| 258 - a b | Tunnockschacht: Littoral North | 2 ?? |
|---|
The Littoral North leads northwards out of the chamber below Caramel Catharsis past taped formations on the floor. The roof lowers and the sandy passage continues to a further taped formation. There is a branch to the left here [to be described]. The main way is through a low arch straight ahead to a 3m climb down in a rift below an aven, which can be climbed far enough to see that it probably doesn't go. At the bottom is a wide stony passage with a pool useful for collecting water. There are ways on to the left and straight ahead.
To the left a passage leads almost immediately to a tricky climb (rope recommended) up to the right. This gains a further muddy passage, which draughts inwards strongly, leading after about 50 metres to a balcony at the head of the 100m deep pitch The Usual Suspects. This pitch is wet, and is impassible in times of high water (a party was marooned beneath it in 2009), and is now superceded by the route via String Theory. Across the pitch head may be seen a window accessible via the route to String Theory.
Back in the passage to the left, following straight ahead without taking the tricky climb to the right leads to a stepped pitch Frankly Freezing [description needed]. [Description needed of Litteral north 4 - Julian Todd or Becka Lawson] [2007-258-6B] [2007-258-44B] [2007-258-46A] [Description needed of stomach ulsa - Holly and Noel and Mike TA] [2009-258-39A]
If the passage straight ahead is taken from the water collecting pool, a 2m climb up rotten calcite leads (past [2007-258-4-A], LHW) to an unusual critical-angle pile of 10cm diameter rocks Y KeyKey Beach. The narrowing at the top of this pile (it gets close to the roof) has a stonking gale coming through it. Just beyond this where the passage widens to 8m, behind the large rock on the left is the hidden entrance to Rhubarb Crumbly, leading to the lower levels via String Theory and the northern areas via Max Pleasure.
On the right, at the widening, is a shallow pit [2007-258-*05-C][Has this been ticked off? Or does it need to be put into tunnel and the QM list? - Becka Lawson].
Ahead the comfortable passage only goes for about 20m before reaching the edge of a huge shaft undercutting the RH wall The Thin Red Line. An airy traverse to the left of this reaches another hole on the left down, apparently into the same pitch[2007-258-89-B]. Immediately ahead is another large hole [2007-258-91-A]. Up is a large aven (30m+ [2007-258-98-X]. There appears to be a continuation across the other side - a long bolted traverse away[2007-258-92-B].[Needs continuing - Ollie Stevens and Becka Lawson]
Climbing down behind a large rock in Littoral North gives access to nice walking passage floored with dark dirt, trending NNW. A strong breeze blows in. After 40m the passage passes over a cross-joint forming a pitch that can be seen through a very small hole in the floor[2007-258-26B]. Would need capping to get in. Immediately beyond a C2 gets into almost perfectly straight passage with some popcord on the walls. At the end is a wider T-junction. Down to the left is a stoop into a boulder-floored chamber containing a too-tight crawl on the left and two small avens [2007-258-21-X] (at 1st corner), [2007-258-20-X] (at end). To the right is another T-junction only 5m further on. Right is Max Pleasure. Left is Dubious Pleasure, down which all the draft goes.
Fine walking passage heading steadily up-dip. Strong outward draft. Goes 180m to Starfish junction, via a few boulders to clamber over. After 130m a shelf forms on LH wall after floor canyon disappears under LH wall. The shelf is the main way on and rises slowly above floor level until you are traversing past a large hole on the R. This connects under RH wall to Star Light passage. Crawls on LH side at shelf level 30m south of Starfish Junction have [2007-258-22-C] parallel to main passage and [2007-258-28-B] in back corner behind pillars. [2007-258-31-B] is a climb up on L in cross-rift 10m south of Starfish Junction. [2007-258-94-X] is a high (20m+) aven at the same point.
Starfish Junction has 4 large passages meeting at a large boulder and
is a distinctive spot. Ahead (North) Max Pleasure continues, The
right fork is
Max Pleasure north of Starfish Junction initially opens into a High chamber with a drafting (inwards) passage off on the L ( Just for a Laugh). The chamber merges back into walking passage after 40m. 10m along a soil slope comes in from the right wall, choked to the left, and a low crawl [2007-258-71-B] to the right. The passage slopes gently down until it meets a larger one with the way on going gently up-dip to the right. There is a large boulder at the junction. The continuation of the larger passage on the left is choked with soil.
Past a pillar the passage opens up into a high wide chamber with a deep canyon in the floor, largely covered by boulders. At the start of the chamber a rapidly-lowering passage goes back right for 8m before being choked with sand. At the far end of the chamber you step over the canyon [2007-258-67-B] and have to clamber over some very nice flowstone to proceed. The obvious way on is walking passage but in fact the passage goes at two levels here - you can also climb down below the flowstoned chockstone and follow the canyon upstream to get to the same chamber.
Following the obvious higher level brings you into another chamber with a deep hole in the floor [2007-258-72-A] , mostly blocked by a large jammed boulder. Traversing around the left hand side reaches a 3m climb down to the far side of the hole. This is Petticoat Junction where there is a choice of left towards Let's get Naked or ahead across rocks and uphill to Hedonism Highway.
Climbing over a large boulder the passage widens due to a junction. The passage goes off left upwards [2007-258-69-A], as does the canyon, and another goes off left downwards [2007-258-68-A]. The passage continues steeply up-dip and gets bouldery. There are a couple of huge dropped sections of rock that have been undercut and split from the roof. On the left is a small alcove passage. Next a small cross-passage roof tube. Neither of these go. The draught remains strong, blowing out. The passage turns 90 left to go along the dip. A strongly draughting small passage comes in from the right at the corner [2007-258-82B]. Hedonism highway gets boulderier and closes down over the next 60m, ending in a choke and a solution tube filled with rocks [2007-258-81C]. This point may be quite close to the surface.
[68,69,70 need ticking off and rocky road survey north of hedonism highway described - Becka Lawson and Steve Jones and Julian Todd][2008-258-40-A] [Rocky road survey east of hedonism highway described - Becka Lawson and Steve Jones and Julian Todd][2008-258-41-B][2008-258-42-C][2008-258-43-C][2008-258-44-C][2008-258-45-B]Taking the smaller northerly passage at Petticoat Junction leads into passage of varying character. It starts with deep dark soily deposits. Awkward small passage on L connects back to the climb just before Petticoat Junction. The draught is still strong and inwards. Crossing a soily crater leads to a sloping c3 up a wide, high rift, then along 10m of narrow joint-controlled passage to another sudden change of character. Ahead is a tight passage which draughts out and becomes a dig after 10m [2007-258-73-D]. The way on is the very wide phreatic passage sloping steeply down to the east [surely this should be west - Andrew Atkinson or Wookey or Dog Becka Lawson]. The small central canyon of this passage goes under the RH wall [surely this should be LH - Andrew Atkinson or Wookey or Dog Becka Lawson] to the west [2007-258-74-C].
The passage zigs and zags sharply past a crawl off on the L [2007-258-*26*old number-C] for 20m to merge into nice straight passage sloping gently down-dip. [Can not see zig zag nor the qm - Andrew Atkinson or Wookey or Dog Becka Lawson] After 35m it steepens and a small canyon forms, reaching a 3m deep drippy pot after another 25m. A c2 gets to the floor and a delicate and slightly damp c3 gets back into the continuing passage.
Here the passage is wide and sandy and forks: off on the right is Let's get Naked (draughting out). Down to the left it descends steeply and crossword passage goes off on the Left. 10m beyond is [2007-258-75-C] on the L then a gravelly bit with an aven above [2007-258-78-X]. The passage continues to descend down-dip until it suddenly chokes (3m dia!) with mud and rocks. This would be a top dig site in the UK [2007-258-77-D]. On the L is a large (8m dia?) chibble-floored pothole which can also be overlooked from a balcony, reached via a passage on the L; that passage has a small QM [2007-258-76-C]. On the far side of the hole a crawl heads off, unsurveyed, continuing down-dip for quite some distance (30m?) hole.[2007-258-*31-C]
[Futher description of 'too much' required - Aaron Curtis and Olly Madge and Julian Todd] [2008-258-38-C] [2008-258-39A]