Holiday - North Wales 2012 - Day 1

Holiday - North Wales 2012

Day 1 - 16-06-12

Went down to Portland to take Doughnut Bunny on his holiday to Tim's Mums.  Doughnut was quite excited to meet is new friend Rodney and they seemed to get on well straight away.

Doughnuts run and hutch in the garden

(from Left to Right) Rodney and Doughnut

We then set off to meet some people we met during our Derbyshire caving holiday to take them into one of the Portland caves. 

Tim's Trip Report:

A first experience of Portland caves for Andrea and Daz, travelling down to Portland from Lincolnshire for the weekend and a first caving trip for John and Cheryl.  The trip ahead promised to be something very different to the Northern systems of Yorkshire and Derbyshire which Andrea and Daz were used to!

After some typical caver faffing (mostly caused by my phone battery dying) we all met in the lay-by behind the YOI were kitted up by 10:45.  The route to the cave entrance was fairly overgrown, however this had clearly helped to repair & stabilise the path since the heavy use by local outdoors education groups has stopped a few years ago.  The slightly daunting looking climb up into the entrance was soon overcome leaving daylight behind us. 

Quick progress was made to concrete corner, neglecting to take the first option of going to take a look out of skittle alley entrance.  It was also first mentioned at this point that this was a warm cave!  Four of us made the tight detour into Tibet to take a quick look at the moon milk and fine un-muddied walls whilst Sas and Daz (having tried to fit) waited.  Not a single rude word was uttered in either direction (how disappointing).

Back on the main route we progressed to the Letter box where all but Sas turned left and followed the route to the rather loose looking end of Letter box rift.  Dispite having done 50 + trips to the cave this was the first time I'd ever been here.  

Having completed the second detour, we dropped through the link into Guano rift appreciating the cool breeze and wider passage.  I quickly climbed up the link to Allotment dig to assess the underside of the recent blockage caused by drilling into the cliff noting a small section of cracked mud flooring.

Daylight was quickly found after a short walk along Guano rift.  The final climb up over the jammed boulder led to the exit slope which was rigged with a 'just in case' handline.  Myself, Andrea and Daz took a final detour, climbing up peer out of the window high up in the rift, noting the very rust spits.

          

All that was required was to descend the exit slope and take the obligatory group photo looking out across the sea, emerging approx 1½ hours after entering the cave.

      

A great time was had by all with John and Cheryl being new converts to the sport.  Despite trying to convince everyone to experience another of Portland’s underground delights (mentioning things like, having to cross masses of fly tipping, really muddy, very few formations to look at and horrific crawling on chert) we all decided to make the most of the sunshine for the second half of the day.

The group (from Left to Right) Cheryl, John, Sas, Amanda and Daz.

The Route through the cave