Tuesday 18th November 2025

John Cooper, Kate Lawrence, Adrian Vanderplank, Jude Vanderplank and Barry Wilkinson. Cold, 5°C on surface, and rain shower as we changed and started work. Kate and Jude at the Soakaway, Adrian on the Naughty Step and Barry and John on the surface. The intention is to check out the opposite direction from the current way down ie in the Soakaway direction. 20 loads of clatch and cobbles were hauled out today, much of it debris from the past digging efforts. 1½ hours. John.

Thursday 13th November 2025

John Cooper, Nigel Graham, Kate Lawrence, Adrian Vanderplank and Jude Vanderplank. Still warm but getting wetter every day. Adrian at the bottom of Pensioners’ Pot capping the step to give more room to work. Jude above him, Kate above her and John at the top stacking the rocks that were sent up. A very good outwards draught today with the capping fumes racing out. That meant it was cold being under the drips! Probably the last session for the year. Two dead karabiners from the hauling ropes brought out to be replaced next time we go in. There is still some spoil at the bottom that could be removed but too wet for cement work now. 1½ hours. John.

Thursday 6th November 2025

John Cooper, Kate Lawrence, Wayne Starsmore, Adrian Vanderplank and Jude Vanderplank. Clearance session today. All the rocks at the bottom of Father Duckmas shaft were moved up in stages, initially to the top of Father Duckmas, then to the Tunnel, then to the bottom of the entrance shaft and finally 13 rather heavier loads reached the surface. Still fairly dry and warm, 14°C on the surface, and not too drippy underground. 2½ hours. John.

Thursday 30th October 2025

John Cooper, Kate Lawrence, Adrian Vanderplank and Jude Vanderplank. Cool still, 12°C, but windy and light showers now. Kate and Jude at the bottom, Adrian below John who was at the top of Pensioners’ Pot. Very slightly drippier but still workable. Rocks were hauled all the way up but the clatch was deposited in holes in the wall. At the end of the session Adrian went to the bottom for a look and piccies. He also sent up a token rock. A total of 8 loads of rocks and 6 of clatch removed from the dig face. The rocks were moved on from the top of Pensioners’ Pot to the base of Father Duckmas shaft. Next we need to clear this and cap a bit more at the dig face. 2 hours. John.

Video of Dig Face

Tuesday 21st October 2025

John Cooper, Kate Lawrence, Adrian Vanderplank and Jude Vanderplank. Cool still, 14°C, but heavy showers now. Double cement mix split between 4 buckets. John used it all up trying to make the bottom safer. Some of the cement was washing out as the bottom is getting wetter again. Needs a good clatch clearing session next. 1¾ hours. John.

Wall showing final survey station (58). Photo AV.

Looking under and left. Photo AV.

Lower view onwards. Photo AV.

Lower view to right. Photo AV.

Down to right. Photo AV.

Tuesday 14th October 2025

John Cooper, Kate Lawrence, Adrian Vanderplank and Jude Vanderplank. Cooler now at 14°C, overcast but no rain and still dry in the dig. Adrian and Kate went to the bottom with Adrian’s capping kit. John and Jude were to survey from the last fixed station to the bottom. Adrian was merrily capping away when a boulder popped out of the wall, slid down his leg and landed on the floor. This was not supposed to happen so he rapidly retreated. John and Jude were happily unaware and continued surveying down until a people choke occurred. Took a while to pass as it’s not big enough for that. John finished off the survey then Adrian came back down to view the damage. A few mixes of cement should sort it out! 1¾ hours. John.

PS re survey. Not much added depth since survey a year ago. Entrance at 242OD.
The lowest survey station then was at 168.75OD with a splay to 167.55OD.
Now lowest survey station is at 167.23OD with a splay to 165.33OD (through hole in floor).
Note the floor is at 166.6OD.

Thursday 18th September 2025

John Cooper, Kate Lawrence, Adrian Vanderplank and Jude Vanderplank. Back up to 18°C now and still showery, but dry in the dig. Clearing rocks and clatch from the bottom of Pensioners’ Pot. Jude at the bottom loading with Adrian above her, Kate above him and John at the top. Started with clearing rocks which John stashed at the top of Pensioners’ Pot. After a while a spell of clatch clearing with Adrian stashing it in the wall allowed John to move some of the larger rocks along to the bottom of Father Duckmas. More rocks were then hauled up Pensioners’ Pot. At the end Adrian swapped with Jude and went to look at the bottom. John and Kate moved more rocks up to the base of Father Duckmas. Finally Kate went to the bottom for a look while Jude replaced her loading rocks. Can do another session of clearing the dig face before we need to clear the bottom of Father Duckmas. 1½ hours. John.

Floor at bottom. Photo AV.

Along at bottom. Photo AV.

Down & along at bottom. Photo AV.