Report by Jules Barrett
Cavers: Jules Barrett
(EPC), Jim Lister (EPC), Ann
Soulsby (TSG), Chris Schofield (EPC)
After the SRT Rescues training yesterday we fancied something with some
decent
SRT and that would give a full day. Ann suggested J.H. and as Chris
hadn't been
in there before that seemed like an excellent idea. During the evening
Jim
established that J.H. was being left rigged overnight by Kent
University Caving
Club which made J.H. seem like an even better idea. We met at the TSG
and after
the usual tea and chat the party moved in the general direction of the
entrance.
We arrived just before the Kent University team who were de-rigging.
The first
pitch, Cartgate and Bitch Pitch all passed without incident and we
arrived at
the Workshop. I'd only ever gone straight across at the Workshop but
this time
we followed the alternative route down the slot in the floor to arrive
at the
top of a short pitch which leads to Leviathan. Down Leviathan to the
big ledge
and then on down the superb final pitch to the floor. Here we left SRT
kits and
headed down through the Boulder Piles to emerge in the Speedwell
Streamway. A
quick stomp upstream (much squealing from the girls at the back who
were missing
their neoprene!) to Main Rising and then back. On the way back we
stopped
to have a look at the Miner's Toast ("Health to All Miners and
Maintainers
of Mines") and the Yorkshire Raider's equally significant but later
inscription (Main Rising -66m) before heading back through the Boulder
Piles to
the bottom of Leviathan. It turned out that the de-riggers were still
off
finding the bottom of Titan so we set off up the ropes. The trip out
was
uneventful and very easy with no bags whatsoever. Last time I was in
here was
ferrying diving gear and Ann has also done more than her fair share of
that.
Much as I'd like to say I'm obviously much fitter now than last time I
was in
here I suspect that the lack of bags was significant. By the time I
arrived at
the bottom of the first pitch I'd finally got the hang of the foot
jammer that
I've recently started using and soon I was on the surface. There are
some lovely
wild flowers around the top of J.H. at this time of year and it was
great laying
in the sun waiting for the others to make their way out.
Click on the
images above to enlarge.
Miner's
artifacts and conservation tape
in the Workshop (J.H.).
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