County Pot – Minarettes
Present: Anthony, Mark, Natalie, Melanie
Went in County pot, up to Manchester Bypass (Via a wrong turn and interesting deviation down a side passage) along to a couple of ‘BIG’ boulder chambers, the minerettes (sp?) and a quick look at the stream bed at what might have been oxbow corner! We then proceeded back along the fossil caverns and into Stop Pot. To our somewhat surprise the water level was quite low, well only until we remembered that this is a respond in 2 hours to the rain type cave! Proceeded up Stop pot where we discovered our agreement with the other caving club (who were down that day) had come unstuck! They rigged, we planned on using their gear but they had derigged all but the ladder – so a ladder but no lifeline! Ended up freeclimbing it witht he aid of a cowstail (Not impressed). Proceeded from the pitch down a climb that was easy to get down but terrible to get up (Mel not mentioning kicking mark in the face as he gave her a shoulder). Went out of county pot and got back to the hut to find the fireworks had already began – we had heard most of the bangs, but had seen no lights.
Interesting variety of stuff : the wet, the dry, ladders (wire, chain and a solid fixed (if you can say that) thing) some climbing and some crawling, some walking along and some really tight bits as have always been and probably will be for the forseeable.
Total time underground ~7.15hrs. Good fun, but i’m now knackered! Wonder if we’ll be bothered to cave tomorrow?
Melanie.