Holiday - Yorkshire Day 3

Yorkshire Holiday Day 3

Wednesday 8th June

This morning we awoke to some very noisy sheep in the field behind us!  The plan for today was to go caving in Sell Gill Hole.  We checked the weather to make sure this was still a good plan and then got ready to go.  We sorted out the kit required in to a bag each in the order that we were going to need it.  We decided we would walk up in our wellies and furrys and carry our oversuits as it was going to be a warm walk.

We parked at Horton-In-Ribblesdale and got ready to set off.  There were other people setting off on walks but not in the same direction as us!  The cave entrance is right next to the Pennine Way path.

The walk up was hot so I was pleased to not have my oversuit on.  Once we got to the cave entrance we cooled down for a moment before getting ready to descend via the dry/Fossil Route (the LEFT entrance on the picture below).  

The trip consisted of 3 pitches leading to a large chamber at the bottom.  It was a good trip and we managed to take some photos too.  When we were de-rigging the second pitch I started to hear rain and thunder!  At this point I went on ahead and started to make my way out of the entrance pitch so we could get out before it became too unpleasant with water flow!  It is not easy to concentrate on changing over kit hanging on a rope when you are scared of the thunder and lightning going on above you!! We both got out swiftly and while packing our kit away the rain got worse and by the time we left there was a good amount of water flowing down the hole!

The walk back to the car was quite pleasant in the rain!  Made for a less sweaty walk!

Tim wrote a report up about the trip for the caving forum...

Wed 8th June 2016, Tim & Sas up North.

Having checked the BBC weather forecast and I will quote 'slight chance of an odd shower in the afternoon' myself and Sas parked up in Horton and headed up the long, steep, treacherous and tiring (well by Mendip standards) path to Sell Gill Holes. Several hours later we arrived tired, dripping in sweat and gasping for breath (what's all this walking more than 10 yards to the entrance all about?). We kitted up ready to descend the fossil route and dropped down the entrance pitch to find a stretched out rabbit who'd forgotten to deploy his parachute before landing. Then onto pitches 2 and 3 to find a vast array of bolts to knit from (I'm sure I counted at least 14 on one of the pitches but could only find a use for 5 or 6).

Once at the bottom we had a wander around, took a few photo's, went down to the bit where you have to start crawling in water (Mendip cavers don't do crawling, only skipping through chambers measureless to man), turned around, did the hokey cokey and headed back to the surface. Whilst de-rigging at the top of the second pitch angry skies were heard and we watched the entrance pitch change from dry to a slight dribble. Darn, my hair got wet. Having exited, we then trudged our way back down the long track to Horton accompanied by the 'odd shower' and heavenly rumbles. The 'odd shower' then continued for the next couple of hours!

Much fun was had.
Tim


A few photos....

Entrance:

Descending pitch 2:

Chamber at the bottom:

Ascending pitch 3:

Back at the cottage we sorted out our kit, got cleaned up and had something to eat.  We investigated the games room and had a game of Pool with some of the balls missing and attempted to play some table tennis - we were both terrible at it!!  

This evening we have made plans to met up with my uncle to take him climbing and had a relaxing evening.