The initial pitch, Gaffer Tape (70m), is an
imposing oval shaft, which continues upwards [C2001-204-97 X]. It is rigged from a bolted traverse on
the right wall to a bolted Y-hang and a second bolted Y-hang about 25m below.| 204 | Steinbrückenhöhle | 4/S x |
|---|
Swings and Roundabouts is an area of rubble-strewn passages to the west of Treeumphant Passage. Access is from Bonsai Crawl or the 204d entrance. The series links to the Rhino Rift series via Taking the Piss pitch, and to the Underworld via the Gaffered to the Walls series.
Swings and Roundabouts branches off from Bonsai Crawl, at what was QM2000-12B. Initially, a walking sized passage Playground leads past some mud formations and a drippy mini-aven to a view overlooking a mid-sized chamber, Magic Roundabout, with several exits. The easiest way to the chamber floor is via a climb down through a hole in the floor on the right at the end of Playground.
Once in the chamber, climbing down over boulders to the left leads to a small exit between rocks. A short rubble-strewn chute (which is free-climbable but crumbly, and was rigged in 2002 with a Y-hang following Dave falling off it) leads to a duck under a flake into a mud-floored ramp. After 15m or so a large shaft is reached, Gaffer Tape, the start of the Gaffered to the Walls series.
Back in the main chamber, a rubble slope to the north leads onwards. To the north up the slope is an unpromising passage called ermintrude; to the east leads back to the point where Playground overlooks the chamber. To the west is the main passage continuation. A passage on the left is Dutch Beauty, which also has windows into the main chamber. Continuing over rocks, a phreatic tube enters from Juicy Bits on the left ahead, and a crawl enters from Dutch Beauty behind; the main way on is up a short slope over boulders to the start of the main Swings trunk passage: 10m wide and 8m high.
Ermintrude passage, which leads north from Magic Roundabout Chamber, soon shrinks to a crawl, with some bolders that need crawling around. This leads to a small chamber, with a small phreatic tube leading off to the right about 2m above the floor. This leads to the base of a free climable aven [C2003-204-01 B].
The initial pitch, Gaffer Tape (70m), is an
imposing oval shaft, which continues upwards [C2001-204-97 X]. It is rigged from a bolted traverse on
the right wall to a bolted Y-hang and a second bolted Y-hang about 25m below.
A passage leads off from the top of the small chamber at the bottom, splitting in two around a pillar and emerging in a chamber formed from a slightly hading line of weakness. A ledge can be traversed on the right wall to go up past a large boulder, at which point a rift is intersected at a small chamber. Down a hole to the left, two uninspiring rifts [C2002-204-02 C], [C2002-204-03 C] lead down and probably rejoin a parallel shaft to LX Tape pitch. Up to the right, [C2002-204-04 C], a sloping aven is visible which may be climbable. Upstream and to the right of the small chamber, a trickle of water emerges from a small slot in the ceiling. The main way on is down on the left of the small chamber, through a small hole in boulders in the floor toTape Worm pitch. This is descended via a backup round the large boulder and a Y-hang on spits (care to avoid rubs), then a rebelay off a horizontal thread just below a small ledge. Tape Worm pitch lands at a roomy ledge with large fossils visible in the floor and walls. Here the small rift of Tape Worm joins the larger shaft of LX Tape pitch. Looking out to the left a parallel shaft can be seen which may be enterable from [C2002-204-02 C] and/or [C2002-204-03 C]. A bolted traverse along the right wall reaches a natural from which LX Tape pitch is rigged. This descends, via a deviation on the left wall just below the main ledge, and then a second deviation on a natural only around 4m lower but much further along. LX Tape pitch is then rebelayed just below a rock bridge near another large boulder. On the far wall near the bottom is a ledge [C2002-204-08 C]. On the near side of the rock bridge is a tight and unpromising rift [C2002-204-06 C].
LX Tape pitch lands in another small chamber. Here a spit backup then a crawl through an eye-hole to a bolted Y-hang provides the main hang for Sellotape(or eye hole pitch). This is a fine, 2m wide rift which lands in a slight puddle. A horizontal floor leads 5m to a roomy ledge on the left of the main rift. A bolted traverse to the end of the ledge reaches the Trihang pitch-head. This is no longer rigged as a tri-hang but instead around the large natural above the ledge. Tri-Hang pitch descends beyond a small ledge which has a bolted deviation level with the ledge down to a small puddle. Here wellies and jammers should be washed clean of mud prior to ascent (washing-up brush left there in 2004 for this purpose). The tight rift continues down [C2003-204-02 B] but the way on is up an awkward and steep bolted traverse up the right wall of the rift on a small-to-vanishing ledge. After 5m this reaches the top of the final pitch, Cerberus. The traverse is best rigged by free-climbing to the top of Cerberus pitch on the left side of the rift then rigging the traverse from the top. At the pitch-head for Cerberus, above the traverse up to it, there is a small tube, Eeyore. This leads off up on the right and is floored with thick, sticky mud. After around five metres of crawling, Eeyore opens out into a moderately large chamber. A bolted Y-hang on the right wall drops down to a ledge and then to a second bolted Y-hang to the steeply descending floor of the chamber. There is a small pitch on the left [C2003-204-68 B] which may link to the lower pitch in Eeyore. At the bottom of the chamber a small muddy passage leads off on the left to a rift. This can be free-climbed down to the head of Kanga. Cerberus is a steeply sloping, very muddy ramp down. It is rigged from a bolted Y-hang and then a deviation from a natural the left wall.
Cerberus descends into the Underworld.
From the head of Gaffer Tape pitch, a narrow ledge continues around the right-hand wall of the shaft towards an opening visible at the far side, which was the target of a loony bolt traverse in 2003.
There are significant ledges and other footholds around for most of the way, which is just as well given the variable quality of the rock. Starting from the pitch-head traverse line, it is possible to climb up onto a large ledge. After around 10m this ledge runs out and the traverse continues as a blank wall for a few metres. A pull up onto a muddy ledge signals the halfway point. Here a muddy tube slopes up to a mud/sand choke [C2003-204-52 C].
At the NW corner of the shaft, there is a small slot in the wall, where there is a view through boulders but it "seemed unwise" to try to pass through. Three bolts further on it is possible to abseil down onto the target passage's boulder slope. This is the far end of 21 Bolt Bypass in Rhino Rift.
[C2003-204-52 C]Pretty Bits branches off the Swings and Roundabouts trunk passage, passing a pit on the right (which can be climbed over to a crawl, emerging in the main passage). Down the pit is a tight rift pitch [C2001-204-98 C]. Continuing along the passage past the pit, a number of windows are visible overlooking Magic Roundabout Chamber. A passage goes off to the right which passes a number of stalactites, before intersecting a rift. A grotto of stalactites is visible to the left, with possible continuing passage beyond[C2001-204-49 C]. The rift has not been descended[C2001-204-47 B], although a light connection has been made to Juicy Bits.
Juicy Bits is a large passage to the left from the south end of the Swings and Roundabouts trunk passage. After 10m in, a large passage descends at a 30 degree slope down, which can be traversed around. At the bottom there is a climb down over boulders[C2001-204-45 C]. This passage can be traversed around, and a passage to the right decreases in size to a body sized tube that needs removing [C2001-204-48 C]. The main passage then splits in two, the right turn going to the rift that connects to Dutch Beauty [C2001-204-47 B]. To the left a smaller passage doubles back on itself, past a small window to the rift. Now going uphill the passage turns a sharp right and flattens out and passes a tube going into the ceiling[C2001-204-46 C], before emerging in to the passage near Magic Roundabout Chamber.
The trunk passage, a large phreatic with much breakdown and generally a boulder strewn floor, continues for over 100m in a northerly direction. Rubble slopes up and down keep the passage at roughly the same level. Along its length, a number of passages branch off to the left and right.
The first two passages leading off are Juicy Bits on the left and the way towards The Slide on the right. Further along, the small connection with The Slide enters from the right. QMs [C2001-204-84 C] and [C2001-204-85 C] may be found on the right wall. A pitch on the left [C2001-204-92] is surrounded by a lot of very loose boulders; rocks fall for a considerable distance, but no attempt was made to descend due to the loose debris. Across the top of the pitch are two slots looking into Chicago Chicanes. There are some passage to the right at this point that need a descent description, with one qm [C2004-204-04 C]. Continuing along Swings passage, the main entrance to Chicago Chicanes is on the left, and a climb up on the right leads to Trapeze.
A little further along, a phreatic tube slopes down to the left. This passes through a small chamber and develops a stream in a deep, narrow slot in the floor before choking in earth. This passage may in fact be [C2001-204-82 C] or this QM may in fact exist as a separate lead on the left wall of the main swings passage; the survey notes are somewhat unclear.
A series of small holes in the right hand wall interconnect, with a possible, uninviting, way on through tight, sharp vadose passage. [C2001-204-80 C] [C2001-204-81 C]
At the end of Swings passage, a very loose rubble slope leads up to Suspended Solution, and so on towards the 204d entrance. Mid-way up the slope, a traverse (rope advised) round a nose of rock is possible. This leads one to the base of a climb (not yet done) up to where water can be heard and a large passage continues [C20010-204-79 C]. Alternatively, traversing further to the right from the base of the climb leads to a steeply sloping, clean-washed phreatic tube, Cresta Run.
The climb mentioned above was bolted in 2004 and has been left permanently rigged. From the head of the pitch, a short climb up leads to a ledge overlooking Swings on one side and on the other side a (blind?) pit with an aven [C2004-204-05 X] above. Straight ahead is a steeply descending tube (best rigged); after a few metres the floor disappears, revealing a pitch down into Helter Skelter.
Traversing over this pitch past an aven [C2004-204-06 X] and a narrow passage leading off into the roof [C2004-204-07 C] leads to a small chamber. Above this is another aven [C2004-204-08 X]; the way on is a passage sloping down to the left. This continues downwards past a number of dog-legs to reach a loose boulder-filled chamber; various attempts to dig in the floor and walls of this met with no success. The way on is a downward-sloping tube, leading to a further chamber; an oxbow part- way down the slope leads back into this lower chamber, and a hole in the floor of the slope also doesn't go . In the chamber there are two ways on; one horizontal meandering slot closes down, while a prominent ramp leads to the head of a large pitch (est. 40m), which is undescended. Several passages on the same level appear to continue beyond the pitch head [C2004-204-09 B] [C2004-204-10 B] [C2004-204-11 A]
The only one of these accessible without gear is reached by a clamber to the left over a greasy slab, leading to a high rift passage. After a few metres the lower level becomes too narrow, but a tube in the ceiling continues to a chamber, Pile Driver, floored with a loose choss slope. Here a hole in the floor leads to a tight-looking crawl[C2004-204-13 C]; there is an aven in the ceiling, while straight on there may be a continuing crawl underneath a magical levitating boulder [C2004-204-14 C].
A large passage to the right, South Circular quickly narrows up a rubble slope to a drafting, but otherwise unpromising QM [C2001-204-94 B]. Before the slope, a passage entering from the left leads to The Slide passages.
The Slide passages are upwardly sloping phreatics, mainly clean washed. Soon after entering the slide, a small passage on the left connects back to the main Swings trunk passage. Heading on up the slope past a couple of small loops and a small aven [C2001-204-86 X] brings one to a window onto a very large shaft whose roof [C2001-204-89 X] is not visible, down the pitch leads to Merry Go Round. At the corner before the pitch, a small passage leads of but quickly chokes. The holes on the right, [C2001-204-91 B] and [C2001-204-87 B], probably connect back into Merry Go Round.
The first pitch of Merry Go Round is rigged with a backup and Y hang, and the
rope lies against the wall for 13m till a rebelay, which allows a clear hang to
the floor. The floor is a a slope of loose boulders, heading towards a hole in
the floor. It is advisable to stay on the rope whilst traversing this; going
over a large wedged boulder leads to the second pitch, a Y hang, giving a free
hang to the floor. At this point the passage becomes more of a rift, and the
ceiling is still not visible, which starts slightly further upstream than where
the ropes hangs down to. In the rain, water comes down the top end of the
rift, from the hole in the floor of the chamber above, and disappears down a
very small rift.
5m from the bottom of the second pitch, the third pitch starts, with a traverse line and a short drop down to the main Y hang. A couple of deviations pull the rope away from the wall; below these, it was too wet to continue rigging in the wet. The pitch continues down past a couple of deviations, just above obvious places where the wall is undercut. The floor of this pitch is jagged boulders, which form a slight slope. The walls have large (10-20cm) fossil bivalves protruding from them. Up slope a small rift twists round to a chamber, linked by a window to the main shaft. Down slope leads to a narrow rift, which has a very small slot in the floor. At the end of this, a natural thread in the roof (all the rock is like cottage cheese), which allows a vertical squeeze to be rigged. The squeeze is not too bad, and has a convenient ledge below to stand on. Just below the squeeze, a rope protector is useful for the remaining few meters of descent into a rift type chamber. The way on continues via the fifth pitch, from a Y-hang, descending down more rift, before the chamber becomes more shaft-like and a deviation, allows descent to the floor. Going downstream, the passage becomes keyhole shaped, with puddles on the ground; the passage turns left, and a crumbly looking rift continues onwards [C2002-204-07 A].
Chicago Chicanes doubles back on the main passage. A series of rubble filled pot-holes leads to a chamber with a high aven [C2001-204-93 X] and slits up on the right wall back into the main passage. Beyond the chamber, a hole in the floor leads to two small rift passages, left an unpromising QM [C2001-204-99 B] , and right probably linking into the pitch head at the start of Juicy Bits. Climbing up and over the hole leads to more pot-holes and a boulder choke. Carefully negotiating the boulders and through a narrow slot brings one back to Juicy Bits.
Stuart / Becka / Nial ...
Suspended Solution is a solution tube at the top of the rubble slope at the end of Swings Passage. When scaling this slope, care is needed as if too much rubble is kicked down it will be difficult to climb up into the tube. Also, the (much larger) boulders at the top of the slope may be dislodged. Climbing up through the tube brings one to the base of another scree slope. A sloping passage to the right [C2001-204-76 B] has been climbed for some distance but appears to go nowhere.
At the top of the scree slope, under a low arch, is a small chamber. A hading rift on the right [C2001-204-75 A] has been climbed for some distance. There is an unpromising hole on the left. [C2001-204-77 A] Straight ahead leads to a climb down (20' ladder useful) into Living Daylight Cavern.
This large chamber (11m diameter) has a boulder floor and what looked like a
dried-up streambed. A possible QM [C2001-204-74 B] in the left hand corner goes over
boulders into a small chamber. The way on is under a low arch across the
chamber from the ladder. A climb up reaches more space and becomes more serious
[C2001-204-100 C].
From the arch, go left to within sight of the 204d entrance. The 7m climb up is
bolted at the top, or may be climbed from the bottom in the recess in the right
hand wall. Traversing over the top of the climb emerges in the base of a shake
hole.
