Topic

S. Wales Weekend
25th-27th August 2012

I'll leave the other two to fill in the details, since they will undoubtedly have a more interesting perspective than me, but here's what we did:

Saturday 25th: Daren Cilau - Ogof Cnwc (5hrs?) Alex, Gordon, Damian
Sunday 26th: Craig a Ffynnon (to Helictite Passage) (4hrs?) Gordon, Damian
Monday 27th: Agen Allwedd (to Iles Inlet) (4hrs) Alex, Damian

Thanks to Alex & Gordon for putting up with me and to the Chelsea for their hospitality. Where were the rest of you?

dweare wrote:

S. Wales Weekend
Where were the rest of you?

Stuck in a factory untill september! Sounds like you had fun though.

Sorry Damian, would have been good if I could have made it...

Then I would have had no chance keeping up both of you. It was hard enough following Damian on Monday, doing a 6 and a half hour trip in 4 lol. Surprisingly despite how tired I was doing that I am fine today, though a little bruised.

What else can I add on Sunday I went to the west coast to help with someones dig a small passage had been opened up with loads of potential.... I went through to find all 10ft of passage and a blank wall. Audio connection with known passage so was no real point in digging the floor? Did not poke around too much as big slab was threatening to squash me. Went to beach and walked the cliffs afterwards.

Saturday nothing eventful except I dropped my camera in a sump (it jumpt out of my pocket as I skydived over it). I spent 15 minutes fishing for it with my feet while being emerged chest deep in water. Made Damians day apparently. Got it back but scratched the LCD screen a bit

.

Decided to do this trip on Saturday. Rather than Monday (due to weather).

Parked at new parking area 30 yards up from the Old Lime Kilns –which are no longer safe due to falling masonry).
Short pleasant 10 min walk up to the entrance in full sun. Damian said that it is ‘just like caving in France -except that would be a two hour walk in 30 degrees’.

At the entrance the body size gate sets you up for the entrance series itself. Almost straightaway we were into crawling. The start was body sized twisty turny; dug out route going up through boulders. Did n’t really look like my sort of cave but for some reason I was still happy enough to wriggle my way through. With many promises of ‘this is only short and it’s worth it’.
Anyway within 15 mins we were up a bit of scaffolding and into the main passage. Damian was n’t impressed that someone had installed 3 footplates on one part of the entrance climb but I found them quite useful. I think there were two short bits of ladder and a climb aided by a rope that had replaced a chain.

We set off up the main passage went under massive piece of rock covering the six inch pool that sumps really quickly in bad weather. Gasoline alley?

We had to negotiate four boulder chokes. After the first one it was quite muddy under foot
In order to preserve the cave, the formations and the special mud there are tapes in place providing you with a clearly marked pathway so it’s easy to find your way, but unfortunately also means some quite deep mud in places and forces you into deep footsteps which nearly pull your wellies off. No issue really just more fun.

After the second crawl through again some quite small bits we were on our way to Hall of the Mountain King via Travertine passage. The passage is absolutely enormous and just full of straws, curtains, Gour pools - everything really. The walls and roof are perfectly square and smooth. Almost man made in appearance.
But the size of that passage is nothing compared to the Hall of the Mountain King itself. This just has to be the biggest naturally carved out crater – in the roof (technical term anybody?) I have ever seen. And with a lovely curtain coming down too. Damian remarked on how little he could see of this when he first went there with an FX? Lamp many years ago.

After admiring all the formations we had some ‘serious’ crawling to do. Most groups turn back at this point but not us of course. After starting up the crawl almost straight away. I stopped and was weighing up whether I could possibly fit through this next bit. Described as a ‘tight squeeze’. I was thinking even if I did manage to squeeze past this - what else was to come in the next 15 mins of crawling that made any other sane group stop there.
After sharing my doubts with Damian I got a very sympathetic’ just get on with it’ and after no discussion LOL we were off. That first bit of rock looked worse than it was (once I remembered Keith’s technique of moving like a snake; thanks Keith). But really it was only that one bit that was that bad. The third boulder choke was quite hard quite and tight but thankfully a bit wider than just body size, so I just got on with it
I remembered shouting to Damian ‘what happened to my request not to be going in any tight crawly caves and got the usual reply ‘it’s all going to be worth it when you get to the end’.

I noticed in the fourth boulder choke that it was so easy to miss holes. Bearing in mind these were like 18” holes often behind another boulder I think it would be quite difficult to route find for the first time. Full credit to Damian for remembering ‘it’s in on the right, out on the left’. I think you have to be very cave wise to get about here and stay on the right route. Looking for ‘worn’ routes. Holes in tunnel ceilings, switchbacks and all sorts that could really throw you off if you were not concentrating.

After clearing the fourth boulder choke we had made it. Damian had said before we started it was n’t worth taking the ladders to do any more (The Promised land) as there was n’t much more to see down there. But the real treasure was still yet to come.

Helectite Passage.
This is a 3’ rift passage? which has some of the best helectite formations I ‘ve ever seen.

Conservationists are very worried that the ultra delicate and quite beautiful formations could get damaged. So only two people are allowed in it at a time. There is no room to turn around in there and extreme caution and slow movements are required at all times.

And talk about close up! They were like 6” from Damians nose as he lit them up with his light. They were so delicate it was untrue. They truly were ‘needle like’. Beautiful crystals – well worth the very enjoyable trip (including all the crawling).


On the way back it was a bit weird that I had to take my helmet off to get through one of the squeezes I had got through fine on the way there. But hey ho I was n’t going to be stopping there.

When we reached the stooping passages Damian told me that he used to race his brother through there as a lad!

The entrance boulder choke was much easier on the way out as it was downhill. However I bet my suit is a mm thinner as I basically slid down all the little tubey bits.

I thought it was funny when we were getting changed at the car. As there were a couple of passers by who we had to wait for. But one pair (lovely fellas)were local historians who came over for a chat and were very interested to talk to Damian for 10 mins about caves in the area, whilst I stood there and waited politely to change out of my soaking undies; good job it was a warm day LOL.

Great day, great cave, great company

Highly recommended.

.

No Pain, No Gain Ian
Will say it is a cracking trip and one that I would gladly do again

gordona wrote:

... which nearly pull your willies off. No issue really just more fun.

Bloody 'ell, Gordon. No wonder you were moaning. I'm pleased to say it didn't get mine!

Nice report, though, and lots of detail well remembered. Good man!

LOVL What a beauty! Almost tempted to leave it in .


Seriously Ian this has got to be on your list of caves to do.

I would go back tomorrow.

Even tho' crawling is involved; there's so much to commend it. And it was also special to be able to do it with such an expert/local guide the day after his birthday.

A big thank you to Chealsea S. too! Nice place Whitewalls well run by Dave; nice, friendly, hospitable, people; noisy sheep, BAAAAaaa; fantastic showers and amazing plans of the caves on the walls ............perspex and Easegill?