21st March: with Roz.
A trip to apply some IRS. As usual, a pleasant trip though Chamber 20, a fine section of Mendip cave passage. There is still a good trickle of water in places.
At the dig face, 4no. awkward holes, 500mm x 12mm, drilled and filled, a loud retort and all was well.
Passing the Hunter’s Lodge Inn, it would be churlish not to stop!
15th March 2018: with Duncan, Jonathon, Max Fisher, Tav, Mike M and Leonie (MCG). Alex came too!
While us headed-off to the digs, Alex did his own thing, mooching around 20, etc. I went with Leonie to look at the ‘Sand Dig’, the others slid down the rift to go digging.
At the Sand Dig, water levels were higher than the last visit, a consequence of recent heavy rain. It could be a while before it dries enough for digging.
We left the Sand Dig and joined the rest of the team to help with the digging. At the end of the session, the dumped spoil had been removed from the alcove and the narrow rift beyond could be seen. Progress forward will require the application of some induced rapid speleogenesis (IRS). That will have to wait until next week after I return from the Peak District.
It was a fine evening’s activity!
While out on a regular early morning (c.05:25am) walk with the dog I made the following observation. After I leave home, I pass close to some residential properties, where there is constant artificial lighting, here early morning birdsong is well underway. When I reach the lane and walk-up the hill, there is only natural light, the birdsong has not yet begun. I return along the same route, 20 minutes or so later, the birdsong is just getting underway in the naturally illuminated lane.
An example of how light pollution affects the birds natural daily cyclic rhythm.
8th March 2018: with Jake, Jonathon, Dunc and Mike.
It was good to get underground again after a two week lay-off, due to snow and other things.
We continued with clearing-out the alcove and narrow rift beyond. I thought I sensed some air movement now the gaps between the fill are opening-up. The drips through Chamber 20 were active, water flowing down the cascades strongly. It was an enjoyable evening.
Should remember to bring the camera.
3rd March: with Roz, and Buster.
Not digging in Hallowe’en Rift today so decided to walk to the Hunter’s Lodge Inn. Also an opportunity to see how much snow was on the hill-top. Up to Smitham Chimney, the pond had frozen over.
Into the woods,
before crossing fields towards Wigmore Farm, stopping to admire some fine ice formations in a sink.
Some impressive drifts too. We continued the walk towards Red Quar, from there over Stockhill to the pub for lunch and chin-wagging.
After lunch, along the road to SMCC and across the Mineries, the pond was frozen over, but not hard enough to try and venture out.
Back …through Stockhill to Red Quar, the recently ploughed field has good evidence of aeolian sediment transportation having occurred, the plough ridges were wind dried.
Followed the bridle-path into the green lane before going across fields to Smitham, down to Garrow Bottom and through Harptree Combe.
A good day’s walk, about 7 hours. Trudging through the deeper snow was arduous at times, especially for the Jack Russell with his little legs.
22nd February 2018: with Jake, Jonathon, Brockers, Dunc and Mike M.
Mike M and myself dropped further down the route to Sump 23.75 to have a quick look at another potential lead, where a feint air current could be felt. This will be left on the back-burner for the while. We returned, up the climbs, to re-join the rest of the team clearing the alcove. Beyond the alcove is a narrow ‘draughting’ rift, it is this we are trying to regain access to.
15th February 2018: with Jake, Jonathon, Tav, Roz, Duncan and Mike M.
Good to have a project in mind and make a return to the quest in Wookey 20. Duncan and Max Fisher, on a diving trip into 24, have followed a dry rift passage for c.10m to a constriction, beyond, the rift appears to continue. They plan to return with caving kit and pursue the rift further.
On the way-up through Wookey 20, it was noticeable that there was plenty of water after the recent wet weather. We were not surprised to find that the ‘sand dig’ was occupied by a deep pool of water. We collected the tools and equipment required for the mission and made our way to the descending rift that leads to Sump twenty-three and three-quarters, passing a group from Cheddar Caving Group for a second time.
A short drop down the rift, we arrived at the site of interest, a small alcove we had previously backfilled while widening the rift to the sump, we had commented at the time that, “we will probably be digging this all-out in a couple of years”, and so we are. We made a small dimple in the spoil stash but, all too soon, it was time to vacate the cave. We shall return.
