Devon Holiday - Day 2

Devon Holiday

Day 2

We must have been tired as we finally woke around 10!  We had planned to go caving today, after getting ourselves sorted we left and went into Ashburton in search of a pasty for lunch - luckily we were successful.  The cave we were going to was Afton Red Rift, funnily enough it was in Afton!  We had our lunch and Tim had a look around for where the entrance was.  After a while he appeared back having found it.  We kitted up and made our way down the over grown stinging nettle and cow parsley path to the field at the end where there was a cow to greet us.  Me not being all that keen to venture into the field remembered we had been told to take the path down the side of an old lime kiln!  Bellow the entrance there was a rope to assist a greasy climb up to the gate.

Once inside the cave we followed the rift for a short while before getting to a bit that looked rather tricky.  It's not often Tim asks for a rope!!  I sat at the top while Tim traversed and descended  the rift to check for the way on.  Soon he appeared back below me at the foot of the rift, he climbed up and showed me the route to get down.  While I was going down I was looking at it thinking that it was not going to be a pleasant climb back out!  At the bottom we continued along the rift and it wasn't long before we found another obstacle!  This time it was a slippery slope with not many hand/foot holds which led to Watkins squeeze - a narrow slide downwards!  Eventually we found our way into the mud hall and tried to continue to cascade chamber, however we were getting short of time and the route on was unclear.  Also by now I was rather fed up of the irritatingness of the place!!  We decided to turn back and head for the exit.  This was fine till it came to the point we had to go back up Watkins squeeze.  Tim went first and then it was my turn.  The first bit seemed ok, then I ran out of foot holds, had my shoulders wedged and had nothing to pull against!  My sense of humour was rapidly fading!  eventually I fought my way through only to be faced with the climb back up the rift I had been dreading from the moment I descended it!!  Tim went first and offered to belay me up, which gave me a bit more confidence.  The climb was just as I had thought it would be - bloody horrible.  Finally and with much relief we were out of the cave.  All I can say is that I am glad I can say I have been in there and I can tick it off my list but I am in no rush to go back!!  We since saw on a website a very brief description of this cave. It was 'Firstly it is in Afton, secondly it is red and thirdly it is a rift', I will now add that fourthly it is a fecking shit hole!! :o)

Back at the caravan we cleaned up and made our way to Plymouth to find some dinner and to go to the ringing practice at St Andrew church.