Andy Sparrow, Avril Rea, David Cooke, Euan Goodland, Gary Powell, Lawrence Wilson, Rachel Sparrow, Seán Tidey, Will Puddy, Yvette Mayo

Paul Stockal

Having been down to sump two only a couple of weeks earlier this trip was a “do and go where you fancy trip”, but also with the aim of getting Garry and Avril down the 20'. Yvette, Will, Paul and Euan I think headed off to the top of the old 40' to rig an abseil and have some SRT fun. Not too sure what else they got up to but I think it included abbing down, SRTing up and even trying to free climb all the way up! Andy, Rach, Lawrence, Seán, Avril and Garry headed to the 20'. Avril and Garry had been Swildon's somewhere in the region of 50 times but never down the 20' so this was going be a big trip for them. Avril had only done her first ladder in SPH a couple of weeks before. Seán rigged the 20' and one by one started lowering people down until we were all successfully down. The team headed off down the stream way. Andy was less than helpful to Avril and Garry when it came to the Double Pots (see Facebook photos) making sure they got the true Swildon's experience! Most of the team headed up to Barns Loop to have a ganders, which is a far as we got on this tip. Seán headed back to the pitch to re-rig it and be ready to get people up. The rest of the team arrived and started climbing back up. With plenty of cheering and encouragement Avril and Garry made it up without incident like a pair of pros! At a leisurely pace we all started heading out the cave, picking up the 40' team on the way. We took various ways out of the cave, then back to the green and to the pub. A great tip for all. A & G getting down the ladder and others exploring the rarely used 40'.

— Seán Tidey 7/09/2024