To describe 217 would be to take start with Henslers pot , but instead of coming out at near the bottom, the exit drops you onto the top of Gaping gill main shaft/yoyo. Now multiply the shaft by two and you are at camp in 217 after another shorter pitch that is.

This was where I would be spending the next two days underground.

I first experianced the Henslers part of this cave on Christmass eve, moving the camping gear in, that trip alone took 7 hours. Lots of narrow rifts low crawls and a couple of tight pitches and lots of other pitches.

We had originally planned to do the camping trip on Christmass day, however illness had put a stop to that and a day of plumbing was had instead. We still have not hot water and it has been a week
or so (at the time of writing since I have had a shower).

I digress… so boxing day was the day of reckoning, we were through the henslers section and onto the big pitch. After a few rebelays was a 90m hang down an impressive Yoyo sized shaft. The shaft contined for another 100m further yet we swung off onto a balcony.

From here a sereies of y-hangs dropped us down past several ledges back into the main shaft where we eventually hit solid ground in a massive rift chamber. The passage unfortunately soon closes down and a short crawl leads to a short pitch and camp. It took us some 6 hours to get here and another 2 to set up. No time for pushing today, so we spent a few hours in the chamber above taking photo’s and the like.

Once sorted we ate and went to bed, I awoke 2 hours later with an al-mighty stomach cramp…. to be continued.