Pool Sink to Holbeck Junction

From Ease Gill

Pool Sink Entrance Series[edit | edit source]

The cave starts as a crawl in a small tube. After the initial left-hand bend, an awkward left-then-right double bend is reached; this is best approached on the right-hand side, flipping over in the first bend; tackle is best pushed in front.

Ahead the way becomes easier, as a wide low crawl, gradually rising to hands and knees crawling and then stooping passage. The passage becomes more rift-like, before a 2.5m climb down into a small chamber where small inlets enter. Ahead a meandering stream passage, with a larger inlet entering from the right, soon reaches the first pitch (P17). The pitch descends past a ledge to land on a ledge just above the streamway.

  • 22m rope; back-up to bolt; traverse from bolt; Y-hang off two bolts; optional deviation from bolt 3m down.

[Upstream leads to Magpie Grotto]; downstream leads towards Holbeck Junction.

Pool Sink streamway[edit | edit source]

Note: sections of the lower streamway flood to the roof in wet conditions.

Downstream from the first pitch, a pleasant streamway reaches the second pitch (P8) after about two minutes.

  • 16m rope; backup to large thread on previous corner; traverse from bolt high on left wall; main hang from bolt high on left; deviation with short sling from thread 1m down. [An alternative route traverses over the pitch and descends further downstream.]

Ahead, a couple of short climbs lead to the third pitch (P8).

  • 12m rope; bolt for traverse; two-bolt Y-hang.

Two minutes caving down the streamway, with a couple of deeper pools, reaches the fourth pitch (P10). The pitch can be rigged direct, but this way is very wet and not recommended; better is to traverse up to the right, following the obvious line of bolts.

  • 21m rope; five bolts for traverse; two-bolt Y-hang.

The pitch lands on a ledge by the waterfall. The stream flows along a tall rift passage with short climbs, T-Piece Passage. A clamber over rocks leads to a step up onto a shelf where the water is lost. A short rift passage leads to a clamber over more boulders into a chamber where the water is regained. Ahead, striking horizontal flakes of rock protrude from the walls. A short section of stream leads to more boulders. These boulders mark a four-way junction, although two of the ways are unobvious.

  • The easiest way to Holbeck Junction is a dry passage starting at a shelf on the right, 2m above the stream. This soon enters a chamber. To the left is Upstream Green and Smelly Passage, with connections to Spiral Staircase Passage in Wretched Rabbit, the Borehole, Slit Sinks and New Slit Sinks. To the right is Green and Smelly Passage to Holbeck Junction, leading to Holbeck Junction.
  • [Alternatively, straight on from the four-way junction intersects Green and Smelly Passage just upstream of the chamber mentioned above.]

Green and Smelly Passage to Holbeck Junction[edit | edit source]

From the confluence of the Pool Sink and Spiral Staircase/Borehole routes, the passage continues as walking passage, with the water flowing in an oxbow to the left. After two minutes, a pool is reached at the junction of two joints: turning left then immediately right, a stoop leads into a 6m high chamber with the stream flowing from the right. A few steps downstream, a dry passage to the right provides the easiest way to Holbeck. [Continuing ahead, a wet crawl leads to where the stream disappears ahead. A dry crawl to the right leads to the main streamway, where it hits a choke.] Taking the dry passage leads to a step over boulders, followed by a gentle descent to Holbeck Junction.