Topic

Another good turn out of 7 YSS members for a trip down Meregill, rigged both the Aven and the Mere entrances as this helped to speed up getting in and out due to numbers. Steady trip down to the bottom with several rigger changes on the way, and once at the bottom of the last pitch, some of us went off down stream for a look at the sump. This was quite a pleasant trip due to water levels being low and after the usual sighting of the dive line, we turned rounded and headed back to the pitch.
Again steady trip out with several derigger changes on the way, and pretty soon we were all back safely on the surface for the walk back down.
Trip time 6hrs30
Sharon Abbot, Howard Whittaker, Alex Wallman, Sue Blackburn, Alex Richie, Gordon Aitken, Keith Mason

I didn’t know a lot about Meregill, tight damp entrance if you took the Avon route (not for me thanks) and wet or impassable if you chose the Mere entrance. The party split into two groups, some wanted to wriggle into the Avon entrance, I joined Sharon as she rigged the Mere entrance shaft from a handy tree and we dropped down the have a look at the water levels. NO WATER, we entered a bone dry passage with a dive line and soon met the Avon party as they dropped into the cave. The system was great fun from start to finish, a stream passage with deep pools to try not to fall into, lots of pitches, big enough to be interesting to not big to wear me out. There were some rebelays that needed a bit of thinking about and the view into the canyon as three cavers descended simultaneously was fantastic. Not many pretties but nice clean well washed passages with a bit of wet crawling for those who wanted to see the sump. I enjoyed myself enormously; this has to be up there on my favourites list. Thanks to the rest of the party for your company and rigging.

(Susan’s trip report) Mere Gill is definitely on my favourites list. Nearly made the flat out crawl to the sump, but not disappointed. From what I’ve been told, we were lucky to get as far as we did due to the low water levels. Went in through the Avon pitch, short with a little tight bit, but fun getting onto the pitch head. A really good work out and thoroughly enjoyable. I’d like to thank everyone on the trip, I had a great time….

What can I say a good trip.

Arriving at Meregill I decided to see if I could get through Little Meregill. After a bit of a feet first struggle I was finally defeated by a triple S bend. I suppose if I had, had gone head first I may had passed that obstruction but I did not fancy getting stuck head first and wanted to be able to reverse easily.

Meregill it self was as very dry after no rain for the last week. We rigged both entrances, I chose to descend the Meregill entrance into the canyon.

There was quite a bit of waiting at the pitches as there was 6 of us. Most of the pitches, were wide and open canyons and large shafts. These pitches remind me very much of Dachstien. If anyone wants to know what the caving is like there, then Meregill is a good example. At the bottom I decided to have a look at a side passage rather then follow the main stream like the rest. What started off as a walking passage soon degenerated to stooping and then crawling before becoming finally a low canal. Just as I was about to turn around I spotted a strap floating in the water. Not wanting to leave litter in the cave I grabbed it and pulled it out, only to find out that strap was attached to a Pantin. I been wanting to try one of those! Rejoining the main passage I headed down stream. This was a fantastic half a kilometer or so of stomping walking passage before it finally degenerated into a flat out cobbled crawl before sumping.

Heading out, let me say those Pantins don't half make going up pitches alot easier. It can be a bit faffy getting it on and off the rope but prussicing is twice as fast and less tiring, there is no trouble pulling slack rope through at bottom of pitches and finally rebelays are easier as the Pantin is a more stable ledge then your foot loop alone. I went up and de-rigged Avon after feeling guilty about not de-rigging anything else.

Was a good trip, I would gladly go back to that cave.

Meregill..... At last! Got to do it
A Great trip! - even better than anticipated.

Highly recommended. (I think this is the third or fourth time it was nearly organised) but definitely made it this time & well worth the wait!

Team members: Keith Sharon & Howard Alex & Susan Alex R & Gordon
Trip time 6 hours .

I first saw the gorge entrance area 2 years ago when I went out with the Northern Caves book -looking for cave entrances. I thought then, ’this looks interesting’ -and it’s a great feeling to get to do something I’ve fancied doing for such a long time. (Especially after reading all the warnings about how dangerous it can be).
So we were very careful to watch the weather, which had been almost dry for the previous week. The forecast was good for the day so the trip was on.
I somehow thought this was a small cave. Even thinking maybe we could do it on an evening. But after studying the new rigging guide [by Damian?] I began to appreciate that there was going to be a lot of technical passing of rebelays and deviations. Probably my most challenging yet.

Alex R was to try the Little Mere entrance?, Keith and Howard the Aven entrance? whilst the rest of us went down the Mere entrance? –later joined by Alex who decided the Little Mere was n’t for him.
The pitches were all great. Just long enough and technical enough to be interesting and challenging and due to the large number of rebelays allowed nearly all 7 of us to be on various bits o’ rope most of the time. I think the riggers had a good time too finding all the rebelay points and possible deviations etc?
This really is vertical caving apart from the main drain at the bottom.
Keith confirmed water levels were especially low and that the main drain was accessible right to the dive line – I opted to miss out on the second part of the main drain which I believe involved some low crawling through water to the sump at the end.

Thanks everyone for rigging and de-rigging

A fantastic day got to be one of the best yet.

Oh Susan we did not nearly make the flat out crawl to the sump I just read NC2 and it seems we went the wrong way lol, we should have gone left somewhere not under the right hand wall. No wonder I could not get through those cobbles no one has ever pushed that passage we were in very far and I can see why!

And I thought it was only you who had trouble with Left and Right Susan

I don't I guess I just did not listen to the directions given lol.