20th December 2015: From Home Close Hole to the terminal choke at the end of Wigmore Swallet.
With Nick Hawkes, Claire Cohen and Sam Batstone.
Todays mission was to rig some aids to enable better access along the route into the terminal boulders at the end of Wigmore. I set off to rig the pitch while the others sorted out the required kit and followed me down. Had a few lighting problems but eventually managed to sort this out – lack of TLC and maintenance! An uneventful trip through the connection clearing some gravel on the way into Young Bloods, up and over the Generation Game and into the impressive Vindication Streamway. An aqueous climb down through Slime Rift and eventually the terminal boulders.
A clamber up a slippery slope using an in-situ rope, the final manoeuvre through the slot is not easy. Entered into a tiny chamber where I sorted out the ladders and rope to aid passage through the slot and down the next section. The route continued as a corkscrew climb down through boulders with a thick coating of mud through some barely body sized slots to regain the stream still in boulders but cleaner. Nick followed on while Claire and Sam waited at the rope climb, there is only room for two at this point. We had a look around and poked our noses into various spots moved some rocks before having a more concerted effort at stream level where a gap amongst boulders was noticed. It was then time to return to the others. Nick led up through the climb, a mistake on my part as he emptied his wellies all over the mud, the return up the corkscrew is a complete twat, but eventually was spat out through the slot at the top head first and sliding down the slippery slope – good job we had put a ladder there to halt progress in the boulders below.
A steady journey out of the cave, stashing the ladder and rope down Slime Rift up onto a ledge out of the water – this is an exhilarating climb! There are a number of precariously jammed boulders along the way particularly in Young Bloods and it is probably better not to spend too much time thinking about them. At the pitch the usual wait as the team climb the rope. Pitch de-rigged and out to tea, hot soup and sausage rolls – very much appreciated. Changed into dry grots and retired to the Queen Vic for the usual de-brief.