Report by Jules Barrett
Cavers: Jules Barrett
(EPC), Jase Rider (EPC), Chris
Schofield (EPC).
Very enjoyable evening
tourist trip down Oxlow to
the bottom of Maskhill. Arrived at the parking around 7.15 pm to find
that one
team was already on their way down Oxlow and a Masson team were kitting
up for
Maskhill. We decided that since Oxlow wasn't too constricted we'd go in
there
after the other team. Short walk to the entrance and rigged the first
and second
pitches. Starting a big (100m) rope at the top of the third pitch gets
you all the way down West Swirl Passage to the top of the pitch that
leads
into West Antechamber. Down the third pitch with some great ginging at
the top and then the
pitch with the deviation which lands on the col between East Chamber
and
West Swirl Passage. The deviation cord that's on this at the moment is
much
shorter than it need be so we added our own piece of cord to the
in-situ stuff.
At this point the other ropes disappeared off into the East Chamber so
we had
West Swirl Passage and the last two pitches to ourselves. Jase pointed
out the
wall that he and John Taylor had built years ago which keeps the
passage below
Pilgrim's Way from running into the slot that leads to West Chamber
proper. We met the Masson team in Pearl
Chamber and continued on to have a look at the sump and then set off
out. We
caught up with the other team on the last few pitches but were out by
10.30 pm
leaving time for a drink in the Wanted Inn.
Really enjoyable trip!
Good exercise and the
start of training
for the PSM in August!
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