Child free - first half of the week

As Emma was away last week I had a child free week, it felt very odd. The first time I've had a whole week without her around since she was born. All the more difficult as there was little phone reception where she was staying, and even if there was she hates talking on the phone! What I did enjoy was not having to do the childcare runs, and not having to rush out of work at a specific time. After a long time I think that can get fairly draining. I very much missed her company though and it was good to have her home today.

During my childfree week I went caving on the Tuesday with Hades Caving Club - it turned out just to me Scott and Jennie in the end. The cave was very wet - even wetter than our trip during the rains. We had a good old explore of the upper series, heading straight into the Zig Zags - a section I normally avoid due to the bold step over the drop. It felt much easier than when I last been over it, so maybe it's not all that scary after all. Scott took us to look at a few places we'd not been before, one passed which Scott said was called 'Black Passage' was actually not too badly decorated for somewhere within the entrance series. Scott and Jennie went into the new Grotto (a tight section I'd been in before) whilst I sat it out and took a break. I turned off my light and enjoyed being in the dark with the drips. Beyond the water chamber we all got a total soaking where the stream was shooting over and creating a shower of water over our way on (should have worn that wetsuit...). We did the waterfall climb down then looked down the 20ft pitch which was roaring. After that it was up and out as we'd had a fairly last start. We came out via the wet way - the lavortory pan proved no issue for us despite the volume of water coming out of it, then it was on to the final mini climb. I was pleased I got up it easily - normally it is flowing with water but the stream has found a different way to go before this point so it's now dry. I was sad the stream was no longer flowing this round.

Coming out of the cave we ended updoing the long dry pretty way a couple of times to find the top of a section called Jacobs Ladder-  I joked it was like groundhog day, but it was good to cement the upper sections of the cave to the brain. Outwards we then went - I did the slightly exposed climb (with some deliberation!) and came out through the tree hole again, I can't help but feel I'm in an Enid Blyton Novel everytime I do it.

I took no photos as it was so wet, but why not check out the photos of Steve Sharp one of my fave cave photographers.

This is one of Steve's shots of the waterfall we climbed down - it was in much stronger flow when we were there:



Not content with just one trip I opted to join the other club I cave with for a Wednesday trip to Rods Pot. This time it was Scott, Dave, Myself and my friend Dan. It was only Dan's second trip, Dave sent him first ?! into the cave.

Here is Dan (taken by Dave) enjoying (?!) the entrance series



Here I am crawling over a drop, looking a bit concerned!




I made a bit of a pigs ear of the way on, head first down a drop was a little silly...

Once into the system there are some pretty good formations to look at, surprising for such an often visited cave



It was then onwards to the bearpit, I wasn't feeling confident so declined to climb down, this gave Dan a good excuse not to climb down either. Scott being Mr brave went down and up, then we headed off to explore some of the other passages before heading out.



Scott and I explored a climb up (reading Dave's report I think this may be the way on to another cave? - Drunkards Hole). Scott went first but couldn't get past the boulder. I waited for him to down climb and had a go, my fear of heights kicked in when I got to the boulder, so I headed back down without giving it a go. I think if I'd had someone behind me I probably would have given it a shot. I managed to get my leg jammed a few times getting down which was rather interesting.

Getting out the cave went without hitch, the smell of rotting vegetation hit us as we got to the entrance series, so we made pretty fast progress to come out of the cave. I smugly pointed out I was the only one not sweating when we came out of the cave, the others soon pointed out I was allot smaller than them. Then it was off to the Hunters pub for the second time running having been there the night before. Two pints, a pint of coke and two cheese& onion rolls came to less than a tenner - what could be better and cheaper at that time of the evening post caving - if only all pubs were as good as that.

All the photos and video were courtesy of Dave, you can read his blog on Darkplaces