Voldemort Hole

Present James, Jasmine

Wild and windy getting changed on Leck fell was a challenge but eventually we headed off to find the cave. Heading up the wall 200 yards and then looking from this 30 yards away to find the small shakehole from which Voldemort descends. This was a relief to find, welcome to cosy cave but hopefully not too cosy.  We slither through the entrance passages and down climbs, seeing some interesting scaffolding and then down a pitch. We were going for a pull through. It was my first time rigging one, but I knew the theory and what could possibly go wrong? Well reading the last KCC report was a mistake because last time the rope got stuck and they had to return the next day. Best not to know sometimes! I had no spare time or inclination for this to happen this time.

So after the first pitch we removed harnesses so we could look at all the amazing formations. Well worth it but being sporting cavers we both decided that they were beside the point of being here and we were much more interested in getting into some awkward cave passageway. 

The takeoff from the 2nd pitch was fun and we successfully pulled through taking the mid height passage through to the 3rd pitch. The rope nearly got stuck on this but we freed it all while water poured down on us. Wetter now we dragged ourselves and our 70 m and 50 rope bags through the wet canal section finally arriving at the top of the big one, ‘Oliver Lloyd Aven’. 35m of pull through potential problems. But we were very careful to let the rope untwist and so all was good. 

Now just the simple matter of dragging the bags and ourselves back out of Notts 2. I found some emergency chocolate and spirits were raised enough to get us out of there. In the end it was surprisingly late but time flies when you’re having fun!