Category: 2015

6th September 2015: A personal account of today’s trip.

Underground with Nick Hawkes and Paul Brock. We were joined later by Claire Cohen and Matt Clarke, while Chris Batstone was at the top of the pitch waiting to de-rig.

Cleared the debris from last week’s ‘little effort’ with Nick and Paul dragging the rocks [and gloop] up into the sizeable chamber at the end of the crawl. The chemical persuasion had the desired effect and there is still some fractured rock to remove although some of that will need splitting. Another strategically placed effort might well reveal what lies ahead after clearing. Marvellous stuff!

At the surface we enjoyed the sunshine with Tony, Caroline and Alice drinking tea and eating cake before retiring to the Queen Vic for more refreshment.

30th August 2015 : A personal account of today’s trip.

With Nick Hawkes, Paul Brock and Tony Audsley at the surface.

My second visit to this cave. Today’s plan was to start opening up the slot beyond which can be glimpsed space and the sound of falling water can be heard. Usual struggle through narrow passages with the bags, just seem to have gotten out of the habit over the last few years, still it will come back. Down the 80 foot pitch using SRT and with bags dangling. It is a fine pitch although damper today. Nick took the drill bag along the crawl for me, Paul had gone ahead with a new skip and hauling rope, I followed with my second bag. The crawl was more squalid than last time and by the time we got to the end we were suitably coated with mud. While I took a little time to formulate a plan of action and clean mud from the rock surface, Nick and Paul set up the skip and cleared digging spoil to a chamber up beyond. I drilled 6no. holes and managed to keep my drill relatively clean and dry. Just as I completed my task the others returned and took my bags out through the crawl while I reversed out laying the wire as I progressed, there was just enough wire to get to the end of the crawl. The morning was brought to a very satisfying conclusion with a resounding and reverberating echo. Paul and Nick had made their way up the pitch and I followed soon after. At the surface de-kitted and a chinwag with others who had appeared before walking back to the van to change and then head off to the Queen Vic for refreshments – too late for the Hunter’s.

Paul Brock photographed by Tony Audsley after Sunday’s digging trip in Home Close Hole.

29th August 2015

With Tav, Nick, Alan Gray and Pete Flanagan.

Eventually managed to open the gate which was blocked by debris, the cave is seldom visited and closed during the winter months due to bats. Rigged a 10m ladder and 25m lifeline, the descent of the pitch revealed a very different cave to Upper Canada Cave which is nearby. The upper part of the cave is phreatic and there are some calcite formations. The cave had been entered by 18th century ochre miners and antiqurian bone collectors and there are several examples of graffiti and smoke marks dating to this period (the images below were all taken by Alan Gray either on today’s trip or a previous trip in 2014). We located several now blocked miners entrances in the upper series and enjoyed a good thorough examination of the passages before heading down to the lower series.

The image above was taken by Alan Gray is me emerging from the wet squeeze to the lower series.

The lower series is a number of interconnecting chambers accessed by some short free climbs. The final chamber is of a good size with lots of fractured rock that appears a little unstable in places.

A thoroughly enjoyable trip to a little visited cave. Missed the pub though because Tav [who was driving] had to return home to attend a street party!

Above and below are some examples of the inscriptions and smoke marks found in the upper part of Bleadon Cavern. Photographs by Alan Gray, Axbridge Caving Group.

22nd August 2015

With Rob Taviner, Alan Gray, Dave Hardwick, Pete Flanagan and Kate Patch.

Spent some time exploring the largest of the accessible mines (pictured above) before dropping into the small mine next to it where Alan, et. al. did a quick survey using Distox. After this we went along to explore another mine that I don’t recollect having visited before. I first explored around here about 45 years ago when the Redding Pits were still in operation.

Worked flint picked up from recently ploughed field near to Harptree Combe. Over the years I have collected a number of flint flakes from the same area of the field after ploughing, particularly following rain.

An interesting sandstone cobble from the St. Maughans Formation, Early Devonian. Found during geotechnical/archaeological trial pitting near Cwmbran in south Wales.

The banding seen within the cobble is known as Liesegang rings. The process by which these rings develop is not fully understood but it has been suggested that they may form from the chemical segregation of iron oxides and other minerals during weathering.

22nd July 2015

Quick jaunt into Templeton’s to continue the expansion of the passage leading to Echo Pot. Took a look at the North Pot to make an assessment of the next move there, hopefully will get that underway in a couple of weeks time.

Found this little beauty on the stone track down through Velvet Bottom.
Unfortunately it had been injured so picked it up and put it in a safer
place. Might be worth pointing out that if you are out walking your
favourite pooch this time of the year then take care.

9th July 2015

Fiddington is a village about 9 miles west of Bridgwater off the Minehead road. At the church in the village is found a Sheila-na-gig. The only other site in Somerset where these carvings are recorded is at Wells Cathedral, where there are two on roof bosses in the west cloister. They are more commonly found in Ireland and it has been suggested there are links to Celtic Christian influences. The Sheila-na-gig is located at the south-east corner of the nave wall about 2.8 metres above ground level. It is carved into a sandstone block and is thought to be 11th-12th C.

28th June 2015

With my son Callum, Peter Bolt, his son Henry and Phil Thomas.

Met up at the car park 11:00 hrs, quickly changed ready to go underground, there was another group preparing to go caving as well. Steep walk down the hillside to the entrance gate where we waited a short while to let the other group get ahead, until the midges got on my nerves and I went into the cave. Steady progress through the entrance series and the boys coped well with the roped climb. After logging in we were soon on our way down the Main Streamway, probably 10 years since I last made this trip with Pete. It’s a fine and long passage, I think the boys found it hard going at times there is quite a bit of wading through water. Henry’s feet got cold so we stopped at a point beyond Agent Blorenge inlet just before the deep pools where we had something to eat and drink before turning around and making our way back out of the cave. It was pleasantly warm on the surface considering it was rather grey earlier in the day. The walk back up the hillside doesn’t get any easier. After getting changed it was good to see the Lamb & Fox was open so in there for some refreshment before the drive home.

It had been an enjoyable four hour caving trip and a fine end to the day.

On the way to work stopped briefly to visit the Holy Saviour church at Puxton to admire and photograph the leaning tower.

The description below is from the entry listed at www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk

“Listing NGR: ST4066763257

Parish Church: largely C15 and C16. Rubble, mainly rendered, slate roofs.
West tower, 3 bay nave, 2 bay chancel, north porch dated 1557. Tower leans
considerably to west; 2 stages with diagonal buttresses and quatrefoil pierced
parapet; heavily moulded west door under panelled 2-light perpendicular window;
similar windows to all sides of second stage have louvres; plain polygonal stair
turret at south east corner does not rise above parapet. Nave has irregular C14
and C15 windows, pointed south doorway and buttresses with weathered offsets and simple gabled north porch with ball finial. Chancel, not rendered, has C16
2- and 3-light square head windows; east window is 3-light perpendicular; at
north is a small C19 former organ chamber. Interior is plastered; roof has C17
close spaced trusses with ceiling at tie beam level, except in pulpit bay which
retains sawn-off ends of moulded beams of rood loft. Moulded chancel arch and
base of C16 stone screen. Laudian, probably Jacobean, alter rails. Reading
desk and panelled octagonal pulpit flanking chancel arch; wrought iron hourglass
stand by pulpit. Early/mid C16 heavy oak pews in most of nave, rear of pew by
entrance has cresting and finials; 5 C18 box pews. Norman tub font, scraped,
C17 strapwork cover. West window on north side has shutter rebates and bolt
socket. Commandment tables now at west end. C17 door with bar at south.
Royal arms, 1751 over south door.”

22nd June 2015

Evening trip to attend to some pre-drilled holes in order to widen the approach passage to the recently discovered Echo Pot. A loud and rather satisfying ‘echo’ was created! Assisted by Dave Turner.