Top Sink to Pippikin Pot via the High-Level Route

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.

Limerick Junction to Nagasaki Cavern[edit | edit source]

From Limerick Junction, the route is complex: a series of oxbows that intersect and then traverse above the streamway, crossing the streamway several times.

In more detail, the route starts with stooping passage in the streamway. Soon a short muddy oxbow leads to the left. [Alternatively, the stream can be followed underneath.] The oxbow re-meets the stream, and then continues to the right, 1.5m above stream level. [Alternatively, the stream can be followed with a hands and knees crawl.] Walking oxbow passage leads to a junction, where a 2m descent to the left leads back to the stream; [alternatively, clambering over boulders ahead is a continuing harder oxbow, soon rejoining the main route.]

Stooping streamway leads to a mud bank-cum-oxbow. A short walk in the streamway then leads to where the stream falls 0.6m down a pot. Stepping across the pot enters an oxbow. The oxbow reduces to a crawl, and then enters a chamber, with the streamway 2m below. A clamber up to the right enters another oxbow, which soon reaches a junction. To the left reaches a chamber, with the stream 4m below, and an inlet entering. [Right from the junction provides a harder route into the same chamber.] A step down to a ledge leads to a step across the stream, then a traverse on the left to cross the inlet.

Round the corner leads to a careful step onto a ledge on the left, and then a step across the stream gulley. Round the corner is a bold step back across to the left side of the stream gulley at The Bridge of Sighs. Continuing round the next corner reaches a drop. The drop can be avoided by backtracking a couple of steps to a climb up to the right, leading to a traverse to the right to an oxbow. At the start of the oxbow, a climb up to the left leads into a wider passage.

The passage changes character here, losing the streamway. A muddy passage soon reaches a boulder choke. Immediately upon entering the choke, the way on is to double back, and climb up 2m onto a chockstone above the point of entry to the choke. Doubling back again, and climbing forward and up another 1.5m leads to a hole between boulders into a chamber.

Clambering over muddy boulders reaches a larger chamber. Following the right-hand wall leads to a sandy chute behind a very large boulder. Below, a climb down between boulders to the right drops into another sandy chute behind a very large boulder. [Alternatively, descending the steep slippery slope to the left —with care— reaches the same point.]

The two routes unite in a large chamber, Nagasaki.

  • A hole at the bottom of the chamber descends into Far East Passage, leading towards Boundary Pot.
  • Continuing ahead is the route towards The Assembly Hall and the Ease Gill streamway.

Nagasaki Cavern to The Assembly Hall[edit | edit source]

From the base of Nagasaki Cavern, a large bouldery passage passes an inlet and a rope up an aven to the left. Soon Fairy Steps is reached, an awkward muddy polished climb on the right, which ascends 2m to an ascending traverse leading to an easier climb. The passage descends over muddy boulders, and then narrows to enter a rift.

The rift passes stal bosses, and continues as easy walking. After a couple of minutes, it reaches a step across a pot in the floor. Immediately beyond is a choice of routes. [To the right, a crawl leads to a descent into The Assembly Hall, which needs tackle.] [Ahead, a traverse along the top of a rift provides an alternative route into Easter Grotto.] The normal route is to descend the hole in the floor, ahead to the right: a constricted slot drops 1.5m into a mini-chamber, which opens out into the wall of the passage below. A further 3.5m climb follows: good footholds 1.5m down give a decent but precarious-feeling stance, from where a straddle across the passage allows the final descent.

To the right, a very short passage opens into The Assembly Hall.

The Assembly Hall to Holbeck Junction[edit | edit source]

From The Assembly Hall, a route leads ahead over boulders. To the left [with an alternative route to the right] leads to a descent into another chamber. Ahead opens out above a drop, with the sound of the main streamway coming from below. A crawl to the right leads to an in-situ rope (March 2016). A 2.5m climb down, with hidden footholds halfway down, drops into a 10m diameter sloping chamber.

At the bottom of the chamber, a rift runs to the left. The rift becomes a calcited oxbow, the White Way, above the stream, and very soon a short drop into the stream is reached. [Upstream soon reaches a very dangerous boulder choke.] Downstream, Thackray's Passage is a pleasant well-decorated streamway. The streamway is knee-deep in places in normal conditions, but is sometimes deeper, and floods to the roof in very wet conditions.

After about four minutes, the roof lowers. Just before it becomes very low, the way on is through a small window to the left, by a stal "grille". This opens out into an oxbow, with easy walking and stooping, passing several gour pools. Soon the passage slopes down to regain the stream. Downstream is easy walking passage, passing nice stal formations. The stream is lost in an oxbow, except in wet conditions. Soon afterwards, the passage reaches Holbeck Junction.

Holbeck Junction[edit | edit source]

Holbeck Junction is a major junction in the upper Easegill main streamway. The junction itself is often dry, as the stream runs in an oxbow.

Several routes lead from Holbeck; in clockwise direction:

  • Downstream soon leads to a choke; a crawl to the left provides an alternative route to Green and Smelly Passage.
  • Upstream is Thackray's Passage leading towards Top Sink with a connection to Boundary Pot.
  • To the left of the stream, behind a 2m high boulder, is a dry passage leading to Green and Smelly Passage, with routes to Pool Sink, Spiral Staircase in Wretched Rabbit, Slit Sinks and New Slit Sinks.

Holbeck Junction to Stop Pot[edit | edit source]

From Holbeck Junction, the route to Stop Pot ascends the boulder slope to the right of the streamway. [The route towards Gypsum Caverns leads off to the right.] Two routes leads off to the left after 4m and 8m; the routes soon reunite, with the latter providing the easier route. An easy bouldery passage continues, with the stream audible below. Parallel routes split and then recombine in a chamber, with the right-hand route providing the easier route.

Ahead, the stream is met at a large pool, deep in places; [an alternative route to the left, over large boulders, avoids most of the water.] The way to Stop Pot is quite complex; the general tactic is to follow the right-hand wall. In more detail, the route follows the stream on the right-hand wall, and then continues ahead where the stream cuts left. The route continues to follow the right-hand wall, gently up over boulders, and through a "doorway" to where the way ahead drops sharply. A clamber 1.5m up over boulders to the left leads onto a boulder-strewn ledge, descending gently towards the stream. Before the stream is met, a clamber up reaches a ledge with small stal bosses. This leads down to a short mud-floored section of passage. Then a route over more boulders, still following the right-hand wall, reaches Stop Pot.

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.

Pybus Bypass to Squid Junction[edit | edit source]

In Hylton Hall, 8m downslope from the Link Pot entrance pitch, is a slit in the left-hand wall, Pybus Bypass. This leads immediately to a slot up into larger passage. After a few steps, the passage lowers to a crawl past a side passage to the left. The passage enlarges to walking again, and soon reaches Squid Junction.

  • To the left is the route to Dusty Junction and the caves of Leck Fell.

Squid Junction to Dusty Junction[edit | edit source]

The passage from Squid Junction to Dusty Junction takes about 15 minutes. Care: sections flood to the roof in wet weather.

From Squid Junction, stooping passage, with a small stream, soon lowers to a crawl. A junction is soon reached with an inlet entering from ahead. The way on is to the right, soon passing a passage to the left. Continuing crawl downstream, with a trickle of water, leads to a short oxbow and then a longer oxbow. Soon after the stream is regained, the Wet Wallow is reached: a low wet crawl with about 15cm of airspace.

Beyond the Wallow, a cross rift is reached, with an aven to the right. The way on is a slither down over a boulder, ahead to the right. The water is lost, but soon another inlet is met, entering ahead on the right. The way on is to crawl ahead to the left. A low section is followed by a brief walk up a slope. This leads to yet more crawling, with some sections of deeper water. After a few minutes, the passage opens out at Dusty Junction.

Dusty Junction[edit | edit source]

Dusty Junction is a major junction in Pippikin Pot, with routes leading to Link Pot and Mistral Hole. Several routes lead from the junction. In clockwise order:

  • To the south, the main route leads towards Hall of the Ten, Pippikin Pot, and the other caves of Leck Fell.
  • To the north-west, slightly left when coming from Hall of the Ten, is the route to the Hobbit and Mistral Hole exit, slightly downwards past stal bosses.
  • To the north-east, slightly right when coming from Hall of the Ten, is the route to Squid Junction in Link Pot, slightly upwards past stal bosses.
  • [To the right of the route to Squid Junction is a low crawl into a blind chamber.]

Dusty Junction to Hall of the Ten[edit | edit source]

From Dusty Junction, a mixture of walking, stooping and crawling passage leads along a well-trodden route. After about five minutes, the top of a long slope down is reached, which is slippery in places. At the bottom of the slope is Hall of the Ten.

Hall of the Ten[edit | edit source]

Hall of the Ten is a major junction, where the normal route down Pippikin Pot enters the Leck Fell Master Cave. It is in a very large section of passage. The following routes are described in clockwise order.

  • Ascending the mud slope to the south leads to a continuing large passage. After 20m is a junction.
  • Ascending the mud slope to the north leads towards Dusty Junction, with routes to Mistral Hole and the caves of Easegill.
  • Descending through boulders leads into the Pippikin Streamway Choke; the normal route is to follow the Pippikin Streamway; various other routes lead off from within the choke.

Pippikin Pot Streamway, upstream[edit | edit source]

From Hall of the Ten, descending through boulders leads to a crawl upstream through a boulder choke. After a couple of minutes, the end of the choke is reached. Ahead, an oxbow soon rejoins the stream. Continuing upstream is pleasant walking passage, passing various roof passages. After about five minutes, a junction is reached.

  • Straight ahead is Ratbag Inlet.

Pippikin Pot Pitch Series, outwards[edit | edit source]

Note: all the pitches in this series need pre-rigging.

A clamber over boulders regains the pitch series streamway, and leads to the bottom of the sixth pitch (P6).

Above the pitch, a traverse leads to a short section of rift, leading to a route up between boulders into a small chamber. The bottom of the rift ahead is narrow. It is best to ascend to an obvious traverse level, a couple of metres above the stream. After about five minutes, the traverse ends at a descent into a small chamber with a pool.

A 3m climb, with a handline in situ (August 2016), leads up into a rift. Round the corner leads to narrow walking rift. After about four minutes, the bottom of the fifth pitch (P3) is reached; it is necessary to swing out a bit on the rope to reach a wide-enough section.

Round the corner is the fourth pitch (P8). Immediately above is a short climb up to a scaffold bar, best rigged as a pitch. Above, is an awkward narrow rift, Stemple Rift, best done wearing minimal SRT kit, pushing tackle in front. Immediately beyond the rift is the third pitch (P14).

A short section of narrow rift leads to the second pitch (P5). Above, is a short narrow rift followed by an upwards slot. Beyond is a hole in the floor; the way on is up to the right, a narrow slot about 2m above the floor. The slot leads to a small tube, which soon leads to the top of Cellar Pot; if pushing gear in front of you, avoid pushing it down the pot. A scaffold bar provides a traverse above the top of Cellar Pot (care!). Beyond, a crawl leads to a chamber, at the base of the entrance pitch (P6).