From RRCPC 5
Jim Newton
The summer Bank Holiday of 1969 saw a number of the Red Rose
at Bull Pot Farm intent on keeping Duncan Baldwin to his promise of a
new passage joining Bull Pot of The Witches with Lancaster
Hole. After two days of excitement and then finally
disappointment, we decided to go and prospect down Lancaster
Hole.
I had an idea that digging in Skittle Alley above the pitch
might prove profitable, but on seeing the upstream sump, we decided
to bale this instead. If I had read the reports of
previous attempts, I no doubt would not have bothered as it seems
that many other clubs have attacked this sump and failed.
However, with Roger Bowmer and Ian Carruthers wallowing in the
water, which soon turned to liquid mud, the
level dropped and soon an air space appeared through which blew a
strong draught. After about another hour Ian(Eccles) reported
that it looked possible to get through. We shoved Pete
Llewellyn through the twelve foot crawl and he then dug away a
sandbank which was retaining more water in a precarious position
above the sump on the far side. This raised the Bump
level once more and we recommenced baling. Roger then
splashed through to join Pete.
They found a way ahead through a small crawl into a passage
twenty to thirty feet high, and two to four feet wide, which they
followed for about three hundred feet and then returned with the
report that it closed in. After further baling, the whole
party, including several brave lads in woollens went through to have
a look. I was feeling somewhat disappointed at the
apparent end of the passage, when I thought I heard water
dripping. After climbing as far as possible up the final
mud slope, it appeared that there was a further passage entering
about twenty feet up the wall. We were determined to push
it further.
On the following Saturday with the kind permission of the club
who had booked Lancaster Hole for that day, five members gathered at
the sump with more buckets and scaling poles. Only one
and a half hours baling was needed this time as the weather had been
dry. We soon started assembling the pole at the previous
limit of exploration. This took some time as everything
was full of thick “goo”.
As it was resting on mud we sent up our lightest member,
Duncan Baldwin. We then watched the pole sink six inches deeper
in the mud for each step he took up the ladder.
We overcame this problem by placing the pole on a spade, and we were
soon deafened by Duncan screaming madly “It's huge! It's
huge!”. He soon calmed down and requested another ladder
to descend into a chamber which opened up before him. When he
arrived on the floor of this chamber, his light was visible through a
six inch hole in the bottom of the wall which separated us, and up
which he had just scaled. We were soon shaking hands with him
through this hole. We joined Duncan (the long way round)
and galloped on up the sole passage leading on. This rose
quickly and after about one hundred feet one had to
crawl. There were only a few formations, but these were
virgin white against the grey clay of the passage floor. We slid
through a short “flattener” and came into a very wide
bedding plane, which we pushed as far as possible until it became too
low. The floor however, appeared reasonably soft under a film of
calcite, so we decided to return again equipped for digging.
The following weekend brought out all the “ghosts”
who traditionally appear on these occasions, and twenty members
ploughed through the Aquamud Sump as it was now called. One
suggestion was that perhaps all of these bodies would take out all
the mud on their clothing, but there was much too much
mud. A couple of avens were scaled, and a few "ferrets"
attacked the crawl at two points following the strong draught which
emerged. Three thin ferrets, Pete Llewellyn, Andrew Walsh and
our President, pushed straight ahead, where one could see for about
sixty feet, whilst the well built ferrets, Eccles, Bev Stevens and
myself, hammered away at a crack on the right hand wall. It was
very cramped and cold in this crawl, and after about an hour,
enthusiasm waned. The centre party had managed about another
thirty feet. We retired beaten on
this occasion. Aquamud Sump had almost filled up, due to
everybody sliding down into it and taking more sand and mud with
them. That night in the pub, the Aquamud men were recognisable
by having one mud filled ear.
The following week, two of our members from Scotland decided
to show the Sassenachs a thing or two. Frank McVey
pushed the crawl for a further hundred feet, reporting that it still
went on after this. He returned however,
as Mike Abrams was out of earshot. It was thought
that the passage swings towards West Montagu Passage, but when this
latter passage was tested with smoke, no emergent draught comparable
with the one entering Montagu South Passage was found, nor did any
smoke appear in Montagu South Passage. The possibility of an
eventual connection with Waterfall Passage is being worked on.
Duncan Baldwin.
A topographical account of Montagu South Passage cannot be
complete without a descriptive note on its continuation, Skittle
Alley. (Eyre 1967).
It has long been assumed that Skittle Alley corresponds
directly to passages extending south from the Graveyard region.. A
detailed comparative study between the Skittle Alley and Montagu
South Passages, and the passages associated with the Graveyard has
revealed significant differences in both structure and origin.
Skittle Alley lies in the southernmost extremities of
Lancaster Hole, and is distinguished as being the furthest point
negotiable from the Easegill Caverns in the general direction of the
resurgences. To reach Skittle Alley the way
exits from the Graveyard into the partially infilled area known as
Stump Cavern. Forward, a low indefinite bedding plane
terminates in several holes between jumbled blocks. From
below a constricted fissure descends amongst further breakdown to
join a small tributary emerging from the right. A more
spacious passage then leads onward to where a conspicuous domed
mudbank marks the junction with the Skittle Alley
Passage. Viewed from the junction an arched tunnel tapers
gradually upwards contracting to solution hollows of various shapes.
Beneath, a small trickle runs sluggishly in a shallow entrenchment
impeded by the muddy remnants of past infill. Downstream,
the floor descends rapidly as the walls continually rise to display a
high imposing canyon form, similar in design to the closing stages of
the Master Cave. A number of fallen blocks now span the
floorway soon to terminate abruptly in a deep sombre canal, probed
abortively by divers to a depth of 20'. Beyond, stretches
an exposed traverse to a delicately poised boulder scree, the true
'Skittle Alley', a former inlet, since choked by glaciation and left
obscurely abandoned.
Upstream of the junction, the rift-like form dips to an ovaled
phreatic tunnel ascending steadily as its size decreases.
Shortly an enlargement is reached. Here, recessed to the left wall
and slightly above floor level an inconsequently placed shaft opening
drops vertically for 50’ to a gravelled bottom, sealed
impenetrably by consolidated detritus. Situated above the shaft at
roof height, a silted phreatic tube extends a short distance before
becoming choked. Along the roof are some noteworthy
solution pockets, indicative of a phreatic conveyance horizon prior
to the shaft's existence. The actual purpose and formation of
this shaft remains still a mystery. Outwards from the
chamber, the main passage makes a lateral twist and an inconvenient
collection of curtains provides an extra intricacy.
Immediately, the roof lowers and a shallow pool deepens to swallow
the passage.
This was the limit of exploration until October, 1969. When
drained, a deplorable mud wallow, the Aquamud Sump, discloses the
beginning of Montagu South Passage. Once through the
muddy section the roof lifts to retain its distinct phreatic
character. A sparse covering of sand now overlies deeper muds
which obscure most of the passage. Ahead, an awkward crawl
by-passes the water and drops into the resumption beyond.
The passage now unexpectedly heightens depicting again an avened
phreatic rift, containing inumerable unmarked bores and pockets. The
noticeable intersection of a master joint produces henceforward an
elongated rift 30’ high by 2' to 3' wide. The
straight linear shape however is soon offset as a low arch is
encountered, although this risesinstantly into a similar
continuation. Occasional static deposits are prominent on
the walls here, denoting bygone stagnated sections formed when the
arch was blocked. The walls throughout are stained and
darkened by the clinging coating of mud and ascend into joint
interstices solutioned into small symetrical hollows.
Widening slightly, the way remains otherwise unaltered until a high
ampitheatre of mud bars the way. An easy scramble leads
above the blockage to an apparent dead-end in a constricted fissure
which serves to emit a small trickle. The way on is
gained by a 20' scale up the right wall onto a wide and lofty
chamber. This ledge is about 6' in width and represents the top
of a rock partition, (The Partition), which tapers to a bare few
inches width at its base. A 20' pitch leads down besides
a precariously balanced slab to land on the chamber floor.
The chamber, (Newton Hall) is 40' in diameter and carved
roughly circular at its base. Rising above, a high aven
discharges a trickle falling in fine spray onto a flat gravelled
floor. The water then enters the fissure to reappear
instantaneously on the opposite wall of The Partition.
The chamber walls present a turbulantly fashioned vadose sequence
showing a diversity of cockling, evidence of an accelerated flow of
appreciable volume. The stream obviously ceasing as the
marked change to phreatic occurred. A selection of
transitional cockling can be seen above The Partition, indicating the
consequent development as each successive phase contacted the master
joint. There appears no rational explanation why The Partition
has not sustained simultanious dissection and erosion.
A 20' high rectangular passage leads outwards from the
chamber, resemblant of many streamways in Easegill
Caverns. A mud slope marked by countless drips and now a
few footprints, inclines upwards to a jammed block, which having
detached itself from the roof stands to hold dammed, a mass of
solidified muds. A broad bedding plane roof extends above
forming a typical 'T' cross-section sloping inwards to the incised
centre. Within a short distance deepening fill masks the floor
trench forcing one into the widening roof above. A profusion of
phreatic shapes now dominate the remaining passage characterising a
sudden change of form. The width now increasing to over 15’
thus allows access on the right to numerous small avens and
paralleled solution pockets, some containing fissured inlets blocked
by surface debris. Running alongside the latter, a low
crawl, clay floored and sparingly decorated with straws, shows
evidence of recent periodical stream-wash. The ways then
gradually merge into a low arched bedding tunnel. The
roof ahead consists of a series of minor undulations, the larger
hollows creating small chambers, again some possessing narrow
fissures ending in fill. Shortly, a narrow rib-like
archway lifts into a broad bedding chamber, adorned gracefully with
many long slender straws, some forming miniature columns, others
detatched and speared upright into the soft mud covering
beneath. The intermitant trickle
has in places removed the top mud layer to expose a thin deposit of
calcite, concealing deeper fill to an unknown depth. An
extremely low but forcible crawl gives respite after what seems to be
quite a distance. Here, unfortunately, the way terminates
as yet. A small fissure in the floor however, carries a
small trickle to a secret destination; the overflow of which has
probably caused the invasion along the passage. An aven
extending upwards seems to expel a slight draught. This and the
crawl, are still being worked on.
References for further reading.
Eyre J. C.R.G. Transactions. Vol. 9. No.2. 1967. Lancaster
Hole and The Easegill Caverns.
Descent No.7. & No.8. 1969.
R.R.C.P.C. Newsletters. Frankland J.C Vol.6. No.4. 1969
Newton J. Vol.6. No.5.
1969.
THE ORIGIN AND DEVELOPMENT OF MONTAGU SOUTH
PASSAGE IN RELATIONSHIP TO LANCASTER HOLE
Duncan Baldwin
Since the initial exploration of Montagu South Passage, much
detailed examination has been completed. Owing to absence of
extensive infill at significant points, a higher grade survey was
easily carried out. This, coupled with observations on
its wide morphological range, has provided information to enable some
aged discrepancies concerning the subsequent development of Lancaster
Hole to be elucidated.
Geological Outline. Montagu South Passage
combining Skittle Alley forms an outermost ‘fossil route'
bounding the inner framework of The Graveyard and the Bridge Hall
complex. The former has evidently evolved in two sets of master
joints extending N-S and N-E from the synclinal fault zone located as
the dry valley defined between the Bull Pot watershed and Leek Beck
Risings. Throughout Montagu South and environs the bedding lies
almost horizontal and consists generally of massive bedding
interrupted only by thin bands of shale. The dip is
slight and remains little more than 3º
where the strata is uniform in the locality
discussed. The tendency of the dip is N-W and produces a
series of gradual anticlines which have a measured effect on the
whole. Lithologically, the strata is consistent, and is seen to alter
only at the outer margin adjacent to the fault area.
Speleogenic Outline. Three distinct passage forms exist
in Montagu South, each having formed simultaneously with its
neighbouring part. The furthest point has been shown to come
within a short distance of the terminal section in Montagu West
Passage; (The excavated part), testimony to the obvious
counterpart. The extremities of Montagu South display
much phreatic sculpture, exhibiting many fine solutional hollows
equal to those found along Montagu West. Progressing in a
downstream direction, the undulating roof indicates a transition to
semi-vadose movement. The numerous fissured avens
surrounding show signs of past mixed waters from above, or,
alternatively, a buried confluence near. The presumed connection is
to The Colonnades Passage in close proximity to the left.
As Montagu South nears Newton Hall the releasement from
submergence produces the start of the floor trench and the unfolding
planed roof above. The phreatic forms now become superseded by
an incised vadose streamway preserving clearly a mixture of cockling
extending to the roof.
Newton Hall
This large conicle shaped chamber previously described, shows
with surprising clarity the final erratic change to
phreatic. The route onward now becomes strongly joint
influenced as one progresses to Skittle Alley, where the submergence
continues as present day formation.
Origin and Development.
Montagu South, as stated, had three active forms; two outer phreatic
sections enclosing an intermediate vadose streamway. This
may have originated from Montagu West Passage and probably with a
similar foundation existing to the Colonnades Passage prior to its
rejuvenation into Bridge Hall. The single or combined
waters have then produced the vadose section and gravitationally
bisected the secondary phreatic section already in an advanced state
of solutioning. Evidence for this pre-existing part is
found in the roof of the abandoned vadose section. The wholly
vadose sequence noted here has borne no marked phreatic form, thus
isolating the two outer solutioned conveyance areas. The respective
phreatic rift following contains no vadose signs either in initiation
or later transformation to conveyance. Secondly, an
inspection of their volume relation and solution rate suggests a
considerable duration gap. This significant difference in
age depicts a proportionally uniform phreatic-vadose development into
Newton Hall; at this point entering an inconsistent rift to vary
greatly in area and forming relatively slow over a wide time
expanse. Displacement along the latter phreatic rift has
left little recognisable directional cockling, except the steady
incline into Skittle Alley.
Skittle Alley appears vast in area, although strangely
deceptive. By an uncanny artesian action, the main sump
is known to rise and fall suddenly in flood times in excess of
20’. This fluctuation in level may be due to
hydrostatic pressure from Lost John's System, or from Lower Easegill
Pot. Alternatively, the Master Cave could have measured
pulsing effects on the whole. Diving in this sump has
been unsuccessful due to there being no obvious exit once below the
water line, the rift seemingly diminishing into a constricted
fissure.
To summarise, it would appear that these phreatic rifts have
originated as solutioned tectonic cavities ceded to cave form during
the course of invasion. Firstly, by deep hydrolic
pressure forced upward to later phreatic directional action and
subsequent conveyance modification thereafter.
Verification of development on these lines is seen at the noted
constriction points, i.e. The Aqua Mud Sump and The Archway. Here,
large cavities are linked by small tunnel forms, showing at these
points cockling. This may be the result of pressurised
waters connecting the existing tectonic parts of the aligned
fracture.
The following development stages can be recognised within
Montagu South and West Passages. This is primarily a
succession table, and not a time relationship index.
Stage 1.
Inter-carboniferous faulting causing cavitation centered on
the Dent Fault area of the locality.
Stage 2.
Pre-cavernous solutioning by intrusive waters.
Stage 3.
Supersedence by cavernous development, thus:-
(a) Phreatic
conveyance forming Montagu West and South and related counterparts in
Bull Pot of the Witches in conjunction with the 790'-800' speleogenic
horizon.
(b) Vadose action
producing Montagu South Streamway, Bill Taylor's Passage and Montagu
East.
(c) Vadose
rejuvenation resulting in the abandonment of Montagu South, West and
East, and the formation of Waterfall and Wilf Taylor's Passages and
numerous others.
Correlation to Lancaster Hole.
The result of the findings in Montagu South, tends to
discount the past existance of several water tables debouching at
various levels. The marked speleogenic horizon at approximately 790'
ASL in Lancaster Hole has, in its duration, formed a lower stage,
hence the abandoned streamway in Montagu South.
The latter vadose area has conducted a negligible volume of
water compared to Montagu East, had this formed Montagu West as
previously suggested. Montagu West, as observation shows,
has taken the quota flowing Northwards along Bill Taylor's Passage
from the foot of Lancaster Hole shaft, where a comparable passage
lies heavily choked. The former route of this flow was
through the Colonnades Passage, thence onward to Montagu South to
enter above the abandoned streamway. Rejuvenation at
Bridge Hall resulted in Bill Taylor's Passage. Bridge
Hall is so transmogrified by invasion and bisection, that it is
difficult to establish this positively.
The surface engulfment point is disputable, probably an
archaic Easegill flowing South of Lancaster Hole entrance may be
responsible. The ultimate destination was, as clearly denoted
by cockling, Montagu West, then to join water being transmitted under
hydrostatic pressure Southwards from Wilf Taylor's sump area.
Indicative by flow markings, semi-phreatic conditions
persisted along Montagu West, gradually changing to phreatic upon
nearing the 'excavated section' at the junction North.
The united waters have then been conveyed along the 'excavated
section' to be further joined by another phreatic tunnel.
As only a relatively small portion of this is visible above infill,
the true dimensions cannot be measured accurately. ENridently, this
has also conveyed along this horizon from the many radiating levels within Bull Pot of the Witches, explored as
far as 750' North of this point. The combined waters have
then, by displacement, gone South, thereby creating Montagu
South. (See diagrams).
The question then remains; what was the destination of
Easegill waters as this horizon must have been developing during this
period? The solution lies in the bounds of Fall Pot.
Here, a hall of vast ramifications has previously been regarded as a
distinct collapse of Montagu East Passage. The presence
of an indefinite counterpart at this point has added to the
misconception. If the blocks that litter the floor were
removed, the roof of the present Master Cave would be
exposed. The sudden increase of the dimensions of the
Master Cave at this point clearly illustrate the apparent connection
to the obscured area of Fall Pot. Ample height, coupled
with sufficient passage area equates the closing stages of the Master
Cave with the horizon from Easegill Caverns.
The Graveyard curiously isolated in its position, seems to
have no obvious continuance elsewhere in Lancaster Hole. The
majority of its form is concealed behind infill and it guards closely
its secret. Due to the few bisectors radiating from its
bounds, some idea has been gained of its form. Clearly, the
association to Montagu South is via the entry route, where an active
passage has invaded the dead area of Skittle Alley. It is probable
that the bulk of The Graveyard connects to Sand Caverns.
Correlation to Surface and Leck Fell Caverns.
The flow indication depicts a Southerly flow from Sand
Caverns in the direction of Leck Fell. With the exception
of several shallow pots this area is known to be void of any dry
system of Lancaster Hole's magnitude. The confirmation of
this Southernly flow, prior to the existence of Leck Beck Head, opens
a wide dimension of potential. Dry levels intersected by
the gill at Easegill Kirks stand to support this. Recent excavations
by The Red Rose Cave and Pothole Club of these has shown them to be
large, and as expected, quite old. A former valley
horizon running approximately 90' above the present course of Leck
Beck can be correlated to the underground development at this
height. A debouching point at this level is probable, the
actual location of which is unknown. Judging from present
information, it is feasible that Montagu South has been part of Lower
Easegill Pot, transmitting syphonic pressuredwater through the large
phreatic tunnel within, and thence to Leck Fell.
It is acceptable that this is the source of Duke Street, which
most likely resurged in Kingsdale at a level higher than that of Leek
Beck Head. Keld Head may have been the continual dischargement
point for this area of Lancaster Hole at such times before the
deepening of the Leck Valley.