dighalloween

Decent calcite crystal that was recovered from blasted rock debris during the clearance work t’other day.

Solo.

At the entrance I grabbed 20 empty bags off the drying line and headed into the cave. there were still 5 empty bags at the end left over from the last session so I bagged up some loose sediment and gravel and then set about barring out some of the blasted rock. Any oversized lumps were reduced to a more manageable size with the sledge hammer and all the rock was stacked in the pot. My only problem was an earworm – Abba tunes! must have been the other day when I caught a bit of ‘Mamma Mia’ on the TV. Anyway rock stashed and fifteen bags filled with gravel and sediment, most of the blasted rock has been cleared out of the way so digging should be easier next session. Although access to Toil and Trouble is now blocked by bags. Time to head out for refreshments at the Hunter’s.

Oh! Just remembered that I also put the short iron ladder down to aid access down into the dig.

With Tav. Alex came over later to help with hauling the bags out.

My turn to dig, Tav came down into the pot so that we could clear the larger rock debris from Wednesday’s effort. These were stacked in the pot to be shifted at a later date when there is a bigger team. I then set about bagging up the gravel and smaller rocks, any large rocks were added to the pile. At the end I filled 3 bags at a time then moved up into the pot loaded the skip for Tav to haul the bags out of the pot and shuttle them along to the entrance. This process was repeated until 40 bags had been filled and stacked in the entrance. It was then time to move back and clear the bags to the surface to be emptied. There is still plenty of spoil to be shifted from the dig. There appears to be some less compacted sediment at the base of the dig, a small bar was pushed in easily and waggled around. The also seems to be some phreatic development to the east at a lower level to Toil and Trouble, but it’s ‘early days’ and we will have to see how this progresses. Anyway it was getting late and we were missing pub time!

Solo.

Got all I needed to get done and was at the entrance by 18:15 and made my way along to Witches Cauldron sorting the wire out as I went. After some recent heavy rain I noticed there were a few puddles along the way and down in the pot a few drips – well, quite a lot of drips really. I reckon Jake got the best of the digging conditions last Saturday and the next clearing/digging session may be sticky – even squalid if more ran comes. Anyway, I digress, back to the job in hand, drilled 6no. holes into various large boulders and fractured rock. Made sure I used some of the ample supply of tamp material and made my way back out. Job completed by 19:15 and was home in time to watch the highlights of the first days play of the Ashes Edgbaston test match.

With Nick, Jake and Tangent, who made a late appearance.

Jake took 40 bags to the end and started digging, I was in the pot clearing the last of the rocks and filled bags as they arrived at my feet. Nick did the hauling up the pot and shuttling back and forth to the entrance. With two of us working in the pot there is not much respite for the digger and as the bags were rapidly filled, then more empties were requested – 70 bags filled, the rocks cleared from the pot plus a few more rocks and in excess of 80 loads were shifted out to the surface. Tangent looked rather warm after hauling most of the bags up the entrance and he had emptied most of them – his penance for late arrival (and he then had to pedal up to the Hunter’s). At least the flies didn’t seem to be such a nuisance today. An excellent session.

With Jake and Tav. Alex came over later to help with the hauling of bags and rocks.

Tav was at the business end, I initially hauled spoil up and out of the pot whilst Jake had opted to do the shuttling back and forth to the entrance. After we had cleared the bags filled by me last session I moved down into the pot to shift the rock piled there while Tav carried on with digging along and down the rift. Tav filled 40 bags and succeeded in lowering the floor in the rift by nearly one metre. By that time there were only a few small rocks remaining in the pot (which were left there) but a considerable pile of 50 bags and numerous rocks in the entrance ready to be hauled out to the surface. It was warm and the swarming flies on the surface were really annoying, when we had cleared the entrance time was moving on and thirst needed quenching, off to the Hunter’s!

Due to work commitments, school holidays and air shows it’s another solo trip for me.

Wednesday’s effort had done the job and there was a considerable pile of debris to shift. Spent the next two hours stacking rock in the pot, breaking up the larger lumps with the sledge hammer, bagging the gravel. When I had finished the access to the former alcove is now c.4 metres long, 1 metre wide and nearly 2 metres high in places, and there is still more to come out of the floor and plenty of sediment to shift. Unfortunately I had done a “J’Rat” and run out of stacking space, the pot is now full of rock and the way into Toil and Trouble blocked with bags. Then, I heard a voice, I even answered it but on arrival at the surface there was no-one – am I going mad? I needed a drink so made my way off the hill and up to the Hunter’s Lodge Inn for some refreshment.

In the pub it later transpired that Alex had come over to the entrance of Hallowe’en Rift but had returned to his project to collect his kit.

On my tod.

Continued the expansion to the north at the bottom of Witches Cauldron. 7no. holes drilled – 2no. in the wall to open up access to the alcove and 5no. in the obstruction in the floor – cut material underground, ran out wire and completed the job from the entrance. Should be something to clear next session and hopefully we will see what is obstructing downwards progress – boulder or solid rock?

With Jake and Nick.

Another warm day. Jake did the clearing and digging, Nick hauling and shuttling back to the entrance, while I was on the surface hauling out the rocks and bags. In between loads I packed away the empty bags and generally tidied around the entrance. I wasn’t alone being surrounded by a halo of buzzing flies which became rather annoying, particularly when their bigger biting cousins came along – I really dislike CLEGS! When the clearing was done Nick and I went along to the end to have a look. Wednesday’s little effort had worked really well and the obstruction is no more. Still need to take a little more off the wall and there is an obstruction in the floor that will need some attention, will try and arrange something for mid-week.

Solo

A very warm and humid walk up to the entrance, apparently it’s the warmest July day on record. Spent some time putting the wire onto another, more suitable reel – my mistake was to drop the old reel and wire down the entrance shaft, then I had to untangle the resulting bird’s nest! On to the main task for the evening, from the base of the pot continuing north – the plan to remove the bridge of flowstone and dolomitic conglomerate that is obstructing forward progress. Drilled holes using new 400mm x 12mm bit until batteries were fully discharged (7 and a bit holes). Only used 6no. preparation of material was done, as required per hole, underground. Returned to the surface to complete a satisfactory evenings work, hopefully there will be some debris to shift on Saturday.

Just me and Tav this week the other team members are either away surfing or at Glastonbury partying!

Continued to dig the rift to the north of Witches Cauldron. Pretty easy digging at the moment dry sandy silt with very few inclusions. The layering visible within the sediment exposure might suggest a low energy environment at the time of deposition. I did the first stint filling 15 bags then changed places with Tav who then filled another 15 bags. Alex turned up to help out with the hauling and the bags were quickly up and out. The bags were relatively easy to empty and by the time the last bag was out the others were already emptied and hanging up to dry. Off to the jolly old Hunter’s Lodge for some refreshment!

I was over at Hutton again but the digging at HR continued.

The team comprised Tav, Jake, Nick and Tangent.

The debris resulting from Thursday evening’s trip was cleared along with much sediment. The team seem happy to continue pursuing this lead for a while.

Solo

Pleasant evening stroll up to the entrance and quickly got underground. Slightly perturbed to that there was not a reel of wire in the entrance shaft, must be at the top of the pot I thought – wrong! and not at the bottom either. Nothing for it but to leave the kit and return to the surface and search for the missing reel there – luckily I found it secreted under a skip. Back to the job in hand. Some hard rock to drill on the right hand side but soon had the job done and dusted, packed my kit away and returned to the surface to successfully complete the night’s work. Didn’t bother to stop in the Hunter’s on the way home.

I was over at Hutton today but the rest of the team continued the good works!

Tav sent the following report of the day’s activities:

“Tav, Nick, Tangent & Jake – joined later by Alex.

The bang had worked well and the team quickly removed the debris,
which was in handily sized chunks. Several more bag loads of mud were
then removed from the bedding beneath the dwindling bridge. One large
lump of spar was beaten repeatedly but stubbornly refused to break and
will need some chemical persuasion to reduce it to manageable lumps.
Once this – and the remains of the bridge – have gone, then the
descending bedding should be wide open for a full scale attack. Tav
crawled up Toil and Trouble to retrieve some tools that were more man
enough for the job. Another good session and by mutual consent a better
looking prospect all round. Then to pub for a mellow session and to have
a laugh about the Belfry Spycam incident.”

Solo

Steady trip up the hill on a fine evening stopping to admire the view. Into the cave with two bags, glad I wasn’t going too far. Got comfortable in the pot (Witches Cauldron) and set up the drill, I kept drilling holes until both batteries were fully discharged but only used five of them. Holes charged and kit packed away it was time to head out, laying the wire as I went. At the surface a successful conclusion to the evening and returned to the farm, and it was still light.

With Tav and Tangent, Alex came along later to assist with the haul out.

Cleared the debris from Wednesday evenings little passage widening exercise and managed to fill quite a few bags of sediment as well. Nice and tidy ready for a little more attention on Wednesday next.

Solo underground but Tangent was on the surface exploring the surrounding landscape, it was a rather fine evening!

Underground I dragged the kit along to the rift north at the bottom of the pot where the new drill (Erbauer 36v)was unpacked ready to be used for the first time. Kept drilling until batteries were fully discharged but only charged 5no. As usual there was high variability in the conglomerate and the calcite. Job done it was time to return to the surface and a satisfying pop was heard, cave locked, and off we went.

With Tav, Jake and Tangent. Alex arrived later to help hauling and emptying of the bags.

Note: Due to G’rumblings regarding deformation of character and his wife’s hysterical laughter everytime he enters the room, there will be no further ‘intentional’ references to A. G’ruffalo, by order!

Talking of the Gruffalo you just have to listen to ‘Cave Baby’ It made me laugh anyway!

Tangent started the session well as he carefully attached his fully charged lamp to his helmet only to find he was illuminating all who followed after him.

Jake and Tangent at the end, Tav at the T Junction, while I settled in the pot. Digging was not easy, this was possibly due to certain team members spending too much time on the beach surfing, and more compacted sediment. As previously stated an obvious way on in this particular spot is not apparent and we might resort to having a go at digging back over the top and opening out to the left (going north) of Witches Cauldron. There is also the short passage and open rift on the left (north) just before T Junction. There are plenty of options to go for. Bags emptied it was time for reflection and discussion at the Hunter’s Lodge Inn.

With Nick and Tav, Tangent was a little late on parade. Nick and Tav were doing the work at the end, I was at the T Junction transferring the filled bags from skip to skip and, when Tangent
arrived he took up position in the pot, where the bags were stashed ready to be cleared out later in the session. 30’odd bags were filled and an
assortment of rocks including some degraded flowstone. The way ahead is
anywhere you feel like digging at the moment, it is, as always, just
wait and see how things develop. All the spoil was then hauled out to the surface
and bags emptied ready for when they are needed next session. Down in the deep dark wood the Hallowe’en Rift diggers had a series of encounters until…

…Oh!”

But who is this creature with terrible claws
And terrible teeth in his terrible jaws?
He has knobbly knees and turned-out toes
And a poisonous wart at the end of his nose.
His eyes are orange, his tongue is black;
He has purple prickles all over his back.

“Oh help! Oh no!

It’s A. G’ruffalo!” He’s come to join us at midday to help haul out and empty the bags.

If you want to see more of the gruffalo follow the link to www.gruffalo.com

With Jake, Nick and Tangent. Alex came along later to help with the hauling and emptying of bags. Got a message from Tav later to say that he was stuck behind an ambulance and, unfortunately couldn’t make digging.

I did the digging, Nick the clearing, Jake at the T Junction and Tangent in the pot. Felt a bit jaded to start with probably as a result of imbibing too many apple juices at a certain hostelry last evening but got into it soon enough. Not sure about the crack in the floor seems quite narrow, a little more disconcerting is that there appears to be a rift above that has some looser fill and I removed some degraded flowstone from it. This will make forward progress a little more awkward as the rift will need to be cleared as well, maybe it will peter out, we’ll have to see. It was soon time to shift around and haul the bags out to the surface, I thought it was wise to avoid the pot, at least for this week and Nick did that job while I hauled and Tangent shuttled the bags, Jake on the surface with Alex. Bags emptied, cave secured off to the Hunter’s!

Well I’m back underground but not at Hallowe’en Rift this weekend. I went over to Hutton area to widen a constriction for the digging team over there at the upper end of the recently discovered and impressive Glebe Passage.

At Hallowe’en the team comprised Tav, Nick, Jake and, the second week in succession, Tangent. They shifted c.40 bags of spoil from the dig to the surface, another sterling effort and they were late to the pub. At the end a small rift has appeared although this will need some further investigation. I’m very much looking forward to returning to the fray next weekend.

Still no digging for me but there was a job to do on the surface, I had bought a padlock and chain to replace the the faulty one on the entrance to Hallowe’en Rift. By the time I had sorted out tools and things I was running a little late as I headed over to the farm, as I was passing the Hunter’s I was surprised to see that Jake’s motorcycle was there – I didn’t think anyone was going to dig this weekend. I was even more surprised when I arrived at the farm to see Tangent changed to go underground along with Jake and Nick. Alex had gone walkabout on the hillside with Desmond Donovan. Walked up to the entrance with the team and when they had gone underground I set about removing the old lock and fitting the new one. That done walked over the hill to find Alex, mooched around with them for a while before returning to Hallowe’en Rift where I packed up the dry bags and tidied up around the entrance. I could hear the underground team hauling the day’s spoil out to the entrance and Alex turned up to assist in hauling and emptying the bags, about three dozen and a few rocks. The empty bags hung up to dry. it was time to lock up and head off to the Hunter’s for the usual refreshments.

Still no digging for me, the rest of the team – Jake, Tav and Nick with Alex turning up later to help haul and empty bags – kept up the good work. Jake reports from the end that a long bar can be pushed its entire length into less compact sediment and the passage appears to be trending upwards.

Met up with Jake and Tav in the Hunter’s at lunchtime for a chinwag. There wasn’t any digging today at Hallowe’en Rift as there were not enough participants to make an effective team so they went for an amble over the hillside, it was a fine day for walking.

Following some minor surgery I’m out of action for a while but for the rest of the team it’s work as usual.

Tav’s report for today’s session:

“Tav digging, Nick dragging, Jake stacking and Al hauling. Roughly 35 bags removed. No great changes to report.”

Walked up the cave from the farm to deliver a couple of replacement skips ready for the team on Saturday.

With Jake, Tav and Nick. Alex turned up at mid-day to help haul the bags out.

Arrived at the farm to find gate chained and locked, Mark away for hols with family so parked in field instead. On the way up across fields we met Ted who explained he didn’t have a key for the locked gate. Up at the cave entrance we were surprised to find that most of the bags left hanging up to dry were still there, considering the very strong winds of a week ago. Took 50 bags up to the end where Nick, back once again from foreign lands, took the first turn at digging with Jake clearing the filled bags, Tav at the T Junction and I settled down in the pot. Emptied the puddle in the pot and thought to myself should have come down last week and put another bang along the rift – will have to remember that should a future opportunity arise. Bags started to arrive at a steady pace and the pot didn’t take long to become filled. Time went by quickly and it was soon past mid-day and time to start to clear the bags out of the cave. Alex was waiting on the surface to empty bags as I hauled them up out of the entrance, 45 bags in total plus a few rocks – good session. When the the rest of the team surfaced the majority of bags were already empty and all that was left to do was hang the bags out to dry ready for the next digging session.

Got back to the van and was relieved that the cattle in the field hadn’t decided to lick it clean. We changed and retired to the Hunter’s Lodge Inn for refreshment as usual.

Not enough of the team were available for a worthwhile digging effort this weekend – so a weekend to be spent pursuing other interests.

With Jake and Tav.

Jake had managed to acquire some nice, clean and shiny yellow bags, 39 in total, and all ready to go to the end. The dry weather of the last few days over the last few days also meant that the bags on the ‘washing’ line had dried out, these were shaken off and bagged up, later to be stashed in the entrance ready for use when needed.

It was my turn to do the digging while Jake cleared away the bags to Tav who stashed the filled bags at the T Junction. When 30 bags had been filled Jake and Tav began to haul them along to the pot, while I filled another half dozen to make 36 filled bags in total. We all shifted back to get the bags to the bottom of the entrance, then out to the surface to be emptied and hung up to dry out ready for the next session. It was just ever so slightly drier in the cave this week, just need the trees to burst into leaf and suck up some of the moisture in the soil.

Up to the Hunter’s Lodge Inn for refreshment and then home to watch the final round of matches in this year’s 6 Nations rugby tournament.

With Jake and Tav.

Tav digging, me helping to fill and clear bags away. Jake spent a while modifying the haul route at the top of Witches Cauldron before joining us at the end and stacking bags at the T Junction. 30 bags filled and hauled out to the surface, 20 bags were emptied and 10 bags left until next week to see if Tav is right and they are easier to empty after being left to dry out. Jake constructed a ‘washing’ line to hang the bags to dry ready for the next session. We got to the Hunter’s slightly later than usual.

With Tav and Jake.

Sunday session today after I had been out west yesterday to carry out some rock reduction for the ACG diggers in Upper Canada.

Collected 30 empty bags from the surface stash and all headed underground. Jake at the dig face, Tav cleared the bags while I stashed them in the T Junction. Baling out of the way digging progressed. 29 bags filled – the bottom fell out of 1 bag- and we shifted back to move the spoil out to the surface where it was emptied, all except one bag that stubbornly refused to be relieved of its burden – Tav did the honourable thing and left it! Off to the Hunter’s for refreshments.

With Jake and Tav (Nick’s away for a month), and Alex did his own thing again.

Decided to try all three at the end today; I did the digging, Jake cleared the bags away and sorted out the puddles and cleaned mud off the slope, while Tav stashed the filled bags at the T Junction ready to be hauled out later. We concentrated the digging effort to the north east of the chamber. There is an area where the sediments seemed less compact and is slightly freer from calcification. Some tiny gaps/pockets appeared at roof level, which is encouraging and the roof is rising up as well. Filled 38 bags and we all shifted back to get them out to the surface, where Alex had turned up to help haul out, all the bags were emptied ready for filling next session. Very squalid in the cave today, plenty of mud splash off the haul ropes. Good effort, although we did arrive at the Hunter’s a bit later than usual.

With Jake, Nick and Tav. Alex came along to help with hauling of bags after carrying on with his own little project.

Tav and Jake at the end digging, Nick in the pot, me on the hauling and shuttle to the entrance. Digging has slowed considerably due to calcited sediments and rocks, also an awkward digging position. the drips in the cave are constant so plenty of puddles to bale out. We managed to shift 30+ bags and an assortment of rocks out to the surface. Good to get back to the task in hand after some the team have been struck by a variety of illnesses and ailments. Hunter’s Lodge Inn for some well earned refreshment.

Unfortunately another session lost to illness and ailments! Hopefully we’ll be back on track next weekend.

Missed out on another digging session due to being incapacitated once again!

With Tav, Jake and Nick. Alex went off to do his own thing, returning later to Hallowe’en Rift to assist with the hauling out and emptying of bags.

Nick got the digging underway, while I baled out the puddles in the T Junction, Jake baled out the pot and Tav was doing the shuttle run. After a couple of dozen or so bags Nick and I swapped places. At the dig there is appears to be no obvious way on just a wide bedding plane filled with sediments, the digging effort being mostly concentrated heading north and east. Clear banding can be seen in the sediments :- uppermost is slightly pinkish red-brown silt with very few inclusions overlying yellow slightly sandy silt that has a base layer of calcited material, that requires more effort to remove, at the base is dolomitic conglomerate. This session we filled c.46 bags and a few skips of rocks, all removed to the surface and bags emptied. We got to the pub a bit later than usual.

No activity at Hallowe’en Rift this weekend due to lurgy and other commitments. Back next week!

With Nick. Jake and Tav [Alex has his own little project going on].

On arrival at Hallowe’en Rift we were slightly bemused to find 3 packs of bags neatly stacked on the lid, it appears that Tav had come over yesterday while checking a few things for the MCRA. That settled, Jake and Tav went to the end to do the digging, Nick was in the pot and I settled down to do the hauling/shuttling of spoil back to the entrance shaft. There was quite a bit of baling done to make it more comfortable in the various hauling positions while waiting for the first bags to arrive. I had purchased a mini mattock from www.pasthorizinstools.com for the digging at the end, although Tav reckons the big mattock and bar are still useable. Anyway 40 bags were duly filled and along with some rocks were hauled back to the entrance and out to the surface. As previously agreed Alex turned up at mid-day to assist with hauling and he was accompanied by Mark ‘Gonzo’ Lumley. Unfortunately Alex had to dash off for personal reasons and Gonzo gave him a lift back to the Hunter’s to collect his van, at least quite a few of the bags had been emptied. Cave clear of bags and things it was time to go, on the way down the obligatory ‘brown stains’ were left in the field, and refreshments were taken at the Hunter’s Lodge Inn.

With Nick, Jake and Tav.

Nick and me did the digging stint this session, Tav was in the pot, Jake did the haul and shuttle to the entrance. At the end the way north seems to be closing down a bit but there is always the east side or over the top. 40 bags and a few rocks were shifted out to the surface. The claggy fill is not at all easy to extract from the bags especially those that have been compressed at the bottom of the pile and with slippery gloves leading to some cursing on occasion. If it was summer we could dry the lumps in the sun, like adobes, and build ourselves a hut, or another wall.

With Jake, Nick and Tav. First digging trip of the new year.

A grey, damp start to the day and following some heavy rain during the night we were not expecting the cave to be any drier, we were not surprised to find it getting back to it’s squalid best; although the digging at the end is fine. Jake and Tav were on digging duties today and, after replacing the old skips at the end with the new ones I had made up earlier in the week, bags were duly filled. I was in the pot and Nick took the shuttle duties while we were waiting for the filled bags to come from the end Nick and I set about shifting the rocks stacked in the pot. There was now a constant trickle of water running into the pot and there was plenty of mud splatter coming off the haul ropes although I did manage to keep it out of my eyes, mostly. Good to hear from the end that there had been no further collapse and that forward progress was possible. 30+ bags filled and shifted to the entrance plus the rocks that were in the pot meant that there was a considerable pile of spoil to get out of the cave, and quite an awkward clamber up the bag pile to get to the surface. Cave cleared it was time to head off to the pub, the obligatory body sliding in the field left some fine brown skid marks.