Eureka Junction to Holbeck Junction

From Ease Gill

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 Holbeck Junction[edit | edit source]

The route upstream from Stop Pot towards Holbeck Junction is quite complex, in a bouldery area. The general tactic is to follow the left-hand wall. In more detail, clambering over boulders to the left reaches a short mud-floored section of passage. A short climb to the right reaches a ledge with small stall bosses, ascending gently. Ahead, a boulder-strewn ledge is reached, ascending to the right of the stream, a few metres from the left-hand wall. At the top, climbing over a boulder to the left, and descending 1.5m leads to a "doorway" between boulders. The way descends gently over boulders, following the left-hand wall. The route rejoins the stream, and soon opens out into a chamber.

The chamber contains a large pool, deep in places; [an alternative route to the right, over large boulders, avoids most of the water.] Ahead, the stream is lost. Parallel routes split and then recombine in a chamber, with the left-hand route providing the easier route. An easy bouldery passage continues, with the stream audible below. The route splits again into parallel passages, with the left-hand route providing the easier route. The way soon opens out in a larger area. [The route towards Gypsum Caverns leads off ahead.] Descending the boulder slope to the right reaches Holbeck Junction after a few metres.