Gaping Gill

[Bush Tucker Man]

No, a referance to a 'lady of negotiable affections' :roll:

It is something that Eeyore & Wolfie mentioned in another post. (20th & 21st August)

I'm setting my sights on coming up on Monday, or if anything crops up, Tuesday.

If the weather's good I'll have a 'Mud-Club' t-shirt on, so you'll know me.

Here's the link for the club & event that Eeyore posted.


Oh & one burning question.......
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Do you know if 'Bernies' cafe in Ingleton is still in business?? (the one next to IngleSport)

[Eeyore]

Bernies cafe?

As listed by your good self in the Eatery section - yes, it's still open, but I can't remember which day of the work it isnt' open. Hang on.....

Nope, website was useless!

When you get up there, we'll be residing on Rat Island - just ask for us, folk'll point us out.

We'll keep an eye out for an MC t-shirt!

cheers
 8)
Eeyore

'Lady of Negotiable Affections'  :lol:

[Bush Tucker Man]

'Lady of Negotiable Affections'  :lol:

Oh you got it :lol:


I wonder if I'd get thrown out of Bernies for wearing a Mud-Club' t-shirt, if he's got any ramblers in who ask what kind of organisation it is?? :lol:

Could make for an interesting dinnertime

[Bush Tucker Man]

Well, I went this morning....

It took about a hour & 3/4 to Clapham (arriving at 10:20)
A quick check in the suggested outdoor shop to check on operations, then a walk up the village to the start of the footpath.

I'd tried to persuade Andy to come with me, but the 'Big Wuss' wouldn't (he'll be glad he didn't :roll: ) The path was a beautiful walk in fine sunshine, until Trow Gill & the scramble over the small boulder choke.

At least no-one overtook me whilst I was walking.

On eventual arrival (3/4's of a hour walking) I got to the Pot.

I entered the area, to have a gentlemen stare intently at me. he introduced himself.
In the best words of Lambsie; "It's the 'Wolfie' "
He was very amiable & filled me in on various details of the event (he didn't offer me a pot of tea though :roll: )
'Eeyore' (Nick) was off the Fell in, either Clapham, or Ingleton.

It got to my registration as the queue moved forwards, the lady at the desk told me (as I filled in the forms) that it was about a 2hour wait to descend!!!!!
With that, as I'd heard a crew-member mentioning 45minutes, I decided against it, as it would also mean a comparable wait for the ascent.
I think 'Wolfie' understood my disappoinment, but it was just one of those things, so it was another 45minutes walk back down to Clapham

But the return journey gave me an opportunity to take some photos for the 'WebShots'

I even saw the pink Ka that I mentioned in the 'Spots Before The Eyes' after a special detour in Bingley.
It's very bright!!!


Thought
I'm on leave on Saturday, do I get up early & leave the house at 06:00, arriving at the winch-site for opening at 08:00?
 thus, getting my trip down???

[Bush Tucker Man]

:D  :D  :D  :D  :D  :D
I went this morning & got down  :D

I was awake at 04:00 debating with myself whether to turn over & go back to sleep.
But, no, I'd been wanting to do this for years & besides SWMBO would give me grief when I next spoke to her :roll:

Set off at 05:30, picking up a paper, money & petrol (went in the 'spare car'), then along the M62, through Bradford, Bingley, Keighley, Skipton by-pass, Gargrave, Coniston Cold (home of the Yorkshire 'LR Experience'), Hellifield, Long Preston, Settle (by-pass) & hence onto Clapham.
I pulled up in the village at 07:00, had a quick tea & set off.
After a very warm & 'muggy' climb, I got there as the crew were just opening the tents.

I got #1 tag :D, but had to wait, as the generator hadn't even been started.
Then the club had to send 3 or 4 'crew' down.
Eventually it was my turn, so on with the borrowed helmet & my 'Hi-Viz' (waterproofs are needed)
It felt strange sitting in what could be construed as a bigger version of a babys swing, albeit well secured.

Then.... the floor is withdrawn from under your feet & down you go

It was a weird sensation as the descent began, under the water & off-set to one side.

On landing, (personally) I felt momentarily disorientated as it was fairly dark & couldn't see b*gger all.

Then I saw it all :shock:  :shock:  :shock:  :shock:  :shock:
WOW!!!

What a chamber it is, absolutely massive.
With being the first, I had a personal guide, an American chappie who showed me the features & told me that ultrasound tests had revealed the actual floor was about another 100feet below our feet & we were standing on flaked off rock.

Certainly an experience, but I still had wet boxers when I got back to the car (3/4hour later)


Back in the house for 11:45

Would I go down again. You bet!!!




Apologies for the lack of photos, but there's not a lot of light down there

The waterfalls are the highest in England (British Isles?) by a good measure
This is a good indicator of the size, courtesy of the Craven Pothole Club site

[Bush Tucker Man]

Another thought....

You rise at an unearthly hour (I wasn't even working!), drive all that way, walk all that way :roll:

And what happens?
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Wolfie' (Andy) tucked up in his tent

'Eeyore'[/b] (Nick) also in his 'pit'.

At least they could have been up & made me a mug of Tea :roll:  

And I make the effort to go & see them :roll:  :roll:


Dick(?), my American guide told me to go kick some tent-pegs out, but that would have been cruel :lol:  :lol:  :lol:

I would have done, but I didn't know which one (2) they were :lol:

[Jim-Willy]

You must be nuts!  My mates done that (He used to cave though so obviously has something missing).  Big DEEP cavern on rope seat.....NO CHANCE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[POTASH]

heres the bottomless pit at speedwell

[Bush Tucker Man]

You must be nuts!  

Could be?
I'm on my 4th Landie & work for the NHS, so it's very possible :lol:

My mates done that (He used to cave though so obviously has something missing).

I'd like to possibly try it on a 'lighter-duty' cave/pot?

Big DEEP cavern on rope seat.....NO CHANCE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It's a steel chair & frame, with a safety-bar & a crotch-rope :shock:
You do feel to be very close to some of the 'cliff' on the way down, I wanted to look around as I was going down & watch the floor arrive, but was too tightly wedged in with my coat & bag. (it's not a big chair)

I'd reckon it's at least a 10mm cable, so safe, 'Eeyore' & 'Wolfie' could give you all the facts & figures when they reappear if you want them




More photos/links
Chair from below

Bradford Potholing Club's Gill pictures

1960's descents (good chair photo )

heres the bottomless pit at speedwell

Isn't it Speedwell Caverns that have the boat trips?
Never been down, but know where it is, on Winnatts Pass, I've ridden the biks up Winnatts far too many times.
I remember the flurry of interest in the press (the 'Yorkshire Post') a few years ago when they had a new boat delivered & just how they got it down :?

[Xtremeteam]

WOW,thats well cool,id love to do that,last time i was in anything like that it was a slate quarry in the lake district that we found the path leading into the workings to go down that actually came out at 1/2 way up the quarry which was full of water ,will get the name when my dad gets back

[Bush Tucker Man]

WOW,thats well cool,id love to do that,last time i was in anything like that it was a slate quarry in the lake district

Would it be the one at the top of Honister Pass?
That's the B5289 that goes from Keswick down the eastern shore of Derwent Water & eventually to Buttermere & Crummack Water

[Jim-Willy]

I'd like to possibly try it on a 'lighter-duty' cave/pot?
[/quote]


I'm hoping to drag him and his Zuke to Langley Farm so you can quiz him about that.  You must be insane, he told me he lost a frew mates to cave diving (Lunatics!!!!!!!!!!!!!).

[Bush Tucker Man]

You must be insane, he told me he lost a frew mates to cave diving (Lunatics!!!!!!!!!!!!!).

Cave-Diving is 101% out of the question, for a start, I can't swim.
Doesn't help does it? :lol:

Perhaps some of the side-passages off 'Gill'?

[Eeyore]

Awwwwww man!  #-o

BTM, I missed you - twice  :(

And I found out that Bernies was shut on Tuesdays, too :oops:

Dick (nice guy) was right, you could have rattled a few tent pegs - we'd have noticed!

I was lying in Sat morning as I was on to do a trip to the real back end of the system. Polishing off the Stout barrel the night before probably wasn't the hottest of ideas either! Probably got up just as you were walking off.

I'm really glad you enjoyed the trip, though. Might try and get you a bit further next year!  

Nice piccy of 'Rat Island Estate', too!

As for the winch, its a twin drum set up running nine millimeter aircraft cables (nine tonne safe working limit per cable). The winch is hydraulic (varible flow rate valving giving infinite speed variation) and was designed and built by a man who used to to make such stuff for the South African diamond mines. Truly the worlds most bizarre fair ground ride!

We'll catch you at another time (I think I owe you a brew!)

Cheers
 8)
Eeyore

[Bush Tucker Man]

Awwwwww man!  #-o

BTM, I missed you - twice  

In fact several people suggested waking you 2 up

Yes, Dick was an extremely nice guy

I'm really glad you enjoyed the trip, though. Might try and get you a bit further next year!  

I shall endeavour to get there, might even bring SWMBO

We'll catch you at another time (I think I owe you a brew!)
 

Cheers
 8)
Eeyore

Could have done with one after the walk up to the pot.
Tea,
black with no sugar

[Eeyore]

Tea,
black with no sugar

Excellent, we can save on the milk!

And we only use Yorkshire teabags!

cheers
 8)
Eeyore

[Bush Tucker Man]

Tea,
black with no sugar

Excellent, we can save on the milk!

And we only use Yorkshire teabags!
cheers
 8)
Eeyore

S'funny that's the only brand I drink at home (& work) I endure inferior offerings at other peoples houses.

That bunch over on LR Net went wild over Yorkshire Tea as well a while ago.



I take it Andy ('Wolfie') said I'd been up on the Tuesday, but at a busy time?
I think that's him (in the purple fleece & shorts) by the booking in tent in the first photo

[Eeyore]

Aye, thats our fella.

Yon Wolfie told me you came up on Tuesday when I got back from buying fresh meat (and more Teabags of the geographically correct genus).

I only found out about Saterday earlier in the thread.

T'was an excellent do (more so than usual) - the only downside is that its 50 odd weeks to the next one.

Roll on August!

cheers
 8)
Eeyore

[Bush Tucker Man]

But the return journey gave me an opportunity to take some photos for the 'WebShots'

I even saw the pink Ka that I mentioned in the 'Spots Before The Eyes' after a special detour in Bingley.
It's very bright!!!

And here's where the photos of my Return Journey on Tuesday can be found (starting from 'The New Inn' image)

I've got a few from Saturday, but (being a sad git!!) I'm saving the best item to start the 13th 'Yorkshire Scenes' album with.
Well, I like to use a striking image (that's in my opinion) to open each album with :D (for example; 'Yorkshire Scenes. 5')

The one in question is a fairly unique structure (one of only three in the entire country) & totally anonymous unless you know about it.
But is certainly very unusual in its construction

[Wolfie]

BTM, glad that you did get down the hole, and enjoyed the experience. As Nic says, come again next year and we'll try to sort out an extended tour - let us know in advance and we'll be able to make sure we are around. We have enough spare gear between us for you to borrow.

Sorry about the lack of an offer of tea on the tuesday, I'm not too good on the social graces! Plus tea is an odd concept to me, I don't drink the stuff as a rule, GG being an exception - I think I had a couple of mugs of tea this year.

As to the idea of an early morning wake up on the Saturday, it might not have got too good a reaction from me due to a stressful Friday and the fact that the Grand Union Stout was just TOO GOOD.

Photography in the main chamber isn't easy, I had a bit of a go earlier in the meet. The water levels were much lower then so the waterfalls wern't as impressive as they would have been on the saturday. I had hoped to get down again, to try some other ideas but there were too many club members heading into the system to have been able to have time before the lights were turned on for visitors. Still it will be there next year and the lens I want for taking pictures in a very impressive part of the system is finally available.

Luckily we didn't get the same amount of rain as we did in 2002, when it did get a bit wet , the steps down are there somewhere. Needless to say, we had to stop winching for a while, and took a few people out of the back door - Bar Pot, next to the stile.

Oddly, the subject of cave diving was discussed at the meet, with JNC, one of our members who does a lot, explaining to Dick, an open water diver, that he doesn't open water dive because it's too dangerous. I won't be trying it, I wouldn't like to have one of my frequent panic moments underwater.

Regards

Andy

[Bush Tucker Man]

BTM, glad that you did get down the hole, and enjoyed the experience. As Nic says, come again next year and we'll try to sort out an extended tour - let us know in advance and we'll be able to make sure we are around. We have enough spare gear between us for you to borrow.

I might hold you to that, if I can get up there

Luckily we didn't get the same amount of rain as we did in 2002, when it did get a bit wet , the steps down are there somewhere. Needless to say, we had to stop winching for a while, and took a few people out of the back door - Bar Pot, next to the stile.


Regards

Andy

Blimey!! that looks a bit wet

Still I hoep to get up next year as well, might persuade SWMBO to come :lol:

And with regards to my previous posting about unique structures, it's now on, in 'Yorkshire Scenes. 13'

Tell me honestly have you ever seen one before?, (apart from (is it on?) the Vale Of Rheidol narrow-guage railway in Wales)

[Wolfie]

Tell me honestly have you ever seen one before?

No, can't say I have, will have to get up there for a look at it sometime but from a few feet to the right of where you were standing. Perhaps next year's float will be up to the north.

This year was over to Ellesmere for the round of BORC, via Llangollen. There's a bridge you might like on the way, Bridge 39 on the Shroppie, known as High Bridge. Of course one of the highlights was the Pontcysylite aqueduct - what a structure and 200 years old this year. Scary though, they didn't have H&S regulations back then, hence the lack of any barrier on the off side.

Regards

Andy

[Bush Tucker Man]

There's a bridge you might like on the way, Bridge 39 on the Shroppie, known as High Bridge.

I've seen a couple of pictures of that one before & it's certainly strange with the brick re-inforcing arch inserted into it.

Of course one of the highlights was the Pontcysylite aqueduct - what a structure and 200 years old this year. Scary though, they didn't have H&S regulations back then, hence the lack of any barrier on the off side.

I've only walked over it,  & it was weird!!![/u], as there was a slight breeze & the leaves on the surface were moving at the same speed as I walked.
This was most disconcerting & slightly hypnotic.
Obviously there was no effect on the return journey

Mr Telford was a brilliant man.

I want to try the Anderton Boat Lift at Nantwich & the Falkirk Wheel

[POTASH]

i have been on the anderton boat lift, very strange feeling, have also got a copy of the original engineering drawing of the lift c1875 in a frame above my computer  :oops:

[Bush Tucker Man]

i have been on the anderton boat lift, very strange feeling, have also got a copy of the original engineering drawing of the lift c1875 in a frame above my computer  :oops:

Well there's a co-incidence. I'd like one of those.

We have one of the 'wonders of the waterways' in the village where I grew up & lived until 14 months ago

'Waterscape'

Aire &Calder

Then, of course, there's Standedge Tunnel
Check out the 'Restoration' & 'Inside the Tunnel' pages

[POTASH]

did you know when standedge tunnel was comleted in1811 500 people went through in boats, with a band playing while 10,000 came to watch :shock:

[Xtremeteam]

ive been n seen the falkirk wheel,took pictures starting from a field right up to the final completion of it,if you ever come up give us a shout as its only 1/2 hour away from me,

also the quarry i was talking about is called hodge close & is grid ref 90/317017

[Bush Tucker Man]

ive been n seen the falkirk wheel,

also the quarry i was talking about is called hodge close & is grid ref 90/317017

I'll bet it was a sight during construction.

I see where the quarry is, but never been on those particular lanes. I've been around on The Old Man, and on the roads to either side.

[Xtremeteam]

in that quarry acording to the locals there is a double decker bus & a transit van that went in with a speedboat & trailer & if you look closely you can still see the tranny  :shock:

[Eeyore]

I want to try the Anderton Boat Lift at Nantwich & the Falkirk Wheel

Oooooo, the Anderton Lift - class engineering. Its been an object of desire for as long as I can rememember (IIRC) - which isn't as long as it should be, but I've still not actually seen it. Must change that.

I just want them to get the Foxton Inclined Plain working at Blist Hill - now that would just complete the set!

The biggest boat lift is in the Netherlands I think - it'll do a 30k ton container ship by all acounts - another one to add to the wish list.

Still, only 50 wks to GG!

cheers
 8)
Eeyore