161 - More in Purile Humour - BATMAN SERIES
Sam Lieberman
Trip to survey left from 'Gotham City junction.' walking/Stooping passage for 30m leads to a bouldery section with aven on left and narrow gully under the boulders which drops down a short pitch on the right, with another aven above. 40m on the passage appears to end with aven on the right which can be partially climbed to give a view to a higher passage. The way on is to the left through a short squeezy rift 'No utility belt required' (Sam took his gear off to go through the first time (16/7/96).) where two shafts lead off on the left. Becka went down the 1st 1 which closed down to an impassable rift. The 2nd is undescended. Looking up, Becka spotted a mud run in, up a 3m climb. Using Becka as a foothold I managed to get to the top where a quick climb up the mud pile led to yet more passage 'WHERE THE WIND BLOWS' - Hooray!! I had a quick ferret round whilst Becka went back to Fiveways to fetch some rope for a handline. This being rigged we rocketed off down the passage which continued almost dead straight past shafts and avens to a large (50m x 15m) chamber with two big shafts off it. The passage at the other end was a very fine phreatic tube - well decorated with a mud floor - trending almost North, except for a small 'kink'. At one point careful crawling was required round a small calcite flower in the floor. Passage ends at a 4m climb which is completely choked but with a draught coming down. The whole of this left hand branch has a draught heading out ie. towards Triassic Park.
Went back to handline climb and surveyed to start of large chamber.
Previous trip / Next trips: Bounce Rift and 161e - Completely Loopy and 161f and Where The Wind Blows continuation