Laura Benn (BEC Leader), Lawrence Wilson, Richard Nurse, Will Puddy, Tim Gouge

Wow! What a brilliant cave. Not really sure where we went so apologies for lack of details. All met and changed by 19:30 and walked the short distance from the Belfry to the entrance in a Gruffy field. Unusually a large valve handle is kept just inside the locked lid that enables you to turn the stream off.

Just inside, the infamous vertical rift was descended without any trouble, then down a number of fixed ladders to arrive in the surprisingly large Arête Chamber then through Mud Hall and the well decorated Pillar Chamber.

After a while we did an interesting lobster pot down climb between the wall of the cave and a huge stal boss leading to a wet crawl then across more stal to view some amazing curtains. Having reached the (dry) main stream we climbed up stal with the help of a chain to end up in some huge gour pools. Due to time constraints this was our turnaround point.

We returned via the Rabbit Warren, the beautiful Railway Tunnel, Upper Traverse, Boulder Chamber, Pillar Chamber to arrive back in Arête Chamber. Up the fixed ladders to arrive at the bottom of the vertical entrance rift. I hadn’t been looking forward to this for the whole trip, however using the ladder for the odd foothold it was absolutely fine exiting the cave we where met by Andy and Rachel who had come along to hear all about it.

This may be the last ‘drought’ trip for the season but what a beautiful, large, long and well preserved cave this is, hopefully not another 25 years until I get down here again. A well deserved pint was enjoyed at the Hunters

— Lawrence