The Little’uns go to P8

By Tom1

Well, this was both mine and Chris’ first time rigging underground on our own, nervous, excited, psyched.

We got underground at about midday and wasted no time getting to the first pitch where we found another group just finishing getting down. We both agreed that Chris would rig the first pitch as I had already done it a week earlier and that I would rig the second and then de-rig each others on the way out.

We decided it would be a bit more pleasant to rig the traverse rather than the pitch to stay out of the water as much as possible (not that it would have made a huge difference to Chris in a wetsuit).

All done we made our way along to the top of the second pitch where we ran into the other group again this time they hadn’t all reached the bottom yet so we went for a wander up the passage to the right (the name eludes me at the moment) before heading back to the pitch and again deciding to rig it as a traverse for consistency (and because I couldn’t be bothered faffing rigging under the other group’s ropes and ladder).

We spent the rest of the time basically exploring the bottom of P8. Going up to the sump near the bottom of the intestines and back down to the sump at the other end. Whilst in the process of trying to find the hand line up to Ben’s dig we went up the rather treacherous mud slope opposite which is just a little slippery. Once we noticed the hand line we headed up to explore the dig. I think extensive pretty much sums it up. After a break for food at one end of the dig atop a pile of sandbags we set of back via a quick stop at the bottom of the second and true second pitch.

Unknown to us it had rained quite substantially whist we were underground which made going back up the streamway a little more interesting, especially at idiots leap and at the entrance where on the way in I only got a slightly damp arm but getting out got thoroughly drenched.

But no one need worry both the little’uns made it out safely after an excellent adventure.


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