Cave Exploration

The Reyfad Area, Co. Fermanagh
by J. R. Middleton

REYFAD POT

The Whitsuntide exploration of Reyfad Pot in June 1963 proved most successful, more than 3,000 ft. of new passages were explored and surveyed. A full account of previous exploration has already appeared in this Journal^[1], the present account only deals therefore with the discoveries of 1963. On the accompanying plan single letters refer to points on the plan illustrating the previous article, double letters to points in the newly discovered passages.

The 1962 expedition left four possible points of departure:

(a)    Upstream from the Main Chamber, beyond ‘W’.
(b)    Up the North West Inlet Passage beyond ‘N’.
(c)    Possible side passages of the Southern Inlet Passage, between ‘P’ and ‘V.
(d)    Downstream from the Main Chamber, beyond the boulder jam at ‘J’.

The Southern Inlet Passage had only been very briefly explored in 1962, but there was not enough time in 1963 for item (c) to be carried out. The boulder jam at ‘J’, which was found impenetrable in 1962, could possibly be forced with the right equipment, which the Club unfortunately did not have at its disposal, so item (d) could not be followed up either. In order to explore items (a) and (b) it was necessary, in the short time available, to get two parties of four down more than 300 ft. of descent, this in itself being no mean feat owing to the awkwardness of the pitch. All that could in fact be done on the first day was to ladder the pitch, lower the equipment and rig up the telephone.

On the second day a party consisting of T. W. Salmon, R. Gowing, D. Moorhouse and J. R. Middleton set out from ‘W’ to explore up the Main Stream Passage. This had been the subject of a quick exploration for about 300 ft. in 1962. A descent of about 6 feet to the stream in the north west corner of the Main Chamber leads into a high and well worn stream passage with occasionally a fracture in the left hand wall. This passage varies between 3 and 8 feet in width and continues over a fairly even bed and round slight bends for 200 ft., at which point the boulder choke is first reached. This starts with just the odd boulder jammed across the passage but after about 100 feet, and for the next 300 feet the way was above, below and round a chaotic mass of large and frequently loose boulders. To ensure an easy return it was essential to leave candles or markers in this section. In several places it was possible to move over to the left out of the boulders and into what must be a continuation of the Main Chamber, now for the most part blocked with boulders and compact mud. Wherever such openings were met the roof was richly adorned with glistening straws. Several of these openings were left unexplored, the object being to follow the stream passage.

When the boulders thinned out the passage, varying in width from 3 to 6 feet and in height from 3 to 8 feet, continued, gently meandering and containing several small groups of roof formations. The roof began to rise and at about 100 feet from the end of the Boulder Choke the stream turned abruptly to the right, ‘AA’. A dry passage, larger than the stream passage, led straight ahead, and a quick reconnaisance of this was made. After a few yards a 12 foot climb up loose rocks and slippery mud led into what the party concluded must be four of the most beautifully decorated grottoes in the British Isles. Each chamber contained practically every formation it was possible to imagine, stalactites, stalagmites, helictites, cave coral, rimstone pools and cascades. The passage was not pushed to its limits for fear of damaging the formations, but it is quite possible that the chambers go further.

From ‘AA’ where the stream turns abruptly right, the passage, though remaining high, narrowed immediately and continued up several steps and round acute bends until a very high passage, Main Stream Passage East, was reached, 2 to 3 feet wide with the stream filling most of the floor. Continuing over and under an occasional wedged boulder for a further 80 feet it opened into Statue Chamber ‘BB’, a high triangular chamber, directly across which they saw a most magnificent stalagmite and cascade, almost luminous in their whiteness. The same type of passage went on for another 190 ft. to a lake ‘CC, of unknown depth but where a 20 ft. wide pool could be crossed with head and shoulders above water by following ledges along the right hand side and jumping the last few feet.

After a short stretch of wading knee deep, Main Stream Passage East went on as before the lake, though slightly wider, along an easy course for 250 ft. to a small chamber ‘DD’. From here a vertical 10 ft. climb on breakable chert up a waterfall, quickly followed by another climb of 6 ft. led in to an entirely different type of passage—tight, twisty and with sharp projec-tions; this finished with a very large aven,’EE’, measuring some 35 ft. square and well over 100 ft. in height, even the party’s strong electric lamp beams could not reach the roof. Down the sheer walls of this aven the Reyfad stream descended with impressive force, making further exploration in this direction impossible, although an entry might be forced from Pollnatullybrach.

On the return journey the party explored a small stream which entered from the right, ‘FF’, shortly before the lake ‘CC’ The stream, after a 10 ft. climb, was followed on hands and knees for 30 feet to a long pool 2 feet deep with 2 inches of air space above it. After about 3 feet with nose against roof, the roof gradually rose to a 5 ft. high passage leading to a small chamber ‘GG’. The passage headed east at first but after an 8 ft. climb it turned north west. After a few more feet there was another climb, up loose rocks but at this point the lateness of the hour made imperative a return to the Main Chamber. On arriving at the base of the main shaft and finding that the second party had not yet returned, two members started to ascend while the other two went into Confusion Cavern and poked about among the boulders. They found several drops going down 20 or 25 feet and some short crawls which after 20 or 30 feet were choked with the fine Reyfad sand.

In the meantime a second party consisting of B. Nicholson, J. Hooper, D. Woodman and J. Hatfield had crossed Confusion Cavern and gone into the North West Inlet Passage. Here they had made the startling discovery that this passage from ‘M’ to ‘N’, went in a north westerly direction and not southwards as shown on the 1962 survey. Reluctant to believe that a mistake had been made they spent quite a long time at the southern end of Confusion Cavern, but all they found was a tight tunnel ascending to a chamber about 12 feet long, 5 feet wide and 10 feet high with no possible outlet.

Proceeding up the North West Inlet Passage, the measurements made and described by the 1962 party were checked and, where necessary, revised. This party had been stopped where the fine clay mud appeared to reach the roof, at point ‘N’ A closer examination at this point revealed a low but fairly comfortable crawl over smooth mud, extending into the unknown. The 1963 party followed this crawl for 35 feet, noticing some fine helictites on the right hand wall. At ‘PP’ they looked into an impressive sloping chamber with a floor of sand and mud; a small stream flowed along the bottom of the right hand wall. Seventy feet across this chamber a bank of mud, reaching the roof, stretched to some boulders bridging the stream, ‘QQ’. From here was a great meandering clay canyon, with the stream occasionally bridged by large boulders, continuing for some 180 feet, at which point, ‘RR’, the roof came down to 20 feet. The passage was the same width and showed the same characteristics for a further 200 feet, along this section were some fine stalactites and helictites and in several places calcified mud cups with cave pearls.

At ‘SS’ the passage narrowed and became low, progress being almost on hands and knees. A very low bedding plane led off to the left while on the right a narrow steep slope led down to the stream; at this point there were again many quite remarkable helictites. Beyond the crawl the passage again widened to form another chamber ‘TT’ with two alternative routes from it. To the left up a small slope there was a 20 foot pitch, ‘Z’, this was not descended but a good view of the bottom could be had and no possible way out was seen. The main passage continued straight forward for 80 ft. and then, at ‘UU\ turned abruptly to the right. From here for the next 180 ft. to the end of the cave at ‘XX’ the mud was of a much darker colour and contained fragments of grass and heather together with the odd worm cast, indicating that this point was very near the surface. The North West Inlet Passage finished in a very impressive way, the final chamber, ‘VV’ with the stream entering through a very solid boulder choke, was well provided with most beautiful formations. Several narrow fissures in the walls at this point were climbed in the hope of finding an easy exit, but without result, much to the disappointment of those members reluctant to climb the 310 feet back to the surface.

As this will probably be the last attack on Reyfad, at least for some years to come, it is not inopportune to mention that this latest exploration is the culmination of five visits by the Club. The exciting possibilities of a big pothole were realised in 1939 when the first entry was made and successive descents in 1948, 1960, 1962 and 1963 have amply justified the early hopes. Without doubt Reyfad is an extremely severe pothole which must be approached with great caution and, in the words of its discoverer, “must be treated as a major Alpine expedition”. There is much rotten rock and an accident to a party below the narrow slot at approximately 200 ft. would be disastrous.

It was entirely fitting that Ernest Roberts discovered Reyfad in 1939 and during the ensuing quarter of a century it has been a continuous challenge to the Club. It had long been a hope that Reyfad, Pollanaffrin and Noon’s Hole would connect into a major system but it now seems that this hope will not be realised. Nevertheless Reyfad alone is a magnificent system and will leave a tremendous impression upon all those who have made the descent. Its exploration must surely rank as one of the finest exploits of the Club.

POLLNATULLYBRACH

When a rough plan of the upstream section of Reyfad Pot had been drawn, it was plotted on the surface to see if a way could be found down to the top of the Terminal Aven. Within 40 yards of where the aven should be, a stream about the size of the Reyfad one sinks in some boulders in a small rift about 30 ft. long and 4 ft. wide with jammed boulders all the way along about 5 ft. down. The middle looked the best place to start removing the boulders and soon it was possible to squeeze through and down a 20 ft. pitch at the bottom of which is a small chamber about the same size as the rift above.

At the end opposite to where the water showers down the two walls join, all but a hole six feet up, about one foot high and six inches wide, where we could look through into a medium sized chamber and hear falling water, but without explosives it was impossible to get through. Following the course of the water we came at once to a 90° bearing to the right in the passage. The roof came down to within 4 inches of the water surface; Salmon and Middleton entered this low but wide crawl which after a further 12 ft. again turns to the right. At this point a wall of chert about an inch thick was found to be damming the water. As it was impossible to get over it, it was kicked down; this had the immediate effect of reducing the water level by a good six inches. Beyond, the roof once more came down to within a few inches of the water which was about 18 inches deep.

After a further 6 ft. the passage turned left and the water became shallower but the roof came down lower. A crawl of 10 feet and the passage was again blocked by a chert wall which was battered down with a rock. After a few more feet of crawling on hands and knees and a drop of 3 ft. the water vanished into an impenetrable crack in a small chamber. It did, however, sound as if it dropped down a further fall after a few feet.

NOON’S HOLE

On all previous Y.R.C. visits since the war to Noon’s infamous hole the stream proved to be the major obstacle to deep penetration of the hole. In 1963 there were nearly ten days of hot, dry weather prior to our arrival and the water presented no difficulty on any pitch.

The attacking party consisted of eight men, of whom three were to descend. Twelve rope ladders were joined together and lowered after being firmly belayed to two of the trees which grow in forest-like profusion round the top of the pot. The Bridge was the first stop; 108 ft. of free-hanging pot-holer’s delight from the surface. From here there is a choice of three holes, all of which join up 12 ft. lower down. One takes all the water and so is definitely out, the second is too tight but the third is large and almost dry. From the Bridge to the first ledge is another easy descent of 60 ft., the ladder hanging about a foot from the wall.

This boulder strewn ledge is quite large, 20 ft. long by 10 ft. at its widest, with the stream sprinkling down at one end. From here three pitches go down, marked A, B and C on the plan. Pitch A is tucked away in a corner and at the top is about 3 ft. by 2 ft.; it seems to get narrower but comes out, as we found later, halfway down Pitch E. The other two, B and C, are almost one at the top, being separated by only a thin flake of rock. B is circular, about 4 ft. in diameter and 45 ft. deep; not till we had descended this pitch did we realise that the correct way down was C. One man, Moorhouse, was left on this ledge; T. Salmon and J. Middleton went on down, reaching the second ledge after a further 25 ft. This is really the bottom of a narrow fissure connecting B and C together.

The next 40 ft. to the third ledge is rather awkward as the ladder hangs at an angle. A short passage leads off at this ledge but pitch C still continues straight down for 60 ft. to a boulder-covered floor. From the third ledge a 6 ft. climb leads to a further pitch, D. The short passage from the ledge leads to the edge of yet another drop and on this pitch the water pours down from the roof, this must be a very nasty place in bad weather. Pitch E was an easy descent of 65 ft.; the bottom is roughly circular and covered with small rocks through which the water seems to sink. The stream, however, reappears running down a small passage to the left of the ladder. This leads downhill to an evil looking pool which quickly reaches a depth where swimming is the only method forward; stones thrown down pitch D splashed into this water. The pool was not forced to its absolute limit but the roof could be seen to be nearing the water level and it looked most improbable that the passage went any further. This point is almost level with the resurgence at Arch Cave.

LA SPELEOLOGIE EN FRANCE AU COURS DE L’ANNEE 1963
by Robert de Joly

Even if 1963 was not rich in discoveries there was all the same, work being done underground. An attempt by Michel Siffre to establish a record for a prolonged stay underground received much publicity. He stayed for 64 days in a cold pot-hole and came out in a wretched condition. Geoff Workman, an Englishman, did much better in Stump Cross, where he spent more than 100 days.

While on the subject of the British, mention must be made of their achieving, under the leadership of Ken Pearce, the greatest depth ever attained in speleology. They reached the 1,135 metre (3,721 ft.) level in Gouffre Berger, Vercors. It was not easy as there was water!

In the Pyrenees a team under the direction of Norbert Casteret again attacked Coume Ouarnede, but not without trouble, a thunderstorm blocked the leading group for three days. It took them 8 days to reach a depth of 300 metres (985) ft.) and to return to the surface. They did a coloration with fluorescein which reappeared in the Goueil li her^[2] in the same massif. Casteret and I explored the Goueil years ago, but could not pass the siphon, it has since been found dry and further penetration has been made.

The Perigueux Speleological Club once again staged an assault on the Quebe de Cotch in the Pyrenees. Though hampered by thunderstorms they managed to reach a depth of 440 metres (1,443 ft.).

The cave La Clamouse (Herault), which has rich formations, is being prepared for opening to the public. It was discovered by the Montpellier Club in 1944; it is more than 3 Km. long but only a section of it is being opened.

The Carpentras (Vaucluse) Club, which has been working for several years in the Aven de la Rabasse, in the gorge of the River Nesque, explored in 1935 by myself, has carried out a most interesting and successful coloration. Fluorescein put into the Nesque reappeared 34 days later at a point 22 Km. away at the famous Fontaine de Vaucluse. We had predicted this hydrological relationship.

There have been several serious accidents during the year. In June a party from Lyon were cut off in the Goule de Fossoubie (Ardeche) by a violent thunderstorm, two members were drowned. Near Sarlat (Dordogne) a party of 7 explorers were making their way along a gallery in the Grotte de Tamnies when a fall of rock and debris crushed two of them. One was killed, the other badly hurt. Speleology is not without its risks!

Caves open to the public: —

In the Aven Orgnac, in Lower Ardeche, a cave of international renown, a lift is being installed.
In Aven Armand, another of the same class, a funicular is being erected.

(Translated from the French by the Editor).

New Discoveries

Birkdale Common — Border Pot. This pot-hole is situated on the Westmorland/North Riding border about 400 yards south of the B6270 Kirby Stephen to Keld road, among a number of sinks; Ordnance Survey Sheet 90, reference 809038. It was discovered by two members of the Teesdale Club in 1957 but was not entered until October 1963 when two members of the Cleveland Mountaineering Club bottomed the pot. Entrance is by a small hole in the side of the sink, on to a 35 ft. pitch, wet but does not need laddering, which leads on to a boulder slope. At the top of this slope twin eyelets on the left hand wall lead to a 25 ft. dry pitch; the pillar between the eyelets can be used as a belay. This leads directly on to a third pitch of 70 ft., free, which has a very narrow and awkward start. Belay for the third pitch is a thin flake on the right hand wall. No further progress is possible.

W. A. Linford.

Derbyshire — Castleton — Oxlow Cavern. In March 1964 a party of 6, G. Kitchen, D. Laud, E. Mason, R. Foster, K. Foster and J. R. Middleton, using scaling ladders, found a new system opening out from the passage between East Chamber and West Chamber. A 1,000 ft. hands and kneels crawl leads to four avens and two large chambers, followed by a portcullis duck and a sump, a total distance of about 2,500 ft. Several other passages, one of 700 ft. and another of at least 200 ft. were entered and indicated further possibilities. The cavern was explored in 1922 by B. Holden, A. Humphreys and H. Humphreys (Y.R.C.J. 1924, Vol. V, No. 16, page 135); recent measurements show several important differences from those made at that time. A side passage leading off to the right just before the beginning of the 1,000 ft. crawl (named Pilgrims’ Way), down a body-tight tube, led to an aven below East Chamber and to a boulder chamber with a choked pitch at the bottom. Stones dropped down this seemed to fall some 100 ft., and water could be heard. Oxlow Cavern is just off the Rake on which are situated both Peak and Speedwell Caverns^[3].  If the three could be joined up it would indeed be a fantastic system.

J. R. Middleton.

Breconshire — Glyn Tawe — Dan-yr-Ogof. In April 1964 T. Salmon, D. Moorhouse and J. R. Middleton worked their way along a passage starting well up the sand slope on the left hand side of Boulder Chamber. This passage turns left, goes steeply uphill and then levels out into a 30 ft. crawl leading to a small chamber and after a further 30 ft. to another, both of which contained brilliant calcite cascades. No marks of previous exploration were seen though it could not be said with precision that nobody had been there before. From the entrance to the second chamber a rather tight passage led upwards to the right; this was definitely new ground as several straws growing from roof to floor had to be broken. The passage contains many crystal clear helictites; it was followed along the top of a rift about 15 ft. deep after which it continued over boulders and mud to a choke. At the edge of the rift a blue stalagmite was found.

J. R. Middleton.

Fountains Fell. The Yorkshire Post reports the discovery of what may turn out to be a major pot-hole by the Craven Pothole Club. The exact location is not being disclosed until the pot, dangerous in places, has been fully surveyed.

Cave Abstracts by The Editor

ITALY

Michel Siffre. Bulletin No. 13 of l’Equipe Speleo de Bruxelles defends the much publicised and criticised survival experiment of the Institut Francais de Speleologie when Michel Siffre spent 64 days in the Gouffre de Scarasson, Briga Alta, Italy, the deepest underground fossil glacier in the world. The objects of this highly successful experiment were to examine:

(1)    the problems of human acclimatisation and protection in conditions: humidity 100%, temperature below 0°C.
(2)    physiological changes in sensory thresholds, reaction time and neuro-muscular excitability.
(3)    psychological changes under conditions of stress, and defence against such changes.
(4)    scientific problems relating to the stratified glacier.
(5)    the geology and meterology of the cave.
(6)    underground glaciology; origin, destination, age, temperature of formation, structure, texture and movement of the glacier; moraines, pollens and cosmic dust.

Sardinia. Bulletin No. 15 of the same club describes Sardinia as a speleological paradise, more than 500 caves of which only 100 have been explored. The most important known caves are: —

Grotta di Nettuno, near d’Alghero. Fine formations and a large lake.
Grotta del Bue Marino, near Cala Gonone. More than 4 Km. long.
Grotta de Su Bentu. Longest in Italy, more than 6 Km.
Voragine di Golgo. Vertical pot hole, 270 metres.

FRANCE

Grotte du Lion, Ardeche. In March 1963 two pot-holers from St. Martin d’Ardeche were exploring a cave, the entrance to which had recently been exposed by blasting operations on a new road. They came upon some fine drawings of oxen, ibex and deer which, on examination were attributed to the Solu-trean culture, about 25,000 years ago. The cave was immediately sealed by the authorities pending a thorough examination.

“Life in a Cave”. This is the title of a paper published in New Scientist, No. 346, 4th July, 1963 and written by Professor Albert Vandel, Director of the Underground Laboratory of the Centre National de Recherche Scientifique at Moulis, in the Pyrenees. This station was mentioned by Robert de Joly in Y.R.C.J., No. 31, page 213. The succession of animal life in most British caves came to an abrupt stop at the onset of the maximum glaciation about 100,000 years ago, but the evolutionary sequence has continued uninterrupted in France. It is thus possible to study all aspects of cave life and the way in which cavernicoles have evolved away from their surface relatives in the absence of sunlight and with entirely different sources of food. The laboratory includes a natural grotto below ground for experimental work, and a surface laboratory for biological, physical, chemical and geological investigation. The research is concerned with three interrelated subjects: —

(1)    The rearing of cavernicoles under natural conditions.
(2)    The measurement of their bodily activity and metabolism
(3)    Their food sources.

It has been found that metabolism is very much slowed down, in the case of certain Crustacea the respiration rate is one fifteenth of the rate of the surface relatives. Maturity is reached later and the cavernicoles five longer. Clay is the main, if not the only, source of food, bacteria in the clay provide both the nutritive substances and the vitamins. It seems in fact that there is a biological cycle within the bowels of the Earth which is independent of sunlight and derives its energy from the chemistry of the rocks. Might this kind of life be found to exist on the Moon?

BELGIUM

Grottes de Hotton. This cave was discovered accidentally during quarrying operations in 1958, and was found to contain many magnificent formations. Fearing that visitors would interfere with his business, the owner of the quarry sealed the cave and allowed nobody to enter, though only a fraction of it had been explored. However, Belgian speleologists, after a prolonged survey on the surface, concluded that a depression in the. ground some 650 metres from the quarry entrance must correspond to one of the known chambers in the system. Permission to dig was obtained from the owner of the land on which the sink was situated and excavation at the bottom of the sink was continued for two years in spite of many difficulties and much scepticism. Finally, at a depth of 12 metres and after piercing a thick layer of solidified clay, a breakthrough was made into the upper system of the Grotte de Hotton. There are 1,500 metres of known passages and it is estimated that there is at least twice this length still to be discovered. Norbert Casteret’s comment on the success of the Belgian club was a “speleological exploit without precedent”.

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