Category: 2016

14th April 2016: with Nick, Brockers and Dunc.

I had amassed a pile of kit to go underground including 2no. BDH’s filled with cement, drill with assorted bits and hangers, new skip and a 1 ton dumpy bag, all to deal with the sloppy sediment issue. I was glad to see a good team to carry it.

On inspection at the end there wasn’t quite enough space to fix the dumpy bag in the side rift so a rapid rethink of strategy was needed. A wall was constructed in the larger rift, this meant a rearrangement of the rock-pile that was already there, mixing the cement with the sloppy sediment dried it and the mixture used as mortar in the wall, hopefully it will harden.

While this was going on Brockers had been digging away at the end, in a largely solo effort, he then called back ” I can see open passage” the question came, how much? “nearly 10 metres”. I went down to have a look and there was passage beyond although it, initially, didn’t appear too big and there was a lot of spoil in the way. Got to work with the spade, passing the sticky mud back to Brockers, then got to work with the feet pushing the spoil ahead, “he’s like a human bulldozer” Brockers exclaimed. The mud went and I went with it squeezing through into the passage ahead, ‘that’s going to be interesting on the return’ I thought to myself. I had entered c.10 metres of steeply inclined bedding with a vertical drop of c. 5 metres, it was relatively comfortable progress and there were a few formations. There is a continuation at the bottom that will require a bit more digging – encouraging though. After wriggling back up through the squeeze I suggested that someone else should take a look, second opinion and all that. Nick took up the challenge and he too was equally impressed.

Satisfied with our evenings effort we made our way out of the cave and, of course, up to the Hunter’s Lodge Inn.

7th April 2016: with Jake, Nick, Brockers, Duncan P, also Sam Batstone, Roz Simmonds, Jeremy and Luke Hawkes.

Duncan has a sore back so took Roz, Jeremy and Luke on a tour around while the rest of us headed down the rift to dig. Nick, Jake and Brockers went to the bottom, Sam stayed at the top of the ladder to haul the skip and pass it up to myself where I was stashing the rock debris at the base of one of the climbs. There was a lot of rock coming up and eventually the available space, that was limited anyway, was just about used up. More of the spoil had been stacked below the ladder and there’s still plenty of sediment, some quite sloppy, to remove. There’s plenty to keep the team busy for a couple of weeks or so. By the time the tour party reached us we were just about ready to leave the cave and head up to the pub. With all the rock stacked at the base and part way up the rift the climb, that had been a tad awkward, was now much easier. A good session.

31st March 2016: with Tav, Nick, Brockers and Peter Bolt.

Continuing the exploration of the rift off Chamber 20 in Wookey Hole. This evenings trip was more about the application of some rock engineering technology really. While I was attending to that the rest of the team set about tidying the spoil and ensuring that the available stacking space was being utilised efficiently. When I had done my bit then my bags were whisked away out of the cave for me, all I had to do was to bring the task to a satisfactory conclusion and extract myself from the cave. Should be plenty to clear next session.

Trefoil headed piscine located in the south-east corner of the south aisle in the Church of St. Mary, West Harptree. Photographed while visiting the church to search for any medieval graffiti, not that any was noted.

These figures (above images) are located either side of the door into the west tower.

A ubiquitous church yew and gravestones.

A partial loom weight recovered from an excavation in North Somerset recently. Made of clay (weight 1070g) it was found within a charcoal rich dump of material containing pottery and animal bones.

28th March 2016: It was still quite windy this morning after the passing of ‘Storm Katie’ during the early hours. There were a number of branches strewn across the roads on the drive over to Ebbor Gorge. I was glad to see there were no other vehicles in the car park so the walk should be free from grockles and crappy, yappy dogs! There were some wind blown trees down in the valley particularly those draped in ivy and it was obvious that some clearing work was in progress. Down in the sheltered valley there was plenty of birdsong to listen to and primroses were in abundance, it was peaceful. Up in the gorge there has been quite a bit of scrub clearance and the rock faces are more exposed and accessible, at least until the nettles grow up. There was a good stream of water flowing down through the gorge too.

The damp conditions have encouraged an algal growth on the rock face in the gorge.

Overhead I could hear a peregrine calling but never caught glimpse of it, although I did spot a rather fine nuthatch. Walking down from the top of the gorge there were some early flowering bluebells and wood anemones too. Managed to get back to the car park without meeting anyone – marvellous.

A pleasant mornings stroll out with the dog.

The entrance to Savory’s Hole, the cave is presently occupied by brock.

24th March 2016: with the regular team of Jake, Tav, Nick, Duncan P, Brockers, and Bean came too.

Only clearing this evening, and there was a lot of debris from last weeks effort, plus the obstructing rock was dust! After some time shifting the fractured rock, gravel and some glutinous mud managed to squeeze through [eventually] into the open space beyond. To the left a rising rift c.2m high, c.0.7m wide and 3-4m in length with mud banks, this closes down with some stal blockage, there is a narrow solution tube on the right. This doesn’t appear to be the way forward. To the right of the squeeze there is a continuation of the rift downwards along what appears to be a narrow tube (?) with some air movement; unfortunately a good sight of what is ahead has been obscured by mud and debris pushed through while passing the squeeze. It is quite muddy. After I had extricated myself Nick came through to give a second opinion, which is always useful. One more session to apply some rock engineering technology will open up the squeeze and make digging much easier. What to do with the mud will be our next head scratching moment.

To the Hunter’s Lodge in for the usual debrief, even better when you don’t have to get up for work tomorrow.

17th March 2016: with Jake, Brockers and Duncan P.

Got to the dig to find that a rather large boulder had slid into an unfavourable position and we spent a while trying to manoeuvre it to one side where it wouldn’t cause too much of an obstruction. After much grunting and groaning, beating with a hammer and then, deliberation, it was decided that the best approach was to drill a hole into it and apply a more destructive technology. While Jake, Brockers and DP cleared away the rock debris I got out of the way to sort out the wire and tidied around the bottom of the ladder area, where some spoil could be stashed if required. It was then time to drill some holes including the boulder, that task complete we made our way out. The climbs are beginning to get muddy and require some thought to get up, this is a good caving trip. At the ‘stal’ slope the evening’s work was brought to a satisfactory conclusion; all the while DP was adding to his video clip collection and making a record of events. To the Hunter’s Lodge Inn for debrief and welcome refreshments.

16th March 2016: with the usual participants, but not Dave Turner.

Not the North as intended because on arrival no debris had been removed so was not in a position to proceed. I left the others to start and clear the shattered rock while I made a return instead to the South to drill more hole in an attempt to free the drill bit that has not yet been retrieved. This evenings task was concluded in a satisfactory manner.

A transverse arrowhead described as type petit tranchet and dated Later Neolithic to Early Bronze Age. Picked up on a site in North Somerset recently. I always like to find good worked flint it’s just so tactile. Scale is 8cm.

10th March 2016: with Nick Hawkes, Tav, Brockers and Duncan Price.

DP wanted to shoot some more video sequences on the way in so the rest of us headed off to the dig. Nick and Tav went to the end to clear away the debris from last week while Brockers and me installed some stainless steel hangers on a couple of the climbs. Put a hand-line down the 2nd climb and a hand-line and ladder on the 3rd climb. By now DP had joined us and the events were captured for posterity. Meanwhile Tav and Nick had shifted a considerable pile of rock and things were almost ready for me to do my bit. After all had inspected the prospects ahead I got on with the drilling and prepping ready to create some more debris for next week. The trip out is becoming a bit of classic Mendip caving and when we reach the streamway it’s going to be a good trip. The evening’s work concluded we made our way out and up to the Hunter’s Lodge Inn for the usual de-brief.

9th March 2016: with Dave Turner, et al.

I had been off work today, not feeling too good, but arrangements had already been made and there was a job to do. First job was to go and check out the South Pot while Dave T went ahead to start drilling holes in the North Pot. Quickly sorted out the South then headed North to join Dave T. Holes drilled, prep done, time to leave and conclude a satisfactory evenings work. There should be plenty to clear next week.