Happy new year underground lovers!

[Donna Sothern]

Hi all! I’ve been caving/mine exploring for around 2 years now. My favourite ones being cwmorthin and croersor, my first was Belgrave & Hendre, that’s my most recent too! I noticed about a month ago Hendre was quite flooded, some anchor points had snapped off (the bit near the ladder, ladder, chain, ladder). I also noticed a few ladders had ‘slipped’ out of place slightly, a few parts looks as though someone had fell (the ladder down a tunnel then chain down to another ladder part, it looked as though someone slipped off the chain and fell to the floor with all the ‘gravel’ mess’). I hope no one actually fell, and if they did they weren’t badly injured. Anyway, will these changed make this mine dangerous or is this normal for mines to change due to weather/flooding?

Also, does anyone have any recommendations for other mines/caves within 100 miles of Chester? Or 50 miles from aber marina? I’ve promised my self and my best friend we’ll go caving at least once a week this year, we’re also planning on joining our local caving club, but wanted to know some locations to plan solo (me and my bestie) trips. We have BCA memberships, I used to have over 50 cave/mine entrance locations on my Google maps, but when I upgraded, they all disappeared from my phone

[Donna Sothern]

Sorry, just to add…

I did originally state that I knew sharing locations isn’t the done thing due to risk of unqualified or vandalism visitors. And the request for how I find locations/surveys of no one is comfortable sharing with me.
I also added the photo of flooded Hendre just because it shocked me when I seen it so I had to share.
I’m not sure if I just can’t see the rest of my post or if theirs a character limit.
And of course, thank you in advance for any advice offered.
Happy new year!!

[Gareth Stonely]

Hi Donna91

Our club is based in N.E Wales but have members spaced out across North Wales and beyond. If you based out of Chester we are your local caving club, we have club trips every Thursday night and we have occasional club trips on the weekend, but weekends we encourage our members to put trips on. The ladies of the club also run ladies only trips as well.
If you want any more info on joining the club please email Info@ucet.org.uk

We do have the public knowledge bank that has some info on location, we also have a private knowledge bank that can only be seen by our members.

It's very interesting how high the water is in your photo of Hendre, I don't ever recall seeing that level ever flooding, is the bottom ladder submerged in water? Next time I'm there I'll have a look at the issue you've raised regarding the ladders and anchors

Happy caving
Gaz
Ucet chairman

[Ian A]

I have never seen Hendre water that high  :blink:

Donna, there is a "knowledge bank" on the forum - it's full of caves and mines in the region. The order is a bit random though - have a wade through  B)

Ian

[Donna Sothern]

The bottom ladder and chain were both submerged, we normally abseil from the other side, walk along the scaffolding in pic, down the tunnel and abseil there.  Crazy because we went a 2 weeks before and did the abseil, it wasn’t flooded, the water on the next level down was higher than usual but nothing major, we never normally check to see if it’s flooded I just just straight on the scaffold, but I did this time as the bit near one of the openings that’s always shin high flooded was flooded upto my thigh, The anchor closest to the ‘corner’ of the scaffold is the one that snapped. The rope that’s usually there is also gone. You’ll notice the change in the ladders just before you hit the badly flooded bit. Also, weirdly, the log that’s normally at the opening that is kind of a ‘step’ is gone also. Once we got out we thought maybe that was a sign someone in the ‘know’ had been and deemed it dangerous. It doesn’t feel unsafe, just different.

[Donna Sothern]

Does the ‘order’ of mines only work on PC? I’ve tried opening quite a few and it just takes me to UCET homepage and makes me log in again. I have a PC, I’ll try it on that when I get home, just unsure if I’m doing anything wrong. Thank you.

[Ian A]

It doesn't "order" at all, just click the header for each mine/cave.

Sorry it is a bit poop  :whistle:

Ian

[JonJoyce]

Hi Donna, alot of the info on the forum are restricted and can be seen by members only- Its one of many perks in joining our club if your interested? the cost would be £15 per year for people alrerady with BCA membership and you would get discounts on lamps, free access to first aid and SRT training, full access to our knowledge bank and invites to weekly trips.
just email me on jonjoyce80@yahoo.co.uk and I can set that up for you.
All the best,
Jon
UCET Secretary

[Gareth Stonely]

[quote="Donna91" post=46808]The bottom ladder and chain were both submerged, we normally abseil from the other side, walk along the scaffolding in pic, down the tunnel and abseil there.  Crazy because we went a 2 weeks before and did the abseil, it wasn’t flooded, the water on the next level down was higher than usual but nothing major, we never normally check to see if it’s flooded I just just straight on the scaffold, but I did this time as the bit near one of the openings that’s always shin high flooded was flooded upto my thigh, The anchor closest to the ‘corner’ of the scaffold is the one that snapped. The rope that’s usually there is also gone. You’ll notice the change in the ladders just before you hit the badly flooded bit. Also, weirdly, the log that’s normally at the opening that is kind of a ‘step’ is gone also. Once we got out we thought maybe that was a sign someone in the ‘know’ had been and deemed it dangerous. It doesn’t feel unsafe, just different.[/quote]

The problem with the Spar mine it's used by lot's of people from serious mine explores to any Tom, Dick or Harry. We have taken the rope out for the abseil you've described due to it getting misused. As i recall the log to get over the fence was there a couple of weeks before xmas as we had some srt training in the first chamber that you go into. I will be heading there in the next week or two so will check it out

[Mary Cutts]

Me and Sam are going in for a recce on Saturday afternoon, for the next weekend... We'll have a look. I've been in there recently... a few weeks before xmas.... There were water marks quite high up the wall on the bottom levels when I went in then.... But it's literally rained every day for 2 weeks.

[Steve]

I’ve never seen the water there before either. Something strange is happening here with the geology.
Hopefully when the plug goes it will drain the lower section again.

[Donna Sothern]

Ah I thought the rope was super old and unusable, and some random person swung of it (I’ve seen many videos of people doing that) and snapped it along with the anchor point. We usually rig up to the same anchor point as the rope that’s normally there plus the others for safety precautions,  we always use our own rope. We just rigged it to two points instead of 3 last time but the whole abseil felt different starting behind the scaffold than at the corner infront of the scaffold if that makes sense.
It’s possible that vandals had been there the day or two before us and that could explain some of the differences (obv not the flooding haha) as we left with half a bin bag of beer cans, energy drink bottles and vape pens. Usually we only see a few bits of litter at the main entrance and shove it in our pockets, first time I’ve had to use my rubbish bag there.

[mike leahy]

Keep up the good work Donna. You should come out with the club some time

[Steve]

[quote="Donna91" post=46829]Ah I thought the rope was super old and unusable, and some random person swung of it (I’ve seen many videos of people doing that) and snapped it along with the anchor point. We usually rig up to the same anchor point as the rope that’s normally there plus the others for safety precautions,  we always use our own rope. We just rigged it to two points instead of 3 last time but the whole abseil felt different starting behind the scaffold than at the corner infront of the scaffold if that makes sense.
It’s possible that vandals had been there the day or two before us and that could explain some of the differences (obv not the flooding haha) as we left with half a bin bag of beer cans, energy drink bottles and vape pens. Usually we only see a few bits of litter at the main entrance and shove it in our pockets, first time I’ve had to use my rubbish bag there.[/quote]

That’s so amazing of you to clean up after other people. I don’t recall the beer rubbish last time I was there is I suspect vandalism of the anchor points etc. well probably go back and re do them to make it safe again.

[Donna Sothern]

I plan on it, I want to see more spots and get more expirienced so the club seems the best way to go