Stile Pot project log for 2005 - 2007
|
9th January 2008
JWG, JS and PJ: The first session of the New Year had to manage without Dave Checkley who was at home suffering from man-flu, but John Sellers did report back for light duties following a two-session absence due to epicondylitis.
|
|
| Phil Johnstone on Heavy Duties | John Sellers on Light Duties |
| Photographs: John Sellers | |
Some sterling work was done by PJ who demolished the pile of boulders at the bottom of the shaft with the sledge-hammer, and some equally sterling work was performed by JS who discovered that "light duties" meant having to haul the said boulders to the surface. JWG then dived into the rift at the end and removed the remainder of the loose material and manageable boulders to prepare the way for the next capping session.
This was a short, but productive day.
13th January 2008
JWG, DC, Colin Boothroyd and Brian Judd: John Sellers and Phil Johnstone were unable to report for duty, but DC managed to press Colin and Brian to serve as substitutes on a particularly damp and dismal January day.
CPB and BJ had first go in the hole, and after capping out the boulder blocking progress, made short work of removing the others behind it. They managed to reach the far wall and expose a small passage off to the right.
|
|
| The Way Ahead - Before | The Way Ahead - After |
| Photographs: John Sellers | |
DC and JWG replaced them, and before long DC was able to squeeze through the passage to a free-climbable 3 m drop into a shattered chamber. The east wall was made up of a wall of loose boulders, and the floor consisted of large boulders through which a gap could be seen. CPB and BJ came down for a look, and after heaving a couple of boulders out of the way, CPB was able to drop feet first into a steeply descending rift with solid walls, past a bedding development, for about a further 4 m. The rift continued down for three or four metres, but was too too small for immediate progress.
A reasonably successful day, with the depth of Stile Pot being more than doubled from about 7 m to about 15 m.
16th January 2008
JWG, JS, PJ and DC: A full compliment reported for duty, all anxious for a share in the glory.
DC and PJ disappeared down the extension to work out a battle plan for the next phase. At the bottom the steeply descending rift continues for a few metres, but gets too narrow. To the right of that another shaft descends in the same rift, but would be more awkward to work. Two or three metres above the current bottom, a further, lightly watered, small shaft is located within a bedding developed along a shale band. This shale band is likely to be the same as that 6 m above the floor of Small Mammal House, and 19 m below the main moor level.
Phil Johnstone and John Gardner in Rambling Syd Rumpo. Photograph: John Sellers
Eventually, it was decided to work on the main descent, using the other two holes for spoil disposal, and a start was made on capping the bedrock until the drill batteries ran out. Although the situation looks promising, it's going to be a long job, and it was resolved that the priority for the next session should be to tidy up the route to the work face. At least we have some motivation for continuing - we need to retrieve the lump hammer DC dropped down the rift!
30th January 2008
JWG, JS, PJ and DC: Once again, we had a full compliment reporting for duty.
DC and JS descended Stile Pot, and continued capping. Steady progress was made, and another metre of the rift was made accessible before the capping protection mat elected to join the lump hammer and a glove in the inaccessible depths.
Dave Checkley at the Coal Face.
Photograph: John Sellers
Meanwhile, JWG and PJ surveyed from Stile Pot to Small Mammal Pot, and down into Small Mammal House, where the noise of the other team could be heard permeating up out of the floor of the chamber. This is made up of loose blocks of various shapes and sizes, and seems to go down for at least a couple of metres, presumably to the second shale bed. They then surveyed Stile Pot to the coal face, which proved to be about 17½ m deep, and finishes up a few metres above and 8 m from the bottom of the rope in Small Mammal House at a bearing of 130°.
On the way out, a small wall of boulders threatened to drop on three members of the team from the top of the rift, and a few anxious moments passed before things were sorted out. All in all, however, it was a successful day, but it will take at least three more trips before the bottom of the rift is reached.
16th February 2008
JWG and DC: With JS in Madeira and PJ recovering from skiing, the team was down to two on this beautiful February day.
JWG was suffering after a bad night's sleep, so DC took responsibility for the technical work. Steady progress was made, and we can now see about four metres beyond our current limit. We are following a small gully carved into the floor of the descending rift, which seems to enlarge after a couple of metres. We'll probably need a further two sessions to get beyond the constriction. Our main problem is that the only sound bit of rock in the cave is the bit we're trying to remove…
22nd February 2008
JWG and DC: The weather was miserable with heavy showers and gale-force winds, Clapham Beck was in full spate – and DC had forgotten his wellies…
Once back at the coal face, steady progress was made. There is about a metre of constriction left, and although not a lot of rock needs to be removed to make it negotiable, space needs to be carved out to be able to work on it. However, a maximum of two further sessions should see us through.
27th February 2008
JWG, JS, DC, and PJ: A relatively disappointing day… JWG and PJ disappeared off to Small Mammal House with capping gear, where they tried working their way through the boulders alongside the wall where the noise from the Stile Pot team was loudest. Steady progress was made, but nerves gave out when all the boulders in sight seemed to have some part in holding up a two ton boulder perched above their heads, and a strategic withdrawal was made.
|
|
| John Sellers at the Coal Face. Photograph: Dave Checkley |
So Near and Yet So Far… Photograph: John Sellers |
DC and JS descended Stile Pot to continue work at the bottom of Rambling Syd Rumpo. Some progress was made in the very cramped conditions, but the batteries gave out before the breakthrough was made. Next time?
5th March 2008
JWG, JS, DC and PJ: DC and PJ descended to the coal face, and working under severely cramped conditions eventually removed enough rock to allow DC to pass the constriction, now known as the Molestrangler, on a ladder. It proved to be very tight, so a little more rock was removed from below.
The descent led into a small chamber at a depth of about 20 m, with a shale bed, which is probably at the same level as the floor of Small Mammal House. The chamber has two parts. Immediately at the bottom of the pitch it is 2 m by 6 m and 1.5 m high, with a crawl on the far side leading to a small chamber 3 m in diameter. The roof of this goes up to the narrow shaft, down which the tools were dropped. The floor of the entrance chamber is of angular boulders, and in the floor in front of the entrance is a tight slot that you can look down for about 4 m. There was no sign of a possible connection with Small Mammal House.
Phil Johnstone and Dave Checkley Below the
Molestrangler. Photograph: John Sellers
Meanwhile, JS and JWG had spent the time tidying up the bottom of the entrance shaft, removing the threatening slab at the beginning of the squeeze into Rambling Syd Rumpo, and removing some of the squeeze to facilitate tackle handling. A start was also made on softening the spoil heap.
9th March 2008
JWG: A couple of hours was spent softening the spoil heap with soil recycled from nearby molehills, and the hauling bags and other detritus were taken down the hill.
14th March 2008
JWG and DC: This was a trip to work out whether whether there was a way on below the Molestrangler. Once down, JWG had a good look round, and located the missing capping mat, as well as a sling and karabiner which had been dropped down one of the parallel shafts.
Directly below the Molestrangler, the shaft continues as a 1½ m wide rift with the draught emerging. Unfortunately, the rift is loosely packed with boulders, the top of the shaft is overhung by large loose blocks, and the back wall is unstable. Much effort was put into clearing the top of the shaft of the said boulders, and stacking them in the subsidiary chamber. JWG then retreated back through the Molestrangler before DC trundled the loose back wall.
Another trip is required to stabilise the top of the rift before a proper assessment can be made on whether emptying out the rift is feasible, or not.
26th March 2008
JWG, JS, DC and Judith Onions: We were honoured by Jude's presence today, who wanted to see how old men spend their dotage. Two short sections of scaffolding were taken up to the hole.
Once down, the Molestrangler ladder was replaced with a knotted rope, and DC set to work clearing up the remnants of the wall he collapsed at the end of the last session while JS and JO stacked the debris below the wet shaft. JWG began the day by descending into Small Mammal Pot to try to establish where the the bottom of Stile and the Small Mammal House were in relation to each other. He could hear voices emerging from under one wall, but there is no hope of a connection between the two. He retreated to join the others.
By the Molecrusher - DC Contemplating the Way On. Photograph: Judith Onions
After DC had disposed of the wall, he set to trying to stabilise the area and working downwards in the corner. Good progress was made, and the way on is now obvious, albeit blocked with boulders, and has the draught fairly whistling out. Next time, the priority must be to shore up the large overhanging boulder below the Molestrangler, now known as the Molecrusher.
9th April 2008
JWG, and DC: DC's sixtieth birthday! With JS sporting in foreign climes and PJ feeling poorly, we were down to a skeleton crew. Some scaffolding and the capping equipment were carried up to the cave, where DC placed a couple of poles in the vicinity of the Molecrusher to provide an element of psychological support. The boulders in the rift below were then carefully capped and removed, always with the expectation that the next cap would cause the lot to collapse.
Towards the end of the day we could see a low passage going off horizontally at the bottom of the slope, but to get there safely the slope needs supporting with more metalwork. Time was called when an ominous creaking caused DC to leap out of the hole with the alacrity of a forty year old on vitamin tablets.
16th April 2008
JWG, JS, DC and PJ: Spring is at long last evident. A mountain pansy and a few strawberry flowers adorned the entrance, and a skylark serenaded us from above. The draught had reversed.
More scaffolding was taken down the hole, and the previous psychological support dismantled and replaced with a solid steel cage, with DC giving the others a master class in scaffolding techniques. Unfortunately, the Molecrusher slipped a couple of inches, which persuaded us that yet more steel would be useful. The passage at the bottom is even more apparent and DC managed to peer along it for two or three metres.
|
|
| DC Scaffolding below the Molecrusher. | JWG Testing DC's handiwork. |
| Photographs: John Sellers | |
2nd May 2008
JWG, JS, and DC: Another pleasant spring day saw us at the entrance armed with connectors and poles. DC let us down a little by not bringing the promised birthday cake for luncheon, but the disappointment was alleviated when JS plucked a chocolate rabbit from his helmet.
Once down, the steel cage was strengthened at the top, but some large protruding boulders proved to be a problem half way down. After carefully evaluating the situation DC and JS trundled the boulders from the end of a long scaffold pole while JWG cowered above the Molestrangler. The tactic worked and the cage was extended downwards until we ran out of scaffolding. JS then demolished the large boulders at the bottom, and used the remnants for back-filling. Soon he was able to crawl into the passage. This proved to be a little confined, with a floor of sharp cobbles. After about three metres the floor began to drop into a small rift with the draught blowing out along which we could see for a couple of metres.
It was a successful day, with another obstacle overcome. To progress safely, we need to make a little more room at the bottom of the shaft, add a bit more steel to the cage at the bottom, and remove some cobbles from the floor of the passage to allow us to properly evaluate the way on.
Stile Pot continues to be coy about giving up her secrets…
DC Investigating the Way On. Photograph: John Sellers
3rd May 2008
DC and Colin Boothroyd: With the main troops unavailable, Colin was pressed into service. The crawl was cleared out, and after about four metres it was found to drop into a small chamber with room for one to work. The floor is made up of boulders, and the draught emerges from a dangerous rubble slope straight ahead below a roof of hanging death.
The floor was dug out to a depth of one and half metres, but the rift closed in, and unfortunately it looks as if the way on will be over the rubble slope. The best strategy may be to collapse the lot…
14th May 2008
JWG, JS and DC: More scaffolding was taken up the hill. Once at the end, the hole in the floor was filled in with debris collapsed from the boulder slope ahead. However, it looks as if the easiest way on is at roof level, but to get there a calcited bridge of boulders which is holding up a large amount of debris needs dropping. Poking and prodding from a (relatively) safe distance had no effect - nor did pulling with a rope. It was agreed that something more vigorous was required, so we retired to drink tea in the sunshine at the BPC Gaping Gill camp.
The draught today was positively bracing, and made the more confined passages distinctly chilly.
16th May 2008
JWG and Ged Benn (BPC): Ged had kindly agreed to subject the boulder bridge to some rapid chemical weathering. The reaction was initiated from the surface from where a soft boom could be heard. The fumes failed to emerge from the entrance, but the draught at the time was minimal (as it was also in Small Mammal Pot).
|
|
| Ged Benn Emerging. | Ged Benn Popping. |
22nd May 2008
JWG, JS, and DC: PJ was unable to join us today as he was rune carving. We were a little late starting as the capping gear was first employed on some conservation work on a boulder protruding from the estate track.
JS went to the end first to inspect the damage caused by the last trip, and to take some photographs. The boulder bridge had collapsed as we hoped, but so had quite a lot of other material and the roof seemed to have slumped by half a metre.
It was not feasible to assess the possibilities as it was, so DC capped and cleared most of the fallen material, which was passed back and stashed behind the Molestrangler. JWG then went to have a look, and entering the cleared space was immediately struck by the sound of hollow dripping. He then heard voices, and before long Jimmy Rattray's light could be seen shining through a couple of boulders in the roof three metres above him. Jimmy was in Small Mammal House, standing in the dig started by JWG and PJ.
Our visions of caverns measureless instantly "melted into air, into thin air". However, a couple of weeks work in Small Mammal House should see a secure connection between the two, and a tackle-free exit for slender connoisseurs of Gaping Gill entrances.
On exit, a start was made on removing the digging equipment from the cave.
The Three Wrinklies. Photograph: John Sellers
29th May 2008
JWG, JS, and PJ: This was a short detackling trip. JS and PJ descended Stile Pot and JWG descended Small Mammal Pot using the BPC rope. A visual condition was made between the two, and JWG removed a couple of small boulders from above to produce a definite gap. Scaffold poles and the crow bars were passed up through this, and stored in Small Mammal House. JWG then trundled a few more boulders to make a man-size connection. JS and PJ came out of Stile with some bits and pieces, and JWG detackled Small Mammal for the BPC.
A safe route can be engineered between the two caves, but the kawasaki-sized boulder overhanging the dig which had previously discouraged JWG and PJ (see entry for the 27th February above) first needs dealing with. With this in mind, Ged Benn was approached to see if he could help to make the problem disappear.
7th June 2008
PJ and Ged Benn: The day of JS's Birthday and Anniversary Bash! This trip was arranged at the last minute with the intention of demolishing the kawasaki boulder in Small Mammal House. Unfortunately, an Imperial College team was descending Bar Pot so the demolition itself was postponed, but four holes were drilled, which took up the power of just over one battery, and the wire was laid back to the entrance.
PJ noticed that someone has been digging at the other end of Small Mammal House, and reached a considerable depth in a mass of hanging death.
16th June 2008
JWG, JS, DC and Ged Benn: JWG and JS met Ged and Edward early in Clapham, and took the opportunity to carry up more scaffolding material. DC joined them on the moor later. A quick trip into Small Mammal Pot by Ged and JWG was followed by JS making the magical connection on the surface. Ged and Edward then went off to play in Nettle Pot, and we went furtling on the Allotment. After a day sunning ourselves by unlikely holes, we returned to derig the pitch and pull out the cable. Unfortunately, there wasn't time to inspect the damage inflicted on the kawasaki.
17th July 2008
JWG, JS, DC and PJ: This was the first opportunity to inspect the damage inflicted on the kawasaki, and unfortunately the weather was most inclement. More scaffolding and clips (generously donated by David Bellerby) were taken up, with Sue Jarman equally generously transporting it as far as the show cave, and it was all stashed in Small Mammal House.
Ged had done a great job on the kawasaki, but one large residual block required several cappings before it could be removed. Much material was removed from round the hole, and it is now starting to look a little more stable although another couple of sessions will be required to manufacture a safe through trip.
JS made good use of his time in Stile Pot by offering words of encouragement through the connection, and rebuilding the mounting block on top of the Molecrusher.
31st July 2008
JWG, and JS: We were short staffed today with DC visiting the land where the Guinness flows freely, and PJ offering an equally feeble excuse. After walking round the problem a number of times, a scaffolding cage was laid on top of the dig to allow capping to take place with at least a solid footing. The larger boulders were gradually whittled down, and scaffolding inserted whenever a likely looking place was found. Eventually the remaining boulders were trundled leaving a large hole into the bottom of Stile Pot.
The hole still isn't safe to descend. The next step is to to work in Stile Pot, removing the boulders which have collapsed into it, and building them up under the overhanging boulders which form one wall of the dig. More scaffolding will be required at the bottom, and also up the sides to allow people to climb up and down without putting weight on the boulders. Before we left the site we enclosed the top of the dig with barrier tape to discourage people from stampeding around the area during the CPC winch meet.
 |
|
| John Gardner Drilling. Photo: John Sellers | John Gardner Capping. Photo: John Sellers |
13th August 2008
JWG, and JS: Again, we were short-staffed, but we staggered up the hill with the capping gear and tackle for Small Mammal Pot, and descended Stile Pot. The view up towards Small Mammal House from the bottom was rather discouraging, with a couple of large boulders delicately poised above us, blocking the way.
These were dropped and capped, which permitted access to the bottom of the climb up. JS then moved the remnants, and stacked them neatly half way up the climb where they helped to stabilise the mass. This allowed JWG to climb up into Small Mammal House, and using combined tactics the rest of the scaffolding was placed where it was vaguely hoped it might do some good. More scaffolding is required to make it safer.
 |
|
| View up towards Small Mammal House. Photo: John Sellers |
John Gardner Making the Connection Photo: John Sellers |
JS also made the connection, before we retreated back to the surface after what had proved to be a successful day. A quick visit was then made to the CPC Winch Meet camp to tell them that they needed another of their little Gaping Gill entrance signs!
16th August 2008
JWG: Some more scaffolding and shoring was taken up to the entrance of Stile Pot in preparation for a trip on Wednesday. Some of the scaffolding, donated by Bob Jarman, was reputed to have been first used in Langstroth Cave in the 1960s!
20th August 2008
JWG, DC, PJ and Dave Bellerby: Our final trip!
Today we were honoured by Dave Bellerby's presence for the first time. Suitable armed with capping gear and yet more scaffolding kindly donated by DB, we made our way down Small Mammal Pot having first paid homage at the CPC Winch Meet tent. Once at the face, DC proceeded to upset JWG by completely demolishing the left hand wall and thereby firmly blocking the way on, but then made amends by constructing in partnership with DB a steel cage that made the route down as safe as houses (well, possibly as a caravan in a hurricane!). PJ capped the last boulder at the bottom, kicked it through, and the route was once more open. DB had an explore as far as the top of the Molestrangler before all equipment and rubbish was removed from the cave.
Finally, Some Project Statistics
| Total trips | 51 |
| Trips by John Gardner | 47 |
| Trips by John Sellers | 27 |
| Trips by Dave Checkley | 23 |
| Trips by Phil Johnstone | 17 |
| Trips by Mike Wooding | 9 |
| Trips by other people | 11 |
| Total man trips | 134 |
|
Stile Pot project log for 2005 - 2007
|