Andy Sparrow, David Cooke, Lawrence Wilson, Paul James, Peter Sanders, Rich Nurse, Seán Tidey, Will Puddy, Yvette Mayo

Claire Miller

Trips to GB always draw a big crowd and this Wednesday was no exception with ten club members turning out! (How come digging in Sludge doesn’t get teams of ten). We met at 7pm and were kitted up and ready to go by 7.20. Andy and Claire decided to take a more leisurely trip staying above the Ladder Dig and the rest of the team aimed for the Great Chamber and Bat Passage. We all made our way, in one long line into the cave taking the normal way towards the Gorge then into Main Chamber. No matter how often you visit GB the scale is always breathtaking with tiny tiny helictites on the right hand wall and the massive Gorge, Main Chamber and waterfall on the left. We followed the right side of Main Chamber, all with torches on full power to try and see up to the ceiling, downstream. Walking the “waterfall avoidance route?” down to the small climb down back to the water and the climb up to the Ladder Dig Series. Seán took the ladder up to the chain then belayed everyone up. As soon as people were up they headed through the old gate and into the squeezes and crawls of the bolder ruckle then into the mighty Great Chamber. Taking a couple of different routes between us we, after not too long arrived in Great Chamber. We spent about 30minutes in here just exploring, slowly making our way up until we all got to the top. We then ambled our way back down and through the boulders. Most of us, lead by Cookie went a few minutes further on to the stunning Bat Passage before turning back and heading back to the ladder climb. Once down the ladder, we retraced our steps up, round the edge of Main Chamber and Gorge as you cannot, unfortunately climb the waterfall at the moment, and all exited the cave in good time after another good trip. The evening concluded with a pint in the Woodbrough, Winscombe.

— Seán Tidey 26/10/2023