The day started efficiently, until 30 minutes in where my car decided not to recognise the battery when starting, Sainsbury’s charged me for the wrong pump and a flock of sheep was herded around the car in Clapham… Even so, we got to the winch meet shortly after 12 in sunshine. With very low water at the steppingstones, Wades was promising to be a fairly dry trip.
The water was about 6 inches below normal. Yay. Some photographs were taken in SE pot and GG main chamber and Shezi and I discussed how the speed of the winch looked scary. Two men were drilling/digging en route between SE pot and the main chamber on the theory that an old passage crossed above perpendicularly.
Small Mammal was the chosen escape route, passing a group of 5 from the BPC at the top of the big pitch of Bar Pot. Following a trail of tiny blood splatters confirmed which crawl was to be followed out of Whitehall, leading to some awkward climbs (where I heard screams of pain due to a lack of knee pads), a pretty pitch, another junction with Bar and the scaff climb to Style.
An incredibly fun and efficient trip. <4hours