County Pot to Link Pot

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.

Showerbath Passage, from Broadway to Battle of Britain Junction[edit | edit source]

Showerbath Passage is easy walking passage. The Showerbath itself is on the first bend, bringing in a sizeable streamway.

Downstream, an inlet on the right leads to a climb, [and then becomes small.] After a few minutes, Confusion Corner is reached. [To the right is The Snake, the original route from Oxford Pot]. [On a ledge on the left is the start of a crawl, which rejoins the main route in Spout Hall; this provides a useful bypass to The Spout in bad weather.]

Shortly after, are two side passages on a ledge on the right.

Ahead leads towards Poetic Justice.

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

The stream passage soon reaches The Spout, a short waterfall into Spout Hall; the waterfall can be passed by climbing down on the left onto a ledge. Spout Hall is about 10m by 8m, and slopes down, ahead and to the right. [The bypass to The Spout enters on the left at the start of the chamber.] At the bottom of the chamber is the choice of two routes. The normal route is a short crawl following the water. [Alternatively, a longer, dry, well-decorated route is to the left.]

The two routes join. Immediately, at the first point where it is possible to stand up, is a narrow, 3m-high calcited chimney tucked under the right-hand wall, by a stal boss. This is Poetic Justice, leading to Eureka Junction. The streamway ahead leads to Platypus Junction, passing Ignorance is Bliss.

Poetic Justice to Pierce's Passage[edit | edit source]

The climb up Poetic Justice is awkward, the site of many a struggle. It can be climbed by jamming a foot into the left-hand crack, and pushing up from the obvious nobble. A sling or handline rigged from the top can help.

At the top is a bedding plane with stal bosses. Crawling forward leads to a short drop into a stream rift passage. [Upstream is a route to Battle of Britain Chamber.] Downstream leads immediately to a 6m pitch.

  • 15m rope; backup to drilled thread; Y-hang off two P-bolts.

The pitch drops into Pierce's Passage. Two minutes of easy walking leads to the junction with Trident Passage, where a sizeable streamway enters.

Pierce's Passage, from Trident Junction to Eureka Junction[edit | edit source]

The route descends through boulders, and follows the stream along a tall sculpted passage. Soon, just after a left-then-right meander, two prominent calcite bands mark the climb up to Ignorance is Bliss. Continuing downstream, after a few minutes, the water disappears; a step up enters a roof oxbow. Very soon, the Wretched Rabbit passage is passed on the right. Ahead, the passage soon meets the main streamway at Eureka Junction.

Eureka Junction[edit | edit source]

Eureka Junction is in the Easegill streamway, where the route from County Pot and the Wretched Rabbit traditional route hit the streamway. Note: this area floods to the roof in wet weather.

  • Downstream, a stooping passage leads after a couple of minutes to a choke.

Eureka Junction to Stop Pot[edit | edit source]

From Eureka Junction, two minutes of easy walking upstream in a large stream passage leads to the Stop Pot Boulder Choke.

In reasonably dry conditions, the easiest route through the choke is to follow the streamway, near the left-hand wall. The route is in the stream for most of the way through the choke, climbing up to a traverse just above the stream part way through. After a couple of minutes, the route emerges at Stop Pot.

[Alternatively, ascending the slope-come-side-passage to the right for about 6m leads to a dry route into the choke, by a small knobbly stal boss. The crawl starts low, with an orange floor in places. After a couple of minutes, the route opens out in a more bouldery area. Shortly ahead, the route rejoins the wet route.]

Stop Pot[edit | edit source]

Stop Pot is a major junction in the Easegill streamway. It is in a very bouldery area, with a boulder choke downstream.

Several routes lead from Stop Pot. The following are described from a position in the streamway, surrounded by boulders, at the base of the boulder slope leading up to the fixed ladder, where the streamway splits. In a clockwise direction:

  • A few metres upstream, on the right-hand wall, a climb onto a ledge leads to Depot Passages.
  • Following the stream downstream to the left, and clambering ahead over boulders leads to a dry route through the choke, towards Eureka Junction.
  • Between the two branches of the stream is a large ascending boulder slope; part way up the boulder slope, on the left, is the route to Four Ways, a flood-escape route into Wretched Rabbit.
  • At the top of the boulder slope is the Stop Pot ladder, up to Mainline Terminus at the start of the high-level route leading towards Lancaster Hole and Cow Pot, with a connection to Link Pot, Pippikin Pot, Bye George, Peterson Pot, and Mistral.
  • Following the stream downstream to the right leads to the wet route through the choke, towards Eureka Junction.

Stop Pot to Mainline Terminus[edit | edit source]

From the streamway at Stop Pot, the boulder slope can be ascended for 40m (with 20m of ascent). At the top is a fixed 6m iron ladder, leading up into the high-level series.

At the top of the ladder, a passage leads through a chamber to a junction; [to the left soon closes down]. Two minutes of walking passage, 1-2m wide with boulder obstacles, leads to a climb up between boulders. This enters a chamber with straws on the roof and stal to the right. The best route is to follow the left-hand wall, a slightly precarious route over large boulders. Ahead, stooping passage passes a passage to the right [which leads to a long dig]. The passage opens out at Mainline Terminus.

Main Line Terminus[edit | edit source]

Main Line Terminus is at the eastern end of the high-level series leading from Lancaster Hole to Easegill. Several routes lead from Main Line Terminus; in a clockwise direction:

  • To the west is the very large Monster Cavern, leading towards Lancaster Hole.
  • To the left (as seen from Monster Cavern) is an alcove, leading to a split of routes: [to the left leads to a long dug passage]; to the right leads towards Stop Pot.
  • Ahead, and slightly right (as seen from Monster Cavern), leads after 20m to a junction: to the left leads to Carrot Chamber; to the right over a mud bank is Manchester Bypass, an important flood escape route leading to County Pot.

Monster Cavern to Snail Cavern[edit | edit source]

From Main Line Terminus, Monster Cavern is the very large (10m wide), boulder-strewn passage, leading westwards. The passage gradually widens to 20m wide, and passes a blind alcove on the right.

After about four minutes, a junction is met with three passages on the left.

  • About 4m up the left-hand wall is a window, which is the end of Main Line Passage; reaching the passage requires pre-rigging: it is normally entered from the other end, near Main Line Terminus.
  • A few metres to the right of Main Line Passage, about 6m up, is another window, with a rope leading up to it (February 2016); this is Sideline Passage.
  • Below and to the right of Sideline Passage is a steep descent, which leads into Lower Snail Cavern.

Continuing up the boulder slope ahead leads into Snail Cavern.

Snail Cavern to Cornes' Cavern[edit | edit source]

Snail Cavern is another very large, boulder-strewn passage. After about two minutes, some taped-off formations on the right are reached. Ahead, the passage narrows to about 3m wide. It soon widens again into Cornes' Cavern. Hidden behind a very large boulder on the left at the start of Cornes' Cavern is the start of the Mancunian Way.

Cornes' Cavern to the Minarets[edit | edit source]

Cornes' Cavern is an extremely large chamber. A gulley can be followed through the middle of the passage.

At the end of the cavern, slightly to the right, clambering over boulders leads to a crawl to the right, which steps down into the Minarets, a series of parallel minaret-shaped passages. The first passage leads for 10m to a low crawl to the left. A stooping passage leads for 10m to another low crawl to the left. This leads into another minaret-shaped passage which runs back to the right for 30m. The passage leads up a slope to the right, and then steps up into Oakes Cavern.

The Minarets to Oxbow Corner[edit | edit source]

Oakes Cavern is another very large passage. The route through the cavern passes a pile of large boulders chocked against the roof, with stal bosses. At the end of the cavern, by some formations taped-off to the right, the way narrows.

Ahead, the route soon widens again. The way on is a climb down to the left, by a stal boss on a rock. [Ahead leads to a steep descent.] A crawl leads round a couple of corners. The roof briefly rises in a chamber, but then lowers again to continuing crawl, which emerges on a ledge overlooking Oxbow Corner.

At the end of the crawl, the passage slopes down to the right to Oxbow Corner. [Descending the slope reaches the streamway; downstream, the stream can be followed through a choke towards Stake Pot.] Ahead, the right-hand wall becomes undercut. At the point where the undercut stops, and where the left-hand wall is streaked with calcite, is an easily missed junction.

  • 3m to the right of the trodden path is a 50cm by 70cm hole down between boulders. One metre into the hole is the start of a thin rope that acts as a guideline. Following the guideline soon leads to an awkward 3m handline climb down. A further 5m clamber down reaches the streamway. Downstream leads towards Stake Pot. [Upstream leads through a choke to Oxbow Corner.]
  • Continuing ahead is the high-level route to Stake Pot.

Oxbow Corner to Stake Pot, via the High-Level Route[edit | edit source]

About two minutes ahead, the floor rises towards the roof, forcing an easy crawl. A couple of minutes beyond the crawl, the passage starts to descend towards Charybdis, a large hole dropping to the stream. The descent route starts to the right, and then crosses to the left wall. A step up leads to the start of a traverse on a ledge to the left, the latter part of which has a traverse line; take care to avoid damaging the footholds here.

Very soon ahead is Scylla, another large hole dropping to the streamway. Again it is bypassed by a ledge on the left, with a traverse line.

About three minutes ahead reaches the fine Painter's Palette formations. A 4m hand-line climb descends past the formations.

After about another five minutes, an important junction is reached.

  • To the left, behind boulders, is an irregular-shaped hole, marking the start of the E.P.C. Series, leading to Link Pot.
  • Continuing ahead for 30m leads to the top of a 3m hand-line climb, which descends to Stake Pot.

E.P.C. Series Junction to Canuck Climb[edit | edit source]

From the junction above Stake Pot, the route starts as stooping passage, round a couple of bends, passing above various holes in the floor. Ahead, the passage closes down immediately; to the right, a 2m ascent up a mud bank leads to a crawl. The crawl slopes down into a small but complex chamber. [A muddy route descends a hole in the floor, towards the sound of the streamway.] The way on is to turn sharply left at the point of entry at the top of the chamber, and crawl upwards. Very soon a junction is reached: [a narrow passage continues straight ahead;] the way on is a walking passage to the left. A few metres ahead is a step down [with another passage doubling back underneath]. A few metres further ahead reaches a junction in a bouldery area, with a side passage to the right.

Straight ahead at the junction, a crawl over a polished boulder leads to a traverse at the top of a rift. The traverse soon reaches the streamway. Continuing upstream, a long, straight, narrow rift provides a mix of walking and crawl traverses just above the stream. A crawl under a boulder leads to mostly walking passage. After about three minutes, Thirsty Junction is reached. [To the left, with the stream, leads to Razor Aven.] Ahead, round a couple of bends, leads to a junction, just before some stal.

  • The normal route is a crawl to the right at floor level, leading to Canuck Climb.
  • Ahead leads into The Subway.

Canuck Climb to Long Gallery[edit | edit source]

Cannuck Climb is a 5m climb up with a fixed iron ladder. At the top of the ladder passages go in both directions. [To the left soon closes down.] The way on is to the right, up a small boulder pile to a crawl which leads up through boulders into a chamber.

A well-trodden route continues. A crawl past stal leads to a left turn into a larger passage with tall stal bosses. Ahead, a crawl soon leads into the next chamber. [A side passage leads to the right, and a small crawl leads ahead.] The way on is the largest passage, a walking passage to the left, which very soon enters the next chamber. [A rift drops down to the left, and there is a blind alcove to the right.]

Ahead, a crawl starts from a ledge 1m above the floor. The floor soon drops again. A mix of walking, stooping and crawling past stal leads, after a couple of minutes, to a junction. [A passage doubles back to the right, soon leading to a pit.] The way on is ahead to the left, where a short bouldery section opens up above a dribbly climb down.

Below the climb, walking passage, up slope, leads into Brew Chamber. [Ahead, a choice of crawls leads to Equinox Hall.] To the left is a hole under the wall, leading down under boulders to a chute and a crawl, emerging at the top of a short mud slope in a chamber. The sound of water comes from the left. Directly opposite the point of entry, behind a large boulder, a slope leads down to a further slope into a lower passage, Long Gallery. [An alternative descent route is behind stacked boulders to the right.]

  • A route to the left leads to Mortuary Passage.
  • Turning right leads towards the 88' Pitch, and the route towards Link Pot.

Long Gallery to 88' Pitch[edit | edit source]

To the right in Long Gallery, towards the sound of water, a short crawl forward leads down into a bouldery chamber. Ahead to the right, an unlikely-looking crawl over boulders enters the top of a rift, with the water visible 5m below. Traversing forward leads to a step right into a parallel rift with a 3m-deep pit. Traversing forward leads to a 5m climb down into a chamber containing a scaffold bar. Continuing past stal flow, a short traverse leads to a junction.

  • To the left, a traverse leads to the top of the 88' Pitch and the route towards Echo Aven.
  • To the right leads to Maple Leaf Junction, leading to Maple Leaf Passage and Ramsden's Crawl.

88' Pitch to Echo Aven[edit | edit source]

Note: the lower streamways flood to the roof in very wet weather, in particular backing up from the sump.

The 88' Pitch (P25) is currently permanently rigged (April 2016). At the bottom, a stream is met. [The stream enters from Cellar Passage, which leads to an aven.] Downstream, after a few minutes, another streamway, The Wormway, is met, entering from ahead. [The combined waters run to the right, and sump almost immediately.]

Continuing up the Wormway, after a couple of minutes, Sausage Junction is reached. A large inlet enters on the right; [ascending this leads to pitches, which need pre-rigging, up into Ramsden's Crawl.] Ahead, a mix of stooping and crawling passage leads, after about four minutes, to a short muddy oxbow. Shortly beyond, a junction is reached, where a large inlet enters from the left, The Grind.

Continuing up the right-hand branch, a boulder in the passage can be squeezed past or clambered over. Stooping/walking passage continues, passing two small inlets on the left. After a couple of minutes, Echo Aven is reached, a chamber with a large, very drippy aven.

The pitch (P26) is currently permanently rigged. The top of the pitch has a slightly awkward traverse. Above, a route leads towards Hylton Hall.

Echo Aven to Hylton Hall[edit | edit source]

Above the pitch, a meandering stream passage continues. Soon, the water enters via an inlet to the right, and the main passage continues ahead over boulders. A few steps ahead, the way on is to the right, upslope, into a boulder choke, opposite a survey tag. The route leads into a small chamber within the choke: care. From here, a low crawl continues at floor level, slightly to the left. The crawl ascends and breaks out into a small bouldery chamber. A T-shaped rift continues, best tackled at the top. At the end of the rift, continuing passage turns left then right, and enters the bottom of Hylton Hall.

Hylton Hall[edit | edit source]

Hylton Hall is a chamber at the base of the Link Pot entrance pitch. It is on the route between Lancaster Hole and the caves of Leck Fell. The chamber is a few metres wide, and quite long. Several stacks of rocks appear to be supporting the roof.

The following are described in an clockwise direction.

  • The Link Pot Entrance Pitch (P15) is to the left when looking up slope. The pitch is climbable in extremis, but is best pre-rigged.
  • [Upslope leads to an inlet.]
  • [Opposite the entrance pitch is a side passage.]
  • 8m downslope from the entrance pitch is a slit in the left-hand wall, Pybus Bypass; this is the start of the route towards Pippikin Pot and Serendipity.
  • Continuing downslope is the route to Echo Aven, the start of the route to Lancaster Hole.