Hungerhill Swallet – Trip Report

By Li’l Chris

So I’d heard good things about this place from various people. ‘Good’ meaning sketchy, but still awesome. Me, James and Glen climbed down a lovely ladder into a squalid little crawl, through a squeezey bit then pop out at the top of a lovely wet 40m pitch which is pretty rare for the area that the cave is in.

Everything is a ‘bit’ loose so the bolts are in the floor hence the use of a rope protector (or a few) which allowed reminiscing time about the Crete Expedition. Not to mention the hanging death all around you :-)

My first impression of the pitch was how similar it was to a 50m pitch I’d found in Crete that we called Baa Baa Dead Sheep. The walls were black and crumbly like that of the pitch in Crete and its quite a sizeable shaft! No dead sheepies though. Pretty awesome.

Anyway after a series of slightly awkward climbs up the rift and scaff bars we popped out into a little chamber where I admired the ‘Pretties’. This was just the warm up.

Another clamber upwards through a loose boulder pile and we popped out into another smaller chamber which was amazing… So many pretties. Helictites, stall, straws, flowstone  of all shapes and sizes and all pretty much in pristine condition. I’d even go as far as saying its one of the prettiest places I’ve been. (Up there with White River and a few places in Wales)

I’ve no doubt that this is one of Derbyshires hidden gems (in my eyes anyway).

After some dispute about which bit was called ‘Bag’o’Worms’ we started to head out. I noticed a dodgy as feck crawl lower down into the boulder choke which apparently goes to a nice sized walking passage with sandy floor We didn’t fancy any more hanging death so called it a day. I’d like to go back and see that passage too though at some point.

Awesome evening trip and I’m surprised I’ve not done it sooner! If you get the chance go up and see the top chamber because its so worth a look. Just be bloody careful! (about both the lose pitch and the pretties!)

Chris

 


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