Langstroth Pot

Saturday April 18th 2015

Members present: Adam Walmsley,  Alistair Rollinson,  Rachel Findlay,  Sarah Jefferys,  Will Scott

Dench trip to the sump and back of this Wharfedale classic. None of us really fancied the scumminess and crawliness of the original entrance, but then none of us had thought to find out where the Hole in the Floor was. So scumminess and crawliness it was.

On arriving at the second pitch, Doyle 'Ate All The Pies' Scott discovered he was too well-built to fit through the top slot so went out with Ali to go and try to find the other entrance. Wem, Rachel and I continued through the next section of sideways walking and helictites and were incredulous to find Will and Ali already waiting for us in the streamway ahead of the 4th pitch.

The going got better and better as we continued down through the following pitches and passages. At the top of the seventh pitch, Ali and I headed up the side inlet to try to find the formations described in the black book. Though we found some very nice straws and stals in a narrow rift, we didn't find the chambers described.

Soon enough we popped through a rock window into the impressive final pitch. This was shortly followed by the sump, which looked clear and reasonably inviting, though no one was persuaded to have a dip.

Ali and I headed out to derig the top two pitches, leaving the others to derig the rest and exit via the Hole in the Floor. We forgot to pick up the tacklesack so had to carry out coils through the awkward bits. For this we were awarded 'Doyle of the Week', somewhat unfairly in our opinion. On the surface, it was a clear evening with a biting cold wind that quickly chilled us in our wet gear.

T.U. just over 6 hrs.
Fun: 4, Hard:3, Scum:4, Faff:2, Change:3