Balkonhöhle - Turtlehead passage
Noel
After the amazing pushing the day before, we returned to the Far Side to continue exploring starting with an A lead a few meters up a climb in the roof of one passage. (This was Holly's favourite looking lead). Climbing up, Andy placed the first station on a knob of rock in exactly the right place to resemble a turtles head - hence the name (it's not a crude reference). Passage continued draughtily until we hit a total choke - draught was very strong & cold here. There was one possible good lead here - a draughting slot climb up next to the choke - with a black void visible above.
Returning to near the start of Turtlehead a side lead led off, & it was soon apparent that this was another major passage. Stomping up led to another excellent lead for next year - an ~8m climb up (free climbable with difficulty - needs bolting as a pitch probably). At the top are 2 x ongoing passages in similar proportions with big draught A++. Round the corner was a huge pitch - A grade lead - but maybe a bit drippy. Passage then ran back south, parallel to the one we'd just come up, & we ended this at a drippy free climb. Becka & RobW had come in to look at other leads & they took over this climb lead after other leads crapped out.
Another excellent trip - 340m today & the cave is now close to Flying High in Tunnocks. Plenty of A grade leads left for next year.