Boggarts Roaring Holes (middle hole).

Party: Andy Hall, Chaz. Frankland, Fran Dyke, Graham Leach.

We located the holes eventually with some difficulty and decided to descend the middle hole. There was a large chock stone but no bolts — so a bolt was sunk by Chaz. — which seemed to take forever as we were being pestered by midges.

We were all quite relieved to go underground. The pitch lands on a sloping floor with a steeper slope leading to the second pitch. No re-belay points could be found at first, but eventually a bolt was located way out over the pitch. There were a number of loose boulders here. So we all descended the second pitch to the ledge 15ft. above bottom to look for the way on — I descended the second pitch fully to investigate the bottom. It is a continuing shaft, but completely full of boulders. Chaz. and Andy found a way to descend the third pitch without squeezing through the seven inch rift which involves a short climb up and over. Fran and myself decided not to proceed as there was only room for the two of them anyway beyond the top of the third pitch.

N.B. 1st & 2nd pitches are best descended by using one long rope 180ft. +

Next we walked over to:—

Pillar Holes.

Chaz. and myself descended the East hole, Fran and Andy descended the West hole.
From the rise new stainless steel, Araldited belay at the top we descended the 1st and 2nd pitches to the head of the third pitch with a 34m rope. Here a superb free hang can easily be arranged, landing just above the excavated and shored pitch (which we did not descend). Soon we were joined by Fran. Andy had some problems negotiating one of Fran’s rebelays, and arrived in his own time. Chaz. proceeded out followed by myself de-tackling.

I wonder if there is a better hang down this west hole as the rope was close to rock most of the way Poor Chaz! having to wait on the surface being eaten by midges
- I didn’t get one bite all day.

Grahame Leach.

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