October 2025 – Kendal Caving Club

29 October 2025

By Ray McGarry In Day Trips

A Flushing through Short Drop

Tom, Maz, Chris G, Sophie P, Sophie H, Billy, Vikki, Ray

With incredible foresight, Paddy declared himself unable to lead this one weeks in advance, so I took the reins for what should have been a nice relaxed wander through Short Drop and, hopefully, an extension to see the pretties of Glasfurd’s Chamber in Gavel Pot. Tom even volunteered to rig the Gavel entrance and the 2 pitches down to Glasfurd’s.

All such hopes were in doubt as the heavens opened while we were getting changed, soaking everyone before we even set foot underground. For a while it was really pleasant to be in the cave. Until we started the crawl that is. Water levels in this were unpleasantly high and were a definite sign of things to come. Water was thundering through the narrow rift passage after the crawl, which was quite fun, but every short downclimb seemed to end in a deep pool. Some of these pools seemed almost bottomless. Poor Sophie P managed an almost complete submerging in one.

As the passage got bigger, so it became more pleasant. But how wet was the pitch going to be? As it neared, the sound seemed to suggest it would be very wet indeed. Last time I was in SD, there was a fixed rope, but no such convenience this evening. The pitch was quickly rigged and Sophie P offered as a sacrificial rope dummy. Would she disappear into the waterfall never to be seen again? Thankfully no. The rope hung largely free of the falling water. However, there was little avoiding the deep pool below. Most people got a bit of a dunking here until they were able to scrabble back onto dry land.

After everyone else had descended, I thought about leaving the pitch hard rigged and just coming back for the rope on a drier day, but opted for a quick rerig as a pull-through. Thankfully the rope pulled down easily enough and we were on our way again. Most people were really starting to feel the cold by now after waiting at either the top or the bottom of the pitch for quite a while. The prospect of visiting Glasfurd’s was definitely starting to lose its appeal.

A short distance downstream we saw Tom’s light at the end of the traverse from Gavel. A very welcome sight indeed. So began the long process of getting everyone up the initial climb, across the traverse and up the Gavel entrance pitch. While awaiting my own turn, I took the chance to derig the pitches down to Glasfurd’s. I was glad to see that Tom had only rigged the first of these, so that I didn’t have to go far down.

Thankfully the weather was much more pleasant on the walk back from Gavel, although there were grumblings in the ranks about it being quite uphill… and a long way. Clearly we had descended quite a long way through Short Drop. It felt quite late and I wondered if we may be in danger of missing our callout time, but it was only 10pm as we stragglers got back to the cars.

I’d never been to Short Drop in such wet conditions before, but looking back at it now from a nice warm house, it was sort of fun. I’m hoping the trip has whetted the appetites of some of our newer members to go back and have an explore up some of the numerous inlets.

25 October 2025

By Tom C In Day Trips

It’s A Cracker > Notts II

Dave (big), Dave (regular), James, Jason, Ray, Tom

The logistical difficulties of rigging a Leck Fell through-trip makes them less common on our meets list, but with the Two Daves bravely coming forward to enjoy an SRT-only bounce trip while de-rigging out it didn’t seem so hard this time round. Boxhead and LJ were potential entrances on the list, but in the end we decided on a less usual option – It’s A Cracker.

After Inglesport breakfast for some we met up on the fell, the through-trippers parking at Notts II for an easy walk out, and we reached Cracker to find the Daves already busy at work at the head of the first pitch. It was good to see Regular Dave back out again, and reassuring to hear him checking whether his Simple was on the right way while dangling over the 50 metre drop.

Down Big Dave’s beautiful rigging of Paparazzi we headed, and on to Regular Dave’s equally beautiful ropework on Park Bench pitch. What’s not to love about these pitches? Our diligent riggers headed off to the final pitch while the rest of us regrouped and followed them down. In a matter of minutes Big Dave had an elegant rig across to the Kendal Flyover including a tyrolean guide line, we were truly spoilt.

At this point it was time to part ways, with Daves heading back north to the sunny fell above. The rest of us de-kitted and packed ourselves in tight for the gruelling crossing that lay ahead. Into the Cresta Run, we quickly reached the climbs down to the lower level. Ray took on the first downclimb, but at the first sound of difficulties James and I scrambled over the top of him to head for the larger gentleman’s rope 30 seconds further on. This proved to be horrible, with the combo of muddy gloves and muddy rope making it a bit of a hope and prayers situation. We somehow got down unscathed but were unhappy. If I do this trip again I’m either taking a bit of tat to rig as an in-situ mini pitch, or at least leaving my SRT kit on a little longer and down-prussiking the knotted handline. The other two headed down their choice of climb, Jason of course taking it head-first apparently.

Next follows 45 mins or so of general wriggling, muddying, ducking and routefinding through the complex of the Tate Galleries. Luckily we had a Ray with us who unerringly led us through from memory. Eventually we reached the bottom of the fearsome climb upwards into the Lyle Cavern High Level series where our KCC forefathers had lifted a boulder and discovered all this nonsense 40 years ago. This involves a well-polished near vertical gully heading up just over 10 metres, which was strenuous. Some found a jammer was a good reassurance on this (they just about fit on the current in-situ handline).

All up and well, now we could enjoy the 10 minutes of pleasant well-decorated walking in the middle of the trip. It was nice to match this up with where I’d been a couple of months ago with Scott when trying the 3 Counties connection out for size, and before long the pretties ran out and we were at the muddy scrabble up to the ‘vestibule of pain’ which affords a quick break before starting the connection. We slid through mostly solemnly, cursing every bag-catching rock as the connection drank our energy, and dreaded to think what might happen if we met a party heading the other way.

A final dunk through Bruno Kranski’s and we were back in the welcoming lap of Notts II, and made a speedy exit through comfortable and familiar territory, to emerge to the two Daves waiting for us. I assumed they were after their free pints for derigging, but it seems they just didn’t want to take the ropes back for cleaning. We made our way to the Pheasant at Casterton for a well-earned pint by the log fire. Cheers all!

22 October 2025

By James Benson In Uncategorised

Aygill Caverns

Present; James, Sophie, Billy, Amy, and Jasmine

After a quick walk in the opposite from usual caving direction we managed to find the entrance hole by the side of the (dry!) Aygill beck. Thus followed a bit of head scratching we found our way through to the first pitch. Although this section can be free-climbed, we opted to rig it for safety. The way on was through a rift in the floor to a narrow, squeezy passage that had caused a significant tangle on a previous trip, but this time we moved through smoothly, perhaps things are getting easier?

As the cave progressed, the environment became increasingly wet and fun. Reaching the cascading sections required careful bridging and scrambling down slick, steep walls. The navigation became more complex downstream where several routes intersect, requiring frequent reference to the survey description. Doing a complete 180-degree turn near the Sand Junction we eventually approached the sump. This involved a challenging “‘orrible bit”—a low crawl where the water level rose nearly to the roof, contrasting my earlier optimistic assessment that the trip would be a relatively dry one.

Demonstrating great bravery, Jasmine dived into the sump pool. Fortunately, she had the foresight to wear a wetsuit, wisely hedging her bets against my assessment of the conditions. Completely saturated but satisfied with reaching the sump, we began our return journey. The only interruption to this was near the entrance pitch by two resident bats that took exception to our presence. The bats became loud and screechy, flying directly at the team’s faces and prompting a hasty exit from the cave

Aygil Caverns is a high-quality system with much more to offer. The trip served as a good recce for future objectives, in already eyeing the Middle, Left hand, Red Rose and Precambian Series for next trip.

15 October 2025

By Tom C In Day Trips

Red Moss Pot

Chris G, Damian, Maz (Report by Maz)

WHAT CAN I DO TO MAKE YOU LOVE ME?
The original plan was a bimble down Calf Holes, but with settled weather and no rain forecast, I figured an active stream cave might be the order of the day. Therefore I did a switcharoo with my leads and opted for Red Moss Pot

After last week’s trip where 12 showed up for County, I thought I’d get some enthusiasm off the back of this, and so with optimism I duly posted out my invite.
In the event this was not to be, only Chris G and Damian answered my call; Tom choosing to spend time with a rather pregnant Rubee instead of coming caving. Pathetic!

I did RMP last year with Dave and remember very little. Only three words sprang to mind: wet, cold and pretty. I wasn’t referring to Dave though.
In fairness the description in Northern Caves doesn’t read too nicely, and the odd comment on UK Caving doesn’t inspire either.

I choose to disagree. RMP is a cracking trip.

The trip began with Damien leading us uphill to “one of his favourite caves.” In a feat of surgical precision, got us straight to a bin lid sized entrance in a shallow depression. In the dark. He claimed not to have been here in 15 years. If this is the case, then this is the best bit of navigation I have seen in the 22 years I was a Geography teacher.

Chris led the way. Through a few little squeezes to the climb. The guide suggested it was possible to free climb the 8m drop; indeed Damien attested to have done that in the past. Fortunately however I was present and no such bravery. The others quickly rigged a 10 metre rope off a natural and down went Chris, followed by myself then Damian.

The next couple of hours were a pleasure. The water was noticeably low, and I was significantly warmer; clad in neoprene as I was. Most of the time we were in water, ankle deep, waist deep, sometimes chest deep, but almost always walking. Through Cascade Chamber and along Kierby Walk, our route was accompanied by formation after formation. Endlessly pretty. We stopped briefly at Sludge Inlet to contemplate it’s horribleness.

Soon we found Long Mire Inlet and thought about exploring. Alas, Damien was desperate for a dunking and we headed onwards towards Sump Passage. Quickly the floor dropped away and Damien was up to his neck. Chris and I hesitated but I was overcome with uncharacteristic bravery and followed. I managed to find an underwater ledge which kept my head above water for a while. Unfortunately when this ran out, I slipped and became completely submerged. I saw a returning light and Damian kindly informed me he had pretty much found the end and it wasn’t worth coming onwards. Chris kindly took photos.

We turned tail and kept moving, aware we could get cold. Returning to the pitch, Chris swarmed up it and was soon guiding me from above.

Earlier, I had, as a last minute thought, bought my cowstails and a jammer. This proved a godsend as I was able to use hand and footholds in combination with a bit of security on the rope. It clearly impressed Damian, who asked for them to be sent down and he soon scaled the pitch.

A return crawl/shimmy through the entrance series and we were out. Time flies when you’re having fun, and we’d been underground for close on 3 hours.
Don’t be put off by the prospect of getting wet. This is a great trip. What else can I say to make you love Red Moss Pot?

8 October 2025

By Tom C In Day Trips

County Pot – Ignorance Is Bliss

Ami, Billy, Chris, Chris G, Jasmine, Jason, Maz, Paddy, Ray, Scott, Sophie H, Tom

My plan to turn what’s generally a pleasant and enjoyable cave into an arduous chore was thwarted when 12 people turned up at Bull Pot Farm looking for a good time. Was it right to spoil so many people’s evening? Should we break into smaller groups? No, let’s take one of the more unpleasant routes as one huge platoon, what could go wrong?

Billy was along for his second KCC trip, Chris G was out for his first trip as a full KCC member and Paddy’s mate Chris (already an experienced caver) was joining us, so it was great to have some new faces among stalwarts.

After getting down to Broadway it was fun seeing KCC members popping out of the walls in 3 different places, we regrouped and Billy, armed with a survey, led us onwards to Spout Hall. With a minor arse soaking for everyone on the way down, we headed downstream and picked our way up into the ceiling at the start of Ignorance Is Bliss. The 15 minutes of pain began with a squeeze past a slightly wobbly boulder, which provocatively pulled down Maz’s harness. A few minutes of low crawling and twists ends at the halfway break point, a few seconds of standing room before climbing up to a hidden shelf above and into the flat-out crawl.

Some inconveniently-placed nobbles in the floor create a pinch point that was variously sailed effortlessly through or sworn at, and before we knew it we were back into standing room in the dusty passages of Upper Pierce’s. On regrouping at Cotton Chamber, it was clear that a handful of the team were going to need more than gravity to get through the squeeze down to the lower part, and we rigged a hasty abseil bypassing the squeeze, with the misery of Ignorance Is Bliss behind us a strong driver to not turn back.

The original plan had been to return via Paper Floor Passage, but after dropping down to the streamway time was getting on and we didn’t fancy another post-midnight finish, so we headed back via the Whiteline route, with a quick detour through Whiteway for the pretties. The first 6 up the Whiteline pitch/climb headed off to split up the wait at the entrance pitch, the second group catching them up just as they were heading up. A selection of brownies and rocky road were provided at the bottom of the pitch for those facing a wait, and KCC gradually oozed out of County once more.

Pics by Sophie H & Tom

5 October 2025

By Tom C In Expeditions

Ogof Ffynnon Ddu 1

James, Scott, Tom

After an excellent weekend in Mendip, the three of us were lucky enough to book Monday off work and migrated to the South Wales on Sunday night. After luckily bumping into the warden he hooked us up with an OFD key, and the plans up in the air crystallised into an OFD 1 round trip with some side missions.

With aching muscles on this third day of caving, we made our way down to the bottom entrance, James in his dazzling new orange suit was handed the survey, with it being his first time in the system, and pointed towards the streamway. After figuring out a route into the water we enjoyed the stomp up the cracking streamway, rapidly reaching the upstream sump and heading off into Flood Passage.

We’d passed the traverse up to the Waterfall Series before but never been up for a look, and with the round trip being tame after the weekend we’d done, we diverted up for a good look around. After half an hour or so we were deep in this mini-labyrinth and surprised at how much stuff there was up here. Making a round trip through a more Dales-esque tight crawly streamway, we popped back out and were ready to hunt for something else that had caught our attention, Starlight Chamber – the largest chamber in the system.

After getting up Low’s Chain and Chamber, we spotted Don’s Crawl and headed along a ledge high above where we’d been looking up from minutes before. The slippery muddy boulders up here led us on a merry dance and we couldn’t find the route on – ah well, something to leave for the next generation. We headed on into the Rawl Series to continue the round trip, enjoying the fantastic formations and quiet eery atmosphere in these monster tunnels.

Eventually reaching Pi Chamber, I recognised the route down into Helter Skelter that I’d dragged an unhappy Rubee down a few years ago, and we slithered our way down to emerge above the streamway and straight onto the bolt traverse. Next stop was Airy Fairy – last time we were here we’d sacked this off and gone round some mildly unpleasant bypasses, but this time we clipped in for a good straddle, and it lived up to its name with some grand airy leg stretching. We descended back down to stream level, wandered round some of the lower bits we’d missed with some frightening foam lines, before inching round Pluto’s Bath and on to the exit route.

Every time we come here the mystery and obsession only deepens! See you again soon sweet OFD

4 October 2025

By Ami S In Day Trips

Wookey 24

Mendips: Day 2

Team: Scott, Tom, (Original) Sophie, James, Ami

I had enlisted my friend Wayne on the sunday as he is a guide on almost every cave in Somerset (many caves there require a Leader). After a bit of back and forth, he was very excited to see an opening in the generally restricted, and usually inaccessible, far reaches of Wookey Hole. It seemed like a serendipitous opportunity!

So we met in the car park under strangely strict instructions (which included not getting changed in the car park – an impossible feat) and set off through theme-park style gardens full of dinosaurs and singing pumpkins. Thankfully beating the first tour group of the day by seconds, we ducked under the tourist tape in Wookey 20 and off went.

The chambers in Wookey are numbered in the order they were discovered, which is why Wookey 20 is right at the entrance, and Wookey 24 was a 4 hour trip away. Until recently you could only access 24 by diving, but a connection was made for dry cavers, and after a lot of negotiations, the show-cave owners agreed to trips.

We set off through some beautiful passage up hill, soon reaching a T junction covered in some sparkly flowstone. Here’s where the work begins – a series of 7 rifts, descending 80 metres, with no SRT in sight. Each was varied – from slidey mud to squeezy traverses – but the whole team took it on like pros and soon we reached 24.

This is a huge chamber, with sumps to see on all sides where the divers access various other sections, including 23 3/4 underneath us, and 26 – where further exploration is currently halted due to dangerous conditions. We had been warned in the pub about the hairy staples that are simply ‘in’, not attached to, the wall – we headed up in trepidation, desperately trying to push down on them rather than lean back, which isn’t easy on an overhang.

They did lead us up to the incredible Conglomerate passage. Quite a thing to behold. We saw the divers camp and several digs – perhaps next time the round trip to Land of Hope and Glory might be complete. For now, we had to begin our journey back. Some returned to the base of the rifts via the sketchy staples, and some took a chilly dip in the river Axe for something different.

Now all we had to do was get back up those rifts to the junction 80 metres above us. No mean feat, but the KCC showed Mendip what we’re made of, even after a snapped ladder left poor Sophie and Scott to scale a very unfriendly rift unaided. For my money, lots of variety and fun in this trip, plus we were able to go to the ice cream parlour afterwards. Even the terrible Wookey theme music on loop couldn’t destroy our spirits. Thanks for the trip everyone!

Pics by Tom

3 October 2025

By Ami S In Day Trips

Swildon’s Hole

Team: Scott, Tom, Sophie, James and Ami (with guest appearance by Jerome)

Day one in the Mendips so it had to be the classic.

After journeying down in Storm Amy’s torrential downpour, I was worried Swildon’s might be too wet for the day’s plan. But apparently Somerset doesn’t work like that – with such a huge flood basin and a dry summer, Swildon’s was about the driest I’ve ever seen it. The wind however was really trying to finish off the long-sick Ash tree at the entrance.

In we went and straight down the Short Wet Way, through the various chambers to the main streamway. It’s a pleasure showing people this cave, as it is easy to forget how beautiful it is when you’re just trying to make it beyond the 20. Lots of appreciative noises echoed around the formations.

Scott’s expertise helped me rig the 20 (requires an 8 metre ladder climb or a totally disgusting free climb) with a life line for all and we were back to all the fun of Swildon’s – scrambling, sliding and getting soggy through various pots and water falls.

Taking the higher route we soon reached Sump 1. Despite having been through goodness-knows how many times, I still made James take the lead. But once he’d bravely taken the plunge, we all followed on with no issues, to see the various stolen road signs on the other side that show you the way on.

Today we opted for the Approach Passage round – an old favourite of mine and Jerome’s. The character of the cave changes completely beyond Sump 1 – and we set the team off up to the leap in to approach passage. This is a bit of a bold step, but what really makes it is that that step is in to an uphill mudslide. Thankfully these days there is an in situ rope to assist, but it highlights why we don’t go round this route the other way – ending with a downhill slide straight over a massive drop.

Approach Passage is a narrow and extremely muddy uphill crawl, followed by some downhill slides (cries of ‘Weeeeee’ from James). There’s some fun and challenging drops beyond to get you back down to the original sump level, and I think the whole team thoroughly enjoyed it. Perhaps next time we should go on to Blue Pencil.

Back up with a few variations, including the Rift, the Long Dry route and the Zig Zags. No exit through the tree as it really was trying to come down in the wind. James and Jerome even tried to give it a hand, but it is still clinging on.

Back to the hut for a hot shower, an incredible goat curry by James and a trip to the Hunters for a pint. The day was finished in style by some very fancy late-night cheese crumpets which were produced in their droves by Courtney and Monica. Team Wessex certainly treated us.

Month: October 2025