Craftsman's Pot

[Don]

Trip Members: Alex, Dan, Don

After a much longer than normal drive down to Ingleton (due to the snowy and icy roads), I met Alex and Dan at Inglesport and wolfed down a quick breakfast before all of us headed to the parking area for Bull Pot in the layby just up the road from Yordas. The hills were covered in snow. In fact, it even started to snow while we were getting changed, and then continued to snow as we trudged up the hill to the entrance to Craftsman’s, which was quickly and easily found.

A 15 foot climb down the scaffolded entrance led to a small chamber with two ways on: one to the original entrance to Craftsman’s via a very low flat-out crawl, the other down a descending passage to a narrow rift. Alex led the way, followed by me and then Dan. The drop into the rift passage is very narrow and requires careful manoeuvring and positioning of one’s arms. This is followed by several feet of narrow rift and another squeeze this one a bit more technical as it’s actually two squeezes, one around a very awkward bend, with a very short section of flat-out passage in between. This drops into a small chamber, the way on being a flat-out sideways crawl for several feet to the top of a narrow rift and a chimney descent of twenty feet, which contains a squeeze about 2/3 of the way down. This leads to the top of Hickory Pitch, which was already rigged. A small area just before the pitch affords enough room for one person to put on their SRT gear.

Once down the pitch we were faced with two choices: continue to follow the conventional route through a small hole in the floor surrounded by very loose rock and a wall of hanging death above (i.e. big rocks jutting out of mud), or to investigate a side passage in more stable rock. We chose the latter. A short crawl brought us to the head of Mouse Pitch, which, to our surprise, also contained a wall of hanging death. We explored a side passage at the bottom, however the loose and fragile nature of the rock in this section of the cave eventually led us to turn back. Once back at the bottom of Hickory pitch we had a look at the continuing route down the hole, but made a collective decision to abandon our original plans and instead head out. The hole did not appear at all safe. There was loose rock everywhere, which would have been impossible to avoid.

The journey out took a lot longer than on the way in, because of the tackle bags and the absence of assistance from gravity. Nevertheless all of us made it out on our own steam and without any help. Despite only going a short distance into the cave, we spent a total of two and a half hours underground. I don’t think any of us will ever go back, at least not unless someone puts in scaffolding below Hickory Pitch to hold back all of the loose fill.

[skyrmy]

Tsk tsk tsk – Whilst it looks horrendous, its not that bad, you just have to be careful. That said, both Chris Kelly and I (not sure about Mr Sharman) said that we wouldn’t go back there in a hurry either, but at least we had the cosy feeling that we bottomed it lol.

[Don]

I don’t know. This was the first visit for me to Craftsmans’, the second for Dan and Alex. Both of the them said that they thought it had slumped in since they were last there. It looked pretty bad. We couldn’t see a way down through the hole that didn’t involve putting weight on loose rock that was holding back even looser rock. At some point it’s obviously going to collapse. Good for you for making it through. You’re a braver man than me.

[Xandar]

We explored a side passage at the bottom, however the loose and fragile nature of the rock in this section of the cave eventually led us to turn back.

Me and Dan made it as almost as far as the connection to the Mouse hole (the end of the side passage), but we decided against climbing a wall of mud and stones, though thinking about it, it prob would have been okay.

The normal way on looked about as abysmal as ever however there appeared to be more rocks in it. It’s amazing and scary how one small rock appears to be holding everything up. Having done it before and assuming the flat out crawl below the pitch would likely be sumped I was not keen to go through it for no reason. Me and Dan afterall had bottomed it in the past.

Don also did not mention that Dan had slipped onto his thumb in one of the rifts on the way out. At the time we did not think too much of it as Dan did not make a big deal about it, however Dan has since visited A&E and according to an X-ray he has fractured (chipped) part of his thumb so unfortunately he won’t be caving with us next weekend.

[Don]

You’re right, I forgot to mention Dan’s injury. Probably because I was half asleep when I wrote the trip report. His thumb injury was the most exciting part of the day. Can’t believe he chipped it climbing up the 20′ rift. Yet he still managed to get up the next three rift climbs without complaining. He’s a real hero.

[Scaife]

Thumbs up for Dan.

[cavegod]

Climbing up that hole from the traverse those loose rocks gave way on my first visit, they were fine last time when Dan and Rob came. that wall of loose rock/mud looks amazing while you abseil down next to it!

[Author]

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