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<h2>161 Kaninchenh&ouml;hle: Country for Old Men</h2></center>

<h3>Overview</h3>

<p>The large trunk passage of Country for Old Men was reached by a bolt
climb into the roof of <A HREF="farnth.htm#repton2">Repton II</A> in
2009 leading to Irony of Time. It ultimately leads to a pitch -
<a href="mordor.htm#mordor">Mordor</a> - into a further trunk passage
at a lower level. This lower level connects to Steinbr&uuml;ckenh&ouml;hle
via the Far from Support traverses. </p>

<hr />

<h3><a name="irony">Irony of Time</a> (2009/2011)</h3>

<p>Irony of time was accessed via a bolt climb from Repton II in 2009;
the 18m pitch has been left permanently rigged. At the top, a tall,
sandy floored rift passage heads north - Irony of Time - with a
significant breeze blowing from the north. A small passage on the left
after 50m is choked (possible dig [C2011-161-XX D]) and another 20m on 
a further passage to the left quickly becomes too tight. The main passage
continues for a further 20m to a junction. Straight ahead leads after 7m
to a 5m climb up, at the top of which a narrow passage continues with a
draught coming from the north [C2011-161-XX B]. The main way on is to
turn sharp left at the junction, which also carries a draught towards
the point of entry. After a further 20m a junction with Country for
Old Men is reached.</p> 

<h3><a name="country">Country for Old Men</a> (2011)</h3>

<p>Country for Old Men is a phreatic passage that generally trends
approximately along a north-south line, sloping gently down to the south
with the local dip of the beds. It is mostly approximately 10m wide and carries a noticable draught from north to south.</p>

<p>Heading south from the point of entry from <a href="#irony">Irony of Time</a>,
a sandy floored passage heads south for 25m to a
narrowing. Continuing under a rock arch, a passage on the right has a
visual connection back to just before the narrowing. Continuing
downhill [FIXME: (Alex/Jess) past a passage on the right on the survey - QM?]
under another rock arch leads to a 15m pitch on the right
[FIXME: (Alex/Jess) I assume this is an undescended QM - what grade?]. The
passage continues past the pitch head for a further 15m. [FIXME: (Alex/Jess)
Survey implies 2 QMS here, uphill level change to SW, sandy
passage downhill to SE].</p>

<p>The passage heads north from <a href="#irony">Irony of
Time</a> in fine style. A passage at ceiling level is presumed to rejoin
the main passage after a 15m. Proceeding a further 25m round a double
bend, a complex area is reached where the main route on is found by
keeping to the left hand wall where a pretty chocolate river is soon
reached. <i>To the right, several routes round rock pillars
ultimately join together until the inlet for the chocolate river is
reached on the right [FIXME: (Becka/Julian) is this a QM?]. Continuing
ahead the passage quickly ends, but a side passage to the right heads
uphill to a 5m climb up. [FIXME: (Becka/Julian) Is there a QM at the
top of this climb?]</i></p>

<p>The chocolate river should be traversed to the left (care required
to avoid kicking sand onto it). After 20m, the chocolate river heads
down a pitch to the right [C2011-161-XX B]. A traverse over the top of
this pitch leads to <a href="#popcorn">Popcorn Passage</a>. Country for
Old Men continues left, past an impassable hole on the left with a stream
(good for filling water bottles). Immediately beyond the watering a hole,
a small draughting passage doubles back on the left - this is
<a href="#mendip">Massive for Mendip</a>. Immediately beyond is a slope
down to a pitch with a rift passage exiting with water audible
[C2011-161-XX B]. The main passage continues north, traversing round a
pit on the left with a wet aven above [C2011-161-XX X]; the water exits
down a too tight rift at the bottom of the pit. From here, the passage
heads uphill to the north past a small hole in the floor [C2011-161-XX B]
and a small choked passage on the right [C2011-161-XX D] for 45m until a
10m pitch is reached. A traverse round the right of the pitch is blind.
Descending the pitch leads to <a href="#sudetenland">Sudetenland</a>.</p>

<h3><a name="sudetenland">Sudetenland</a> (2011)</h3>

<p>The 10m sloping pitch into Sudetenland is formed where the phreatic passage
changes level. At the base of the pitch, two tall narrow passages on
the left lead to a <a href="#side">side passage</a> heading south. A
little further on, a further <a href="#side">side passage</a> on the
right also heads south. The main route continues uphill to the northeast.
50m from the base of the pitch, a floor trench is reached. Continuing
to the left here leads, after 15m, to a drop overlooking the continuing
passage that would require rigging. The easiest way to proceed is head
right down the floor trench after which a 2m climb down is reached (sling
or handline useful for the return). Shortly beyond the base of the climb
a small passage on the right leads immediately to a pitch with a strong
draught [C2011-161-XX A]. The main passage continues for a further
40m to a junction. Right heads uphill and chokes almost immediately.
To the left, the passage narrows markedly, and is consequently very
cold since it appears to carry most of the draught present throughout
Sudetenland and Country for Old Men. After 25m, the head of
<a href="mordor.htm#mordor">Mordor</a> pitch is reached which is extremely
draughty and extremely cold. All alternative ways on at the head of the
pitch appear to be choked. </p>

<h3><a name="popcorn">Popcorn Passage</a> (2011)</h3>

<p>[FIXME: description needed - see Becka's logbook entry, 2011-08-10]</p>

<h3><a name="mendip">Massive for Mendip</a> (2011)</h3>

<p>A low area leads off on the left, with a significant draught inwards. Crossing 
a 2m-deep water-washed hole a stooping soilyy passage is reached which
soon opens out into a small soily chamber. A hole down low on the left
goes to more dead-end soiliness (and a turd left by Mr Todd). A sharp
right turn leads to a high, narrow rift, starting with a slippery 3m climb, then a 4m traverse 
above a hole continaing a steep sandy slope. Holes go off into the
ceiling, and take most of the wind. It is possible to climb part-way up, but not
all the way - too vertical and too tight.</p>

<p>Climbing down a couple of metres gets out of the narrow rifty bit
into a wide, high passage, 8m high and 3m wide and 20m long. There is an
alcove on the right and a slot in the wall which can be climbed up
for 10m or so. Ahead the floor rises over boulders and the walls
narrow. There are holes in the floor but nothing seems to go. It seems
very likely that the passage continues about 10-12m up on the
right, above the alcove. The climb does not look difficult but would need
rope and some protection. [QM B].</p>

<h3><a name="side">Side passages from Sudetenland</a> (2011)</h3>

<p>Near the base of the pitch from <a href="#country">Country for Old Men</a>
into <a href="#sudetenland">Sudetenland</a>, there are two
side passages - one heading approximately southwest, the other
southeast.</p>

<p>The southwest passage is a tall, narrow rift that heads gently downhill to the
south with a small draught from south to north. [FIXME: the bit
covered by the oldmensouth survey needs describing - see
Becka's logbook entry, 2011-08-10]</p>

<p>The southeast passage is a walking sized, sandy floored passage that draughts
towards the southeast. A number of crystals (gypsum?) were observed
in numerous places in this passage. After 55m a 5m climb up is
reached. At the top of the climb, a rift passage heads off to the
west [C2011-161-XX B]. To the east is a further climb up, apparently
with a passage beyond, that has not been followed [C2011-161-XX B]</p>

<p>5m back from the base of the 5m climb, a narrow passage heads off to the
west. A further 5m back is another small passage heading west [FIXME:
(Anthony/Becka) choked? QM?], and another 10m back is another passage
heading west [C2011-161-XX C]. It seems probable that these passages are all
connected. Following the passage closest to the base of the climb
proceeds past many crystals and a well preserved dead bat, and
quickly degenerates to a crawl. After 10m, a junction with two
similarly small passages on the right is reached [C2011-161-XX C]
[C2011-161-XX C]. The passage continues in a similar vein, with
popcorn encrusted walls in places, for a further 35m before opening
out at the head of a pitch, estimated at 7m, at the base of which a
larger rift passage is seen continuing to the southeast [C2011-161-XX
A]. There is little draught in this area considering the size of the
passage.</p>

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