Friday 19th August 2022

John Cooper and Geoff Newton. Initially Geoff to the “next space” where he removed small rocks and clatch making entry into the space easier. Whilst this was happening John was reducing a boulder in the floor of the approach to “Pocket Watch” using plug and feathers, There did not seen to be a viable way on from the “next space”. So we agreed to start the removal of a large fluted coffin sized boulder blocking the way on in the descending left hand side of “Pocket Watch”. We both had a go at this with plug and feathers – it remains work in progtress. The spaces below the boulder ate plug and feathers. The we removed all the boulder parts to the surface 3 hours. Geoff.

John Cooper and Geoff Newton. Both at bottom. First John did a bit of work on the floor of the crawl through into the first chamber. Then both had a look at the ways on. Some rocks passed back to the pit. Decided not to attack Mike’s favourite spot below the second chamber but to try and get to the same spot via a safer route further left in the first chamber. Geoff did some plug and feather work starting to demolish a rather large boulder that’s not holding anything up. John went and got the hauling bucket and filled the 2 x 5L tubs with mud and took them to the pit. Finally we cleared the pit of all the mud and debris. 3 hours. John.

 

 

Wednesday 17th August 2022

John Cooper – afternoon. More breaking up boulder. Battery ran out before last bit reduced to manageable size. 1 ½ hours.

The Last/Rabbit Hole? JC, MK and MH – evening. Got to the hut, put food on, locked myself out of the hut and had to rush to see if I could borrow a fob to get in, I could! Is this supposed one of them kind of evenings?! Thanks Wayne.

Met John and Mark H at the dig. Mike went at the sharp end to clear back John’s mess to Mark. Enough moved back to start drilling the impeding rock. Big chunks removed. I got into the next space, with Mark now above me in “Pocket Watch” chamber to help lift some heavy rock out. A couple of draughting routes in different directions, most noticeably down 6ft and SW direction (off to the right). A bit more stabilising needed in places back in the Pocket Watch, but boulders and spaces are getting bigger! - /not a bad evening in the end. Mike 2 hours.

Evening.  John, Mark and Mike.Mike went into the chamber and passed rocks back to Mark to the go up to surface to John. Cleared the debris left by John’s afternoon session. Plug and feathered open a big enough hole to get into the next space. Quite an obvious way on with a pronounced draught down in the floor 6-8ft deep with a rounded off, I think is a wall, rock. It has like a brick work pattern on it and could be the cliff sloping over an edge? All feels safe in the next bit.
Cleared some mud to finish. Chamber needs a little clean and there’s a rock at the connection to the chamber which is a bit annoying for clearing easily
The slab over the top of the next bit could do with another foot or so taken of its edge to make passing spoil back easier. Other than that there’s a lot of stuff to clear down below.
The new bit again is very heavily staled up and feels very safe with the boulders again getting a lot bigger and the spaces getting bigger still.
I would like to cement the rock on the right linking down at the next bit. I think it needs tying into the block above it in the chamber. 2 hours, Mike

Tuesday 16th August 2022

John Cooper and Mark Helmore. Mark breaking up boulders whilst John transferred them to the pit. Then pit cleared. 2 hours. John Cooper.