County Pot, Razor Passage inwards, Showerbath Passage outwards

From Ease Gill

County Pot Entrance Series[edit | edit source]

An easy 4m climb down leads into a pleasant winding passage. [An inlet on the left leads to a pitch down.] Five minutes pleasant caving in a well-sculpted passage with short climbs leads to the first pitch.

  • Ladder descent: 8m ladder rigged to two P-bolts; 20m lifeline.
  • SRT descent: 12m rope; back-up to P-bolt; Y-hang off two P-bolts.

There are two ways on from the bottom of the pitch.

  • The normal route is a 3m climb down, just round the corner from the pitch. This lands in The Broadway.
  • Ascending a boulder slope to the right reaches a crawl to The Snake.

The Broadway[edit | edit source]

The Broadway is a large passage in the County Pot entrance series. There are four routes from the Broadway.

  • Upstream, the stream can be followed for a few minutes until the roof lowers; eventually an aven is reached.
  • Downstream to the left, following the stream, is Razor Passage, leading to Molluscan Hall.
  • Downstream to the right, over a rock slope, is Showerbath Passage, leading to Trident Series, the Manchester Bypass, and Eureka Junction.
  • Part way along the largest part, on the left (looking upstream), is a 3m climb up into the County Pot Exit Series.

Razor Passage[edit | edit source]

Razor Passage starts at the bottom of the Broadway, following a sizeable streamway. It is a walking-size rift passage, with a few short wet climbs. A small inlet on the left is Green Passage. After about five minutes, Toadstool Junction is reached; [a large inlet, Butterfield's Passage, enters on the left.]

Continuing ahead reaches a large chamber where the stream splits. A route between boulders leads to a descent into a chamber where the two branches of the stream re-unite.

Ahead, a climb between boulders drops into the stream, where a short crawl leads to a further climb down between boulders. The stream splits, before re-uniting after a few metres; the route to the right is larger and drier.

Downstream, a passage leads off from a shelf on the left; [this leads to Dismal Bypass with a connection to Sylvester Pot.] After another two minutes, Platypus Junction is reached.

Platypus Junction[edit | edit source]

Platypus Junction is the confluence of the Razor Passage and Showerbath Passage streamways in County Pot. It is marked by a rock that some believe looks like a platypus.

Three passages lead from the junction (described in clockwise order):

  • Downstream leads to Dismal Junction, with connections to Sylvester Pot, The Nice Way and Molluscan Hall;
  • Upstream to the left is Showerbath Passage, leading past Poetic Justice to The Broadway, with connections to Eureka Junction, Manchester Bypass, and Trident Series;
  • Upstream to the right is Razor Passage. After two minutes, a passage leads off from a shelf on the right, leading to Dismal Bypass with a connection to Sylvester Pot. Continuing up Razor Passage leads to The Broadway.

Platypus Junction to Poetic Justice[edit | edit source]

From Platypus Junction, Showerbath Passage is a meandering streamway with occasional dry oxbows. After about five minutes, a boulder slope to the right, by a yellow painted blob on the wall, marks the start of Ignorance is Bliss About 40m ahead, Poetic Justice is reached: an awkward calcited chimney tucked under the left-hand wall, by a stal boss; this leads to Eureka Junction. Ahead leads towards Broadway, passing connections to The Manchester Bypass and Trident Series.

Poetic Justice to Battle of Britain Junction[edit | edit source]

From Poetic Justice, the normal route to Broadway is a short crawl in the streamway. [Alternatively, a longer, dry, well-decorated route is to the right.] The two routes unite in Spout Hall, a large chamber, about 10m by 8m, sloping up ahead and to the right.

The normal route is to ascend The Spout, by stepping up from a ledge on the right. [Alternatively, ascending to the right leads to a bypass.] Ahead soon reaches a junction, at two side passages from a ledge on the left.

Battle of Britain Junction to The Broadway[edit | edit source]

From Battle of Britain Junction, the streamway soon splits at Confusion Corner. [To the left is The Snake.] [The Spout bypass enters on a ledge on the right.] After a few minutes, the Showerbath is reached. Round the corner to the right leads to a slope down into The Broadway.

Broadway to County Pot Exit[edit | edit source]

From the Broadway, the route towards County Pot entrance is a 3m climb on the left-hand side of the passage (when looking upstream), part way along the largest part of the passage. Some cavers find the climb difficult: there is a foothold for the left foot near the top which makes it easier.

At the top of the climb [to the left, a boulder slope ascends to The Snake.] Round the corner to the right, is the first pitch (which needs pre-rigging; see County Pot Entrance Series).

Above the pitch is a pleasant well-sculpted passage, with a few short narrow climbs. [An inlet on the right leads to a pitch down.] After about 10 minutes caving, the entrance is reached: a 4m climb, starting on a ledge on the left.