Saturday 1st Feb

On Saturday Ady, Nigel, & Mark went down Long Kin West (SD731724). This cave is a vertical shaft, all but the free climable middle pitch are "P" bolted, the free climbable pitch has traditional spits.

The entrance pitch is a huge daylight shaft of about 100m with an awkward rebelay about 1/3rd of the way down. At the bottom of this pitch a number rotting sheep in various states of decay were found!

From this pitch a short squeeze down through a dripping chamber (free climbable but rope recommended) lands at the top of a bedding with the next pitches dropping dramatically off to the side. A drop of about 25m from the end of the bedding lands on a window, swing across to the next pitch.

From here another 50m+ drop down another large pitch with a reblay a few metres from base. Finally a short scramble over boulders leads to a dig which looks to be another 15m.

Returning up the huge pitch took about 15mins and was very hard work. Everybody else (Si, Denise, Shel, Rod, and 2 NAC members) went down Pillar Holes which is very near by.

Sunday 2nd Feb

On Sunday we tried to go down Goydon Pot in Nidderdale, but the wind and snow was causing the dam to send large pulses of water over the dam at the head of the valley, so we abandoned that idea and went to Eglin's and Low Eglin's holes at How Stean gorge.

The party split into two. I went into Low Eglin's (SE094734) first which is has a confined entrance with quite an active stream. The stream soon drops down a too tight hole, but stepping over this a hand line by passes the wet. Follow the meandering stream pass a few pretties until the passage lowers and branches the RH branch is too wet but the left continues on for some distance until the silt/mud becomes too much.

Eglin's Hole is quite different it is much wider and carries a large stream. I only went partway upstream before light failure forced my return.

Last Updated: 13 Oct 2005	© Slough Mountaineering Group	contact us