Red Rose Cave and Pothole Club - Newsletter Vol 6 No 3 - July 1969
SIMPSON'S POT -
SWINSTO HOLE EXCHANGE July 10th l969
Simpsons.
party:- S. Potter, W. Holden, I Carruthers, T. Locke;
D. Hodgson, D. Little,
M. Byrson, I Wilkinson,
Swinsto party:- R. Calvert,
B. Ogden, D. Creedy, J. Stark, P Llewellyn. D.
Baldwin, H, Headech C. Hadwin,
The majority of us arrived in Kingsdale early and bathed in the sun
while waiting for Jim Newton to arrive from Bull Pot Farm with all the tackle.
Unfortunately most people wanted to descend Swinsto,
negotiating the long crawl at the start of the trip, leaving the Simpson's
party at only 4 in number. After a brief discussion and a little
pressure being brought to bear we resolved this issue and set off slowly up the
bill in hot sun and
in sticky wet suits, Eccles, following his well tried procedure was last to get
changed and found himself with no tackle to carry. Half way up the hill this
was soon remedied.
The two parties separated and we followed Hodge over to Simpson's but
after 5 mins of searching Duncan called us from the other group and
informed us that we were in the wrong field. However, once found it was soon descended to get away
from the hot weather and we were cooled by extremely cold water in the entrance
canal. When nearing Bob’s Pit I was a little surprised and concerned find that this was Mark and Dick’s
first real caving trip, but any early worries were soon forgotten as they both
proved willing and capable lads. The descent went without incident until, we reached
the l5ft pitch before Lake Pot. There was some doubt about the amount of ladder
left so the pitch was de-laddered in case we were short of tackle on the final
pitch. I managed to wedge myself in the fissure by the side of the pitch, which
the more slender Mark and Dick had just dropped through without any effort. I
was well and truly stuck by the buttocks, with my legs dangling in space, until Terry helped me, by going underneath and giving me his shoulder to push against.
When I arrived at the top of the new route
into Swinsto (by traversing over Aven Pot) the other
party were waiting. Eccles descended the l30 pitch first and I followed down a
dry free climb landing on a pile of very loose boulders. These boulders are at
the head of a 30’ pitch which makes the climb into Swinstos
final chamber appear rather dicey. All the Swinsto
party were assembled in the chamber and say they had had an easy descent.
Hebert was prominent wearing his wellington boots; a very sprightly 63 year old looking as fit as we did, an outstanding feat for a man of his
age. In fact the only time he complained I am told was when his Wellingtons
filled up with water in the Simpsons duck.
It was a good hour before the rest of us set off up the last pitch in Swinsto. I went up rather carefully remembering an incident three years ago
when I free climbed the pitch and a rock came away in my hand resulting in a broken ankle. The way out went smoothly this time and everyone enjoyed a reasonably easy ascent because of the lack of water. The long crawl was not as bad as usual as the water was pleasantly warm in contrast to that in Simpsons entrance canal. The small cascade coming down the first pitch resembled a hot shower. We all left the cave with the
sun still shining, and on reaching the road found we were the first party out.
The others arrived about half an hour later, also reporting an enjoyable trip.
As usual we all ended the days caving over a few pints of shandy
and innumerable bags of crisps in the Marton Arms.
W. Holden.