Top Sink Entrance Series

From Ease Gill

Top Sink Entrance to Limerick Junction[edit | edit source]

Note: the pitches are very wet, and become impassible in very wet conditions. The scaffolded shaft is 4m deep and drippy. It descends into a small drippy chamber. A descent through boulders leads into another small chamber. Ahead is stooping passage with a short crawl into a chamber. Walking passage soon leads to a junction. [Ahead is a dry passage.] To the right is a meandering passage, mostly sideways walking with one short crawl. After about four minutes, Walrus Pot (18m) is met. The pitch is rather wet. A short lined traverse round the corner to the right reaches an "eagle's nest" ledge, from where the rope can be hung; a deviation avoids the worst of the water.

  • 30m rope; bolt back-up; two bolts for traverse; two-bolt Y-hang; deviation at -4m (short sling).

Below Walrus Pot is the inappropriately named πr2 Passage. The passage is a meandering streamway, which can mostly be tackled upright, with the occasional crawl. Larger cavers will have to crawl for longer, and will find the passage considerably harder. After five to ten minutes, Penknife Pitch (5m) is reached.

  • 10m rope; bolt back-up; two-bolt Y-hang.

Below the pitch, Wisdom Tooth Passage enters as an inlet on the left. An easier meander, Bradshaw's Passage, leads to an easy crawl. After about four minutes, Limerick Junction is reached.

  • To the left, the muddy bouldery slope is the start of Limerick Passage.
  • Straight ahead downstream is the route to Nagasaki Cavern and the Ease Gill streamway.