<p>Rigged handline with nice rope (replaced with tatt later). Rigged the entrance, Hannah arrved just as I was finished We went off to see if Natural Highs was rigged, it wasn't, back to the entrance to get the rope. (Needs more than 26m). Then rigged Natural Highs, 2nd traverse and 10m down pitch, all in need of fettling. Went to the top of Honeycomb for an explore and then back to the entrance to find Alice and Chris. Arrived just as Alice was descending. Hannah led everyone back to Honeycomb, we all helped put a bolt in then left Alice and Chris to rig Honeycomb. Me and Hannah left with minor fettling tothe rigging on the way out. I headed down the hill to sort out rope for Fishface. TU 6 hours.</p>
<p>It was great to be equipped with laminated surveys and a system expert in the form of Luke to show us the way forward, as I hadn't been further in the cave since first rigging natural highs and Leeds Bypass years ago. Luke demonstrated impressive recallby pointing out a tiny pocket in the wall on the far side of Honeycomb as a necesssary deviation thread, then he and Hannah left me and Alice to it. One of the pitch head Hiltis was rusty and sticking outa few mm so I put in a new thru bolt and descended to Luke's thread. Having stuffed string down the hole, I abbed down a metre to look up and see it was indeed a long thread with my string stuffed inthe top. Looking below I couldn't help but notice the floor about 2m below. Hmm. I derigged the string and popped down a neighbouring pit, to so encounter the floor at about 6m. Back up at the pitch head, there was an obvious traverse level with a pit beyond where rocks (all about 50m. Could this be the actual Honeycomb?) I could only spot 1 bolt a yard above my reach and didn't fancy waltzing across without a beteeer grasp of the situation so we headed out to mutter alot about our written and verbal instructions about what must be "Fanny by Gaslight" traverse.</p>
<p>After Chrs' experiences failing to find Honeycomb pitch, we were quite keen to find out where it actually was. Two vintages of the survey showed an identical depiction of the pitch head, excapt that one was labelled 'P6'; the other 'p52' and 'this bit looks completely wrong'. Some phone calls to Luke and Nat eventually yielded a pitcure of the pitch head that confirmed dthe traverse that Chris had spotted lead to the pitch head. Infused with confidence, we headed in where I started to rig while the others sat in the bothy playing cards. Rigging proceeded mostly without incident, apart from the P7 beyond Honeycomb rainging boulders with disconcerting regularlity. Rigged the Hangmans traverse and replaced the rope of the climb up to the start of Mongol rally. All the ropes were exactly the right length to the inch. Headed out without incident.</p>
<p>Rigged Mongol Rally - ropes for wich were taken down on a previous trip and left at the bottom of Hangmans. I rigged first half and then we swapped on a big ledge, and Harry rigged the second half. Harry rigged a knot pass just over half way down - suggestions have been made afterwards for this to be re-rigged. Got to the surface before heavy rain set in.</p>
<p>After a late carry up to camp in the dark with all the rope needed for the first 9 pitches (thanks to Keiran, Joel and Jonty). It was a slightly slow morning organising ropes, walk down to Fishface was straight forward, leaving reflectors on our way (half complete). Then I rigged the first 2 pitches. The ice plug we used to walk across was completely melted, so the way on was 5m off the ground. Tried swinging and climbing but couldn't do it. Keiran had a shot but the rope rub was too much despite finding a nice natural to rebelay off, it was not possible. So we headed out to get a drill from top camp. Some noodles and walk alter we were back underground where Keiran and Joel had been adjusting the first pitch due to an extra bolt being missed. Me and Wassil rigged up to the 4th pitch. Then out of the cave and back to the top camp before midnight. </p>
<divclass="timeug">T/U: 8 hours (11-3:00 and 17:45-23:00)</div>
<divclass="triptitle">Hilti-a-plenty rigging in Balkonhöhle</div>
<divclass="trippeople">Lucy, <u>Martin</u>, Frank, Paul Fox </div>
<p>Lucy and Martin rigged Hilti a plenty and did a little exploration. Returned to meet Paul and Frank. Went to misidentified pushing front. Redescended some pitches and traverse. Frank explored a tight key hole passage and did a rough survey. Lucy and Paul set out first whilst Frank and Martin found the proper next pitch. Martin got soaked on the entrance pitch by a short 10minute thunderstorm.</p>
<divclass="trippeople">Wassil and <u>Alice</u></div>
<p>We headed into Balcony withthe intention of rerigging the pitch after Honeycomb but first decided to descend to the bottom of Mongol rally to have an explore. Having somehwta underestimated how long it would take to ascend from Mongol Rally, we found ourselves cutting it too fine with out callout to have time to complete the rigging Therefore our rerigging plans turned into an enjoyable tourist trip and we made it out in time to watch the sunset.</p>
<p>Fettling the new section of the water collcetion and installing ropes on top of the tarp to stop it blowing up and being damaged against the roof of the stone bridge</p>
<divclass="trippeople"><u>Frank</u>, Martin Green, Paul</div>
<p>Martin rigged 'hilti a plenty' whilst I fettled the bivi, then turned up a bit late. Headed down to the 'sponge chamber' sandy slope and missed the low crawl to 'let's be appalling', slid down the low slide onto the pitchhead which we started to rig. Whilst bored I climbed 2m above the pitchhead, gaining access into a tiny tube, 'sponge chamber2 tiny tube'. Phreatic tube trending down, wide enough at the top but slightly narrower below, basically its quite strenuous, pushed for a few meters beyond the end of the survey. The tube continues much the same but it is not draughting much. Headed out because we got cold, found the passage to 'let's be appalling'.</p>
<divclass="triptitle">Balkonhöhle - pushing in Northern Pitstop</div>
<divclass="trippeople">Hannah, Harry, Chris D, <u>Anthony</u></div>
<p>A fairly efficient start saw us heading underground by 10:00. Straightforward navigation to the seing off Mongol Rally. A combination of the survey and a passage description on arry's phone enabled navigation through to Northern Pitstop. We overshot the 6m pitch. When we found it, we decided some bolts weren't in order, so out came the drill to install a proper rig (about 10m rope, Y hang, bolt deviation and thread devisation). Shortly after we got to the traverse round a wet pitch and a 5m up pitch which was universally declared to be horrible. More wandering through the maze led to the pushing front in the far north west - three parallel phreatic tubes. Harry and Anthony took the left hand one while Chris and hannah went right. As expected, all the tubes connected in a maze of rock pillars that later inspired the name, Erecktheim. Progress continued in well-proportioned passage thouggh the complexity did not abate. Found a couple of pitch leads, and eventually called it a day at a continuing phreatc passage at the top of a loose climb. Headed out with a few route finding mishaps. The youth zipped out at a lightning pace whilst the veterans were somewhat more sedate. </p>
<divclass="timeug">T/U: 14 hrs (Hannah and Harry), 16.6 hrs (Anthony and Chris)</div>
<p>trip with lots of problems but very fun. Mealy forgot oversuit so walked back to top camp. Lucy and Oakem learnt a lot from Frank meanwhile. Descent down entrance pitch and then Oakem and Lucy went and descended down Hiltiaplenty and waited near the bottom. Unfortunately by miscommunication Frank has not appreciated this was the plan. Thinking Lucy and Oakem has gone for water, he and Mealy spent 40 minutes waiting above the pitch. Eventually the group regrouped at the bottom of Hiltiaplenty. Went through crawl pulling ropes to top of next pitch that had been taken down on Lucy, Frank, Paul and Martin's previous trip. Arriving at the start of the pitch however they sat and discovered that no one had happened to bring a spanner. Having considered this they realised they wouldn't be able to rig further. Oakem and Frank set up for rigging while Lucy and Mealy had an explore. They went down some small crawls in the vicinity and found a passage that petered into mid filled passage after around 5m ( was previsouly marked as QMB) though clear was not. They decided this was a good place to dig due to Mealy detecting a 'draft'. So had some fun digging by hand, as moles do and decided to return. Once things to do were exhausted, the group headed on up. We looked in passage on the way back that would later be explored as 'digging matilda'. Trip aim failed but ropes moved deeper (by 50m).</p>
<p>Basically a clusterfuck. I forgot my spanner and lent my survey gear (which contains my spare spanner), everyone else did not realise they needed a spanner - we need to update the expo recommended kit list...</p>
<p>Killed off some qm's in the area, some of which were passaged which were not closed on the mini survey and not actual qm's. The two qmB's above the pitch which links 'Let's be appalling' to 'Can't stop now it's bat country', were mud filled tubes and did not draught, interestingly there is a potential QM'c above the pitch which will require climbing up 4m but I'm not happy doing it.
<p>Went into Fishface to do some surveying at the bottom. Having not been told much about the cave beforehand, I left my water bottle 'halfway', which later became apparant was the bottom of the second pitch. Fortunately my blunder was overshadowed by Luke making an absolute mess of his surveying after numbering his compass diagram anticlockwise. After ensuring Luke was appropriately shamed, we contintued our surveying, discovering License to Kill and making a loop closure, much ot his chagrin. </p>
<divclass="triptitle">Fishface - A lead off Elizabeth line</div>
<divclass="trippeople">Mike, <u>Luke</u></div>
<p>Mike rigged a Y hang for a slope on cramblely slide, lots of excitement about how much the wind there is. Mike then rigged a traverse line up into the window on the right, large free arse (phreas?) tube. Started surveying along 2x3m passage but after 100m became a rift went high but became too difficult to continue without a traverse line but promising [phreas] visable 50m further along. Went back down into the rift followed the bottom. Dropped a little hole in the floor and found a pool dead ended. Back up and over hole in the floor and found a nice pitch. Mike bolted a Y hang but then we were out of bolts and rope. Pitch continued so would have to be back. Out of the cave for a lovely sunset.</p>
<divclass="timeug">T/U: 10 hours (10:30 - 20:30 "Double day light")</div>
<divclass="triptitle">Balkonhöhle - pushing in Northern Pitstop</div>
<divclass="trippeople"><u>Hannah</u>, Harry, Rob and Becka </div>
<p>Rob and Becka had an early start to get up the hill in good time for our trip. Cotinued on from previous pushing trip and frist went to promising borehole where pushing previsouly stopped. Harry and Becka took the borehole which sadly crapped out after about 20m. Rob and I took the passage off from the previously explored rift which quickly connected into the crapped out borehole.So far, not a promising trip, the main achievement being installing two handlines in Erechtheion, one of which was swiftly removed when a bypass was found. Backtracking into Medusa's maze we followed some more A leads, again splitting into two surveying teams. Harry and Becka followed a lead which got too tight so came to help me and Rob with a loop in our area. The passage was very cheesy, with lots of muddy sliding around. We finished the day with a rift which would require a rope to get down, a muddy upwards sloping passage and a potential path through a boulder choke - so there's still lots of potential in that area. There's also a large pitch at the end of Erechtheion which is very drafty. We had a stop for noodles at Northern powerhouse before heading out. Backa and I lead the way whilst Haryr and Rob went back to Erechtheion for a forgotten drill. A relatively swift exit was had with no incident.</p>
<p>Headed into Fishface with the Japers and Becka's survey team not far ahead. Route well reflected by Luke and quick progress made to the climbs at the Bubbly Bypass (Bx4) that neeed to be bolted. Alice commenced rigging but after 1.5 holes, battery 23 stopped working unexpectedly and smelled of electrical fire - deduced to be short circuit. Battery 6 provided no holes so we decided to head down to the Kubla Khan level to inspect the leads there and possibly pinch a battery off the Japes. Flew down to the TK Max which is pretty big, passed Mr Naughty where Luke had left a note instructing us to add some rigging. On arrival at the Nicolas Cage traverse through some excellent howling passage we acquired the necessary gear and it was deceided that I would add 2 extra reblays to the TK MAX then rig Mr Naughty before Alice finished bolting the climbs. Added the necessary rebelays, first was suboptimal as one of the bolts causes some rub (left bolt of the Y hang). Then continued up, rigged Mr Naughty with the others hot on my heels then cracked on to the find Alice and continue her rebolting. this eventually done after more battery issues (no. 20, big tick) we were out and back at camp around 11. </p>
<p>Keiran ably guided us to the east QMs a the far south end of Kubla Khan then Andreas and he both did book in the ideal passage for practising surveying - sandy floored phreas. We surveyed steadily past a juntion (left we surveyed until it ended, mud-filled, this is almost certainly the other end of the mud filled passafe on the R of Kubla Khan just beofre station 5; right was suveyed by Becka and Hannah on 4/8/22.) We continued then started climbing up and ended at a more complex area with a possibly free climbable aven and two horizontal leads (surveyd by Rob and Amelia on 4/8/22). Slow out as 3 teams converged on the pitches and Rob was also rerigging. </p>
<p>Return to Fishface after a good rest. Joel and I rigged the Nicholas Cage traverse, which we took great pride in. Rob Watson stole our drill as we were deliberating how to finish the traverse. Alice turned up and decided the Nicholas Cage traverse was in fact the Nicholas Cage handline. After gaining access to the far side of the traverse and having been relieved of our drill we dutifully decided to continue on and survey what we strongly believed to be the best lead of expo. This led to the discovery of Keanu Breeze, so named whilst we were fighting for our lives in the cold winds. After reaching the end of our lead at the top of a large pitch we decided to return the next day to bolt it. Getting out this time was a lot easier thanks to the aforementioned rest day.</p>
<p>Lucy and Mealy descended, followed by Martin down Hilti a plenty, withthe idea to rig traverse observed on previous trip of Frank, Lucy, Mealy and Oakem. This was previously rigged by Becka but no rigging guide supplied. They managed to rig across the 1st pitch and while rigging they heard - to their surprise - the sound of Frank beneath them who had gone with Paul and Aaron to rig as described in Frank's description of this day. We however ran out of rope so abandoned this track, returned and spent the rest of the trip investigating small leads. Returning to the passage visited by Lucy, Mealy and Frank on the 31st. This was the much anticipated DIG that had been laughed at in top camp. Lucy and Mealy were armed with s(?????) and most importantly shovels so set to work. By 'work' this meant lying horizontally in narrow passage and singing "Don't come a digging matilda with me" for quite a time. After Martin had endured this with great patience, he taught Mealy and Lucy to survey up the passage 'digging matilda' - Mealy did laser and Lucy did book. Having surveyed they were cold. They set off to explore leads i nthe Martin loop. Lucy was cold and tired and wasn't as entusiastic as Mealy to go down small holes. They explored most small holes on the loop. saw the pretty cracked mud, licked the wall in the chalky passage, took photos. Mealy followed a narrow lead for 20-30m where she found it to widen into a samll ?? before discovering a freshwater body described as a pong, otherwise considerd to be a puddle. There is a pitch to allow the viewer to make their own decision.</p>
<p>On the way up Martin adjusted the rigging and deviation on Hiltiaplenty to make it more user friendly.</p>
<p>Having got used to Fish face yesterday and knowing the way to the leads, it was decided that Becka dn I should return to show some students of survey the way of data and drawing. I rebolted the one-bolt wonder 9th pitch (rigged for convenience only) on the way down; had to nick some rope from the base of the previsou pitch. Arrived at the pushing front, Amelia lacked sufficient clothing for a tiny woman drawing in the breeze so Becka lent her an extremely unfashionable vest. Becka and Hannah set off down an A led heading off East (?) while Amelia and I headed off towads a very sediment-filled passage with a very climbable aven heading far away and drafting strongly down. The sediment had carved much pargenesis, with a lovely anastomosing half tube in the ceiling and many roof pendants. The clasts were occassionallyvery large (5cm diameter) indicating a high energy environemtn of deposition. We proceeded to destroy history in the name of progress by surveying on the sediment banks to a QMC. We then leaded back to the main passage to survey along a fault-guided passage (strike 015, dip 65degreeEast). This fun soon ended when we reached a pitch and had no rope with which to descend it. So we headed off to find the Japers, but no joy there either, as Jonty was busy sinking all the rope into Keanu Breeze (which predictably turned into a pissing wet no-hoper later on). So then headed out after crapping out a number of Luke's leads just by looking at them.</p>
<divclass="timeug">T/U: 8 hours</div>
<p>BECKA note: Becka and Hannah surveyed a complex area that connected back to known passage in 3 locations but via some sections of lovely walking phreas. </p>
<p>Enthusiastically we set out to do justice to the Keanu Breeze pitch. With drill, hammer, and spanner we made our way to the bottom of Fishface and layered up in preparation for the cold bolting job As this was my first pitch bolting job Harry came to help me while Luke and Joel split off for some survey work. After finding a nice natural for the leading line, the first Y hang was easy to install. We had a good discussion about game plan during which Harry kettle's love of deviations became apparent. I descended a short distnce and found a nice ledge witha potential clean hang to the bottom. The obvious place to place the bolt happened to be in a very large boulder that looked like it didn't want to be part of the wall. Harry did not seem concerned about this until we swapped places and he got a look at it himself, at which point we agreed to bolt next to the boulder instead on into it. As we did not have a skyhook this involved a sustained heel hook, during which I nearly lost a welly, as I drilled the first hole. After some time and some strange noises from the bothy I completed the rebelay. We then proceeded proceeded to descend the pitch and Luke soon appeared at the top shouting something about us having left the survey kit behind. As he descended the pitch he made some faces and muttered something about 'nasty water'. Joel and I had faith however and postulated that we may even have discovered the Loser master cave. Being the rigorous caving team that we are, we took our measurements and, having got slightly wet, left hastily despite Harry reckoning he could push the wet passage. The Keanu Breeze pendlum to a nice looking phreatic passage remains to be attemped by a bold caver who still has the energy to go to the bottom of Fishface. </p>
<divclass="trippeople"><u>Oakem</u>, Anthony and Alice</div>
<p>Anthony guided us to the Custard Cavalry in Southern Pitstop using Becka's description. The survey was being used as a "no pissing" sign in Fishface. We rigged a pitch down an aven and off a natural and a hilti down on the left. Ascended the rope left in and began surveying. Alice started with sketching but soon retreated to the bothy. Anthony took over. Oaken weilded the disto with great skill and precision. Overall about 130m of cave were mapped. The tunnel continued down a straight line before taking an obvious right turn (with a B/C lead on the left up a 3m climb.)</p>
<p>Set off late after midday due to faff with 200m of new white shiny rope walked to the entrance. Some snow, skull from a few years back still there. Mike had derigged GSH in 2019(?). Keiran and Mike started to rig down the 1st pitch. Mike later returned to this and changed it to a traverse instead. Keiran taught Lucy to rig on the second pitch which she did. The third pitch was a bit confusing with too many bolts for what was needed. Lucy too start to rig.</p>
<p>scan for rigging guide</p>
<p>Continued on, sweets above 20m pitch, we did not descend this but instead traversed into a crawl on the left hand side. Exploring this, wind from thie crawl did NOT howl on and io connection with the previous passage (Keiran returned to pitch 3 to find out). This is therefore a phreatic passage connected to the window poking into the 30m pitch tothe left of the crawl. Looking down the hole in the floor, Mike thought it might be urinad d/f drips (???) and shape of hole, Mike rigged a pitch as descended,</p>
<p>scan for rigging guide. Mike's note: 1st pitch has been replaced by a traverse using the first 2 Hilti bolts of the original bolting, with 2 new thru bolts along the left wall.</p>
<p>up to 100m of rope into a big cylindrical chamber. Rope did not reach the floor by 2m. Big blocks and scree. Lucy and Keiran began prossicking, Mike explored and found a survey point marked 2.6. Is this Fishface?</p>
<p>Trip aim = to connect to Fishface</p>
<p>Prussicking up = fun. Lucy swang badly coming off pitch 3.</p>
<p>Exited the cave after midnight. Walked back under pretty stars. No survey equipment taken :. Need to survey big pitches.</p>
<divclass="triptitle">Fishface - Hug the plug and tasteful noods</div>
<divclass="trippeople"><u>Joel</u>, Andreas and Kieran </div>
<p>Surveying and psuhing shallow leads (no deeper than top of 3rd pitch)</p>
<p>We went underground planning to survey the new ice plug which me and Wassil dropped last Monday, survey Tasteful Noods and then explore the lead going N at bottom of entrance pitch. First finished bolting and rigging down near ice plug, names "Hig the plug" - Andreas drilling. Put in a second Y hang then dropped to ice - squeezed around but qucikly crapped out. Surveyed (but not to link in - need to redo to close the loop) then got out as very cold.</p>
<p>Insert rigging guide!!! </p>
<p>Surveyed tasteful noods (spanking new trade route and 2nd pitch courtesy of me, Kieran and Mike with deviations galore) from station 14 at the top of ice tube, but again didn't bloody link into existing station.</p>
<p>Once done surveying, we went along the surveyed passage at bottom of entrance pitch to drop the unsurveyed pitch. Passage doubles back underneath with some nasty false floor but after another small pitch continues to glimpse a larger chamber with large boulders - needs another short pitch to get in but we were a bit done by this point. Will go back to survey and push into chamber to see where it links into - have left around 90m of rope.</p>
<divclass="triptitle">Balkonhöhle N Pitstop</div>
<divclass="trippeople"><u>Nat D</u>, Chris D, Hannah C </div>
<p>After some last minute plan changed, Chris was able to convince me that a Balkon camp trip would be a good idea, despite the fact I'd only just arrived on expo/up the hill! We packed up the camp and assorted chattels (with Chris trying to unsuccessfully fat-shame Hannah and I into taking less food) along with rope, drill and hangers into several oversized tacklesacks. We managed to find some willing volunteers to assist with the ridiculous carry and we were off.</p>
<p>Steady progress was made down to Pitstop, with some minor route finding issues in Upper Balkon trying to avoid the sandy crawl. Whilst Hannah and I faffed, Chris has found an excellent [], so we commenced work. A while later a cosy camp, wellstocked with a variety of delicious foods, fluids and pits. After a full on day, we got an early night.</p>
<p>After trying to hide from Chris, who got me up at about 7:30, for a while, Hannah and I gave up and got up. After a leisurely start and a 45 minute/hour commute, we were at the pushing front, an about 50m drippy pitch that Hannah rigged under Chris' tutolage avoiding going down the wet shaft to land in a bouldery chamber (Tartarns). A lead off to the right has a cathedral echo and with various bottomless holes in the floor potentially leading down to the same place.</p>
<p> Carrying on down the passage (with various leads on the right) intersects in a passage going up/down (dip/~30degrees) with a wet trench at the bottom. Needing to survey up the pitch we headed back to camp after a long day. (Bed 3am)</p>
<p>After a late start we headed out, fettling various bits of rigging on the way out. (out 23:30). Bolted crappy pitch before Mongol Rally.</p>
