken. After
changing into our caving gear we had the obligatory birthday caving team photo,
kindly taken by Toby S, who interrupted his breakfast to help.
The sun was out making us
wonder if it was actually June and summer had arrived! Skylarks flew and chirped overhead as we
wandered chatting across the fell. The journey to County Pot was uneventful
with minimal faff at the entrance. Bill
disappearing down the entrance first with a small bag of camera kit with Stu W.
following close behind with a ladder. Bill swiftly rigged the ladder and set up a
lifeline before passing on the end of the rope, crouching down in the passage
to exchange places. Though the pitch is
a pleasant takeoff, careful management of people and kit is required. The planned photo of the pitch was abandoned
this time for it would take too long (it was a caving trip rather than a
prescribed photo trip!).
The gear was lowered to
the bottom and Bill followed after swapping a top belay for a bottom
belay. Then the rest of the group were belayed
down the ladder, from here on we headed down into the Broadway and on to Oxford
Circus. Next the team
entered the parallel streamway descending to the shelf that leads
off to the Battle of Britain Chamber.
From here we went through Showerbath Chamber which was rather dry to the
climb down in to the passage.
A belay was set up
somewhat awkwardly to aid the subterranean climbers’ descent. Soon after we joined Pierce’s Passage which
was followed to Eureka Junction. Bill
took the chance to set up for a photo here.
After a few quick shots with Emma modelling, Bill packed away the
kit. Lisa, Fleur, Stu and Liz had waited
patiently out of shot and we all headed off towards Stop Pot via the low but
dry crawl.
A brief stop here allowed
everyone to regroup after the crawl. Then we were off again, scrambling up and
over boulders heading upstream. The
route here is quite varied, not making it easy to find the best way
through. We did find our way and
eventually arrived at Holbeck Junction.
Bill lead the way down into the junction itself but missed a turning
which was picked up by Fleur after Bill realised his mistake. We picked our way up the Pool Sink passage making
one more error. Whilst looking for the
junction in the passage way that is the start of spiral Staircase Passage a
turning was missed causing Bill to lead the group into a passage way that was
not the required one.
We retreated to the right way on, soon afterwards
finding Spiral Staircase Passage.
For a very long time this
passage way did not go anywhere reaching a diminishing in height passage way at
the end. During part of the resurvey of
Easegill, originally started by Frank Addis (Dirty Frank) and North Manchester
Caving Club (NMCC) in the 1980s and still ongoing by RRCPC it was noticed that
this passageway ends up underneath the end of the Big Rift passage in Wretched
Rabbit Pot. This was opened up a few
years ago with the Wailing Wall retaining the loose material in the Big Rift.
The team followed the
relatively straight forward route through to the climb and pitch that
interrupts the passage. Ascending the
climb Bill lead the way to the pitch bypass and tying the bag on to the rope
hanging down allowed it to be pulled up (being the broadest shouldered member
of the team Bill was happy not to have to drag the bag through the narrow rift
type passage of the bypass). After retrieving the gear, the team assembled at
the junction before heading out through a very pretty decorated section of
passage to the junction (and the amazing feat of engineering, being the Wailing
Wall) with Wretched Rabbit Pot at the start of the Big Rift Passage. A small amount of water was all that was
flowing on this day, so the experience of extricating oneself from Spiral
Staircase Passage was not too much of a wet one.
We proceeded along the Big
Rift Passage to the climbs at the end, wondering why there was felt a need to
modify them. We soon ascended to the top
and emerged into the glorious sunshine. Walking down the beck, Stu and Lisa
popped back into County Pot to retrieve the ladder. A few minutes later the team returned
victoriously across the moor, another enjoyable and successful trip completed.
After a shower and change
into dry clothes preparations for the BBQ were in full swing.
Many thanks to Stu, Lisa,
Fleur, Liz and Emma for a great trip plus all the help given to Emma for a
great 2019 BBQ.
Bill Nix
