Sunnycrest
Hole and Emma Hole
Team: Bert
Savage, Pete Healand and Tony Clarke
Entrances
are thirty foot apart and situated just north of????, more
of that later as I do not wish to incur the mighty wrath of
Sunday 25th
October:
Ten-thirty am. saw Pete and myself arrive at
Bullpot Farm and as usual went to see what was on the agenda for the day. Over
a brew Bert Savage told us that he and Jim Newton (“yes, that
man again”) had spent a few hours digging in a depression that in wet weather
was known to take a sizeable stream. Pete and myself
immediately decided to cancel our planned photographic trip to Bullpot of the
Witches and accompany Bert to the dig sites. One hour later we arrived at the
hole to witness a fair stream disappearing into the breakdown, so I hastily
jumped in and got the iron bar and bucket on the job. The full flow of the
stream was bouncing around my ears, fortunately I was
wearing a wetsuit so this did not bother me too much. After about twenty
minutes, when exploration fever had abated somewhat, I realised
that we might have more success if the wet stuff was turned down slightly, so
plans were put forward to try and divert the main flow further upstream. After
some time scouting around we noticed what was assumed to be a rabbit hole and
with the aid of a seven foot long trench the stream was diverted into this.
Now, all we expected this magnificent feat of engineering to do was diminish
the flow to the main dig, Sunnycrest (sound’s like a
retirement home for old diggers! Ed.). so we were
rather surprised to see all the water disappearing down Emma Hole? (copyright not yet
sorted out yet, five pints of lager do it).
After a brief discussion it was decided that Pete would continue
with Sunnycrest and Bert and I would tackle Emma
Hole. Pete jumped into Sunnycrest and started
throwing rocks out of the relatively dry dig, this is where our communications
network started to break down somewhat. Imagine this, Bert and myself had formulated a foolproof plan whereby we could
control the homemade sluice gate to irrigate our dig and keep it nice and clean
and every so often allow a tidal wave to go down it. (Here’s the important bit)
What we failed to remember in our haste is that when we shut the water off from
Emma Hole it took its normal water course only somewhat more swelled than
usual. Need I go on! Har de har!!
After the screams had died down we spent another couple of hours on the digs
but due to the constricted and loose nature of the entrances little progress
was made. I can feel it in my bones that Jim may be onto something big here as
the dig site is in the middle of nowhere!
Relevant
parts of the conversation leading up to the tidal wave in Sunnycrest
Hole:
Tony: “OK Bert, that’s enough water for now. Close it off”
Bert: “You can’t do that, Peter’s digging in
Sunnycrest”
Tony: #f$**#! him,
he’s got a wetsuit on, he will be alright”
Bert: “Oh, alright then if you insist
snigger, snigger, snigger
Pete: “La de la, bring me sunshine, La de eh?
What’s that noise, must be due for a thundeeeeeerrrrrrrrr …………….AARRGGHH!!”
Tony: “Hark, is that the dulcet cry of the moorland grouse?”
Tony Clarke.
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