Little’uns explore Oxlow

By Tom1

Early on Friday morning (closer to mid-day actually) two young and supple cavers set out on their second adventure together to explore the mysteries of Oxlow. after collecting a selection of twine form the ropehouse the two cavers set out towards the cave in their trusty steed Tony. About half an hour later they dismounted Tony and prepared themselves for the challenges that lay ahead which to Tom’s dismay involved a surprisingly damp oversuit.

With their tackle set and the rope on their backs the adventurous pair set off to find the way  into the depths. Id did not take them long to find what they sought and they set to work rigging a very safe backed-up Y-hang down the mouth of the mine.

They had made it inside. But that was only the first of four rigtastic challenges. The next two where to be Chris’. the next pitch head revealed a victim of times past in the decayed form of the remnants of a welly or possibly boot sole. this did not phase the young explorers in the slightest and the following pitches were rigged with no time wasted. descending over the lip into east chamber the little’uns nearly lost their way but then remembered that the devious cave went back under on itself to try and mislead those who would dare to take it on.

After descending the long slope to the fourth pitch it was time for Tom’s final challenge. the cave was working hard against the intrepid explorers but eventually they were down in Oxlow’s mighty heart in West chamber. after seeing the pilgrims way above them, they agreed that they would not deny the cave all of its challenges in a single day the went to the end of the line  at Waterfall chamber and both of them knew they had succeeded though they also knew they were still only half-way on their journey. They still had to escape the cave.

The way back was less challenging but more arduous battling against gravity with nothing but a bit of rope and a pair of jammers. but before the left up east chamber the two of them decided to look deeper into this vast expanse and found a dig at the far corner of the chamber with a wire ladder going down into the unknown, but brave as they were they were unprepared for such a task and had no choice but to leave and return to the surface.

When they reached the surface they were overcome with excitement at their success, they had defeated Oxlow. but in the backs of their minds they knew that more and greater challenges lay in the future…