| Longwood Swallet | Mendip Hills |
| Saturday 17 May 2008 | |
| Visited the beautiful Longwood National Nature Reserve on the Mendip Hills in fine spring weather to explore Longwood Swallet. |  |
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I accompanied a Russian caver currently resident in Edinburgh, Anna Ermakova. The trip was consolation for us both missing out on joining a party entering Upper Flood cave. Upper Flood is an exciting new discovery under development on Mendip and being a leader cave has restrictions on the number and size of parties on any day. |
| Having negotiated the entrance descent and crawl through the letterbox onto the 10 foot pitch, we made our way down through the Showerbath and traversed into the Main Chamber. Explored the small chamber and streamway off this before climbing back up the side of Main Chamber to access the chamber above Swinging Pitch. I rigged the pitch with a ladder and we were soon descending the rift towards the Lower Streamway. |  |
| The descent itself is impressive with stal features and decorated rift passages above. |  |
| On reaching the Lower Streamway we enjoyed the highly decorated streamway until the stal constricts progress to a flat out crawl in the water. |  |
| Anna
took numerous photographs of the calcite formations as we retraced
our steps back up the stream way before making our way back up the
rift and out of the Main Chamber. Hauling ladders, lifelines and two
camera boxes out of the entrance series proved tiring. We emerged
and packed things up expecting an hour walk back to the MCG hut but
were met by Rich, Ross and Chris from the Upper Flood team who
thought we might appreciate a lift back. Gratefully received!
Photo credits: Anna Ermakova |
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