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.

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, 2 °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.