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<title>1623:204 -- Rhino Rift area</title>
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<table id="cavepage">
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<tr><th id="kat_no">204</th><th id="name">Steinbrückenhöhle</th><th id="status">4/S x</th></tr>
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</table>
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<h1>Rhino Rift area</h1>
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<!-- Most of this extrapolated by DL from survey and logbook description-->
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<div>
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<b><a href="rhinorift.jpg">Survey</a></b> --
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<b><a href="204.html">204 index</a></b></div>
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<hr />
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<p>Rhino Rift is an area of mainly rift passages to the west of <a
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href="swings.html">Swings and Roundabouts</a>. The main access is from Taking
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the Piss, the pitch at the end of <a href="swings.html#dutchbeauty">Dutch
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Beauty</a>. Other connections back to the rest of the cave are via a very loose
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connection to <a href="nopain.html#insignificantchamber">Insignificant
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Chamber</a> or the <a href="swings.html#the21bolttrav">21 Bolt Traverse</a>.</p>
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<h3><a id="takingthepiss">Taking the Piss</a></h3>
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<p>Descending this 8m pitch is the most direct, although not the original, route
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into the series; it lands in a short narrow passage which is followed by a climb
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down out of a window in the wall of the passage to the north of Meeting
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House.</p>
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<h3><a id="rhinorift">Rhino Rift 1</a></h3>
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<p>At the top of Taking the Piss, continuing to the left rather than descending
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leads to a narrow horizontal rift, the original Rhino Rift. After around
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5m this emerges in a wider passage floored with blocks. A passage on
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the left leads to a 6m climb down into <a href="#meetinghouse">Meeting
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House</a> chamber; alternatively, continuing straight on downslope leads into <a
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href="#boltbypass">21 Bolt Bypass</a> and to an alternative 3m climb down into
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Meeting House.</p>
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<h3><a id="meetinghouse">Meeting House</a></h3>
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<p>Meeting House chamber is around 8m long and floored with boulders. At the
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north-eastern end a narrow passage leads off on the right [<a
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href="qm.html#C2003-204-49" id="qC2003-204-49">C2003-204-49 C</a>]; continuing
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north from here past a too-tight passage on the left reaches a pitch, <b><a
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id="wotnobolts">Wot No Bolts?</a></b>, leading into <a href="#onamission">On A
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Mission</a>. To the right of the pitch-head are a multiplicity of openings which
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connect and lead into <a href="#rhinorift2">Rhino Rift II</a>.</p><!-- There are
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two pitches, Deviated and Wot No Bolts. Which is which? It's a bit confusing.
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-->
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<h3><a id="rhinorift2">Rhino Rift (II)</a></h3>
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<p>Rhino Rift 2 continues eastwards for 20m to a right-hand bend with water
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dripping. Continuing along the passage southwards leads to a fork. Sharp left
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a small passage branches off [<a href="qm.html#C2003-204-45"
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id="qC2003-204-45">C2003-204-45 C</a>]. <i>Ahead and to the left is down a ramp to
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a pitch [<a href="qm.html#C2003-204-44" id="qC2003-204-44">C2003-204-44 A</a>].
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(This has been descended leading to a crawl and "an uniteresting-looking pitch",
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but this was not surveyed.)</i> The right fork continues past a bend to the
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left, another corner with oxbows on each side, and a pit in the floor on the
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left [<a href="qm.html#C2003-204-43" id="qC2003-204-43">C2003-204-43 ?</a>].
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Finally the passage emerges at a circular chamber. On the left is a slot in the
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floor [<a href="qm.html#C2003-204-42" id="qC2003-204-42">C2003-204-42 B</a>],
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while at the far end climbing back up leads to the base of a climb into <a
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href="nopain.html#insignificantchamber">Insignificant Chamber</a>.</p>
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<h3><a id="boltbypass">21 Bolt Bypass</a></h3>
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<p>Continuing southwards from Rhino Rift 1 this passage heads southwards,
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passing a side passage choked with stalactites and a pit [<a
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href="qm.html#C2003-204-50" id="qC2003-204-50">C2003-204-50 ?</a>] on the left,
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to reach an upwards ramp emerging at the top of the boulder choke reached by the
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notorious <a href="swings.html#the21bolttrav">21 Bolt Traverse</a> around
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Gaffered to the Walls main pitch. At the far side of this is a continuing
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passage [<a href="qm.html#C2003-204-51" id="qC2003-204-51">C2003-204-51 B</a>].
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<h3><a id="onamission">On A Mission</a></h3>
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<p>Wot No Bolts pitch is 9m deep and lands in a chamber (which doesn't seem to
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have its own name). <i>South from the foot of the pitch leads to a small passage
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at the southern end [<a href="qm.html#C2003-204-46"
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id="qC2003-204-46">C2003-204-46 C</a>], and also a pit in the floor [<a
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href="qm.html#C2003-204-47" id="qC2003-204-47">C2003-204-47 ?</a>].</i>
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Northwards leads to a crossroads. <i>To the right is too tight. Straight ahead
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leads over boulders to a small hole in the floor [<a href="qm.html#C2003-204-53"
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id="qC2003-204-53">C2003-204-53 C</a>] and beyond this a larger pitch [<a
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href="qm.html#C2003-204-54" id="qC2003-204-54">C2003-204-54 B</a>], both
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undescended.</i> On the left is a substantial passage, <b>On A Mission</b>, with
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a T-shaped cross-section. This continues essentially straight westwards for
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100m, but there are a number of important side branches where it intersects
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cross-rifts.</p>
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<ul>
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<li>The first side passage is a 3m pitch down to the right, leading into <a
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href="#swallowhard">Swallow Hard</a>. Shortly beyond this is a crossroads; the
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right branch provides an easier route into Swallow Hard, while the left is too
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tight.</li>
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<li>The second main crossroads leads to <a href="#belief">Belief</a> on the
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left, while to the right leads to two small unexplored passages [<a
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href="qm.html#C2003-204-59" id="qC2003-204-59">C2003-204-59 C</a>] [<a
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href="qm.html#C2003-204-60" id="qC2003-204-60">C2003-204-60 ?</a>].</li>
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<li>Beyond this is <b><a id="picadilly">Picadilly Circus</a></b> junction, where
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there are several loops of interconnecting passage. At various points in here
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are a pit in the floor [<a href="qm.html#C2003-204-66"
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id="qC2003-204-66">C2003-204-66 B</a>], an unexplored passage northwards [<a
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href="qm.html#C2003-204-71" id="qC2003-204-71">C2003-204-71 B</a>], and the
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entrances to <a href="#ratbiscuit">Rat Biscuit</a> heading north and <a
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href="#crimper">Crimper</a> heading south.</li>
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<li>Next there is a right-hand bend, with a hole in the floor to the left [<a
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href="qm.html#C2003-204-72" id="qC2003-204-72">C2003-204-72 C</a>].</li>
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<li>Another 15m further on is a lead on the right at the next bend [<a
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href="qm.html#C2003-204-73" id="qC2003-204-73">C2003-204-73 C</a>].</li>
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</ul>
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<p>Finally the passage reaches a chamber with a loose boulderous hole in the
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floor [<a href="qm.html#C2003-204-74" id="qC2003-204-74">C2003-204-74 C</a>] and
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side passages to the right and left. <i>Right leads to a sizeable pitch [<a
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href="qm.html#C2003-204-75" id="qC2003-204-75">C2003-204-75 A</a>] with a
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possible continuation of the passage beyond the pitch-head [<a
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href="qm.html#C2003-204-76" id="qC2003-204-76">C2003-204-76 B</a>].</i> Straight
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on leads to a few metres of passage and a 4m pitch into <a
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href="#anonymous">Anonymous Chamber</a>. <i>Left is a narrower passage which
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drops down a 3m pitch into the southern end of the same chamber.</i> </p>
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<h3><a id="anonymous">Anonymous Chamber</a></h3>
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<p><i>[This doesn't appear to have a name, but needs one -- DL]</i> This is a
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large breakdown chamber floored with boulders. Straight across from the landing
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is a passage high on the opposite wall; this can be reached by climbing up a
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convenient chimney somewhat further to the right, then traversing along a ledge
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to the passage (a handline is useful, and there are numerous naturals). This
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passage is <a href="#nobutcombe">Wot No Butcombe</a>. Back in the chamber, there
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is a loose pitch at the northern end [<a href="qm.html#C2003-204-77"
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id="qC2003-204-77">C2003-204-77 C</a>] and two small passages lead back under
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the east wall [<a href="qm.html#C2003-204-78" id="qC2003-204-78">C2003-204-78
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C</a>] [<a href="qm.html#C2003-204-79" id="qC2003-204-79">C2003-204-79 C</a>].
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<h3><a id="nobutcombe">Wot no Butcombe</a></h3>
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<p>The passage slopes upwards gradually at first, passing a passage on the right
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[<a href="qm.html#C2003-204-81" id="qC2003-204-81">C2003-204-81 A</a>] and a
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hole in the floor [<a href="qm.html#C2003-204-82"
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id="qC2003-204-82">C2003-204-82 B</a>], until it reaches a steep
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clamber up choss to a junction. Up the slope straight ahead is blind. <i>On the
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left, <b><a id="roundtrip">Round Trip</a></b> passage leads back directly above
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Wot No Butcombe to emerge in the ceiling of Anonoymous Chamber. A hole in the
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floor communicates with Wot No Butcombe, and there is a crawl to the left [<a
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href="qm.html#C2003-204-80" id="qC2003-204-80">C2003-204-80 ?</a>].</i> To the
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right is a too-tight slot in the floor and another fork; left here leads to a
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mud-floored chamber, whereas right leads to <a href="#noconnection">Wot No
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Connection</a>.</p>
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<h3><a id="noconnection">Wot no connection</a></h3>
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<p>Crawling over the large fallen block down to the right leads to a cross rift
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chamber; the north wall and roof are composed of fault breccia. The draught
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disappears at this point into the roof and walls. The rift continues right and
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up through shattered boulders into a number of small chambers with no solid
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walls; one of these connects back into the first fault chamber. Climbing 5m up
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to the right leads back to the top of What No Butcombe chamber; stepping over
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this chamber continues into main passage in area at high level 5-8m up.</p>
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<h3><a id="swallowhard">Swallow Hard</a></h3>
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<p>Swallow Hard slopes down away from On A Mission, passing the entrance to
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<a href="#unconformity">Unconformity</a> on the left. Beyond this it begins to
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slope back upwards increasingly steeply. At a T-junction, the left-hand branch
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leads to a climb up to a passage [<a href="qm.html#C2003-204-55"
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id="qC2003-204-55">C2003-204-55 B</a>], while the right-hand branch, <b><a
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id="limescale">Limescale Cistern</a></b>, slopes up even more steeply to end 6m
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beneath the floor of Swings Passage.</p>
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<h3><a id="unconformity">Unconformity</a></h3>
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<p>This series is developed in a thrust fault leading downwards at around
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60° below the horizontal. The logbook description is rather confusing and it
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is not clear which parts are climbs and which are pitches, since the original
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surveyors did not draw up an elevation.</p>
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<p>Shortly after the Unconformity passage branches off Swallow Hard, there is a
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climb (pitch?) down into a chamber with a single large boulder on the floor. On
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the left is a small passage [<a href="qm.html#C2003-204-57"
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id="qC2003-204-57">C2003-204-57 C</a>] and there is an aven above [<a
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href="qm.html#C2003-204-56" id="qC2003-204-56">C2003-204-56 X</a>]. The passage
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continues to a fork. <i>The left branch soon splits again, both branches
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becoming too tight.</i> The right branch proceeds beyond a patch of mud on the
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floor to a junction with a passage leading off to the left. <i>Straight on is
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<b><a id="crunch">Crunch + Wet</a></b>, which continues horizontally to a narrow
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pitch-head [<a href="qm.html#C2003-204-58" id="qC2003-204-58">C2003-204-58
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C</a>].</i> The passage on the left is <b><a id="catsclaw">Cat's Claw</a></b>,
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which continues downhill, passing a blind oxbow in the left-hand wall. The
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description of the ensuing part is rather confusing. Apparently this leads to a
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junction, with a pitch down to the left and tubes on the right. <i>The tube on the
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left leads into a chamber, <b><a id="calcitedbat">Calcited Bat Chamber</a></b>.
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The continuation of the passage is up a 3m climb to a phreatic tube which is
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soon choked with mud, but another exit from the chamber is a clamber up of 2.5m
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to a bridge overlooking an extremely deep pitch [<a
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href="qm.html#C2003-204-X90" id="qC2003-204-X90">C2003-204-X90 A</a>]. The
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chamber has a vocal connection to a point above in Crunch + Wet.</i> The pitch
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down to the left leads to a short horizontal passage to a hole in the floor.
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<i>This been descended 10m to a ledge but has not been surveyed, and continues
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beyond this [<a href="qm.html#C2003-204-X91" id="qC2003-204-X91">C2003-204-X91
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?</a>].</i> Traversing over the hole leads to 20-30m of passage, also
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unsurveyed, with some holes in the floor [<a href="qm.html#C2003-204-X92"
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id="qC2003-204-X92">C2003-204-X92 ?</a>] and possible QMs up [<a
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href="qm.html#C2003-204-X93" id="qC2003-204-X93">C2003-204-X93 ?</a>].</p>
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<h3><a id="belief">Belief</a></h3>
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[<a href="qm.html#C2003-204-61" id="qC2003-204-61">C2003-204-61 X</a>]
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[<a href="qm.html#C2003-204-70" id="qC2003-204-70">C2003-204-70 A</a>]
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<h3><a id="faith">Faith</a></h3>
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[<a href="qm.html#C2003-204-62" id="qC2003-204-62">C2003-204-62 A</a>]
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[<a href="qm.html#C2003-204-63" id="qC2003-204-63">C2003-204-63 C</a>]
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[<a href="qm.html#C2003-204-64" id="qC2003-204-64">C2003-204-64 C</a>]
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[<a href="qm.html#C2003-204-65" id="qC2003-204-65">C2003-204-65 A</a>]
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<h3><a id="crimper">Crimper</a></h3>
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<p>Narrow rift with connections to Faith (via Uncrimped) and Grater.</p>
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[<a href="qm.html#C2003-204-67" id="qC2003-204-67">C2003-204-67 A</a>]
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[<a href="qm.html#C2003-204-68" id="qC2003-204-68">C2003-204-68 B</a>]
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[<a href="qm.html#C2003-204-69" id="qC2003-204-69">C2003-204-69 B</a>]
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<h3><a id="grater">Grater</a></h3>
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<h3><a id="uncrimped">Uncrimped</a></h3>
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<h3><a id="ratbiscuit">Rat Biscuit</a></h3>
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<p>Rat Biscuit is an upwards-sloping horizontal passage with a strong draught,
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which continues for 120m without any side branches or junctions to a
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"frustrating" end in draughting boulders. (This point is a mere 5m from a small
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draughting boulderous hole in <a href="swings.html#crestarun">Cresta Run</a>,
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and might be a good candidate for a dig to connect the two, since both Nial and
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Dave narrowly avoided getting entombed attacking this from the Cresta end in
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2004.)</p>
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<hr style="clear: both" />
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<ul id="links">
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<li><a href="204.html">Back to 204 index page</a></li>
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<li><a href="../../indxal.htm#id204">Full Index</a></li>
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<li><a href="../../areas.htm">Other Areas</a></li>
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