Lancaster hole via Lancaster hole and County pot

Lancaster to county, from my trip report it looks like we took the high level route, but then did some shinanigans and rather than going out the normal way we came out via whiteline chambers, where the lack of strength at the time hindered me. I am sure glad I am not useless at climbs anymore, like I was back then! I had the nickname of T-rex, not because I was hard, but because I had arms and legs like one lol.

I wrote: The rain was coming down hard today meaning that our original plan of going through top sink to Lancaster was off as the top sink entrance was described as suicidal by some in Berries in the current conditions. A new plan was hatched to instead do Lancaster to County using the stream ways.

So off we went, we didn’t bother rigging county first because Rob said he could free climb it to rig it so off we went. We made the quick wet trudge to Lancaster through the drizzle having put on our SRT at the cars.

Lancaster hole was rigged without too much of a problem and I was the first one to go down the pitch. (After Pete had rigged it-Pete) First bit of the pitch oh dear that darn re-belay rope again! I was on the wrong side of it this time and if I were to go any further I would be stuck between the ropes. But luckily the entrance to Lancaster has plenty of ledges to stand on to sort my self (Pete sorted me out-Pete) out easily and headed down.

I lowered my self down and then across the traverse under the ever-watchful eyes of Rob and Pete. I faffed a little with the almost free hanging (??) re-belay before heading down the pitch, I actually enjoyed the descent.

Rob and Pete headed down shortly afterwards. As we headed away from the pitch the Ease Gill reminded me of how dangerous it could be as I stepped onto a rock my feet slipped away from under me and I came clattering down a slot before I stopped my self on the rock wall behind me. Uninjured I picked my self up and carried on. The upper levels of the Ease Gill system are just covered with slimy slippy rocks making even simple climbs and even walking around far more dangerous and harder then normal.

We headed down the first rope climb that lead to the boulder climb that lead down to the stream level. Rob went first through the boulder climbs as water poured all around us and on us through the boulders. It was as if we where clambering through a giant water filter. Rob reached the stream level it was already waste high as we knew rain was still falling outside we decided that this route would be too dangerous. So we had no choice but to go through the tough high level route full of climbs and clambering. The route was notorious, as it is full of innocent looking holes that lead to 100ft drops to the raging current of the stream below. So one slip in the wrong place and off you go, having already slipped once today this made me nervous (and sweaty).

After going up a muddy climb and scrabbling for a while we reached our first major obstacle, a giant black ravine stretched out before us known as the Cybids Traverse.

The ropes were interesting going down crossing over a rubble bridge into a chasm with nothing but a small rope to hang onto. Going down into the chasm seemed a lot worse then it was however, it looks like there was nothing to stand on where there was plenty. I was clipping in my cow tails into every single bit of rope because of how bad it seemed which was causing me more problems then it solved as the rope tended to get wrapped around my legs. But as it was so slippy I weren’t risking it, one slip and without cowstails and it was a long way down either side if you are not careful.

Progressing up and out of the canyon was a lot easier then going down. After a few more traverses and small boulder climbs we were well on our way. Our next obstacle was a tight squeeze climb, Pete seemed to make hard work of this one (Who had the Tackle bags??-Pete) but because my strength is more in my legs then my arms I simply used brute force to get my self up. At the top of this was another small boulder scramble which we promptly climbed we followed the passage above there only to find out it was a dead end dig, our first and only wrong turning of the day.

Backtracking a little we found our mistake was to go up the boulder climb we should have followed the main passage to the left. From there we headed across a few more traverse and climbs. I again was not taking any chances and was using my cow’s tails wherever I could. We eventually emerged in more familiar territory we had traversed the Snail Cavern and reached Crones Cavern. I remembered this part of the cave system from my first little adventure there with Rob. A bit more scrambling was made through Monster Cavern until we had reached the fixed ladder that lead down to the boulder slope that lead to the stream way. The climb down was grotesque, as someone had decided to defecate in the cave.

After a short rest we dropped into the cold water of the stream way which was waste deep still. We headed down stream before reaching a junction and then taking the first left going up a smaller tributary stream. Progressing up the stream when there is this much water is extremely hard work and I was seriously getting tired at this point, so what did the cave do to help me? It stuck a right awkward rope climb in my way right when I needed it, not.

So I took one look at the rope and thought bugger that, and headed off further up stream and shimmied up the walls out of the steam way by about 8ft and out onto a ledge at the top of the common key hole shaped passage. Only to find that there was no way to get the entrance the rope climb reached? It was blocked off completely from that side by a formation, caves never let you cheat it seems. So in my tired state I had no choice to tackle yet another dreaded rope climb in the Ease Gill system.

The first time I tried it, I fell off no grip, so I took my gloves off tried again had to abort strength starting to fail. Finally with the some assistance with Pete at the top and Rob off to the side I forced my way up the very awkward climb whacking my shin in the process. But this was nothing compared to the next bit for what laid before me next was a free hang climb over a 25ft drop onto a broken metal chain ladder which hung there like a cast off from some by gone era. My face dropped this was the hardest part of the trip for me, it took a lot of effort from all parties to get me up that. It was so difficult partly due to the fear factor where I was thinking one slip and that rope will break, partly due to my own physical strength lacking as I had pushed my self hard already that day but mainly due to my fact I was still wearing my SRT kit which had decided to wedge itself into the rock right at the top the precipice stopping me inches from safety. Rob was the only thing at this point stopping me from sliding back over the edge “Alex I will not let you go.” Rob said. With those words I made one last effort and with the sound of screeching metal of my SRT kit I made it to the top into white line chamber.

We headed off up stream and through a waterfall drenching me, was in-fact quite refreshing at that point so I didn’t bother taking the bypass I saw (you didn’t see it!!-Pete). We then proceeded through Battle of Britain chamber and up the climb to the county pitch. Thankfully we timed it right and another group had already rigged an SRT rope that we asked kindly to use, saving Rob the awkward and dangerous free climb of 8 meters to the top some good luck at last.

After a quick ascent and a few squeezes through the upper county passages we emerged. With all of us now out all that was left to do was to make the mile and half drudge to Lancaster to de-rig. I was amazed at how far this was and how far we must have traveled underground. This trip was certainly a hard a trip and not for the faint hatred, so despite my problems I am still proud to say that I completed that trip from Lancaster to County via the high level route. Rob was also happy as this was his first time on this route too and considered it “A fun trip”. Finally due to Pete’s fantastic memory, we only made one wrong turn in the whole trip.