Tuesday 29th October

Estelle Sandford, James Begley

1hr

Has been quite wet over the last few days and the dig had clearly had a good wash. There was some slumped spoil in a pile plus the hole in the floor directly below the hole in the floor we created has a small way on now, probably caused by water backing up on it and pushing the mud through. Estelle went in and cleared the slump and had a good go at clearing any mud around the hole and a bit of rock from smacking with a hammer, to a point where you can put your arm in with a crowbar and wave it about and drop stones and they sound like they are dropping maybe 2-3ft. The holes at the end are also interesting and can put bar in a far way and see on a bit horizontally. Both holes need banging, there is nothing else to do without bang now. The hole directly below looks like it is another ‘shelf’ or false floor like above. Some water in the other two that still need digging. 

Monday 14th October

Estelle Sandford, James Begley, Mike Moxon and Kevin Clinton

2hrs

Arrived and had a look and is looking much larger post bang. James went in and started work on clearing while Estelle hauled and Mike emptied as hole 6 is a puddle at present so no digging there tonight. Rope really slippery so beneficial to have two on surface, until James got below ledge and needed someone at the bottom to help, so Mike went in and assisted leaving Estelle hauling and emptying! Kevin turned up around half way through and assisted with emptying the skips. Mike and James swapped and Mike continued digging out the hole in the floor. The two holes seen by Estelle last week can see water worn beyond, but there is a hole in the floor following the back wall down that also looks interesting. May need more Dr Nobels next time, but also need to do a bit more digging around the floor hole. Good evenings work, some 30+ skips removed of rock and spoil. 

Sunday 13th October

Stu Lindsay, Estelle Sandford & James Begley

1hr

In between showers, Stu had some Dr Nobel’s for which he drilled holes in the false floor level around the small hole that Estelle had enlarged last week to make it passable just in hole 5. A quick glance after the smoke had cleared indicates that the shelf is no more and it now needs clearing. 

Tuesday 8th October

Estelle Sandford, Stu Lindsay, Mike Moxon
1.5hrs
Estelle cleared the debris from the last bang which hadn’t been as effective as the first bang last week in that one hole hadn’t done much but the other appears to have shattered a channel going towards the pond side. Much of the rest of the time was spent beating the rock around the hole in the floor with a hammer and bar while Mike digging hole 6 and Stu hauling for both digs. After about an hour or so, the hole was big enough to get her lower body in, but not quite to pass the arms/shoulders, so Stu had a little go at bashing it before Estelle had one final go and then managed to get into the hole. There is a shelf covered in debris about 2.5ft own which makes it not too bad to get out of the hole, but basically you can drop down about 3ft to the floor and sit down. To the left is floor pendant that is very sharp and attacked oversuit and in front slightly right in the roof is another pendant that should come away with a hammer. To the right again is a channel in the floor continuing to two holes in the floor and the roof above is where the shattered channel is heading. The two holes are about 4” and 6” diameter respectively but with the floor and roof pendants, it’s not possible to get access to it yet. The entrance hole needs Dr Nobel to enlarge it to make it so we can work in there and it is basically a shelf which is about a foot or so deep of solid rock. Some photos taken by Estelle.

Monday 30th September

Estelle Sandford, James Begley, Stu Lindsay – joined by Kevin and Chris Clinton a little later when we were about to blow it!

2.5hrs

Arrived at site and immediately started drilling 3 long shot-holes on the left (facing towards house), one higher and 2 lower to take off the left hand wall. I laid the cord under Stu’s instructions and then we exited the cave and let it off. Waited around 20mins before descending to take a look at what had happened as it had cleared the worst of the fumes by then. Worked very well, dig considerably wider now and a large amount of gravel and rocks blocking the way out. Cleared about a dozen skips from the hole before drilling two further holes in the lower ledge by the hole with the way on. Left and behind you can feel quite a long way under, so had to be careful not to just drill through this and went on an angle. The hole in the floor has about 3-4ft of drop, draughts pretty well and going away from the house direction seems to be looking like the way on. Chris flicked the switch for the second bang and it was considerably louder than before! Left for the pub without checking as pub ‘o’ clock!

Report from Kevin the morning after – ‘been down and cleared out rock but hole is same size, need a bigger bang!!’

Planning to clear it again before more of Dr Nobel’s though.