UKC

Wondering what people's thoughts/advice would be on abbing into Gaping Gill, taking a few pictures and then jumaring/ prussiking back out?
All previous posts on here seem to be related to locally organised pot-holing days.

Is there a decent anchor at the top? Is it too wet to really enjoy? Will I get a bunch of potholers shouting at me for not using some sort of special equipment? Is the edge suitable to have a weighted rope over its edge?

I'm semi-prepared for a flaming, but from a climbing perspective, I'm just interested to know how much different this would be to a (very) wet abseil?

In reply to edunn:

You'll need a very long rope (it's 110m) or else you'll just see the boring top bit.

In reply to edunn:

Hi mate, you need a permit to go down Gaping Gill, see the CNCC website for details. If you choose to ignore this and go down regardless, then it doesn't help the caving community re access with the landowner, cheers

In reply to edunn:

There are plenty of suitable bolts to anchor your rope from, and you could get down to the bottom by abseiling with the rope just hanging over the edge, but (in my opinion) it would be very dangerous (suicidal even) to try to jumar back up without having re-belayed the rope. I wouldn't even do it with a rope protector.
The distance from the lip to the floor is ~98m, so a 100m rope is not long enough when you take into account the knots etc.
The main shaft will be very wet, even during a drought. The water hits a ledge part way down and sprays everywhere. There is a route down close to the main shaft which avoids the water (Jib Tunnel), but again the rope needs to be properly anchored caving-style (SRT or single rope technique if you want to read up about it).
I won't even mention permits....(oh I just did!)

If you want a trip into Gaping Gill there is the option of using the winch set up at Easter by Bradford Pothole Club, or around the August bank holiday by the Craven Pothole Club.

If you want a trip at a quieter time send me a PM and we'll see what can be arranged.

In reply to Bernard Shakey:

There has been advice from a QC who has reviewed the relevant legislation that caving is covered by the right to roam act (CROW) and as such abseiling in for a ganders should be fine.

In reply to Brown:

Would you share some more information on this please?

(Anyway, climbing is allowed and there is an established rock climb out of Gaping Gill!)

In reply to Brown:

Yeh, Im aware of recent developments, but its no bother sending Geof a SAE is it really, keeps everyone happy

In reply to edunn:
In normal conditions the waterfall down the main shaft is very powerful - you'd probably get down OK, but I wouldn't fancy your chances trying to get back up again! Obviously in drought, or with the stream diverted this isn't such a problem. The other major consideration is the rigging - if the rope rubs in the wrong place then it could easily cut through as you prussik back up!

Single Rope Technique is fairly simple to learn - I'd advise either taking the time to learn properly, or just going down on the winch (you can see much more of the main chamber with the lights on anyhow!)

G.

In reply to Bernard Shakey:

Well that sucks - I was going to recommend going in via Bar Pot, which doesn't need such a long rope (30m pitch as I recall), but that needs permission too.

Back in the day, we just rolled up and went in....

In reply to edunn:

>? Will I get a bunch of potholers shouting at me for not using some sort of special equipment?
That'll be the CRO

>Is the edge suitable to have a weighted rope over its edge?
CRO will be able to take their time....

On the way in, similar. As others have said, the way out might be more problematic (water (cold & drowning), rope rub (Harlin), hard work unless your srt is sorted).

But, something like Dihedral is a fabulous trip....
Start with the winch meet and/or get someone to introduce you to srt - it'll be more fun and you might not get shouted at

In reply to August West:


A long time ago, on a uni caving trip, I abseiled down a non-stretchy caving rope on a standard large figure-of-8, climbing style. At first the weight of the rope acted as a brake but as I descended and the rope lighter (and wetter) I became alarmed at how hard it was to brake. I managed it by taking turns of rope around my leg but it wasn't an experience I would repeat, given the choice of using a rack.

There's a reason cavers use the gear they do!

In reply to pneame:

http://www.braemoor.co.uk/caving/bar.shtml

A friend of mine took some climbers down bar. They planned to prussick out.

CRO were actually quite complimentary about their effort.

In reply to pneame:



Wow, someone older than me

In reply to edunn: I went down on one of the organised days and they had the cave lit up really well. You'd appreciate more than from a headtotch I'd say.

In reply to edunn:
Back in the late 70's I was walking back down to Clapham from a winch meet at GG talking to a member of the Cave Rescue Organisation. He had helped bring out the body of someone who'd fallen virtually the full 360 feet when his rope parted doing something similar to what you're thinking of. It may well have been the UK's first SRT fatality back when cavers didn't fully realise all the risks involved. I've been up and down Main Shaft several times - winch and using SRT with proper caving kit and clothing and it really is an extremely serious and hostile part of the world. It's not like abbing down a cliff of similar height at all. Why not try Malham Cove? Bear Grylls made it look easy. Then again ....

In reply to HardenClimber:


That is exactly how we did it. Without the CRO chaps, however. It was a rather tedious prussik, I must admit.

But worth it. There's litte in the world more surreal than approaching GGs main chamber from the side.
First, you feel the breeze.
Then you hear the falling water.
Then you see this dim glow down the passage.

Then, you enter the cathedral with a shaft of light descending, as it were, from heaven, with the water lit up in the beam.

Just gorgeous

In reply to Bernard Shakey:


Only a little!

In reply to Bernard Shakey:

OK, thanks all. Doesn't seem to be something I can just rock up and do without putting in much more thought/ research. Think I'll look out for one of the experience days with a proper caving club.

Mr Shakey; appreciate the access issue too, so certainly won't be heading down there willy nilly.

Cheers for the sensible replies.

In reply to edunn:
Well I did it on ladder in 69, so SRT should be OK just need rope protectors where rock rubs the rope and good knowledge of SRT techniques.

In reply to PhilH:


I would suggest just learning how to re-belay the rope properly would be better.

In reply to edunn:

I'm pretty sure there are bolts and more than one route down the main drop (plus other dry routes into the main chamber, buy a caving guidebook). Unless you know exactly what you're doing and pick your conditions I'd steer well clear, if you get pinned by the water your only option is down then wait for rescue. If you run into a tangle and can't go down you'll die on the rope. You wouldn't be the first. The force of falling water is incredible.

jk