Pool Sink to County Pot

Pool Sink Entrance Series

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

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.

• [To the left, is a narrow bedding plane squeeze. Beyond, to the right is Eccles Bypass, and to the left is Lower Borehole.]

• 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

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.

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.

Holbeck Junction to Stop Pot

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

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 Eureka Junction

In reasonably dry conditions, the easiest route from Stop Pot to Eureka Junction is to follow the streamway, near the right-hand wall. The route is in, or just above, the stream, all the way through the choke.

[Alternatively, from Stop Pot, a drier route starts by following the stream to the left, into the boulders. A slight left turn leads into a flat-roofed crawl, with some small stal on the left. The crawl becomes lower, and has an orange floor in places. The way opens out beyond the choke, and a short slope leads back down to the streamway, to rejoin the wet route.]

Beyond the choke, two minutes of easy walking in a large stream passage leads to Eureka Junction.

Eureka Junction

Eureka Junction is in the Easegill streamway, where the route from County Pot and the Wretched Rabbit traditional route hit the streamway. Note: this area floods to the roof in wet weather.

• Downstream, a stooping passage leads after a couple of minutes to a choke.

• Upstream leads to Stop Pot.

• To the left of the streamway is an obvious muddy passage. Very soon, this reaches a junction: to the left is Wretched Rabbit; to the right leads to Poetic Justice in County Pot.

Eureka Junction to Pierce's Passage

A muddy passage leads off to the left of the streamway at Eureka Junction. This very soon reaches a junction: [to the left is Wretched Rabbit.] Ahead, the passage continues as a roof oxbow, which soon steps down into a tall stream passage, Pierce's Passage. A few minutes upstream, the floor changes from boulders to bed rock, and two prominent calcite bands mark the climb up to Ignorance is Bliss. Continuing upstream, soon a climb up through boulders reaches another junction, with the streamway entering from the left.

• Following the dry passage, slightly right, leads towards Poetic Justice.

• Following the water upstream, to the left, leads into Trident Series.

Pierce's Passage to Poetic Justice

Ahead, two minutes of easy walking leads to the Poetic Junction pitch (P6), which needs pre-rigging. Ascending this leads to a streamway rift passage (often dry). [Ahead, upstream, is a route to Battle of Britain Chamber.] The normal route is a step up to the right into a bedding plane with stal bosses. A few metres ahead reaches a window looking out over the County Pot streamway. In front of the window is a narrow, 3m calcited chimney, Poetic Justice. Sliding down this drops into the stream.

• Downstream to the right leads to Platypus Junction, passing Ignorance is Bliss.

• Upstream to the left leads towards The Broadway, giving the quickest route to the County Pot Exit.

Poetic Justice to Battle of Britain Junction

From Poetic Justice, the normal route to Broadway is a short crawl in the streamway. [Alternatively, a longer, dry, well-decorated route is to the right.] The two routes unite in Spout Hall, a large chamber, about 10m by 8m, sloping up ahead and to the right.

The normal route is to ascend The Spout, by stepping up from a ledge on the right. [Alternatively, ascending to the right leads to a bypass.] Ahead soon reaches a junction, at two side passages from a ledge on the left.

• The first side passage leads to Battle Of Britain Chamber and Manchester Bypass.
• [The second side passage soon closes down.]
• Ahead leads to The Broadway.

Battle of Britain Junction to The Broadway

From Battle of Britain Junction, the streamway soon splits at Confusion Corner. [To the left is The Snake.] [The Spout bypass enters on a ledge on the right.] After a few minutes, the Showerbath is reached. Round the corner to the right leads to a slope down into The Broadway.

Broadway to County Pot Exit

From the Broadway, the route towards County Pot entrance is a 3m climb on the left-hand side of the passage (when looking upstream), part way along the largest part of the passage. Some cavers find the climb difficult: there is a foothold for the left foot near the top which makes it easier.

At the top of the climb [to the left, a boulder slope ascends to The Snake.] Round the corner to the right, is the first pitch (which needs pre-rigging; see County Pot Entrance Series).

Above the pitch is a pleasant well-sculpted passage, with a few short narrow climbs. [An inlet on the right leads to a pitch down.] After about 10 minutes caving, the entrance is reached: a 4m climb, starting on a ledge on the left.