1
13' 48'' W, 43
14' 00'' N. Altitude: 1860m; Depth: 820m;
Surveyed Length: 7345m; Plan Length: 5915m. The entrance is approximately 30m
below the eye-hole (el Ojo de la Bruja) on the Juracao ridge linking the peaks
of Jultayu and Cuvicente. The best route from the Ario Refugio is to follow
the cairned path as far as the Jou del Jultayu and then to cross the Jou,
aiming a little to the west of the Jultayu summit. The cave is situated below
the most easterly of two obvious notches in the ridge.
The entrance is an impressive cleft in the hillside in a large shakehole. Almost immediately a 10m pitch lands on a very loose bouldery slope. Rocks from here fall straight down the second pitch. Originally, it was recommended that no-one move on this section while anyone was on the pitch below. Now, however, three years of use has gardened the slope to the point where, with care, it is possible to avoid dislodging the still-plentiful ammunition. The second pitch lands on an earthy ledge next to a strongly draughting (hammered) slot 36m below the boulder slope. The pitch continues for a further 10m before ending in a boulder choke.
Beneath the slot is a tight 3m climb below which is a 42m pitch, Seventh Heaven. A rope is best rigged above the slot, so that descenders may be attached before the squeeze. There is room in the climb to put on descending gear, although this situation is rather more exposed. The main hang, 10m down gives a free hang to the steeply sloping floor of a chamber.
Roughly 15m above the floor of Seventh Heaven is the entrance to Somnambulist Series. A cobbly ledge runs along to an alcove where two routes lead off. A rift drops to the left and connects with Seventh Heaven; straight ahead an opening at head level develops into another rift. After a few feet it is possible to climb down and head `downstream' back towards the pitch in a larger passage. This ends at the base of a small blind pot where water sinks in gravel. Returning to the top of the rift, a squeeze can be passed into the continuation. Another small blind pot is to be found on the right, but straight ahead a hammer modified passage has not been pushed far beyond a corner.
At the top of the chamber at the bottom of the pitch are three routes. To the left is an unascended climb up moonmilk to a ledge. Straight ahead lies a loose, tight passage that remains unexplored. To the right, a short crawl, Gavin's Grovel, leads to the head of a ten metre pitch. At the bottom, a 3m climb up leads to another short pitch, the bottom of which is choked. The slope is now very eroded by the repeated passage of most of OUCC, and a handline cum haul line is useful. At the bottom of the slope is a 3m climb, followed by the first of the squeezes in Paradise Rift: a vertical squeeze with few footholds.
From here a rift leads off which almost immediately becomes tight. The largest route is at ceiling level until a left hand bend when it is possible to descend the rift through a succession of squeezes. A line is useful on this section, for clipping tackle bags to (to guide their fall on descent, or to slide them up on jammers, with pauses for the extensive cursing necessary to aid their passage). The climb lands on a small ledge above a 20m pitch, the Flying Rébellés. From Flying Rébellés, two routes on exist: the original main route (The Rift Series), and G.S.P., the current preferred route.
| Pitch | Rope | Rigging | ||
| P10 | 65m | Tape round boulder, bolt for traverse. | ||
| Traverse | '' | Three bolts. | ||
| P36 | '' | Two bolts; rebelay with two bolts; thread deviation. | ||
| Seventh Heaven (P45) | 60m | Two tapes through threads (above squeeze); bolt rebelay; thread rebelay 15m down (3m wire); bolt deviation 5m down. | ||
| Paradise (C7) |
| Two tapes around spikes; ladder for lower part onto ledge above P20. | ||
| Flying Rébellés (P20) | 30m | Bolt traverse; bolt Y-hang; deviation 5m down, long tape round spike. |
To the left of the shaft, an inlet enters about half-way down the pitch. A pendule into this enters a rift. Two ways on are possible: a strenuous thrutch in the base of the rift, or a pitch up for 10m, best rigged with a ladder. Both unite in a rifty traverse level.
Just before the end of the rift is a hole in the floor: this is a 40m pitch. The natural hang lands in a pit at the base of a climb; the climb can be avoided via a pendule and a short, slippery traverse over white moonmilk formations.
A couple of short climbs and crawls lead to Blind Pot series: an eight metre pitch, a six metre pitch (named Blind Pot, because the original explorers inexplicably thought it to be blind), and another six metre pitch, landing in a pool.
The route continues down a climb, a short crawl, and a second climb, to the top of Tumbling Dice pitch (p30, p70). At the bottom is a very large, inclined rift chamber. The original route was to descend short climbs lead down to an amphitheater-shaped chamber, where water enters from above. The water descends a short drop, then flows beneath a squeeze, That Tuesday Afternoon Feeling, the 1989 limit. The hammered squeeze is tight, but technically straightforward. Beyond, is a further constriction, best passed feet-first, and requiring the caver to pivot at the hips to drop into the bottom of the rift; moving tackle is awkward. Beyond, a short section of easier rift arrives at a choke.
Alternatively, from the base of Tumbling Dice, it is possible to descend between the boulders: start by climbing down with the water; then follow horizontally for a few metres before descending a slightly exposed climb. A string has been laid through the choke to help route finding. The choke itself is fairly solid, but there are plenty of loose rocks at the top of the final climb--one at a time through here. The bottom of the route through the choke unites with the original route.
Descending a short, loose climb leads to a short crawl through the base of the choke. Beyond is a short section of open rift, to a climb down to a 5m pitch. The streamway continues with further climbs, and soon reaches a 10m pitch. Beyond is a longer section of stream rift, with yet more climbs--a couple of them rather interesting.
Eventually, the rift reaches Space Trout, a 105m pitch, starting with an 83m freehang--the longest in the cave--in a 5m diameter shaft; the shaft widens further down as it joins the main shaft. The pitch lands at one end of The Drippy Ledge, 20m above the First False Floor; the original route down the shaft lands at the other end of the ledge.
| Pitch | Rope | Rigging | ||
| Pendule (P15) | 20m | Rigged from two bolts at top of Flying Rébellés; deviation 5m down; lower end secured to bolt and thread backup. | ||
| Ascent into rift (P10 up) |
| Three natural belays. | ||
| Serendipity (P40) | 60m | Natural backup; 2-bolt Y-hang; bolt rebelay; natural deviation; natural deviation; wire through thread at start of traverse; two spike belays on traverse; thread belay at end of traverse. | ||
| P8 | 15m | Spike and bolt Y-hang; spike deviation to right at -15m1. | ||
| Blind Pot (P6) | 10m | Spike belay. | ||
| P6 | 10m | Spike and thread Y-hang. | ||
| Tumbling Dice I (P30) | 120m | Natural backup; thread for traverse; two bolt Y-hang; natural deviation; natural deviation. | ||
| Tumbling Dice II (P70) | '' | Spike belay; spike belay; bolt belay; natural deviation; natural deviation. | ||
| First streamway pitch (P5) | 10m | Natural backup; 2-bolt Y-hang. | ||
| Second streamway pitch (P10) | 15m | Natural backup; 2-bolt Y-hang. | ||
| Space Trout (P105) | 120m | Natural backup; Y-hang off thread and spike; spike deviation at -15m2; bolt and spike rebelay at -83m; thread rebelay 10m lower. |
Flying Rébellés lands in a small chamber with a rift leading off. The original route was an easy, lined traverse through a squeeze to a thrutch along the rift. At an aven it is possible to redescend the rift. This is Pablo Pot, which although free climbable, is best rigged with a ladder. The current, easier route from Flying Rébellés is to follow the bottom of the rift, along a crawl, to the foot of Pablo Pot. A hole is passed on the left, down which the water disappears: this is believed to drop into G.S.P. and may be worth further exploration.
Pablo Pot marks the start of Popcorn Rift. The rift is at first easy to follow, with a couple of short climbs down. After a while, the rift becomes narrower, with various ways on. The easiest route is a narrow rift to the right, leading to a climb down to a small chamber (3m x 3m). From here a traverse along a piece of white rock reaches the head of Gripper Pitch (10m).
The pitch lands in a chamber with a 2m climb up. From here another squeeze, Stimulated Emission Squeeze, is followed by a right angled bend into Black Crystal Rift. A 6m climb is met halfway along the rift. The route leads back up through a hole in the rift to a wider section, which ends at a small chamber with a trench in the floor. The trench may be descended to a traverse, leading to the head of a fine 17m pitch, Graham's Todger Pitch. The original route descended the pitch fully and then climbed seven metres up the rift opposite the landing. The current route uses a Tyrolean tight line connecting the top of the pitch and the top of the climb; abseiling clipped to this line saves much effort.
The rift bends to the left to a small chamber (4m x 3m) with a trench in the floor. The trench may be descended for 5m to a wider section of rift. From here there are two possible ways on. A tight, awkward rift, Travellers' Scrabble, leads off horizontally. It is possible to avoid this by an exposed climb through a hole in the roof and a traverse above the tight rift until it becomes wide enough to descend. This reconnects with Travellers' Scrabble just before Ascension Pot, an 8m pitch. This pitch is now avoided by a lined traverse over the top and a climb down the rift on the other side. The rift here is narrow with a number of passable levels. The lowest route is the best. Care should be taken as the rift ends at a 70m drop, Pessimists' Pot. High level routes in the rift open out directly above Pessimists' and are not recommended.
| Pitch | Rope | Rigging |
| Gripper (P10) | 20m | Tape traverse; Y-hang off spike and thread. |
| Graham's Todger (P17) | 20m | Long tape for traverse; short wire and bolt Y-hang; thread deviation 1.5m down; 15m tension line to rift. |
| Traverses (Ascension Pot) | 25m | Bolts. |
From the small chamber at the foot of the climbs, a traverse slightly upward gains the head of Pessimists' Pot, the beginning of an impressive 400m shaft system. The initial short section bypasses the original belay ledge (The Fun Starts Here) and the main hang is a fine 70m drop. Large pinnacles of rock are visible on a ledge on the opposite side of the shaft approximately 35m below The Fun Starts Here, and one wall has massive calcite crystals, round which detackling ropes can snag quite firmly. The pitch lands on a boulder strewn ledge, Supper Time, which has a supply of clean water entering from the inlet above Pessimists' Pot.
A short ascent up the ledge, using a traverse line, leads to the 31m pitch, Sing to the Devil. A short steep slope leads to the pitchhead; halfway down, the shaft splits, the route on being the larger and deeper of the two. From the bottom, a short traverse round a large hole in the floor leads to a spiky rock bridge from which the next pitch, The Bells, is reached. The pitch lands on a large (5m x 3m) wet ledge with a pool, a useful carbide fettling spot, from where it is possible to look down to the First False Floor, 140m below.
A 44m pitch, Armageddon, leads to another ledge. From here the next pitch, The Hundred descends in a series of short hangs; this pitch is awkward to rig as the walls slope outwards at approximately 5 degrees to the vertical. The pitch lands on The Drippy Ledge, where it unites with the GSP route.
| Pitch | Rope | Rigging |
| Pessimists' (P75) | 85m | Thread and bolt for traverse; two bolt Y-hang; bolt deviation; two bolt Y-hang (main hang) with two short rope protectors; bolt rebelay 55m down; bolt deviation 2m lower. |
| Sing to the Devil (P31) | 35m | Two bolts for sloping traverse; bolt; bolt deviation 2m down. |
| Traverse | 25m | Bolt, bolt, spike. |
| The Bells/Five Second Warning (P37) | 45m | Y-hang off two bolts; natural rebelay; bolt rebelay3; bolt deviation; thread deviation. |
| Armageddon (P54) | 60m | Two spike traverse; natural and bolt Y-hang (main hang); thread deviation; bolt rebelay; spike deviation; thread deviation; thread deviation; bolt rebelay. |
| The Hundred (P70) | 90m | Two bolts for traverse; bolt; bolt rebelay 2m down; six bolt rebelays; traverse to spike. |
From The Drippy Ledge, where the original and GSP routes unite, a lined traverse leads to the head of a 22m pitch, landing on the First False Floor.
The First False Floor is a fine chamber divided by a 5m ridge. Climbing up onto the ridge reaches a short pitch down to the other side of the chamber. From here, there are a number of possible ways on. A large rift enters from the right. This can be climbed for about 5m ending in a very steeply ascending muddy slope. Below the ridge, a short climb leads to a route through a very loose boulder pile to a 30m pitch, Great Expectorations. This lands in a rift with a stream running south to north. This rift was later explored, and lands back in the main shaft at the bottom of Rosy Crucifixion.
The main way on from the below the ridge is a route to the right which leads between boulders to the head of Rosy Crucifixion (38m). The head of the pitch is beneath a very large poised boulder. This pitch, is against a muddy, sloping wall. A number of deviations fails to prevent the rope becoming quickly clogged with mud.
The pitch lands in a small chamber with a stream that disappears down a crack in the floor. This may be the same stream that flows down Great Expectorations. The way on is to traverse along a ledge 5m above the base of the pitch to reach the next pitch, Cemetery Gates. Part way down, a swing right onto a wall leads to the final 10m drop to the start of Gusamo Grovel.
If the swing round the buttress is ignored, the pitch ends on a small ledge behind rock spikes (the original route). The rock spikes and rifts make the route to the final pitch complicated. However, all routes appear to lead to the same place, a boulder chamber with water entering from a number of inlet rifts. A hole in the floor leads to a 6m pitch landing in a small chamber, That Monday Morning Feeling, with a pool in the bottom. A small waterfall lands in the pool. The only possible way on is to follow the water down a westerly trending body sized tube which closes down after about 3m. A narrow slot in the tube draughts strongly but is far too small to be descended. No other routes were found from this chamber.
The 1988 extension was found at the bottom of Cemetery Gates where the water is left behind and a dry high level followed. A short climb down with the help of a handline attached to a large spike led to a roped climb up into Gusamo Grovel.
Following the draught through the sandy crawls and stoops of the Grovel, past the squalid 1988 campsite, soon produces results in the form of the noise of a very large amount of falling water. A descent down a dry muddy slope (rope useful) leads to a chamber, from where the first of the pitches into Just Awesome is rigged.
| Pitch | Rope | Rigging |
| Pitch to First False Floor (P22) | 30m | Thread traverse to bolt; thread deviation; bolt rebelay. |
| Pitch Through First False Floor (P10) | 15m | Bolt backup; spike; spike deviation at top; bolt deviation. |
| Rosy Crucifixion (P40) | 45m | Thread backup; bolt (main hang); thread deviation near top; 2-bolt Y-hang. |
| Cemetery Gates (P30) | 40m | Medium wire backup; long wire; bolt rebelay; bolt rebelay (pendule round ridge); bolt rebelay; bolt rebelay. |
| Gusamo Climb (C8) | 12m | Natural belays. |
A 17m pitch in a rift is followed by a lined (semi-tension) traverse onto a ledge. A large block forms the initial belay for the next pitch. The bolt for the main hang is just above a large undercut, making the changeover airy and somewhat strenuous. This 42m pitch lands on the Big Ledge. A very large stream (flow rate measured as 250 litres per second in 1989) enters the chamber on this ledge. The stream flows into a 2m wide passage and falls 50m down to the chamber floor, from a hole about 15m below the level of the ledge.
From here, the full size of the chamber is apparent, if not visible. The chamber is 40m by 70m and over 120m high, the largest chamber by far at comparable depth in Spain. The Big Ledge is horseshoe shaped, and roughly 100m by 100m.
The stream passage may be followed upstream, after wading across a waist-deep pool, in a tall 2-3m wide rift containing many clean-washed boulders. After about 100m, the way on is blocked by a large boulder over which the stream falls. A possible way on is visible about 8m up. The upstream passage may also be reached from the top of Just Awesome, by following a descending phreatic tube for about 40m to a short ladder climb. From here, the route continues in a narrow rift, traversing on jammed boulders high up in the rift upstream from the big ledge. A tight section, traversing over a large drop, is followed by wide bridging to jammed boulders, to where the stream is met, about 10m downstream from the large boulder described above.
About 30m further round the Big Ledge from the main stream is an inlet, with a much smaller stream and passage. This can be followed about 25m upstream before a waterfall blocks progress.
The descent from the Big Ledge is against the wall for about 10m to the final bolt. Here, the wall is sharply undercut, leaving the caver struggling in space 5m from the waterfall to accomplish the last changeover. 38m lower, this superb, very free-hanging drop lands in the boulder-strewn immensity of the base of Just Awesome.
From here there are two ways on. The original route follows the stream; the present route ascends the cemented boulder pile to the right, to the climb up to the London Underground.
| Pitch | Rope | Rigging |
| Just Awesome I (P17) | 35m | Natural backup; short tape (for climb to pitch head); medium wire and medium tape Y-hang; bolt deviation; Y-rebelay (short tape and medium wire); five bolt traverse. |
| Just Awesome II (P42) | 120m | Bolt backup; tape on spike; long wire on spike; bolt on lip with rope protector. |
| Just Awesome III (P50) | '' | Backup where previous pitch lands; bolt Y-hang; bolt; bolt; bolt on lip |
Upstream begins at a 5m climb at the back of the Big Ledge camp, into The Forbidden Zone. At the top a window on the left looks back down onto the stream, but the way on is to climb up over car-sized boulders, until a spiky flake on the right hand wall is reached. This slopes up at about sixty degrees and provides another easy 5m climb. At the top of this climb the route moves to the left hand wall, where a scramble between boulders and a solid wall leads to the stream.
Straight ahead are two climbable cascades, but the best way up is to double back where the water is met and thrutch up in the narrowest part of the rift. This leads to the bottom of a 45m handline up a three stage climb to the top of the cascades.
At this point the main route follows the water upstream through boulders into The Paris Metro, a large stream passage. Doubling back and following the rift back towards The Big Ledge leads, via Barnes Loop The Loop, to a fork. Straight on opens suddenly at a window where rocks fall for five seconds into Just Awesome. An easy but obscure climb goes up to large fossil passage which connects, after an exposed sloping ledge, with downstream end of The Paris Metro.
The Paris Metro continues as a wide stream passage, with the driest route changing sides several times, until The Windy Sump is reached. Slightly downstream of the sump a window at chest height on the right leads into dry rift but becomes too tight. Directly above the sump, a chain of footloops make the climb up through The Blowhole reasonably straightforward, although the strong draught makes a working electric light necessary. Once through The Blowhole, a rift on the right, similar to the one downstream of The Windy Sump, but carrying a small inlet, also becomes too tight.
Upstream from The Blowhole a sump pool is met after 15m. This has been plumbed to a depth of 5 m, and, although a traverse over the pool is probably possible, the safest route is a handline protected climb up through a squeeze into a chamber. Climbing up on the upstream side of this chamber leads to a loose 20m pitch down into a very large chamber, with the stream flowing through the middle. This is Echo Beach. Following the water downstream leads back to the sump pool; upstream ends at a low arch where complete immersion might lead to a continuation. The way on is to climb up on the left of the chamber, where a route down through boulders leads to a static pool, The Dead Sea. This deep pool is passed by a climb up the left hand wall and a bold step across at the narrowest part onto a broad ledge, worse on the way back, which comes down to meet the floor of a fossil streamway. 15m along the passage there is pitch down to the stream.
Rather than descending to the stream, the way on is an exposed traverse around on the right into The Dead Sea Strolls, a continuation of the fossil level. This is 300m of passage on two levels: a fossil floor and a high level on boulders. The route is not always obvious. At the first inlet climb up on the right. At the second inlet climb down on the left and then traverse along the rift. Under a rock arch on the left the passage opens out again and the only remaining tricky bit is where the bouldery level suddenly ends. Circling round and down between the boulders is the least exposed way of regaining the solid floor. This ends with a 5m pitch, Oregano Pitch.
At the bottom of Oregano Pitch it is possible to follow downstream, down some short cascades for about 20m to deep water. Upstream, cascades can be traversed to reach smooth-flowing, shin-deep water, in a well scalloped, 1m wide tear drop shaped passage. The passage meanders, before reaching a boulder chamber, Coral Corner. It is possible to climb up into a 5m diameter passage to the south-east of the chamber. This might be heading back downstream, or might be in inlet. The passage ends at an undescended 5m pitch.
Continuing upstream, fossil oxbows can be followed on the right hand wall, to a straight section ending at a waist-deep pool, Deep Waters. The passage continues as a straight, thin rift, making traversing the easiest means of progress. After about 200m, a choke is reached; a sideways step to the right enters a parallel passage, from where a climb up and backwards, through a loose hole, breaks out into a massive chamber, Fear and Loathing in Las Brujas. The chamber is approximately 10m wide at this point, but wider back in the downstream direction. A gentle bouldery slope leads back to the stream.
The stream continues wide and meandering. An inlet on the right can be followed for 20m to the base of a 10m pitch. Boulder obstacles can be negotiated, to a cascade, which can be passed on the right hand side. Eventually, a chamber is reached, with a waterfall that will need to be bolted up.
From the bottom of Just Awesome, moving away from the waterfall leads to a brief scrabble over boulders with a 2m climb down to the stream. The stream at this point is about 5m wide and shallow, with a gravelly bottom. The streamway passage continues at an imperceptible gradient, and with a very variable roof height. The water varies from being ankle deep to being too deep to wade. In several places the stream is blocked by fallen boulders which have to be climbed over or through.
200m downstream from the chamber the 1988 Second Camp was located on a ledge 2m above normal stream level. In the extraordinary floods of 1988, the stream rose 2-3m as the camping party took refuge on ledges on the wall.
After a short wade it is best to traverse above the stream on the left wall (line needed). 100m further along there is a 5m climb down beside a waterfall, which can be avoided by rigging a pitch from high up on the right hand side. This is followed by Fool's pitch, which drops into a large chamber full of massive boulders.
The stream continues to a narrow deep section that must be traversed (using a line) in order to reach Mesopotamia. Here there is an island in the middle of the streamway. The way on is reached by jumping across the stream, 2m below (Dan's Bold Step). Another awkward traverse (line needed) comes immediately afterwards. A wide passage then soon closes down and high levels have to be followed by climbing up into a narrow section that opens into a large muddy chamber. A handline climb down rejoins the stream in a narrow passage which is traversed to a 1m waterfall.
The stream is best left here. A high level route through huge boulder floored chambers (Mr. Jones) continue for 150m until the stream is met again, just beyond the 1989 camp. An alternative route at the end of Mr. Jones descends to the camp by a small inlet. The route through Mr. Jones is cairned, as it was found to be easy to get lost in the monotonous boulder-scrambling slog through to camp.
It is also possible to follow the water (the Sumpy Streamway) round to just below the campsite, as one very lost party found. This very aqueous route has only been partially surveyed.
Immediately downslope from the campsite, the main stream emerges from the Sumpy Streamway, in a low (2m), wide, stalactitey passage. The way on is to turn right, up slope, and then along a short length of passage to a climb up behind a block, to emerge in a large chamber at the top of a rockpile. A waterfall inlet can be heard on the right. The cairned route leads over to the left, and back down to the stream just before a region which appears to be blocked by large boulders. There are many easy routes through here. Some are cairned. It is also easy to go round in circles. Few people have managed to go through this choke the same way twice.
The route emerges briefly into open stream passage, which is crossed (left to right) and then recrossed. A cairn here marks the 1988 limit of exploration. The stream heads to the right, into Choke Cuthbert. The route on is over the choke, to the left, via an ascending rope (15m). At the top, a brief scramble up leads to the first of two 8m ropes down (3m and 10m), rigged from rather dodgy bolts. The first descent may be bypassed by a devious climb. At the bottom is Floodlands; progress is made between large rocks at stream level.
The passage soon becomes more open and continues along the right hand side of the stream, past a large rock `duck' (like one of the bits in Tate Gallery in Swildons Four). A climb up over boulders to the right follows, and then the left wall is followed, round the back of a large block. A descent to the stream, with a few more manoeuvres around boulders, leads to the impressive wide meanders at Primula Point, the site of the 1990 camp. The stream runs to the right of a wide sandy ledge, in a wide and tall `L' shaped passage.
The boulder pile in Just Awesome ascends for 30m to the base of a flowstone
waterfall. A 40m bold climb up this (rope in place) reaches the enormous
sloping sandy plain of Heathrow. This is an excellent vantage point for the
Just Awesome Chamber. Following the well-trodden route on the left side of
the passage (further damage to the sand and mud floor must be avoided) leads
up to the base of a wide boulder slope. It is possible to go wrong here by
heading too far right; if in doubt, follow a bearing of 40.
On the right-hand side of the passage, a steep stal-coated inlet slope contains numerous small pools with an amazing profusion of cave pearls. A wide, high passage leads off from the top of a climb. This passes a drippy inlet and an undescended shaft on the right. A steep climb up a mud slope leads to a boulder choke with no way on.
At the top of the boulder slope a cairned route leads off down the 1000m length of the London Underground. The passage here is about 70m wide, and is sufficiently straight that lights can be seen 400m away in places. The route ascends and descends steeply in several places.
After 400m, the route bears slightly right, becoming narrower (about 10m width), and descends for 50m. One then passes a particularly large block, by which is a 20m diameter shaft (Marble Arch). Descent of this (15m) leads to the Piccadilly Line, another large boulder-strewn passage. Heading downslope on the most obvious route leads to a 12m drop to another large, bouldery passage. Fortuitously, this is Mr. Jones, just above the inlet to the 1989 campsite. Following the Piccadilly Line in the opposite direction from Marble Arch leads to a steep descent to a platform which overlooks the stream near the 1988 limit.
Continuing along the London Underground, the route leads to Euston Choke. This is a steep strenuous ascent up loosely packed sand and rocks, first up the right-hand side and then crossing over to the left (the descent is easier on the return). A handline is now rigged most of the way up. The last steep section may be avoided by heading to the right, and ducking under some large boulders. Near the top of the handline, on the left hand side, a promising-looking rift leads off, but all routes here end in mud chokes.
Once over the top of Euston Choke, the descent is easy into a tall rifty passage about 8m wide. A short walk leads to the base of Paddington Choke. A rope is rigged up the left-hand side, ascending about 20m. Alternatively, it is possible to ascend to this point by an ``interesting'' climb on the right-hand side. At this point, it is possible to penetrate the choke, and various routes have been pushed to no conclusion as yet. The most explored of these is Lost Paul's Rift. Another way on may be to continue the climb up the left-hand wall.
Behind a large block at the base of Paddington Choke lies a hole in the floor, giving the entrance to Zasadska Way. Short, oversuit-ripping squeezes and rifts open out at the top of a series of six short, awkward pitches. The last of these lands in the stream just before Primula Point. It bypasses neither Drucilla nor Egbert, as its optimistic explorers hoped.
| Pitch | Rope | Rigging |
| Dead or Alive (P40 up) | 60m | Two bolts; lots of deviations. |
| Marble Arch (P15) | 20m | Bolt backup; bolt; bolt. |
| P15 (to Mr. Jones) | 20m | Wire and bolt Y-hang; bolt rebelay; deviation from natural. |
| C10 | 15m | Natural belay. |
| Zasadska Way: P6 | 150m | 2 natural belays, bolt rebelay under lip. |
| Traverse | '' | 3 natural belays; bolt belay |
| P12 | '' | Bolt; bolt rebelay |
| P8 | '' | Two tapes round boulders; bolt rebelay. |
| P12 | '' | Natural, bolt rebelay. |
| P10 | '' | Bolt. |
| P10 | '' | Bolt; bolt rebelay. |
| P15 | '' | Natural belay; two bolt deviations; deviation on large boulder, 4m above streamway. |
Beyond Primula Point, the stream deepens in a tall 6m wide passage, and the easiest route is to traverse along ledges on the left-hand wall. A four metre pitch, with an irritating take-off at the top, leads up to the first of these. An easy walk (line for safety) reaches a broader ledge, and then a tension traverse to another ledge. Here, two routes diverge.
Downwards, it is possible to pendule across the stream to a two-person sized ledge, from which a traverse (currently unlined) round the downstream buttress gives a climb down to stream level. Here the passage widens slightly, and the shallow stream runs round the left hand side of a boulder pile before vanishing into choke Dreadful Drucilla. On the right, a small unexplored inlet enters. A route exists through Drucilla at stream level, but this could only be refound (once) by the original pushing party. It has only been partially surveyed, and is likely to remain so, as a bypass exists via Postman Pat.
From the junction described above, a rope ascends on muddy walls past a ledge to a 3m diameter rocky chamber about 2m high. From here, a window looks down onto the start of Choke Drucilla. Traversing past this reaches another small sloping chamber. Upslope a narrow exit emerges into a vast, steeply sloping, boulder-filled chamber (Postman Pat).
At the bottom of Postman Pat, on the right, is the start of a 60m
climb, Bright Lights. This ascends in a series of short pitches and
45 mud slopes, the top section in a phreas heading perpendicularly
away from the main streamway. At the top, a muddy rift is met. A 40m pitch,
Hunt The Crowbar, may be rigged down the rift; this is awkward at first, but
breaks out into a shaft, landing in a muddy level. Doubling back under the
descent route, it is possible to descend to meet a small active streamway.
Two short pitches (3m, 12m) and a short crawl led to the top of an undescended
15m pitch. The streamway is heading towards the main stream, and is believed
to be the inlet that can be heard from camp.
Routes on were initially explored by dangerous climbs upslope. In several places holes lead down into the boulders; these have not been fully explored. Halfway to the top, on the left, a hole in the floor leads, via a series of short pitches, back to the beginning of Choke Drucilla. Near the top of the chamber, a large arch divides it into two. In the left branch, more dangerous climbs and traverses lead to an obscure series that may provide a bypass to Choke Egbert. A rift at the end of this appears to be part of Lost Paul's Rift in Paddington. The right-hand branch ascends past several promising looking holes to a traverse rightwards at the base of a steep wall. At this point the climb was abandoned, though continuation may be fruitful. The roof is visible at this point, but a way on at the top of the wall appears to exist. Rocks thrown from here crash down for a long period, landing in Bod.
The route into Bod is a hole in the right hand wall, near the base of Postman Pat. A `bold splits' across a drop emerges into a large boulder floored passage, about 10-20m across, and very reminiscent of the London Underground. The main route through follows the right hand wall, and is well cairned. In the left hand wall is a 10m, 27m deep circular pot, Big Sloppy Job, dropping onto a flat, mud floor. A small cascade passage leads off at floor level. A 5m, overhanging climb leads down to a short pitch into a chamber with a suspended boulder roof. A tiny stream flows down a tight, muddy rift reminiscent of the top of Drucilla. The rift eventually closes down at a draughting hole from which comes the sound of roaring water.
Back in Bod, at the top of a ridge, two routes diverge. The original route descends a 20m pitch over loose rocks on the right-hand wall. The passage narrows after a while, to a choice between a squeeze under, or a climb over, a chockstone, Chockstone Climb. This enters a chamber, from where a climb to the left is a route into Soup Dragon. The passage continues, past a large pit in the left hand wall, which is blind at the bottom, before rejoining the main route.
The main route from the ridge in Bod, is a short climb up the left hand wall. This reaches a descending traverse cum sloping pitch, onto a large ledge above Bod, Soup Dragon. In the left wall is a large hole, the entrance to Tantalus. A short pitch leads to a muddy, loose slope. Round the corner is a second, larger pitch of about 50m. Initially the descent is in a narrow rift, but soon opens out to give an exposed hang in a large chamber, with an inlet entering from one side. At the bottom, the water appears to head back towards the main streamway.
The route in Soup Dragon continues to the base of two small inlets, the White Inlets which flow down over moonmilk. A ledge is visible at the top of these, which may be worth further exploration. Carrying straight ahead from the White Inlets, reaches a short drop. Penduling across reaches a ledge at the bottom of a promising looking climb. However, on closer examination it was found to continue upwards, getting steeper and chossier, rather than gaining a higher level. Alternatively, continuing straight downwards, reaches a chamber, from where a further pitch descends into the pit in Bod, described above.
Crossing to the right hand wall at the White Inlets, and passing behind a very large boulder, the route descends over muddy boulders to the top of a short pitch, Clanger Pitch. This drops back into the original route through Bod, much to the disappointment of the original explorers, who were expecting the passage to continue further.
Continuing along Bod, a second pit is passed on the left. This can be descended for thirty metres, to a floor from where a miserably small rift leads off. Alternatively, from half way down the shaft, penduling rightwards reaches a ledge with a route forward over large boulders. Descent routes can be rigged in several places, all dropping into Pimpernel Streamway.
Continuing above the pot reaches the top of a muddy, sloping pitch, Pimpernel Pitch (P30), which lands on a rockpile in the streamway, halfway between chokes Drucilla and Egbert.
| Pitch | Rope | Rigging |
| Pitch out of camp site | 10m | Bolt for traverse; bolt |
| Traverses beyond Primula Point | 80m | Bolt and natural belays |
| Climbs into Postman Pat | 60m | Bolt and natural belays |
| Bright Lights | 120m | Many bolts and natural belays. |
| Hunt the Crowbar | 100m | Bolt belays; bolt and natural rebelays in rift; two bolts at start of shaft; natural belays for descent to stream; natural belays for 3m and 12m pitches. |
| C4 | 30m | Bolt. |
| Traverse into Soup Dragon | '' | Bolt; bolt deviation; bolt; bolt; tyrolean line on first two sections. |
| Clanger pitch (P6) | 15m | Natural backup; bolt for traverse; bolt; bolt deviation. |
| Pimpernel Pitch (P30) | 50m | Natural backup; long wire round spike; thread rebelay4; bolt rebelay. |
Upstream, a climb down from the rockpile lands in an 8m wide rift, carrying the stream. Easy progress in the stream or close to the walls in deep sections leads to the survey cairn on the downstream side of Choke Drucilla.
Downstream, a route following first the right hand wall, then the left hand wall, descends to a small beach at stream level. The stream in the 3m wide, tall, rift is 2-3 feet deep, and the wetting can be avoided, by a tension traverse along a muddy ledge on the left. At the end of this, crossing to the right hand side of the stream, reaches a beach, at the foot of Colostomy Climb.
Colostomy Climb ascends for ten metres over two horrendous rubs, to a ledge, which can be followed, to a choke, Not Colostomy Choke. Alternatively, continuing up the rope for a further 25m reaches a platform of boulders, very similar in character to Bod. It is possible to see from here to Clanger Pitch, and so it is believed that this is a continuation of the old high level. Traversing round to the right, reaches a choice of two routes. A climb straight ahead reaches a further climb up to The Black Hole. This is unfortunately just a route over boulders, leading to a shaft back to the streamway. An inlet enters from above, but was not ascended. Alternatively from the foot of the climb, continuing to the right reaches Colostomy Choke, which draughts strongly, but is fairly solid. Various other routes have been explored, without success.
From the base of Colostomy Climb, the stream continues about 4-5 feet deep. This can be avoided by recrossing the stream to the left bank, via a rock island; in wet conditions, a pendule or a deathslide can help to avoid the water, or can simply dunk the caver in the middle of the streamway. From here, a roped, semi-tension traverse leads to a beach. various muddy side passages lead off from here: most end in chokes, but further exploration may be fruitful. Alternatively, continuing straight ahead, a mud bank can be ascended to a climb into a loose choke; all routes appear choked, and do not draft.
From the beach, the streamway cuts right, and completely changes character, becoming a phreatic tube, about 5m in diameter; previously the stream had run in a high rift, with the roof out of sight.
After an easy roped traverse, a low, wide crawl leads off from the right hand side of the stream This is Tim's Bit. After several grovels in gravel, the passage splits. To the left is a series of very loose climbs up into a chamber in a boulder choke; several routes lead off but none go. Alternatively, to the right breaks out into walking passage. At the end is a cold, wet, miserable dig with a very good draft; this was abandoned when the roof gave way to cobbles.
Continuing in the main streamway soon reaches Choke Egbert: a dense and dangerous choke of small boulders. It is possible to climb into the choke at various places, but no way on was apparent. The stream splits in two, with both branches sinking. A flood overflow continues straight ahead, between the two branches. This leads into the choke for about twenty metres, past an unstable right hand wall, to a short drop, which was dug open. Ahead, the dig continues, with a very strong draft, and the sound of the streamway ahead increasing.
A caver at Choke Egbert is only 10m or so below the level of the camp, and about 700m metres above resurgence level, at an unusually remote and difficult barrier to exploration.
| Pitch | Rope | Rigging |
| Colostomy Climb (P35 up) | 45m | Natural backup; Y-hang from two bolts; natural rebelay; bolt rebelays |
| First Pimpernel traverse | 40m | 2 bolts; 3 bolt rebelays; natural rebelay; 2 bolt rebelays; natural backup |
| Second Pimpernel traverse | 45m | Natural belays |