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<HTML lang=en><HEAD><TITLE>1623:204 -- Swings and Roundabouts area</TITLE>
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<TABLE border=0 width="100%">
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<TH align=left width="30%"><FONT size=+2>204</font><br><font size=+1>(CUCC 1999/03)</FONT></TH>
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<TH lang=de><h1>Steinbrückenhöhle</h1></TH>
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<TH align=right width="30%"><FONT size=+2>4/S x</FONT></TH></TR>
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<TR>
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</TABLE></CENTER></DIV>
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<h2>Swings and Roundabouts area</h2>
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Swings and Roundabouts is an area of rubble-strewn passages to the west of
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Treeumphant Passage. Access is from Bonsai Crawl or the 204d entrance.
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<H3>Playground</H3>
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<p>Swings and Roundabouts branches off
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<a href="treeumphant.shtml">Treeumphant Passage</a> at what was QM2000-12B, in
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<a href="nopain.shtml#Bonsaicrawl">Bonsai Crawl</a>.
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Initialy, a walking sized passage <b>Playground</b> leads past some mud
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formations and a drippy mini-aven to a view overlooking a mid-sized chamber <b>Magic
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Roundabout</b> with several exits. The easiest way to the chamber floor is via a climb
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down through a hole on the right at the end of Playground.</P>
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<H3>Magic Roundabout Chamber and surrounding passage</H3>
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<p>Once in the chamber, climbing down over boulders to the left leads to a
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small exit between rocks. A short rubble-strewn chute follows arriving after a few
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metres at a large shaft, <b>Gaffer Tape</b>, the start of the <b>Gaffered to the Wall</b> series.</p>
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<p>Back in the main chamber, a rubble slope to the north leads onwards. To the north
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of the slope is
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an unpromising QM [<A href="qm.shtml#C2001-204-95" name=qC2001-204-95>C2000-204-95 C</A>]; to the east leads back to the point where Playground overlooks the
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chamber. To the west is the main passage continuation. A passage on the left is
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<b>Dutch Beauty</b>, which also has windows into the main chamber. Continuing over rocks,
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a phreatic tube enters from <b>Juicy Bits</b> on the left a head, and a crawl enters from Dutch Beauty behind; the main way on is up a short
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slope over boulders to the start of the main Swings trunk passage: 10m wide and 8m
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high.</p>
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<h3>Gaffered to the Wall series</h3>
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<img class=onright src="rigging/gttw.png" alt="D Gaffered to the Wall rigging guide">
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<p> The initial pitch, <b>Gaffer Tape</b>, (70m) is an imposing oval shaft, which continues upwards [<A
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href="qm.shtml#C2001-204-97" name=qC2001-204-97>C2001-204-97 X</A>]. A
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passage leads off from the bottom, splitting in two going round a horizontal thread, emerging in a chamber formed from a slightly hading line of weakness. A ledge can be followed on the right hand wall. Down a hole to the left, two uninspiring rifts [<A href="qm.shtml#C2002-204-02" name=qC2002-204-02>
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C2002-204-02 C</a>, <A href="qm.shtml#C2002-204-03" name=qC2002-204-03>C2002-204-03 C</a>] lead off downwards, which probably rejoin a parallel shaft to LX Tape pitch. Up to the right <A href="qm.shtml#C2002-204-04" name=qC2002-204-04>C2002-204-04 C</a>], a sloping aven is visible which may be climbable . Continuing on past a large boulder, a rift is intesected at a chamber. Up stream (to the right) a small trickle of water emerges from a small slot in the ceiling. The main way on is down through a small hole in the floor, which can be descended via a backup round the large boulder, a flake in the floor and a rope protector. This is Tape Worm pitch; this rebelays off a horizontal thread down to a ledge with large fossils
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visible in the floor, where the small rift of Tape Worm joins the impressive shaft of LX Tape pitch. Looking out to the left a parralel shaft can be seen which may be enterable from <A href="qm.shtml#C2002-204-02" name=qC2002-204-02>
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C2002-204-02 C</a> and <A href="qm.shtml#C2002-204-03" name=qC2002-204-03>C2002-204-03 C</a>. A traverse along the right-hand wall reaches a natural from which the next pitch LX Tape may be rigged; this
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descends to land on a rock bridge near another large boulder. On the near side of the rock bridge is a tight and unpromising rift
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[<A href="qm.shtml#C2002-204-06" name=qC2002-204-06>C2002-204-06 C</a>].
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On the far side, a spit rebelay allows one to descend to another chamber, where a large thread is the main hang for Sellotape pitch, a fine 2m wide rift, which lands a slight puddle, and a horizontal silt floor leads 5m to the next undescended pitch [<A
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href="qm.shtml#C2002-204-05" name=qC2002-204-05>C2002-204-05 A</a>].
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<H3>Dutch Beauty</H3>
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Pretty Bits comes off Swings and Roundabouts, 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 [<A href="qm.shtml#C2001-204-98" name=qC2001-204-98>C2001-204-98 C</A>]. Continuing along the passage past the pit, a number of windows are visible overlooking <B>Magic Roundabout chamber</B>. A passage goes of 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[<A href="qm.shtml#C2001-204-49" name=qC2001-204-49>C2001-204-49 C</A>]. The rift has not been descended[<A href="qm.shtml#C2001-204-47" name=qC2001-204-47>C2001-204-47 B</A>], although a light connection has been made to <B>Juicy Bits</B>.
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<H3>Juicy Bits</H3>
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Juicy Bits is a large passage to the left from the south end of <B>Swings Passage</B>. 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 bolders[<A href="qm.shtml#C2001-204-45" name=qC2001-204-45>C2001-204-45 C</A>]. This passage can be traversed around, and a passage to the right decreases in size to a body sized tube that needs removing [<A href="qm.shtml#C2001-204-48" name=qC2001-204-48>C2000-204-48 C</A>]. The main passage then splits in two, the right turn going to the rift that connects to <B>Dutch Beauty</B> [<A href="qm.shtml#C2001-204-47">C2001-204-47 B</A>]. 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 flatterns out and passes a tube going into the ceiling[<A href="qm.shtml#C2001-204-46" name=qC2001-204-46>C2001-204-46 C</A>] , before emerging in to the passage near <B>Magic Roundabout Chamber</B>
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<H3>Swings Passage</H3>
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<p>The trunk passage, a large phreatic with much breakdown and generally a boulder strewn
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floor, continues for over 100m in a northerly direction. Rubble slopes up and down
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keep the passage at roughly the same level. Along its length, a number of
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passages branch off to the left and right.</P>
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<P>The first two passages leading off are <b>Juicy Bits</b> on the left and the way
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towards <b>The Slide</b> on the right. Further along, the small connection with The
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Slide enters from the right. QMs [<A href="qm.shtml#C2001-204-84" name=qC2001-204-84>C2000-204-84 C</A>]
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and [<A href="qm.shtml#C2001-204-84" name=qC2001-204-84>C2000-204-84 C</A>]
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may be found on the right wall. A pitch on the left [<A href="qm.shtml#C2001-204-92" name=qC2001-204-92>C2000-204-92</A>]
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is surrounded by a lot of very
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loose boulders; rocks fall for a considerable distance, but no attempt was made
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to desecend due to the loose debris. Across the top of the pitch are two slots
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looking into <b>Chicago Chicanes</b>. Continuing along Swings passage, the entrance to
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Chicago Chicanes is on the left and a short unpromising QM on the right [<A href="qm.shtml#C2001-204-83" name=qC2001-204-83>C2000-204-83 C</A>].</P>
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<P>A little further along, a phreatic tube slopes down to the left. This passes
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through a small chamber and develops a stream in a deep, narrow slot in the
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floor before choking in earth. This passage may in fact be [<A href="qm.shtml#C2001-204-82" name=qC2001-204-82>C2000-204-82 C</A>]
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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.
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</P>
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<P>A series of small holes in the right hand wall interconnect, with a
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possible, uninviting, way on through tight, sharp vadose passage. [<A href="qm.shtml#C2001-204-80" name=qC2001-204-80>C2000-204-80 C</A>]
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[<A href="qm.shtml#C2001-204-81" name=qC2001-204-81>C2000-204-81 C</A>]
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</P>
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<P>At the end of Swings passage, a very loose rubble slope leads up to
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<b>Suspended Solution</b>, and so on towards the 204d entrance. Mid-way up the
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slope, a traverse (rope advised) round a nose of rock is possible. This leads
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one to the base of a climb (not yet done) up to where water can be heard and a
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large passage continues [<A href="qm.shtml#C2001-204-79" name=qC2001-204-79>C2000-204-79 C</A>]. Alternatively, traversing futher to the right from the
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base of the climb leads to a steeply sloping, cleanwashed phreatic tube. This
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heads both up and down and may be the connection to <b>Helter Skelter</b> [<A href="qm.shtml#C2001-204-78" name=qC2001-204-78>C2000-204-78 B</A>].</p>
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<H4>The Slide</H4>
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<p>A large passage to the right quickly narrows up a rubble slope to a
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drafting, but otherwise unprommising QM [<A href="qm.shtml#C2001-204-94" name=qC2001-204-94>C2001-204-94 B</A>].
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Before the slope, a passage entering from the left leads to <b>The Slide</b> passages.</P>
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<p>The Slide passages are upwardly sloping phreatics, mainly clean washed. Soon
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after entering the slide, a small passage on the left connects back to the main
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Swings trunk passage. Heading on up the slope past a couple of small loops and a small aven [<A href="qm.shtml#C2001-204-86" name=qC2001-204-86>C2001-204-86 X</A>]
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brings one to a window onto a very large shaft whoose roof [<A href="qm.shtml#C2001-204-89" name=qC2001-204-89>C2001-204-89 X</A>]
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is not visible, down the pitch leads to <b>Merry Go Round</b>. At the corner before the pitch, a small passage leads of but quickly chokes. The holes on the right, [<A href="qm.shtml#C2001-204-91" name=qC2001-204-91>C2001-204-91 B</A>] and
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[<A href="qm.shtml#C2001-204-87" name=qC2001-204-87>C2001-204-87 B</A>], probably connect back into Merry Go Round.
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</P>
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<h4>Merry Go Round</H4>
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<img class=onright src="rigging/mgr.png" alt="D Merry Go Round Rigging Guide">
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<p> The first pitch of Merry Go Round is rigged with a backup and Y hang, and
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the rope lies against the wall for 13m till a rebelay, which allows a clear
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hang to the floor. The floor is a a slope of loose boulders, heading towards a
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hole in the floor. It is advisable to stay on the rope whilst traversing this;
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going over a large wedged boulder leads to the second pitch, a Y hang, giving
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a free hang to the floor. At this point the passage becomes more of a rift,
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and the ceiling is still not visible, which starts slightly further upstream
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than where the ropes hangs down to. In the rain, water comes down the top end
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of the rift, from the hole in the floor of the chamber above, and
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disappears down a very small rift. </p>
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<p>5m from the bottom of the secnd pitch,
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the third pitch starts, with a traverse line and a short drop down to the main Y
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hang. A couple of deviations pull the rope away from the wall; below these,
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it was too wet to continue rigging in the wet. The pitch continues down past a
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couple of deviations, just above obvious places where the wall is undercut.
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The floor of this pitch is jagged boulders, which form a slight slope. The
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walls have large (10-20cm) Bivalves protruding from them. Up slope a small
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rift twists round to a chamber, linked by a window to the main shaft. Down
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slope leads to a narrow rift, which has a very small slot in the floor. At the
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end of this, a natural thread in the roof (all the rock is like cottage
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cheese), which allows a vertical squeeze to be rigged. The squeeze is not too
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bad, and has a convient ledge below to stand on. Just below the squeeze, a rope
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protector is useful for the remaining few meters of descent into a rift type
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chamber. The way on continues via the fifth pitch, from a Y-hang, descending
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down more rift, before the chamber becomes more shaft-like and a deviation,
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allows descent to the floor. Going downstream, the passage becomes keyhole
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shaped, with puddles on the ground; the passage turns left, and a crumbly
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looking rift continues onwards [<A href="qm.shtml#C2002-204-07"
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name=qC2002-204-07>C2002-204-07 A</A>],
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<h4>Chicago Chicanes</H4>
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<b>Chicago Chicanes</b> doubles back on the main passage. A series of rubble filled
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pot-holes leads to a chamber with a high aven [<A href="qm.shtml#C2001-204-92" name=qC2001-204-92>C2000-204-92</A>]
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and slits up on the right wall
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back into the main passage. Beyond the chamber, a hole in the floor leads to
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two small rift passages, left an unpromising QM [<A href="qm.shtml#C2001-204-99" name=qC2001-204-99>C2000-204-99 B</A>]
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, an right probably linking into
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the pitch head at the start of <b>Juicy Bits</b>. Climbing up and over the hole leads
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to more pot-holes and a boulder choke. Carefully negotiating the boulders and
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through a narrow slot brings one back to Juicy Bits.</P>
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<h3>Suspended Solution</h3>
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<P><b>Suspended Solution</b> is a solution tube at the top of the rubble slope at the
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end of Swings Passage. When scaling this slope, care is needed as if too much
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rubble is kicked down it will be difficult to climb up into the tube. Also, the
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(much larger) boulders at the top of the slope may be dislodged. Climbing up
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through the tube brings one to the base of another scree slope. A sloping
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passage to the right [<A href="qm.shtml#C2001-204-76" name=qC2001-204-76>C2000-204-76 B</A>]
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has been climbed for some distance but appears to go
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nowhere.</P>
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<P>At the top of the scree slope, under a low arch, is a small chamber. A
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hading rift on the right [<A href="qm.shtml#C2001-204-75" name=qC2001-204-75>C2000-204-75 A</A>]
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has been climbed for some distance. There is an
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unpromising hole on the left. [<A href="qm.shtml#C2001-204-77" name=qC2001-204-77>C2000-204-77 A</A>]
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Straight ahead leads to a climb down (20' ladder
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useful) into <b>Living Daylight Cavern</b>.</P>
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<H3>Living Daylight Cavern and 204d</H3>
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<img class=onright src="rigging/d.png" alt="D Entrance Pitches">
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<P>This large chamber (11m diameter) has a boulder floor and what looked like a
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dried stream floor. A possible QM [<A href="qm.shtml#C2001-204-74" name=qC2001-204-74>C2000-204-74 B</A>]
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in the left hand corner goes over boulders
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into a small chamber. The way on is under a low arch across the chamber from
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the ladder. A climb up reaches more space and becomes more serious [<A href="qm.shtml#C2001-204-100"
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name=qC2001-204-100>C2000-204-100 C</A>]. From the
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arch, go left to within sight of the 204d entrance. The 7m climb up is bolted
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at the top, or may be climbed from the bottom in the recess in the right hand
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wall. Traversing over the top of the climb emerges in the base of a shake
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hole.</p>
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<img src="t/14entd.jpg" alt="204d entrance photo" />
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<H3><A name=survey>Survey</A></H3>
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<center><img src="swings.png" width=756 height=880 alt="Survey"></center>
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<p><HR>
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