Sunday 18 July 2010 – Rowten Pot
just back from a cheeky one-night trip to the Dales, where Amy, Joe and Hugh did Rowten in wet conditions! The main shaft was mightily impressive and below it was like being in a wind tunnel. Here’s Joe’s logbook writeup…
“Rowten – Amy, Hugh, Joe – 18/7/2010
After battling our way through nipple-high bracken, we made it to said pot in decent weather. Amy started us off by rigging the first pitch quicker than a sadomasochist, getting us down to the bridge and second pitch. Following a tight rift we came to the waterfall, which was magnificent and somewhat eased the ominous and looming task of prussiking back up the second pitch of 55 metres rigged by our gracious and handsome tour guide Mr Hugh Penney. At the bottom of the big one we were met by a bit of splash and wind, but nothing us three Motherwellian WAGS weren’t used to.
Our last two ropes took us along an airy traverse and down the final shaft – Hugh’s. He rigged it, that is. At the bottom your dearest narrator was chosen to de-rig. Honored by the decision my chest puffed like that of a virile pheasant in the merriest of springtime, only to be humbled like the lowliest of plague cleaners by the dogleg that caught Amy on the way down. After swinging to-and-fro like a blind pianist I made my way up the pitch to the ledge at the bottom of the big cavern.
Only being able to drink in the beautiful and daunting waterfall for a moment due to the fact that I was actually drinking it, I continued on up.
After finding Hugh at the top we proceeded to tap our sacks up the cavern walls before tying off on the final rope, ready for the last push. By that point our voluptuous cohort had made her way to the top and was freezing her metaphorical tits off in the sheets of rain and belting wind. After dragging the tackle up we made our way back to the dryish car.
We were stopped by a woman and her son who were missing some friends down Valley Entrance and Swinsto. We advised them of the VERY wet conditions underground and Hugh explained the procedure for calling CRO if necessary. We hope they have returned safely and in good health.
It is time for me to take my leave – the car smells of carbide and we’ve all used LEDs. With that I shall bid you, faithful reader, a flatulent ‘Good day’.”
Joe Norat
Update: there was a rescue mounted for the (non-GUPA) people trapped in Swinsto but the water levels were too high so CRO had to withdraw. The cavers were located on Monday and escorted out safely. More details on the CRO website here.
