Thursday, 23 October 2025

14/10/25 Surface work/checking old shafts

Estelle Sandford, Mike Moxon, Jon Riley

1.5hrs

Estelle cut back the brambles, especially around the hole under the hedge (the one with stemples, so didn't require a ladder), whilst Jon and Mike coiled the blue pipe, brought aluminium ladders up from beside main hole, and lifted the old dumpy bags. We then descended all the holes except the deepest one near the gate (as couldn't see ledge to rest ladder on in dark, and really need a longer one), but didn't find anything, except a bit more mud than when we dug them, and the second across has very luxuriant moss in bottom. Next laid longest ladder across hedge hole and cable tied those grills together, before leaving the 3 ladder sections across the two holes nearest the gate, just to make them more obvious and provide more support than just the grill. We then met Stuart at the Waldegrave, after he'd had a good rummage around the Belfry and Rathaus, to see if there were any more useful materials.

We need to plan a daylight session to safely descend the deepest one and secure the mesh/drill the plates in once all materials are sorted in the coming weeks. The key is to make it so they can be unbolted should access be required in future, but make them safe so if anything goes across them, they won't fall in!






Monday, 13 October 2025

7/10/25

Report from Mike Moxon

Harley and Ed dug, whilst Jon moved buckets back and Mike hauled. Cave was a bit damper than last week, so middle haul didn't need lubricating. 33 buckets emptied again and a few rocks moved to start of final haul. Big toad by end of railway. 









30/9/25

Report from Mike Moxon

Mike arrived just before 6pm and took photos of the other entrances to help with the planning to secure the mesh down, Hollie was there just after, having been delayed by an accident in Cheddar. The buckets stank of fermented laurel berries, those that don't leak being two thirds full of water (one live frog in empty bucket, another drowned - two more were lurking under the ladder), so we emptied them out and headed down to fill all 33. Loose rock on left was finally removed from fill. Jon and James arrived at this point so we hauled and emptied everything, then took them down again so J&J could refill. Hollie had been digging around the big suspended rock on right and it was moving a bit by time James finished with it. All 33 buckets emptied and scraped again before heading to the pub. Middle haul had needed lubrication (water), so one of cider flagons emptied, but both refilled from surface bucket (although that seems to have diving beetles living in it, so left some water there). James picked Estelle up so she could come to Waldegrave (his car wasn't playing ball).





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