Waterfall Passage, downstream

Waterfall Passage, downstream

From the junction at the top of Portcullis Passage, Cross Passage is a stooping passage, which leads past stals and soon reaches a ledge at the top of a 2m rift carrying a stream. The easiest descent route is to traverse to the left for a few metres to an easy climb down. [Upstream is pleasant walking until the roof lowers at a junction of two crawls, both of which soon sump.]

Downstream is a walking stream passage. It passes below a scaffold bar in the roof, and a handline climb to the right. After about eight minutes, some cascades lead to the top of The Waterfall. The Waterfall is free-climbable with care, although a rope is recommended. There are in-situ ropes (June 2016), but these are in poor shape and not recommended. An initial 3m descent reaches a ledge, from where either the water can be followed down a very wet chute, or a further 4m abseil leads to the bottom of the rift.

• 10m rope; two bolts; bolt deviation at top (short sling). Alternatively, a doubled rope can be used to pull through: 10m to the ledge, or 15m total.

Below The Waterfall, the water disappears into a rift to the right. A large passage to the left, split be a short crawl, soon meets the Lancaster Hole Main Streamway.

• Downstream soon reaches the sump;

• Upstream soon reaches Fall Pot.