50 and caving!

Team: Duncan Hornby & Claire Vivian

Trip date: 4/5/21 & 6/5/21

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So... I've finally reached the big 5 'O! Tradition dictates getting friends, family and all my caving chums together for a big party.

Unfortunately for me, COVID stomped on that idea and although lockdown restrictions have eased up, there is no way I would be allowed to party with my friends... 😟

Thankfully Claire came to the rescue, saved me from a lonely birthday and dragged me underground (to be fair I didn't need much persuasion). Over 2 days last week we visited 3 caves on the Mendips.

So by way of kick starting the SWCC blog for 2021 I invite you to join me in my some what scaled down 50th birthday caving trips!

Fairy Cave

We parked at the Cerberus hut, got very lucky and bumped into a member staying there who informed us the code to the padlock had changed. Armed with the new code we headed off to Fairy Quarry to do the Fairy Cave to Hillier's through trip, a trip that Claire has never done.

My birthday cake at the entrance of Fairy Cave.

Keen to keep reminding myself it was my 50th birthday trip I kept the candles...

You try getting through that squeeze with candles!

We made our way to the connection to Hillier's, the flat out crawl in a puddle, which seemed like an obvious place to celebrate...

Yes, I have lost the plot...

So it was now time to sing happy birthday! Click on the video below to join in.

With my birthday candles finally giving up we entered Hillier's, and headed to the pretty Cambridge Grotto.

Cambridge Grotto formations.

Cambridge Grotto formations.

Claire back lighting a curtain.

Running out of time we quickly headed out passing through Tar Hall and the spider infested entrance to exit into late afternoon May sunshine.

Bath Swallet to Rod's Pot

2 Days later we returned to the Mendips to do the through trip. This is a short trip but with lots of variety. The entrance of Bath Swallet can be found in the first obvious depression on your left after the end of the track.

Claire and I at the entrance of Bath Swallet.

After a short scramble and crawl you get to the top of Shower Pot. This is a nice pitch, good for beginners, although the start of it is a bit awkward. There are several P-bolts and naturals to rig off at the pitch head and a 25m rope is more than enough. Having descended the pitch we leave the rope but take our harnesses.

Descending Shower Pot.

At the bottom of Shower Pot (with the pitch behind you), turn left and head down the obvious hole in the floor. Some crawling then you pop out at the bottom of Purple Pot. There thankfully is a handline in situ as purple pot is a bit slippery.

Claire climbing out of the top of Purple Pot.

You eventually pop out into Main Chamber in Rod's Pot and then it is a steep route finding ascent out of the cave. On the way back to the car I popped back into Bath Swallet and retrieved my rope.

Swildons Upper Series

With the through trip completed we headed over to Swildons Hole. We decided to keep this trip shorter and rather than blast our way down to sump 1 and back we were to explore the upper series and tick off as many circular routes that can be done.

Claire and I at the entrance of Swildons.

We are both familiar with the short dry way in so we attempted the long way in and ended up in a reasonable well decorated chamber before connecting with the main stream.

A chamber in the upper series of Swildons.

We then headed back out along the wet way out, which by its name implies you get quite wet! A word of caution there is a fairly tight squeeze along this route near the exit, large people will find that very difficult.

Although this trip was short it was really useful to link up sections of the cave and now provides alternate routes in/out.

So I hope you enjoyed my birthday caving and it will be great to read about others caving as more people get back underground?