161 Kaninchenhöhle: Dreamtime

Dreamtime (1989-90)

   

Descending the top part of Checkout for 4m to the second rebelay, it is possible to stand on the rock ridge between Checkout pitch and the Alternative Shopper 30m pitch. From the ridge a traverse over loose boulders gains the continuation of Big Sainsbury's passage into Dreamtime. This traverse should be lined. There are bolts in one boulder across the col, and two in the wall around the pitch.

The passage descends over boulders and a trench in the floor, Deep Sleep, with a hole on the right leading into a blind rift, Bullshit Alley with a chamber at the bottom, Pete's Chamber. The main passage eventually closes off, but a narrow passage to the right descends to Eyehole Pitch. A hole to the left of the pitchhead descends a 20m pitch to an excessively tight rift, which would be near impossible to rig without a power drill [No QM number].

Ahead, Eyehole Pitch is first a 4m drop into a chamber, with a window back to the 20m pitch, then a climb over or through (the eyehole) a rock bridge and 6m down an elliptical tube to land in a passage with a bedding plane off to left and right.

In the bedding plane, left around a central pillar leads to a short pitch to the bottom of the 20m, and across the bedding is the start of Gnome Passage. Ahead the passage enters a rift via a handline climb. Traverse over a hole in the floor, and continue until the rift drops right into a pit. Left here is a tight rift to an undescended pitch [C1989-161-07 C].

Climbing the far side of the pit gains Indian Scoop in a short passage to Dreaming Pitch, the head of which ended the 1989 exploration. This descends to a short horizontal section, and then Hinge Pitch. Hinge Pitch drops about 10m to become tight, but about 5m down, a ledge can be gained on the right. Climb over a notch and down into a larger passage.

This passage is about 50m long, over a hole which should preferably be provided with a handline. This hole has not been descended [C1990-161-08]. At the end of the passage, just before Stinky Pool, climb up to the right into a cross passage, leading to the top of Hole in the Roof Pitch. This descends for 30m via four rebelays and a Y-hang to land on boulders. To the left is a blind pit, to the right a climb down and short section of passage to join the Right Hand Route a few metres before Bungalow Pitch.