Up on Saturday, down on Sunday

After a trip down Peak Cavern was cancelled, we decided to head to South Wales hoping to do some running and gatecrash Brendan and Keith on a caving trip. Saturday therefore found us getting a bit of exercise (in preparation for the 21 mile, 4500 feet, fell race that I entered Richard and I for) in the Welsh mountains. We repeated a run we did a while back up Pen-y-Fan as last time we saw absolutely nothing due to the atrocious weather. This time the weather was cloudy, but allowed us, at times, to see the tremendous scenery. There was also loads of snow on the tops which made it particularly fun. Unfortunately the camera was in the car.

Sunday’s plan was to head down DYO, however the rain that lashed our tent on Saturday night ensured that this wasn’t to be. Instead Keith and Brendan took us into OFD – along the Escape Route to the streamway and back. The journey was fabulous, my favourite bit perhaps was this bizarre bit of passage about 50 cm high and very very wide. The only sensible way of getting through it was to roll over and over, back, belly, back, belly until reaching the other side. This was extremely effective, but unfortunately left one rather dizzy and disorientated – not what you need in a cave! At the terminus of the trip, Brendan and Keith expertly located a chamber that they had tried to find a couple of times before. It was named “Starlight Chamber” and although there were a few flickery sparkles on the roof, it’s main feature was it’s size, which was quite grand. The way back was surprisingly rapid and before long we were drinking tea in the South Wales Caving Club hut.