Wed.10/11/04 This is a phrase coined to disguise alternative activities of the underground kind. I leave it to your imagination as to whom it might apply… Anyway, Bill came and walked the dog and Mr.Ramsay had a holiday from Leck Fell and enjoyed the draught and some capping at the new Dowlass dig. Mudminer54 had unfortunately forgotten to charge the batteries fully so play was halted early, though not before being able to get a squint down a narrow rift … Read More
Decided to pass on the pleasures of a womble down County with mudminer69er and instead loaded up for the plod up to Dowlass and a solo capping sess. Draught was misbehaving, coming and going. It would suck all the fumes in and moments later belch them back up the dig again! After a couple of hours it settled down to a steady outwards draught. Methinks this hole is connected with some other hole somewhere, which might explain the ebb and … Read More
Had a trip up on own at weekend ,i think its passable with some widening of shaft top, and boulder 8ft down capped. some rocks i got past boulder rolled downwards fora considerable time.looks good.pete o
A Saturday afternoon solo capping session almost reduced me to tears – crap rock, holes that didn’t fire, holes that did fire but didn’t do anything… However, the flakey lip of the pitch was finally vanquished. I tried feet first and could just fit, but decided not to descend solo as getting out might be a just not fit!! Tomorrow should gain access, at least to the blockage six feet down. Could do with a bucketeer…? Hugh
Bill replied to Saturday’s call for a ‘bucketeer’, so we plodded upto Dowlass again on Sunday, this time in thick mist. Snow melt had turned a dry dig into a bit of a collander, despite the drainage culvert diverting 95% of the water. Undeterred, a further four holes were fired off and then Hugh slipped over the edge and down onto the blockage 5ft below. The hole previously observed to the left is the way on down and an easy … Read More
Bill and Andy valiantly forwent the pleasures of Towscar and volunteered to help me remove the naughty flakes so that the pitch could be dropped. A merry hour was spent trying to reduce the top flake to removable size, during which I turned into Raging Bull. In the end I booted it down the rift where it became stuck again 5ft lower down! The big flake then fell off the wall and became jammed again, but sod it, it looked … Read More
Hugh and Bill gave the pleasures a miss and went prospecting on the Dowlass Moss . The walk up the fell was not hampered by the poor visibility and wind . Hugh with pin point accuracy found the pot with minimal wandering hopelessly lost. Our mission was to prospect in the centre of stockpot , capping a boulder and peering down into continuing rift passage. Boulder 1 was swiftly dispatched , boulder 2 ” gritstone ” was stubborn and absorbed … Read More
Subject: [mmmmc] Mudfoot is dead – Long live Stock Pot! Date: Mon, Dec 20, 2004, 3:41 pm Went to Mudfoot on Sunday afternoon armed with an FX5. Strong outward draught. Descended to deep point and shone torch down narrow rift. Although stones fall a good distance, there is no discernable widening of any note in the next 10ft and capping would be problematical – rift too narrow to swallow debris, no stacking space, unfeasible to haul out, and drippy, rippy … Read More
Went to Mudfoot on Sunday afternoon armed with an FX5. Strong outward draught. Descended to deep point and shone torch down narrow rift. Although stones fall a good distance, there is no discernable widening of any note in the next 10ft and capping would be problematical – rift too narrow to swallow debris, no stacking space, unfeasible to haul out, and drippy, rippy confined work space. It’s really better to go somewhere else. And I have just the spot…. Went … Read More
The MMMMC (South Ingleborough Branch) were active last week in capping out the rift entrance of Canary Pot to descendable proportions. Messrs. Sherrington, Bendall and St.Lawrence failed to find any 25ft pitch (Northern Caves & NCC Journal….very suspect) and instead stepped down about 8ft into what is optimistically described in said publications as ‘a chamber’. Ahemmm….. A sort of, kind of, possible dig was spied, but after all and sundry, except for Buster (sensible dog), had had a look we … Read More
As it was a full moon last night (aaar-roooooooo!) a walk up Ingleborough beckoned. Despite scenes and temperatures that would not have been out of place in “Into Thin Air” or “K2, Triumph & Tragedy” (& making me wish I’d taken several extra jumpers, overtrousers, goggles and overmitts) the top was duly staggered to and on descent a quick visit made to Stock Pot. The entrance was quite clear of snow and I hunkered in the porch enjoying the change … Read More
Beardy, Hugh – 30th June Pre-arranged trip to examine this “obscure hole of considerable interest and significance”. Only half the team turned up, so Beardy and I beat it up the hill at 8pm and found the ‘obscure’ entrance (and it is obscure!) The ‘it will only take an hour’ attitude was swiftly demolished as the duo got bogged down in the intractable mud and small passages. Beardy wisely gave up on the top passage which H pushed to a … Read More
Monday 24th October 2005 Dave Ramsay, Richard Bendall. Very wet conditions so opted for plan B, a dry cave. Over head of 50ft pitch into Olympic Chamber narrow rift and phreatic passage, plus useful hand line down 15ft climb, bring you into the far end of OC. At the start of this bypass a narrow passage on the left is one of the closest points to Farrer Hall GG, about 42m but that’s to the Radio Location point which is … Read More
Monday 28th November 2005 Dave Ramsay, Richard Bendall Another meter and a half in the right direction. Boulder ruckle ahead with black spaces and roof rising.
Sun 4th Dec – Hugh St.L, Paul Windle (+Bill in spirit) After a day in a draughtless no-hoper, Paul was keen to revisit the hurricane winds of Dowlass Moss! Loaded with scaffolding and tools we plodded up the long march and began work at the bottom of the open pot. Several blocks were capped out of the way and scaffolding then installed to prevent slumping. Unfortunately, we were one piece short, so Paul carried on digging while Hugh ran down … Read More
28/1/06 – Pete my-back-hurts O’Neil, Hugh my-elbow-hurts St.Lawrence, Paul there-isn’t-enough-mud-to-call-this-a-dig Windle With Operation Lyle Cavern cancelled for the day, the boys were looking for somewhere else to play. Stock Pot was suggested, but due to tennis elbow I only agreed to go in a supervisory capacity. At least, that was the plan… The oldest and most infirm was naturally given the heaviest load, but glorious sunshine relieved the tedium of the long plod up the hill, and soon Team Dowlass … Read More
There I was staggering from one deep snow drift to the next on a lonely and spectacular Snowbound Sunday spotholing trip . My faithful dog friend was sent scouting in front ,on the descent from Lead mine moss to Crina bottoms . We had spied a lone rambler looking wind blown, lost and blurry in the dusk . Buster was sent to sniff out the apparition and in the deep snow I moved closer to the pointy yellow hatted fellow … Read More
Let down by his dark lordship who had been tempted to break himself further in “Wharfes” dale. A small team of squalor mongers set off to widen enterance rift to allow Bill guage ingress and bucket egress. Mission half completed when drill failure stopped play. Team included Barrows finest Mr Pringle and Simon Jobling ;return planned with fresh drill to finish job then onwards to removing floor.
Spurred on by tales of the sources of water debouching at Moses Well I have infiltrated the Hurnel Moss / Strawberry Valley dig by the venerable and worshipful company of the Yorkshire Ramblers Club. Ged campion gave me an invite to start work on a shake hole which intersects the Bar Pot Hurnel Moss faults. I made full use of facilities and my years of training proved most helpful in shoring , wall building and squalid misery.I was however out … Read More
Bill Sherrington and Simon Jobling The Dewalt boys have been busy at Stock. The tight rift leading down to the digging area has slowly been enlarged and after a series of capping trips by Dewalt shareholders (including a certain Pringle) is ready for the passage of largish bags and buckets. The digging is now ready to continue into the floor at the last chamber. A team of three as a minimum is still needed to remove waste to the surface … Read More
24th June Roger by name and by nature, Jobling, St Lawrence , Sherrington , Pringle , DEwalt, STOCKPOT DOWLAS Moss: Its amazing Pringle has been out filthed by tales by Roger and his taste in DVDs of an explicit and sexual nature. After Roger’s “confessions in the Shake hole” we now know that he is even more seedy than Barrow’s newest resident. Pringle, ever the shy retiring type announced that Roger must certainly be a lover of the Chocolate Starfish. … Read More
1st July 2006 Simon Jobling, Roger Procter, Paul Windle Good day out, progress of about 3-4 foot in a downwards direction. The pot consists of a rift going down for 4 metres, landing on a mud bank, way on is a constricted squeeze in to a small chamber now about 3- 4 metres deep. Floor needs further digging with capping required to move large boulders and mud/cobbles needing bucketing out. Progress steady and forever hopeful, seems to be openings at … Read More
Simon J Bill Dark Lord St Lawrence Roger Proctor After a return from Stock on Sat 1st July spotted this likely looking hole in the dry valley. Had a look in and considered it worthwhile to revisit. Tuesday 4th July Roger Hugh , Bill and myself climbed down . Bill and Hugh went to look at Clino Pot after poo baaing Canary whilst Roger and I kept at work at the far corner of a boulder floored chamber. After about … Read More
Wed 19th, Bill S, Roger P, Hugh St.L Bill and Hugh had made a Tuesday night (10pm!) carry to drop poles at entrance. However, team still difficult to galvanise due to corking weather. Roger spurned caving altogether and stayed on surface dreaming of vodka shorts. Wicked. Down below, two cavers were united with four scaffold tubes and two large bags of gear in a limited space, but by doing a slow foxtrot and hanging stuff on the ladder work was … Read More
The Canary’s still not singing, although a little bit of chirping has been heard. Careful scaffolding and capping culminated on Sunday 10th Sept with Tim Allen and Hugh gaining access to the 8ft drop. Regrettably, one wall of this rift is comprised of several large blocks peeling off! However, there’s the possibility of some stacking space at the bottom so capping seems to be the way to go. Still draughts well and will surely sing with enough practice and persuasion. … Read More
Dark Lord, Starfish and the Bling All prepared for a long trip overnight with suitable refreshhments and other goodies. Began by arranging scaffolding and cutting bar and rebar ready for placing. The lord was busy drilling holes ready for rebar when the drill packed in !!! We tried to place bar without rebar and got a few pieces located and I went into the danger zone and began digging down. The small chamber is unstable with large boulders sticking out … Read More
Friday 6/10/06 – Bling, Clownfoot & Dark Lord After a short trip last week, returned with a vengeance to vanquish the big boulder. Roger cleared the loose rubble and then Hugh went down and placed scaff to hold up a pillar which looked like wall but wasn’t. All tidily done Simon was then let loose with the capping rods, but after several rounds it was still there. Hugh went down and finished the job, eventually levering the last 4ft chunk … Read More
Sat 7th October Mike Cooper (RRCPC) & Beardy (RRCPC/ULSA/MMMMC) A very wet day making the old cave quite sporting. Especially on the 3rd pitch where we got a monster pasting. We investigated Eeerie Pot first, descending in two drops to a sump. Traversing over this for 10m gained an inlet passage explored by Andy Tharratt in the early 90’s to a sump. On arriving at the sump I spotted a boddy sized tube about 7ft up and inserted Mr Cooper … Read More
Sat 4th and Mon 6th Nov – Hugh, Simon, Bill, Roger Much efficient bucketing on Sat almost filled the upstairs hopper – it’s just about possible to step off the hopper and straight into the exit passage, the pitch is virtually no more! Said bucketing also revealed one or several drops/voids below the sharp end, but several rounds of frenzied capping neatly blocked the way on. Galvanised by the prospect of a breakthrough, the full team turned out on Monday … Read More
During recent freezing weather i paid a visit to Stock pot previously enjoyed last summer . The enterance is a unique twin adjacent affair giving scope for adventure on the high seas. I noted that the rift enterance we previously cappaed has returned to draughting really well with clouds of condensing warm air puffing out in quite an impressive way. i descended rift to previous capping face in tight rift revealled that the draught is indeed returned with vengance. Intention … Read More
After immense faff leading to a 1.05pm start, Mike Cooper and I descended to the bottom, finally redressed in warm dry clothing digging commenced. Scaffolding was added and the hole progressed slowly downwards and after perhaps 1m it was noted that the slope was become rather unstable. After a further fettling of the dig the slope was noted to be moving on its own. With some haste an exit was made from the dig and to ensure that no one … Read More
Anybody prepared to come along, looking for 2-3 others this week (9th June)? I don’t think i’ll bother with dry gear, just dig in my wetsuit less faff. Aim is to clear the slope to the choke and create a shaft starting down wards. Sam
Hi Mudminers Quick question – Does anybody know of anybody working (capping) at the Granite Quarry Risings (the resurgence for Tatham Wife Hole) in the last 10 years or so ? If so could you drop me a line cheers Beardy
Martin College was capping there solo trips mostly
Hope this helps with lack of reports. Report 3 A return was made 6/10/07 mike B and SA good progress was made clearing the old collapse and putting in a step part way down the slope. 0.5m was dug out but lack of scaf joints stopped any further progress that day and so we left. Tea was brewed but water must be boiled for a god long time to ensure that it?s clean. By fettling the boulders in the floor … Read More
Wednesday 25th October 2007 – Rich Mercer,Alan Speight,Andy Walsh, With permission to drive to the shooting hut,we took an assortment of gear to finish the entrance renovations.Andy W provided a Aluminium tube 5 ft long that was placed near the bottom of the shaft & cemented in place,all the area was then landscaped & Camouflaged. Some scaffold clips were placed in a bag and left in the entrance shaft but the rest of the site was completly cleared of tools … Read More
Does anyone know of any trips to Echo Pot in the last two weeks? (since the 13/10/07). Our last digging trip was totally aborted as the rope which was coiled in a bag at the top of Jack Pot had too many rub points (at least 5 through the sheath and through 2 strands of core) to reach the bottom. If anyone knows of someone having done the trip could they 1. let me know how they damaged the rope … Read More
One month since our last trip a return was made. A new (old) rope was placed on Jack Pot. The first hour was spent applying much needed scaffolding with judicious stacking of blocks as shuttering the dig was ready for downward progress once again. A brew was consumed after ten minutes boiling it looked like tea before the bag was added. The advantage of a cuppa soup is it?s meant to have chucky bits. A further 3 feet of progress … Read More
31/12/07 – Tom Clayton, James Carlisle Vein Pot – Been meaning to have a look at this one for ages. It’s 110m long, 37m deep, and ends at a boulder wedged in a rift. What makes it interesting is that it’s surrounded on both sides by 100m+ deep caves, so has a lot of potential. Wanted to check out the suitability of the boulder for capping, but unfortunately the spits on the 3rd pitch were shagged and we didn’t have … Read More