Red Rose Cave and Pothole Club - Newsletter Vol. 2 No. 1 - Spring 1964
WASHFOLD POT.
(16tth. February ‘64. )
Party:- ,Jim Eyre, Jim Newton, Melvyn, Stewart, Ray, Bill, Ian, Les,.
Bob and friends.
The sky was clear, there had been no rain for nearly a fortnight and Washfold Pot was on the meets list. This time I had no exouse, but despite my better judgment I agreed to be in
the party that was to attempt this notorious hole. Upon assembling at Alum Pot
lane I was not the only person who our taskmaster the Meets Sea. had managed to
force ( by force ) up to the hole. Despite the late start we all trudged up to
the hole and after filling a sack with sods finally descended into this awesome
gulf. After forcing our way gradually further on, and encountering a ridiculous
flat out crawl we arrived at the pitch. All of us were by now dropping on our
knees but after Jim had reassured us, the pitch was laddered and our brave President
led the way. Eventually all but three of the party were prodded over the edge
of that bottomless pit. As we proceeded along the lower half of the system
various bods were left by the wayside and at the sump
only four brave idiots braved that final torrent of water down that last small pitch
to a not very impressive sump. A quick retreat was then made only pausing for a
brief moment at the 130’ pitch to curse at ones self
for ever going down it. To everyone's relief we reached the surface after some
five hours underground. One last look round, and the Red Rose said farewell to
this awesome gulf for, we hope, another five years.
Melvyn.