Pippikin Pot to Top Sink, via the High-Level Route

Pippikin Pot Entrance Series

The entrance pitch (P6) is just round the corner.

• 12m rope; back-up to boulder on surface (long sling); Y-hang from P bolt and spit (hanger in situ, August 2016).

The pitch drops into a large chamber. A crawl ahead leads to the top of Cellar Pot, with a scaffold bar across the top. The normal way on is to traverse across the scaffold bar (care) into a small tube. The tube ends at a small slot with a 2m drop beyond, landing just above a continuing drop. The slot can be passed head-first (with care), or it is possible to turn around to pass it feet-first. There is an alcove just before the slot, which is useful for stashing gear.

Another slot followed by a short narrow rift leads to the second pitch (P5).

• 8m rope; thread backup; bolt or in situ stemple for main hang.

A short section of narrow rift leads to the third pitch (P14).

• 16m rope (or 35m rope to include the following climb and pitch); Y-hang from bolt and scaffold bar.

Immediately beyond is a very awkward, narrow rift, Stemple Rift, leading to a climb. The rift is best done feet-first, without SRT kit, pulling tackle behind you. The rift opens out at the top of a short climb: care! There is a scaffold bar across the top of the climb, and a good foothold just below. The climb is best rigged as a pitch.

• 10m rope, or the continuation of the rope from the previous pitch; back up to boulder in chamber at foot of third pitch (long sling); main hang from scaffold bar (short sling).

Immediately below the climb is the fourth pitch (P8)

• 10m rope, or continuation of the rope from the previous pitch and climb; spike backup; spike for main hang (short sling).

Below the pitch, the streamway is met. Immediately, the fifth pitch (P3) is met.

• 6m rope; thread belay in roof.

It is necessary to swing out a bit on the rope to reach a wide-enough slot.

Ahead is narrow walking rift. After about four minutes, a traverse round a corner reaches a 3m climb down into a pool, with a handline in situ (August 2016).

The lowest section of the continuing rift is narrow. It is easiest to traverse a couple of metres above the streamway. After about five minutes, an obvious descent line leads into a small chamber. A route past stal leads to a descent through boulders. A short section of rift then leads to a traverse to the sixth pitch (P6), which descends diagonally.

• 12m rope; belay to large spike.

The pitch drops to the streamway. A clamber over boulders rejoins the stream. Ahead, another clamber over boulders leads to a T-junction, with a large inlet entering from the right.

• The normal route is downstream to the left, towards Hall of the Ten.

• Upstream is Ratbag Inlet.

Pippikin Pot Streamway to Hall of the Ten

The streamway is pleasant walking passage. After about five minutes, the passage passes below a climb, [which leads to the crossover passage to Leck Fell Lane.] 15m beyond, the route follows an oxbow. Just after the stream is regained, a climb up leads to Intercounty Passage, and ahead the stream enters a boulder choke.

Hall of the Ten

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.
  • An arch to the left leads, after 20m, to a route over muddy boulders to the top of Hall of the Mountain King.
  • Continuing straight ahead leads to Cross Hall and Gour Hall.

• 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.

Hall of the Ten to Dusty Junction

From Hall of the Ten, a long mud slope ascends to the north, slippery in places. At the top, a mixture of walking, stooping and crawling passage, along a well-trodden route, leads after about five minutes to Dusty Junction.

Dusty Junction

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.]

• To the south-east, a passage leads to Red Wall Chamber and White Wall Chamber.

Dusty Junction to Squid Junction

From Dusty Junction, the route to Squid Junction takes about 15 minutes, and is nearly all crawling. It starts by ascending over stal bosses to enter a crawl. The crawl soon reaches a section of canal. After a few minutes, the route descends to a low section. Ahead, an inlet is met entering from the left, and the way soon pops up into a cross rift with an aven to the left.

Ahead enters the Wet Wallow, a low wet crawl with about 15cm of airspace. The passage enlarges slightly, and follows a crawl through a long oxbow, and then a short oxbow. Beyond the oxbows, a trickle of water is followed upstream, and passes a passage to the right. Ahead, at a junction, an inlet enters from the right, and the way on is to the left. The crawl gradually enlarges to stooping, before arriving at Squid Junction.

• To the right leads to Hylton Hall and the Link Pot exit.

• To the left leads to Serendipity.

Squid Junction to Hylton Hall

From Squid Junction, walking passage gradually lowers to a crawl, and passes a side passage to the right. Beyond, the passage enlarges briefly, before arriving at Pybus Bypass, a slot down in the floor. This pops out into Hylton Hall.

Hylton Hall

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.

Hylton Hall to Echo Aven

Descending Hylton Hall, and then continuing upslope meets an inlet sinking to the left, and then entering from the right and the roof. Turning left then right leads into a small chamber. A T-shaped rift continues, best tackled at the top. Following the rift leads to a slope to the right into a small bouldery chamber. At the bottom of the chamber, a way leads down through boulders —care!— into a downwards crawl. The crawl opens out into a small chamber within the boulder choke. Continuing downwards, towards the sound of water, breaks out into larger passage at a T-junction.

To the left, after a few steps, an inlet is met, entering from the left. Downstream, a meandering passage soon meets the start of the ropes for Echo Aven (P26). The pitches are currently permanently rigged (April 2016). An initial ascending traverse and awkward climb reaches the top of a short hang. This leads to the main hang, with a deviation part way down. The pitch can be somewhat wet. The pitch lands in a very drippy chamber. Downstream leads towards the 88' Pitch.

Echo Aven to the 88' Pitch

Note: the lower streamways flood to the roof in very wet weather, in particular backing up from the sump.

A streamway, The Wormway, leads off from the base of Echo Aven. A stooping/walking passage passes two small inlets on the right. A boulder in the passage can be squeezed past or clambered over. Soon, a larger inlet is met entering from the right, The Grind.

Shortly beyond, a short muddy oxbow soon regains the stream. A mix of stooping and crawling passage continues. After about four minutes, Sausage Junction is reached, where a large inlet enters on the left; [ascending this leads to pitches, which need pre-rigging, up into Ramsden's Crawl.]

Two minutes further downstream, another stream is met, entering from ahead. [The combined waters run to the left, and sump almost immediately.] Continuing upstream leads after a few minutes to the foot of the 88' Pitch. [Cellar Passage enters from the right.] The pitch is currently permanently rigged (April 2016).

At the top of the pitch, a junction is met.

• Turning right leads towards Long Gallery, and the route to Lancaster Hole.

• Turning left leads to Maple Leaf Junction, leading to Maple Leaf Passage and Ramsden's Crawl.

88' Pitch to Long Gallery

From the top of the 88' Pitch, a short traverse leads into a chamber containing a scaffold bar. A 5m climb up to the left leads to the top of a pit, where a step right enters a parallel rift. Traversing forward leads to a route over boulders into a bouldery chamber.

A route leads ahead to the left, and up a climb. A crawl forward enters Long Gallery.

• Ahead, a route leads to Mortuary Passage.

• The route towards Canuck Climb and Stake Pot is up the mud slope to the left.

Long Gallery to Canuck Climb

From Long Gallery, a mud slope leads up to the left; a turn to the left leads up into larger passage. Directly opposite the point of entry, 2.5m up a mud slope is an irregularly arched hole, 50cm by 50cm. This leads to a climb up a mud chute, then a climb up between boulders into Brew Chamber.

[To the left in Brew Chamber leads to Equinox Hall.] To the right, walking passage leads down a slope to the bottom of a dribbly climb on the right. Above the climb, a short traverse leads into a bouldery section. At a junction, the way on is a crawl down to the right past stal; [straight on soon leads to a pit.]

A mix of crawling, stooping and walking passage leads to a 1.5m climb up to a crawl. The floor soon drops again, and a chamber is entered. [A rift drops down to the right, and there is a blind alcove to the left.]

Ahead, a few steps lead into the next chamber. [A small crawl leads left, and a side passage leads straight ahead.] The way on is to the right, where a crawl leads into a chamber with tall stal bosses [or an alternative crawl to the left]. Turning left past the stal bosses, a crawl leads forward into a chamber. A continuing crawl between and over boulders leads to the top of Canuck Climb, a 5m descent with a fixed iron ladder. [Beyond the ladder, the passage soon chokes.]

Below the ladder, a short crawl leads to a junction.

• To the left leads towards Stake Pot

• To the right leads into The Subway.

Canuck Climb to E.P.C. Series Junction

Turning left below Canuck Climb leads round a couple of bends to Thirsty Junction, where a small stream is met. [To the right, upstream, leads to Razor Aven.] To the left, downstream, is a long, straight, narrow rift. Walking passage leads to a crawl under a boulder, followed by a mix of walking and crawl traverse just above the stream.

About three minutes from Thirsty Junction, an obvious traverse level is reached. This soon leads to a crawl over a polished boulder to a junction in a bouldery area, with a side passage to the left. Continuing ahead for a few metres leads to a step up into a higher passage [with another passage below.] A few metres ahead reaches another junction; [a narrow passage runs to the left;] the way on is to the right. This leads to a crawl 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 right at the point of entry, at the top of the chamber, and crawl upwards. This soon leads to a slope down into larger passage. [To the right closes down immediately.] To the left, a well-trodden twisting route can be followed, slightly upwards, ignoring various holes in the floor. Eventually this opens out into very large passage.

• To the left leads, after 30m, to the top of a 3m hand-line climb, which descends to Stake Pot.

• To the right leads towards Oxbow Corner.

E.P.C. Series Junction to Oxbow Corner

From the junction with the E.P.C. Series, the high level route continues as a very large passage. The route, slippery in places, passes formations. After about five minutes, a 4m hand-line climb leads up to the right. At the top of the climb is the fine Painter's Palette formations.

Three minutes ahead reaches Scylla, a large hole dropping to the streamway. This is bypassed by a ledge on the right, with a traverse line; take care to avoid damaging the footholds here.

Very soon ahead is Charybdis, another large hole dropping to the streamway. This is again bypassed by a ledge on the right, the first part with a traverse line.

A couple of minutes ahead, the floor rises towards the roof, forcing an easy crawl. The crawl opens up again.

About two minutes ahead, the passage becomes more bouldery, the left-hand wall starts to become undercut, and the right-hand wall becomes streaked with calcite. At this point is an easily missed junction.

• 3m to the left 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 hand-line 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 Oxbow Corner, and the continuing high-level route towards Easegill.

Oxbow Corner to The Minarets

Ahead, the passage soon reaches Oxbow Corner, where the passage slopes down to the left. [Descending the slope reaches the streamway; downstream, the stream can be followed through a choke towards Stake Pot.] Keeping high to the right, leads to a crawl on a mud ledge overlooking Oxbow Corner. The roof rises to allow walking in a chamber, and then lowers again into continuing crawl. Soon the roof rises again at a climb up boulders to the left into larger passage.

Clambering up boulders passes taped-off formations to the right. A short narrower section opens out at the start off the very large Oakes Cavern. The route through the cavern passes a pile of large boulders chocked against the roof, with stal bosses. The chamber soon splits near taped off formations. The way on is to the left, where a well-trodden route heads into an alcove, where a hole steps down into The Minarets.

Minarets to Cornes Cavern

The Minarets are a series of parallel minaret-shaped passages. The first passage runs for 30m to a low crawl on the right. The next passage runs back to the right for 10m to another low crawl, to the left. The final passage leads for another 10m, to a choice of climbs up to the left into Cornes Cavern.

Cornes Cavern is an extremely large chamber. A gulley can be followed through the middle of the passage. At the end of the cavern are two routes.

• Slightly to the right, the cavern narrows into a 3m wide passage, which leads to Snail Cavern.

• Hidden behind a very large boulder on the right at the end of Cornes Cavern, just before the route to Snail Cavern, is the start of the Mancunian Way.

Snail Cavern to Monster Cavern

From the end of Cornes Cavern, a 3m wide passage soon opens out into Snail Cavern, with formations taped-off to the left. Snail Cavern is another very large boulder-strewn passage. After about two minutes, a boulder slope leads down to the start of Monster Cavern. Three side passages are met at this point.

• About 4m up the right-hand wall is a window, which is the end of Mainline Passage; reaching the passage requires pre-rigging: it is normally entered from the other end, near Mainline Terminus.

• A few metres to the right of Mainline 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.

Straight ahead is Monster Cavern, leading to Mainline Terminus.

Monster Cavern to Mainline Terminus

Monster Cavern is another very large (20m wide in places), boulder-strewn passage. The passage passes a blind alcove to the left. After about four minutes, Mainline Terminus is reached.

Main Line Terminus

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.

Mainline Terminus to Stop Pot

From Mainline Terminus, the route to Stop Pot is in an alcove to the left (as seen from Monster Cavern). This soon splits; [the route to the left leads to a long dig]. To the right, stooping leads into a wider area, with straws on the roof and stal to the left. The easiest route is to follow the right-hand wall, a slightly precarious route over large boulders. The way narrows to a 2m wide passage. Just before this passage, the best route is down between boulders, before the final boulder: a 2m climb with hidden footholds to the right, followed by an easier 1.5m descent under the final boulder.

Walking passage, 1-2m wide, continues, with boulder obstacles. After two minutes, the way goes up a slope to the left, often with the stream audible; [ahead soon closes down]. A 5m diameter chamber is entered, which narrows again. 5m ahead, there is a route down between boulders, marked by a rope, which leads to the top of a fixed 6m ladder.

The ladder lands at the top of a boulder slope. Following the slope for 40m (with 20m of descent) meets the streamway at Stop Pot. Most of the way down the slope, on the right, is the route to Four Ways, a flood-escape route into Wretched Rabbit.

Stop Pot

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:

• Upstream, following the left-hand wall, leads to Holbeck Junction.

• 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

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.

Holbeck Junction

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.

• Ascending a boulder slope to the right of the stream provides routes towards Stop Pot and Gypsum Caverns.

• 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.

Thackray's Passage, from Holbeck Junction to The Assembly Hall

Upstream from Holbeck Junction is Thackray's Passage. The passage is normally dry at first, but soon meets the stream. Easy walking passage passes nice stal formations. Soon the stream is lost, and the passage enters an oxbow. Easy walking and stooping passes several gour pools. Soon the passage becomes smaller. A crawl through a window, past a stal "grille", regains the streamway.

[Downstream becomes very low.] Upstream 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, it is possible to step up into a calcited oxbow above the stream, the White Way. [Continuing upstream soon reaches a very dangerous boulder choke.]

The oxbow soon opens out at the bottom of a 10m diameter chamber. At the top of the chamber is a 2.5m climb up, with an in-situ handline (March 2015). At the top of the climb, crawling to the right leads to an ascent up boulders to a window at roof level [or an alternative route to the left.] The window opens into a chamber, The Assembly Hall.

• To the right, a handline marks the climb up into Easter Grotto.
• Ahead, a rift is the start of the route towards Nagasaki Cavern.

The Assembly Hall to Nagasaki Cavern

From The Assembly Hall, a rift passage appears to be blind after a few metres. However, there is a way on via a climb up to a window 3.5m above the floor: an initial straddle across the rift reaches some good footholds, 2m up, which give a decent but precarious-feeling stance; from there, a final climb through the window reaches a mini-chamber. From the mini-chamber, a constricted upwards-sloping slot opens into wider passage. [Turning right, a traverse along the top of a rift provides an alternative route into Easter Grotto.] [Turning left then left again, a crawl leads to a descent back into The Assembly Hall, which needs tackle.]

From the top of the slot, turning left leads to a step across a pot in the floor at the start of a rift. The rift continues as easy walking. After a couple of minutes, the rift passes stal bosses, and then opens out at the start of a chamber. The chamber ascends over muddy boulders, to the top of Fairy Steps: an initial easy climb leads to a muddy polished traverse to the left followed by a short awkward climb down to the floor. Ahead is Nagasaki Cavern. A large bouldery passage passes a rope up an aven and an inlet to the right, and reaches the base of the cavern.

• A hole in the bottom of the chamber descends into Far East Passage, leading towards Boundary Pot.
• Continuing ahead is the route towards Limerick Junction.

Nagasaki Cavern to Limerick Junction

From the base of Nagasaki Cavern, a sandy chute leads up behind a very large boulder to the left; this leads to a climb up through boulders. [Alternatively, the steep slippery slope to the right reaches the same point.] Another sandy chute behind a very large boulder to the left leads to the top of the chamber. Clambering ahead over boulders reaches a hole between boulders. The way on is a descent of 1.5m onto the first of two boulders jammed in the rift. Doubling back leads to a climb down 2m into a boulder choke, from where doubling back again exits the choke.

Easy muddy bouldery passage reaches the lip of a drop. This can be avoided by stepping left to a 1.5m climb down into a rift. A traverse to the left crosses the stream and leads to a 1.5m climb down into a walking oxbow. Immediately ahead, a bold step, The Bridge of Sighs, leads back across to the left side of the stream chasm. Round the corner, a step back to the right-hand side of the stream and a traverse to the right leads into an oxbow passage.

Round the next corner is a chamber with the stream about 4m below, and an inlet entering as a waterfall. A traverse on the right crosses the inlet; a step to the left then crosses the main stream as it descends a small waterfall. A 1.5m climb up onto a ledge leads to a junction in an oxbow. [To the left leads back to the chamber.] To the right from the junction leads to a slope down into a chamber. From the chamber, the climb up ahead should be avoided. Instead, the way on is a low crawl at floor level by a pointy rock, under a large chockstone. The crawl soon leads into a chamber. Ahead reaches the stream, which falls 0.6m down a pot.

Easy streamway crosses a mud bank and reaches a right-hand bend. The climb ahead here is best avoided; instead, a short section of stooping streamway leads to a left-hand bend. [A crawl in the stream leads on, but can be bypassed.] Ascending the side passage to the left leads to a junction: [to the left leads back to the climb avoided earlier;] clambering up to the right over muddy boulders leads to a muddy oxbow. The oxbow descends to the steam, and then continues on the other side. [An alternative route follows the streamway below the oxbow.] When the stream is regained, the continuing oxbow should be avoided [since it leads to a foolhardy descent.] Instead, stooping stream passage soon widens at Limerick Junction.

• To the right, the muddy bouldery slope is the start of Limerick Passage.
• Ahead, a crawl is Bradshaw's Passage leading to Top Sink exit.

Limerick Junction to Top Sink Exit

Note: the pitches are wet, and become impassible in very wet conditions.

Bradshaw's Passage is an easy crawl, which rises to an easy meander. After about four minutes, a junction is reached. [To the right is Wisdom Tooth Passage.] Ahead is Penknife Pitch (5m), which needs pre-rigging.

Above Penknife Passage is 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, Walrus Pot (18m) is reached, which also needs pre-rigging.

The top of Walrus Pitch is an "eagle's nest" ledge, from where a lined traverse leads into the stream passage. The passage is meandering, mostly sideways walking with one short crawl. After about four minutes, a junction is reached. [To the right is a dry passage.] The way on is to the left, where walking passage soon leads to a chamber. A short crawl and stooping passage leads into a small drippy chamber. An ascent through boulders leads to the bottom of the entrance shaft. The shaft is 4m deep, scaffolded and drippy.