Tag: Easegill

Billy, James, Jasmine, Jason, Klaudia, Paddy, Pete, Sophie H, Tom

At the risk of getting predictable, last year’s OpenHouse wednesday nighter in Pool Sink had been good fun and was worth repeating. Pool Sink isn’t often on the meets list, possibly because the rigging puts it in a grey area between a long Wednesday trip and a short weekend trip, but OpenHouse turns it into a lovely little evening.  

Signing in (and remembering to put down our callout time 😑), the farm was much quieter than it had been at the weekend. We headed across the fell followed by midges once again, and it was time to get the entrance contortions out of the way. About 50m in, a narrow downclimb was tackled by Jason in his signature head-first fashion, with the clatter of helmet against rock announcing his arrival at the first pitch approach. It’s quite a pretty pitch really, and wasn’t equipped with its usual wide awkward deviation this evening allowing an enjoyable bounce down the shaft walls. 

At Anemolite Junction we decided not to side-quest to Magpie Grotto as there was a reasonable stream flowing by now, and we didn’t fancy risking a weather change on the surface spoiling things, so we carried on down the impressively tall canyon and were soon at the next pitches. None of us could remember much about these despite most of us being here last year, and even now 2 nights afterwards I can’t quite picture the order, but it’s an enjoyable string of SRT with a bit of everything well above the stream’s route below.

Next, a few pools were either gracefully crossed or fallen into by our resident depth testers, and we hit the last pitch. With a handful of us at the base it seemed an attractive place to set up the pick n’ mix tupperware for a quick break, but Sophie arrived announcing that they’d spotted a loose rock on the traverse directly over our spot, so we shuffled down and continued our sugar rush in the safety of the passage below.

Just the eerie lower passages to get through now, the grotesque Bacon Slicer, and we were at the junction with Green and Smelly. The original plan had been to exit via Boundary, we’d already ditched this plan because of the unsettled weather, but it’s a good job really as that now seems wayyy ambitious for an evening trip. With Wretched via Spiral within our grasp we decided not to spoil an enjoyable evening by trying to shoehorn some extra caving in and headed upstream. Billy gracefully climbed Eccles Bypass Direct while the mortals headed up the grubby chockstones and we split again, some tackling the pitch, and anyone who’d done the pitch before avoiding it with the bypass crawl. 

A standard Wretched exit and we were out in the 9:30pm daylight! We even remembered to sign out at the farm like responsible OpenHouse delegates.

Ami, James, Jasmine, Jason, Josh, Paddy, Pete, Scott, Tom

By the grace of the Red Rose we were once again up at the farm for a tackle-free trip. We really hope this becomes an annual thing! We’ve made good use of it and got down loads of stuff we don’t visit as often as we should. 

We decided on Pool Sink and marched over Casterton Fell, some of us for the second or third time in 24 hours. Midges were out in full force so we dove straight in to the tight entrance passage and all nine of us successfully folded ourselves correctly around the Z-bends, and recongregated above the first pitch to get kitted up. We usually do this as a pull-through but being hard-rigged this time we had a little fun getting past the quite wide deviation, especially those lacking in the gangly legs department. At the bottom we battled our way up the various inlets until we found Magpie Grotto, and had a moment of ceiling gazing. Someone pointed out that with the number of instructors we had out tonight, the outdoors industry in the North-West would crumble if anything were to happen.

Onwards and downwards, we enjoyed the lovely series of pitches and realised we’d forgotten how nice this route is (especially without carrying tackle). Before long we were down at the ground floor and scrambling through the bacon slicer, hitting the junction with the route in from Spiral. Left we headed, and we all chose different routes up the climb to the Eccles Bypass. We split, with some torturing themselves with the pitch bypass and the more sensible folks prussiking up. Cracking view looking back down the Wretched climbs at a string of KCC winding their way up them, with Rope Free-s echoing round the Big Rift. Sadly we missed last orders so we just fed the midges and called it a night.

Thanks again RRCPC!

Ami, Scott, Jasmine and guest appearance by Red Rose member Ian

The original plan was to go for the big one – Top Sink to Pippikin – but frustratingly the weather forecast was showing an incoming storm, sending that plan out the window.

Scott, despite a lot of Easegill experience, hadn’t been down Cow Pot so we opted for this rather fun route. As the Open House was on, we went into Bull Pot Farm to put the call-out on the board, where we found Ian looking for a trip, and he swiftly became team member No.4.

Having recently done Cow Pot’s sneaky route, I set off first, meaning I had a chance to check out the start of Aardvark route. I really fancy this one, but today I found a sign in place saying the anchors aren’t safe and won’t be fixed until Sept, so I guess I’ll have to wait.

Impressed by Ian’s speedy (and clearly experienced) descent, we were confident we were in for a good trip. Down the awkward squeeze (unrigged, which was no problem as we weren’t planning on coming out of it) we were quickly on to the traverse leading to the pitch head. No sneaky route today – direct route straight down to the floor. The second y hang is certainly exposed, and I can’t help but wonder what on earth you stand on to rig it. Perhaps I’ll give it a go next time.

The drop directly into Fall Pot was as impressive as expected and a lovely long pitch with great views, though I think all of us were spun around by which way we were facing when we entered the chamber.

From Fall Pot, Scott took over the navigation. As the rain hadn’t yet begun, we dropped down to the stream-way to start with, and to show Jasmine the sump as she hadn’t been before. We then speedily headed up stream, admiring some amazing formations en route, until we reached the Oxbows, where we climbed back up to the upper level via a particularly inconvenient climb with an in-situ handline. Why do they put the knots everywhere except where you need them?

From there we scrambled our way through some impressive chambers. Ian had a phenomenal knowledge of the system’s geology, pointing out some intriguing features, such as the fact a whole, huge passage just ‘stops’ – a mystery that is clearly on his mind. He also showed us to Diamond Hall – one I think Scott has been keen to see for a while. There were a lot of lovely crystal formations along one wall – well worth the little detour if you’re ever nearby. Apparently he was digging there years ago when they uncovered a large passage beneath, which promptly caved in almost the moment it was discovered. A first-hand reminder of how many undiscovered treasures there still must be in Three Counties!

We continued on through the maze with my sense of scale and direction long since lost. We debated our original plan of Wretched Rabbit, but it was decided County was prettier and more fun. Onwards through the winding streamway to County (how had I forgotten it is that narrow?) and out, gratefully with a lot less ‘up’ than it seemed we should need to do.

Out into the rain and another excellent trip complete. An inspection of the surveys in the hut reminding us just what an awesome system it is! Thanks for Red Rose for the organising and rigging.