Thursday 11th September 2025

John Cooper, Adrian Vanderplank and Jude Vanderplank. Down to 15°C now and showery but still dry in the dig. One mix of cement split over 2 buckets taken down by John and Jude with capping kit carried down by Adrian. John cemented in a couple of loose rocks on the way down. Adrian capped the 2 rocks at the bottom and then John used up the cement, not sure how effective it will be. Need a session clearing the bottom to give space to work out what to do next. The two bolt survey stations were located, the lower at the bottom of Father Duckmas, but all the red nail varnish ones further in have been erased. 2 hours. John.

Thursday 4th September 2025

John Cooper, Adrian Vanderplank and Jude Vanderplank. Cooler now, 22°C, and there had been showers but still dry in the dig. Jude down first and called for a bucket for the stones that had been thrown down the entrance shaft. Once removed one mix of cement sent down split over 2 buckets. Jude then went to the bottom and dug out clatch which was sent up to Adrian to stash in the walls of Pensioners’ Pot. When she decided it was no longer safe, the mud was holding up the dig, she came out. John then went down with one of the buckets of cement but before he got there Adrian had managed to dislodge two large rocks. One about 30cm cube , the other only half the size. John used up the first bucket of cement before asking for more suitable building rocks from Adrian. With these and the second bucket of cement a start was made trying to make the place safer. The two large rocks will need capping next time and can then be used as walling rocks. 2 hours. John.

Tuesday 12th August 2025

John Cooper, Wayne Starsmore, Adrian Vanderplank and Jude Vanderplank. 32°C on surface so everyone keen to get underground! Double mix of cement split into 3 loads. All used up by John at the bottom. Small trickle of water at the bottom. Need a clatch clearing session and a lot more cementing still. 2 hours. Still 30°C on exit! 2 hours. John.

Tuesday 5th August 2025

John Cooper and Jude Vanderplank. As the cement buckets had been forgotten Jude went down and retrieved the 2 hauling buckets from the bottom of the entrance shaft. She discovered that not only had paper flares been dropped down the entrance but loads of rocks as well. She sent up half a bucket of rocks to start with and I sent down one mix of cement split over 2 buckets. A smoke test at the dig face showed an outward draught. John used the cement in the wall back from the horizontal bit. Lots more cementing still to do. Small trickle of water at the bottom. On the way out another full bucket of rocks were removed from the entrance shaft. 1½ hours. John.

Tuesday 29th July 2025

John Cooper, Wayne Starsmore, Adrian Vanderplank and Jude Vanderplank. Nice and dry with a good outward draught again today and still cooler on surface. Spoil hauling. Jude loading, Adrian above her, Wayne above him and John at the top each time. Started hauling up Father Duckmas, next haul was to The Tunnel, third haul was to the bottom of the entrance shaft. Final haul had John and Wayne on surface and 11 rather heavier loads were hauled up to add to the surface heap. 2¼ hours. John.

Tuesday 15th July 2025

John Cooper, Wayne Starsmore, Adrian Vanderplank and Jude Vanderplank. Nice and dry with a good outward draught today, cooler on surface at last. Capping kit taken in and used by Adrian at the bottom. Jude just above, Wayne at The Dwarf Trap and John stashing rocks temporarily at the top of Pensioners’ Pot. After a while the bottom three changed to clearing clatch and stashing it in the walls so John ferried some of the rocks to the bottom of Father Duckmas. On returning it was back to rock hauling. At the end of the session all the rocks were cleared from the top of Pensioners’ Pot and stashed at the bottom of Father Duckmas. Needs a hauling session now. 1¾ hours. John.

Jude at bottom. Photo AV.

Looking sideways at bottom. Photo AV.

Thursday 26th June 2025

John Cooper, Adrian Vanderplank and Jude Vanderplank. Warm and dry again today. Half a dozen loads of rocks hauled up to top of Pensioners’ Pot. Then while another half a dozen loads of clatch were moved from the bottom into holes in the wall the rocks were moved on up to the bottom of Father Duckmas shaft. A final load of rocks were then hauled up and Adrian tried to take photos with his pager (doesn’t work!). Nice outward draught. 2 hours. John.