Hazel grove cave

Meeting in the woods in the relatively flat area of Hale Moss seemed an unlikely place for some caving. Picking an unknown cave seemed a risky proposition but the description seemed good and the length of the cave was promising for an evening’s adventure. The entrance had been found by numerous searches on the way back from work (just round the corner). 

So 6 of us (me, Tom, Josh, Pete, Maz and Nat) set off through the woods, across a little bridge and into a field. The ponies in this field seemed unusually frisky and galloped around. I wondered, are they trying to ward us off, but maybe it was the sight of these unusually dressed individuals in full ready for action caving. In the corner of the field, which borders an area of marshland there is a slight rise and very small rocky outcrop. A gryke in this is just big enough to slip down. I led the way, hoping that everyone else was going to fit after me! A few awkward movements took us into a 45 degree sloped passageway filled with massive spiders. Ii moved these carefully out the way as i didn’t want anyone freaking out! Part of the trepidation was a last minute warning email from Helen that they almost encountered a fox down a cave in the area. She couldn’t remember which cave but I certainly didn’t want to encounter one head first down a narrow passageway. Fortunately the passageway didn’t get any tighter and opened up into a head height chamber. Wow. I was amazed this was here. Things were looking up! 

To the left a passageway led to the sump. To the right the passageway led to another sump. Oh dear. According to the description this should be a crawl!! Oh but on the survey map there is a bypass. Acutely aware of having led all these enthusiastic cavers into this cave I decided in a moment of madness to throw myself into this obstacle with massive enthusiasm. So after much maneuvering I climbed up and then slid down this high level bypass which was very tight!! And downwards. And incredibly awkward. Is anyone else going to follow me? No way. 

I’d dropped into a pool of water almost waist deep. The tube I had come down had almost no footholds at the bottom of it. I could hear the others chatting on the other side of it but suddenly I felt like this was gonna be a problem. I could stand but the passageway ahead was flooded but passable with alot of wet ducks. I didn’t fancy it and would have to go on alone. There was apparently another entrance found in the 60’s when it was surveyed but subsequently there has been a whole caravan site built upon where this comes out. Who knows if this other entrance still exists! It could have been filled or come out under a caravan. Also there was a lot more cave to go and the water levels were a lot higher now than whenever the description was compiled. In my mind there were two possible ways to get out, back up the tube or to dive down through the stinking muddy waters through the sump. But that could be tight and very risky and maybe not even passable due to mud build up. I tried to see if it was passable by reaching down in desperation into the cold mucky stinking waters. This soaked me as I went head level deep feeling for the way back. I couldn’t find the way but found a bit of wood. This was a square cut plank of wood. Another mystery. I used this to probe the underwater passageway. I prodded the mud and found a way through. Josh and Tom could see the water moving on the other side of the sump. In fact the end of the wood could be felt but deep into the water. And the passageway was obviously tight and possibly even needing digging to pass. No chance as this would all have to happen whilst underwater!

So the only option was to pass up through the tube. I tried to squeeze up it. There was no room for leg movement apart from a slight desperate scrabble. Both arms had to be extended upwards in order to fit the shoulders through. Because they were held upwards this in itself was knackering. It was easy enough to start up the tube but any progress was next to impossible. It wasn’t possible to even see what the legs were doing as i could hardly move my head and the feet were still in the mirky depths of the pool. I had many tries but kept sliding back down. Finally I’ve gone too far!! I was meant to go on holiday early the next morning. Maybe i’d still be stuck down here then.

I reasoned with myself to stay calm. Logically I could fit through the hole as I had on the way down. If it had been horizontal, it would be awkward but doable but gravity was the main challenge here. If I had some way of pushing up it would help. I tried using the plank of wood which I now suspected was used by the last person who got trapped in here. Still no help. I briefly considered stripping off most of my clothes in order to fit easier but I was already soaked and didn’t think it would help with the trickiest problem which was upward force. Josh kindly offered to get a rope from the back of my pickup. Tom tried to help pull me up by the arms but the space above the tube was really awkward anyhow for serious pulling. After a few more tries Josh returned with the rope and a pulled system was devised. This allowed a foot loop to go down past me. Then by hauling on this and small leg movements everyone gradually hauled me up through the tube as I desperately tried to wriggle upwards. It was like removing a cork from inside a wine bottle. By a miracle this eventually succeeded and I was beyond relief in fact overjoyed by the apparently unlikely recovery. 

Surprisingly nobody else was up for this experience and we slithered out the cave. The trip was short but hopefully entertaining. Amazingly it was high water levels that really stopped us from getting further but we were in some of the driest levels for years outside. My theory is that when Hazel grove was originally explored the Hale mosses were a lot drier. They were much more intensively farmed back then. Now the value of wetlands is much more recognized and much of the drainage on the moss is intentionally left blocked in order to keep it marshy and flooded. Thus water levels are high. Or has the building of the caravan site on top has affected the drainage somehow? Anyhow i’d still really like to explore the cave and am currently considering ways to pump out the water. We’d barely started it so there is so much more to see down there! 

As a little aside we then went through neighboring Brackenthwaite Cave which is a short little through trip in a outcrop near Leighton beck. This was enjoyable and so at least a bit more caving was achieved! Many thanks to all that turned up.