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Bogg Hall Cave (27 July 2025) 28 Jul 2025 20:20 #21909
- Topic Author
- dchadwick
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We were joined by Ros for this collector's piece.
It is the resurgence for the Excalibur Jenga system. You enter via a metal drum, which is narrow enough to make climbing back out a pain, so it is recommended that you belay a ladder to a nearby tree.
Having descended the entrance pitch (and squeeze), you enter the water. There is a choice of ways, we went round the wide way passing the 15 to 20m sump. The water in this area is chest deep.
The ways join and you climb out of the water and over some blocks to re-enter the water.
According to the words you then turn right to a duck and some intimidating, narrow, watery passages. We initially went straight on into some passages down which Lukasz thought he would just fit but that I stood no chance.
Coming back, I negotiated the duck on the second attempt. This (according to the words) is best done feet first without a helmet. It does not mention the water which goes up your nose as you pass under the rock.
I was stopped immediately after the duck, you are meant to go straight on in a small air space with plenty of room under the water. As far as I could tell, there were 2 large blocks under the water which impeded my progress.
Looking at the right turn after the duck (pushing tree roots out of the way), I got to a block, but couldn't climb onto it in the narrow passage.
Ros & Lukasz had followed me through the duck. A fit of infectious laughter did not help with getting back past the duck. We then tried another passage closer to the entrance, from which I found the other side of the same block.
Having had an hour or so of faffing in the drain, we decided to call it a day and force our way back out of the cave.
I got back to the entrance first and forced myself up the tight bit at the bottom, making it wet & slippery for everyone else. I then had the ladder climbing issue in a narrow tube. I eventually found a couple of extra foot holds and managed to get the lid open appearing on the surface much to the surprise of some passing walkers.
The others soon followed.
Team: Ros, Lukasz, Robin & Dave.
Time: Just over an hour.
It is the resurgence for the Excalibur Jenga system. You enter via a metal drum, which is narrow enough to make climbing back out a pain, so it is recommended that you belay a ladder to a nearby tree.
Having descended the entrance pitch (and squeeze), you enter the water. There is a choice of ways, we went round the wide way passing the 15 to 20m sump. The water in this area is chest deep.
The ways join and you climb out of the water and over some blocks to re-enter the water.
According to the words you then turn right to a duck and some intimidating, narrow, watery passages. We initially went straight on into some passages down which Lukasz thought he would just fit but that I stood no chance.
Coming back, I negotiated the duck on the second attempt. This (according to the words) is best done feet first without a helmet. It does not mention the water which goes up your nose as you pass under the rock.
I was stopped immediately after the duck, you are meant to go straight on in a small air space with plenty of room under the water. As far as I could tell, there were 2 large blocks under the water which impeded my progress.
Looking at the right turn after the duck (pushing tree roots out of the way), I got to a block, but couldn't climb onto it in the narrow passage.
Ros & Lukasz had followed me through the duck. A fit of infectious laughter did not help with getting back past the duck. We then tried another passage closer to the entrance, from which I found the other side of the same block.
Having had an hour or so of faffing in the drain, we decided to call it a day and force our way back out of the cave.
I got back to the entrance first and forced myself up the tight bit at the bottom, making it wet & slippery for everyone else. I then had the ladder climbing issue in a narrow tube. I eventually found a couple of extra foot holds and managed to get the lid open appearing on the surface much to the surprise of some passing walkers.
The others soon followed.
Team: Ros, Lukasz, Robin & Dave.
Time: Just over an hour.
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