Growling hole 19/09/2015

[Xandar]

Shaman, Don & Me (Alex)

A pleasant day’s caving down an interesting cave. This was my 3rd visit to the cave so I knew what I was in for, though the others did not. It starts off with an easy (on the way down) descent to the stream-way before a long grovel in the water brings you into more difficult passage, well difficult with tackle bags needed. This second section is similar to the entrance of Vespers on slightly smaller. I was lucky, I had the bag with the 3 SRT kits in it. I think that this may explain why I wore most my kit last time through the entire cave.

Finally after easier crawling we emerged in a small stooping height chamber where we donned our gear. The second pitch was easily rigged and we arrived at the slot (the so call 3rd pitch). I put a rope on it, but it was pointless rigging it, except for attaching bags to. Everyone down the following squeezes were passed with ease by all and were not really noticed on the way in. It was not long (after another short pitch) before we were at the big pitch and I set off rigging.

I had just rigged the second y-hang, and I leaned back to get into a better position. “Oh shit” I shouted. What seemed like a long time later there was a large crash far below. Don for a moment thought that crash was me being smashed to bits on the bottom, thankfully it was not. When I had leaned against the back wall to get a better stance, a significant chunck of rock fell away, I would say it was most of the wall. However, unlike Strans gill it had not hurt me or even touched me so I carried on rigging and bottomed it, this time I was not as scared out my wits like I was on that pitch in Strans!

Don however, after passing all the squeezes, would not be following. Mainly due to the stories he had heard of Kingsdale and just not trusting the rock here at all, I see his point. Above the main pitch just beyond where you descend there are many car sized boulders poised in the ceiling. This did not put off Shaman who followed me down hot on my heels

As he was a bit cold (due to the time it takes to spanner in the spits) he went straight back up again leaving me to de-rig. I was part way back up when Shaman shouted below, tennis ball sized stone crashed somewhere above me, it would have hurt but thankfully it did not reach me. I think last time I was here a significant chunk fell off from above, this pitch is not safe that is for sure. The whole pitch should only be done one at a time but being 77m high that takes a while.

On the way out there were a few issues with the squeezes and the 3rd “pitch”. Don was having no issues, Shaman however struggled a bit with the squeeze below the muddy calcite. He reversed out and we eventually managed to position me in front from my place at the back by playing a human stacking game in a narrow rift. Acting as spotter I was then able to guide Shaman through the squeeze. Once up this and the pitches above all that was in the way was the entrance crawl. This was far worse on the way out the bags refused quite often to move forward and we would often have to pull them backwards, reposition them and then push them again. But eventually we were all out at twenty five past four. After about 5 and a half hours underground.

[Don]

I think a warning needs to be added to the NFTFH website, and possibly UKCaving, about Fault Pitch. I’ve read a couple of other trip reports by members of other clubs who have also reported rock mysteriously ‘liberating itself’ from the shaft walls. It’s also possible that the pre-existing unstable nature of the shaft has been exacerbated by the recent earthquake activity at nearby Kirkby Lonsdale several months ago, which is thought to have caused the recent incidents in Bull Pot and Yordas Cave (both of which are also in Kingsdale – as everyone knows – and which also involved large boulders unexpectedly falling/slipping). That’s why I decided against descending Fault Pitch. I think it would probably be ok if only one person descended/ascended the pitch at a time, as Alex recommended, however it’s a very cold cave and I doubt many people would want to wait around at the top/bottom for that long waiting for someone to ascend/descend.

[Author]

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