Sunday 7th September 2025

Mike Kushy, Hollie London, Nick Gymer and John Cooper. 

MK, HL and NG got underground for just after 10, carrying lots of batteries and picking up materials along the way to take to Tea Party Chamber. HL and NG had a look around whilst MK got the gear needed to open up the light connection more. HL went up cave a couple of trips to fetch more material and try to hear out for JC's arrival. Meanwhile NG continued with stabilsing of TPC floor whilst MK managed to straighten up the light connection. Next the 3 stopped for a short tea and snack break. It was getting cold so we decided to have a go at the Hookah Pipe (high level phreatic tube). MK went through and NG passed through drill, pfs etc to open up the pipe from the far side. Slightly easier now but its going to take a few sessions yet. NG and HL were clearing the mud from the TPC side some more and they also did a mix of cement to key in some big floor rocks. JC arrived at some point. He and HL went surveying whilst MK and NG continued work on the Hookah Pipe. JC left and HL had a go at getting into the new chamber. More to open yet and we will have to haul through this too. Don't want to use explosives as there's a really nice formation on the far side. 2 full drums of sand in cave, 1 of cement and no water. 5 hours. Mike.

Video of the new chamber.

The cater'pillar'? Photo MK.

HL attempting the Hookah Pipe into the new chamber. Photo MK.

The current end in the new chamber. Photo MK.

Looking down the furthest left 'tube' in the previous photo. Photo MK.

John Cooper waited until it had stopped raining (Thunderstorms!) before entering at 11am. Started surveying from the top of Cement Dig (station 82 of the Bedding survey). Surveyed on down, getting confused where the Tea Party Chamber sign made me think I had to drop down the hole by it. Fortunately decided to survey the top chamber first. At the end of that I noticed the handline down into the light connection. About halfway down this when I heard Hollie's voice and she was able to tell me the "easy" way to get down it. Surveyed a bit of Tea Party Chamber and Hollie did the lower bit. Will need another trip to get more detail. Got cold by then so went out. 3 hours. 

Saturday 6th September 2025

Mike Kushy. Solo. Got into the cave just before 11. Took in lots of batteries and 10x pf sets. Continued chiselling the Hookah Pipe (phreatic tunnel) some more. When all batteries were spent MK then used  a combination of head first with long crowbar to loosen calcited blocks in the floor and swapping position to go feet first to push the loose through. Finally made it through although a heck of a shoulder jamming move at the end. Got through feet first and used the small crowbar/hammer to remove what could from the far side. Needs more battery power to open right up. The chamber on the far side is fairly well decorated and 2m wide by 2m height, there's also a very nice 2ft column. The chamber goes around a slight corner and the way on is obvious, draughting like a bugger and all liquid mud floor. A 2 inch void can be seen over the mud but the whole of the Hookah will need opening up to drag the mud back into TPC. Spent the rest of my time moving smaller rocks around TPC to level out the floor. Caught Mike Waterworth on surface heading in to do more scanning. 4 hours. Mike K.

Wednesday 3rd September

Mikes Wise and Waterworth. Scanning from surface towards Puddle Dig and assessing work needed on the entrance ladder, Boulder Rift Chamber and Cement Dig Light Connection.

2 hours

No photos 

Mike Wise  

Monday 1st September 2025

Mike Kushy, Mike Waterworth and Ed Ford. 

MK to begin with, did an hour on surface picking larger rocks from the newly landcaped ground around the well. 

Latest surface shot. Photo MK.

Got into the cave around 5pm armed with extra batteries and new chisel bits. Picked up a 2ft length of scaffold bar on the way through and a few steel pins. 

First job was to pf the chocked stones in the ceiling of the light connection. Awkward, but all loose blocks removed with 2 batteries. This now gives an unobstructed view of the chamber from above the connection. 

MK in the light connection (after opening it up), looking down into TPC. Photo MK.

Second job was to drill for pins at the lip of the drop into TPC. The scaff' bar was then laid across these to allow decent foot holds to get out and to stop anyone sliding off the edge when coming into TPC. The bar is not fixed as of yet.

Looking up into the light connection, newly fitted foot bar. Photo MK.

MK had a little bit of juice left in one battery so started attacking the calcited phreatic tube with the hammer drill. Shortly EF and MW arrived. The tube looks to be heading into a larger chamber with a small clean washed stone floor.

MK then went to start a trial dig at the higher end of TPC, into the corner it seems to follow the bedding straight on. It quickly became a 2 person dig, meanwhile EF was attacking the calicte phreatic whilst MW scanned the lower regions below the pit. MK then wished the rest of the team good luck and headed out alone. 4 1/2 hours. Mike K.

 

Ed Ford, Kushy & Mike Waterworth down WR tonight. EF and MW headed down 1845. MW spent his time scanning the chamber and various offshoots while Kushy explored a dig at the top of the chamber. EF focused on breaking up flowstone blocking the onwards phreatic tube. Several attempts were made by EF and Kushy to squeeze in but a little too committing. EF confirmed the sight of floor on the other side so no drop off. The tube echos well and there's a strong draft. Kushy left leaving EF and MW to continue. EF P&F'd a block in the ceiling and had a go at navigating the squeeze successfully while MW headed out scanning as he went. EF didn't go into the breakthrough point and opted to leave for next session. Some more calcite could do with coming out of floor to make it a bit easier. All out by 21:30. Ed.

View chamber scan

View cave scan

Sunday 31st August 2025.

Hollie London, Mike Kushy and Ed Ford. 

All arrived just gone 10. After half an hour of dressing and Daren Drum faffing, 3 cavers, 3 mugs, 3 bacon and egg butties, a kettle, a stove, 5L of drinking water, and a selection of tea, coffee and hot chocolate made their way down to TPC. Cement was left at cement dig alcove. HL had to take the gas canister from the stove halfway down as EF was gassing himself with every knock and bang. 

The squeeze was a much more comfortable affair after last week's efforts. MK led the way, collecting conservation tape from higher above to relocate to TPC formations. 

HL's first time in TPC. HL dissapeared down a hole in the bottom left of the chamber (red). The hole turned back on itself and continued downwards following the bedding plane for another 10m, with various avens and tubes either side. The bedding plane got tighter and carries on down further at the typical ~45° angle, but would be a longer term lead. Tight with lots of loose blocks and silt further on. EF and MK took turns to explore the onward phreatic passage higher up (blue).

All gathered back in TPC to assess the new tea-making facilities. Cappuccinos and bacon/egg butties in a large roomy chamber felt very un-Mendip of us. Fueled up we attacked the bottom right lead (blue). MK built up the wall above and to the right of the previously explored lead, whilst HL began dragging material out from the 'blue' lead. EF began restructuring the boulder field terracing and retaining walls (yellow). The 'blue' lead is draughting well. A mutual decision was made to remove the calcite over mud floor whilst preserving as much formations as possible.

Screenshot 3d scan.

Formations to the right of the phreatic tube. Photo HL

EF looking up into the phreatic with the formations to his right. Photo MK.

HL and MK alternated attacking the calcited mud with all the arsenal. EF also retired from wall building to help out. Another break for tea and hobnobs resulted in the need of toilet facilities, this came in the form of a black 5l container. HL can confirm the toilets are unisex.

Eventually a large block was removed from the 'blue' lead. This allowed a good view on showing an obvious chamber around 3m ahead. The retaining wall for this is now 6ft high and back filled with spoil. It was determined sds chisel bits on the drill would be the best method of attack next round. Camp tidied and rubbish removed, we retreated. Upwards climb out of TPC still a thrutchy struggle but totally doable with the handline and on your back halfway up, needs stemples. All crew out of cave at 1700 for a well deserved beer. Hollie.

EF and HL brewing up in TPC. Photo MK.