Devon Caving Weekend
13.03.15 - 15.03.15
Friday 13th March
We picked up Matt from work at 3 and made our way to Devon. We got to Chudleigh Rock around 5 where we were met John and picked up the key for the caving club. We met Allan and Tracey at the caving club around 5.30.
Tonights trip was planned to be Dog Hole in Pridhamsleigh. There is 800 feet of passage with a verticle range of 50 feet. We parked and kitted up and made our way up the muddy hill to the entrance. A shrot crawl through the entrance brought us to flowstone slopes into Dog Chamber. A muddy chamber with some decorated ceiling sections. A squeeze through boulders led to the extensions of the cave. Tim, Matt and Allan went through and explored the rest of the cave. I waited with Tracey in Dog Chamber as the squeeze would have caused more trauma to her poorley ribs. Tim took photos of some of the pretties in the extensions. Hopefully we will return one day and I will have an explore through the new section too.
Back at the caving club we all got changed and walked into the town to find food. We then played a game called entropy! Great fun and much hilarity!!
By midnight we finaly thought it would be time for some sleep! Tomorrow we are going to to 2 different caves so we have an energetic day ahead.
Saturday 14th March
This morning none of us had slept that well. Allan played mum and got breakfast on the go. A very nice start to the morning. Todays caves are going to be Radford Cave and Bakers Pit Cave.
We arrived at the car park and got kitted up. We had to walk through the woods and had been told that the cave entrance was obvious, if we couldn't find it we hadn't walked far enough! We found the entrance and easily got it unlocked.
After a short crawl down a concrete pipe we emerged into the cave. A scramble down by a wire fence led to a passage to the right. We climbed down and did a short crawl we came out into the canyon - a large chamber with a scramble down a slippery flowstone boulder slope. At the bottom there was an awkward climb up to the right into the trumpet with an exposed climb further up into a short crawl passage that led to the red corridor. When we arrived into it is was obvious we were in the right place!! A roomy passage with a pleasent walk down it to a left hand bend down hill. A climb up to some pretty formations and the lower route past a pillar and through some flowstone and the way on. A crawl brought us out into a small chamber before an awkward upward slope with not many hand and foot holds. Matt went through and I followed - It was an awkward section and after realising that Tracey would not manage I decided to come back down and went back through the whole cave again to back out the way we came in. Allan went through the awkward climb and Tim, myself and Tracey went back out the long way. A good trip with some nice formations. Back out of the cave we walked back through the woods and washed our hands in the stream!
We all got our oversuits off and jumped in the car and made our way to Bakers Pit Cave. All kitted up again in muddy suits we made our way into the field to the pipe entrance.
Inside Bakers Pit we first went to find the remains of the old rubbish tip and then explored the rest of the cave. I haven't really got a clue where we went as it is very easy to feel disorientated. We did find the Crystal Corridor, Judges Chamber, Boulder Hall and the Glorious Devon Series. It was a good trip but now feeling completely shattered. Wonderful feeling to get back to the caving club and get into the shower! I think I washed about 3 times and still found mud coming off me!! I had forgotten quite how muddy Devon gets!!
After everyone had cleaned off and got changed we all sat with a drink and flapjack my mum had made. A great pick me up. Soon we are heading to the pub for dinner. Think I have earned it today!!
We ended up in the Globe Inn. Apparently the only pub that serves food in the evening! The food was basic pub food and was nice. No sign of anyone eating so don't think anyone eats out in the evening here!!
Sunday 15th March
Last night we all slept much better so hopefully I have recharged enough for today's caving trip! Allan made another very nice cooked breakfast. Pridhamsleigh Cavern is todays cave of choice. It is right next to Dog Hole where we went on Friday.
It was only a short drive to the cave. We parked up and got kitted up in suits that were by then not very pleasant as they were very soggy and muddy! We walked through the field and crawled into the entrance. Very soon it became slippery and muddy which added to the fun of getting around the cave. It is very easy to go round in circles in Prid, there are many ways to each feature of the cave. We had a fun climb up a slippery bank, kindly Tim climbed up first and tied a rope on for the rest of us to use to aid our climb! We found the lakes and took some photos. We also found the mud slide that took us back into Bishops Chamber, it was a good trip.
Back at the caving club we once more had the task of cleaning off the sticky Devon mud before we packed, cleaned up around the hut and packed the cars. We even got home with enough time to be able to clean the kit off at home in daylight which was helpful. It seemed to take for ages to tidy everything up/away but finally it was done and we sorted out some dinner. Lovely to finally sit down and relax at home. Had a great time away and had a lot of laughs.
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