Tatham Wife Hole

Saturday March 1st 2014

Members present: Adrian Turner,  Catherine Moody,  Chuck Holder,  Toby Buxton,  Vicky Bailey,  Will Scott

Fafftastic. This was approximately plan D after multiple previous plans were abandoned due to weather forecast or lack of trip leaders elsewhere. After directing the other group to Sell Gill, we were finally on our way.

For some reason, Tatty Wife is a cave I'd never to before. I’d probably always been put off by the long walk. There was a lot more to it than I was expecting and it turned out to be a rather fun and varied trip, with big chambers, winding streamways, awkward climbs and pleasant pitches.

The bottom of the second set of pitches was extremely damp and we (I) contemplated turning back but were eventually convinced it was drier further along. That is, until we got to the duck of course. Due to wussiness and not wanting to get cold and wet we opted for the bypass. Maybe I was just having an off day (my bad knee didn't help - I'll use that as an excuse) but I found it a right bugger. I never have been a fan of traverses, especially exposed ones. My feet weren't inclined to grip on the walls, making the traverse and insertion into the narrow slot at the other end of the chamber (about 3 m off the floor, almost in the ceiling) somewhat entertaining. Getting the first leg in wasn't too bad - it was trying to get the other one to follow that was the tricky part. Unlike Rosie and Vicky, I wasn't flexible enough to go for the splits technique. I nearly fell out the slot several times in the process of the awkward manoeuvre (damn long legs) but eventually got there.

Once down the final pitch it was a prompt about turn. I totally failed at the bypass on the way back up. First I tried what looked like a “just about do-able” alternative bypass just above the duck itself. The slot was big enough to get my legs through but unfortunately my hips weren't having any of it. I then briefly contemplated the duck but it was cold. Nah, sod that. Back up the awkward climb and into the slot. But... how to get out of it? The instructions Chuck was trying to relay sounded impossible. Although I might have more upper body strength than the average female it’s still somewhat lacking for such scenarios. Instead I thought feet first seemed like a good idea. Apparently it wasn't; although I could just reach to the other end of the chamber with one leg, there was then nowhere for the other one to go. Bummer. Rather than faff about trying to reverse, turn around and try again head first I opted for the cheat option and used the perfectly good bolt at the top of the chamber to rig a rope down. In the meantime, Vicky got bored of waiting, manned up and went through the duck. I wish I'd just done the same. Rosie, on the other hand, made the bypass look ridiculously easy.

A steady ascent got us out just as the sun was setting. I was thankful we didn’t have to find our way back to the car in the dark (though Rosie at least had a compass with her just in case). Back to the Dump for dinner and cider – splendid.