Topic

5 of us headed up the hill in Keith's landy making it a shorter walk. Our first problem of the day soon became apparent. It seems that Keith did a me and well forgot his over-suit! But that did not put if off. I let Keith rig to warm him up lol.

Ales followed Keith with the bag and we all squeezed down the pitches even if there was a little bit of a wait after Shez descended facing the wrong wall. Sue followed Shez with no issue and we all met up again at the pit. Crawling, followed by ardours rift passage where we were amused by Ales Skydiving a hole for some reason then getting temporary stuck, leaving scrapes on the wall.

Finally we reached Leviathan and descended that before heading into the new extensions. The extensions had a an access control set up, in the form of a low muddy duck. Keith braved it after a few attempts then I followed after trying to bail it more. I noticed I was getting no where by now Keith went on ahead as he would get cold otherwise. I went through, very closely followed by Sue. After the duck there was a good 30m of water logged low canal passage. Me and Sue did not wait long for the others being really cold (both in furrys) and assumed they were not coming.

We were now in large, decorated passage. Exploring we went through crawl then into large passage. This pattern repeated itself. Every time we thought it was going to close down it opened up again into more large passage. Some of it reminded me of the show caves of Mulu, along with some massive formations. Finally after one last crawl we reached the end large chamber with a boulder choke blocking the way on. We made out the sole light of Keith in the middle of the vastness. The others had caught us up here as we were about to make our way out.

Back out we were making quick progress and I was finally warming up, only when we reached the duck we noticed we had lost Sue and Ales. Returning we found that Sue's light was out, after messing up the contacts with "liquid s**t" as Keith called, trying to change the batteries. We were all very muddy so could not help to fix it. What's worse no one had brought a backup light through the Duck except me, but it was strapped by cable ties to my head. No one had a knife to cut it off either!

(Lesson here for everyone: Everybody should always have a backup light and a knife with them, I accidentally left mine at my parents, the one time I bloody needed it!)

We managed, somehow to get Sue through the duck, where thankfully Keith had a backup light in his bag at the pitch. We then headed through the tight connection to get into Rift, only the Mouse hole was sumped. The bypass it was then, a quite difficult climb (rope was in the bloody way) led into a flat out passage. I met Rich coming the other way, I presume Ian was behind him somewhere, but only Rich was continuing. As Rich would be de-rigging on his own, I went back with him out Large.

I was getting tired now, the wet big pitch my core temperature dropped. It was a long slog out, but neither of us had an issue with the second pitch. We exited at around 8pm (I think).

Was a long and interesting trip, just wish I did not spend a third of it feeling cold and occasionally shivering after that duck, took ages to heat up again.

Keith M, Shez, Sue & Ales - In Large, out rift taking in the extensions
Alex R - In Large out Large taking in the extensions

(Later trip)

Rich - In Rift out Large.
Ian B - In Rift out Rift

Well done - Any photos ? Sue must have taken her camera.

Leviathan, Alex? That's quite impressive from the Yorkshire Dales!

Only 1 person without any light ... you should have been caving in the days of university FX2s ... you were lucky to have two between five for the last half of a trip!

Anyway, well done - the extensions definitely sound worth visiting (if a little cold!) Did you wear neofleeces and wetsuit hoods?

Leviathan, Alex? That's quite impressive from the Yorkshire Dales!

Is it not called that? Maybe is Colossus then, its something Greek!

Anyway, well done - the extensions definitely sound worth visiting (if a little cold!) Did you wear neofleeces and wetsuit hoods?

Wish I owned a neofleece, never even tried one on. But I did have a diving hood, definitely recommended. Keith was the only one with a neo and that's all he had lol.

alexr wrote:

Is it not called that? Maybe is Colossus then, its something Greek!

Leviathan = JH, Peak District
Colossus = Large

[Geek moment ... Colossus is Latin and Leviathan is (probably) Hebrew I reckon!]

dweare wrote:

alexr wrote:

Is it not called that? Maybe is Colossus then, its something Greek!

Leviathan = JH, Peak District
Colossus = Large

[Geek moment ... Colossus is Latin and Leviathan is (probably) Hebrew I reckon!]

That's told him then Damian
The new find is well worth a look, and although I was only in a Neofleec and Hood the cold was not a problem

Sad to miss you Alex, though you have my permission to say I told you so Chunky Ball
Thank you for accompanying Richard in my absence.

Keith was the only hyperthermic person on the trip

Aye in his neo the rest of us had to put up with being slightly hypothermic instead.

No hyperthermia for me, think it was Shezi who was suffering from the cold!!!

You missed the slight joke or maybe I thought Ales was not making one.

Geek moment

Hyperthermia - too hot.

Hypothermia - too cold.

lol, I think I was more hypo than hyper. I took off a layer before getting into duck thinking that I will have something dry to put on afterwards. But that didnt work too well

alexr wrote:

You missed the slight joke or maybe I thought Ales was not making one.

Geek moment

Hyperthermia - too hot.

Hypothermia - too cold.

Sorry Alex, missed that one. That's what you get reading forum posts at 6.30am whilst still bleary eyed