Andy Sparrow, Lawrence Wilson, Peter Sanders, Rich Nurse, Seán Tidey, Will Puddy, Yvette Jordan

Met at 19:30 and parked in a couple of lay-bys just past the entrance to the field, it was one of the coldest nights of the year so once Andy, Yvette and myself where changed we walked through thick frost to the cave entrance, rigged ladder and lifeline and descended into the warmth of the cave where we where met by the others, turning right down a short climb we followed a hidden right turn into the beautifully decorated Talus IV, having marvelled and explored we returned to the initial junction.

This time we went straight ahead down a passage with a couple of squeezes to arrive at the top of The Forty Backs a 15m snug pitch which we descended by ladder and lifeline to Masters’ Aven a 40m high, very loose chamber where we admired the fine (and perfectly preserved) mud formations.

We then split up, with Andy, Peter and myself retracing our inbound route whilst the others ascended a short scramble before free climbing Coffee Pot and squeezing back to the first junction from where we all ascend back into a fridged and clear night before getting changed and warming up in front of the fire at the Hunters by 22:00

A cave of two halves with Talus IV being a large phreatic remnant and the rest much more “Mendipy” lots of fun with Prophecy Pot still left to explore, thanks to Andy for organising access.

— Lawrence Wilson 10/12/2022