Nice Way, from The Surprise to Clough's Aven

From Ease Gill

Nice Way, from The Surprise to Clough's Aven[edit | edit source]

At the end of The Surprise, a climb up over boulders leads into Nice Way, a pleasant walking passage with lots of straws. Soon a stream is met, sinking into a crack in the floor. The passage lowers to an easy crawl. Soon a junction is reached, [with the water coming from the right-hand branch, Bi the Way].

Taking the left branch, a couple of small side passage to the right are passed, followed by a larger side passage to the left. About 10m ahead, a scoop on the right contains the top of a 6m pitch (rope in situ, February 2017).

  • 9m rope, Y-hang from bolt and drilled thread. Rope in situ (June 2017).

At the bottom of the pitch, a small crawl at floor level reaches, after a few metres, the top of the next pitch (rope in situ, February 2017). The pitch is very narrow, but bells out slightly at the bottom: some cavers may prefer to treat it as a hand-line climb.

  • 10m rope, belayed to scaffold bar. Rope in situ (June 2017).

A descent down a boulder slope reaches a junction. [To the right picks up some water, and gradually narrows.] To the left, towards the sound of water, a dry stooping passage soon reaches a traverse to a 9m pitch.

  • 12m rope rigged to two spikes. Rope in situ (June 2017).

The pitch lands in the streamway of Clough's Passage. Upstream leads towards Sylvester Pot Main Chamber. Downstream leads towards Clough's Passage from Clough's Aven to Dismal Junction.