With Tav, Jake and Nick.
Nothing to clear so headed straight up to the end of Trick or Treat! and set about enlarging the downward dipping inclined bedding that leads to the south. It took a while to get into a rhythm – digging with the spade at arms length, filling the drag tray, then dragging it back to the chamber to be bagged up then moving the bag into the first chamber to be stacked up ready for removing at a later date. After a while digging with the spade became too awkward and a feet first tactic was employed, scraping the spoil back, balling it up and flinging it overhead to be placed in the skip by Tav. There was a disconcerting moment when a sizeable flake of rock was dislodged from the ceiling and landed on my legs – at least it made some more space when I eventually managed to get out of the way. Wriggled forward as far as I could get but progress was halted by a rock in the floor which I could not shift. Went back to turn around and have a go head first, got to the blockage and managed to loosen it but could not remove it [yet!]. I could see ahead into a low, apparently blind chamber (?) which is a bit disappointing after the effort it took to get there, although there is a small cross rift that needs a better look. The stickiness of the sediment meant that it required a considerable effort to extricate myself from the passage, reversing up the slope feet first, then having to negotiate the slot to regain the main passage. Knackered, called it a day and retired to the Hunter’s for refreshments.
