Saturday - 19th August ????
People present - Pete Dale, Andy Whitney, Sam Carradice, Alan kerr

Waking up to a thunderstorm I decided to cancel the club trip down Hunt pot and do something a little less wet. Arriving at the farm I met Alan and Andy who had decided on Bull pot of the Witches as a suitable trip in unsettled weather. I on the other hand pined for excitement and danger but in the end joined Alan, Andy and Sam for a play around in BPW.

Everybody changed and ready to go, we strolled out of the changing rooms and into the cave! That's the one good thing about BPW, not far to walk. Alan led the way into the cave followed by Sam, me then Andy. We climbed down an easy chimney into the wide 'South Chamber' where, once we were all assembled, Sam pointed out that he would like to have a look at 'Cavern 32' via the less suicidal muddy crawl. Andy, Alan and me took one look at the crawl and decided to wait for Sam to return (Far to wet and muddy, it would mean getting dirty!) Sam reappeared with tales of caverns measureless to man, as we all emerged into the open hole.

From the daylight chamber there is a choice of three ways on, the way we came in 'South chamber' on the same side but descending under south chamber 'Burnett's passage' and the final way being 'North chamber'. We decided on BP as none of the others had been down it, so of we went with me in the lead for a change I was the only person who new the way to the main stream!

Only a short way into the passage the first drop is reached, guidebook says best laddered, but as usual I free climbed it! Not being able to convince the others that it was an easy climb they dropped a ladder down and joined me. We then made our way to hidden pot pitch which again I free climbed and much to my surprise the others followed (Only coz they had no more ladders!) Reaching the bottom we dropped into the streamway which sumped quickly in both directions with no way on. Only a few meters back up the cave was a climb into 'Long gallery' which is a nice and dry bypass for both sumps. We headed downstream to where a short climb drops you back into the main stream! Only Alan and me ventured off in the chest deep water (We were crawling) to a point where the stream dropped down a series of cascades into much larger walking passage, which we then explored for a while.

Returning from our short adventure we relayed stories of immense passages and enormous caverns, but this had no effect at spurring Andy and Sam into action! We retraced our steps to where we had climbed up and decided to go to have a look at North chamber via Long Gallery, unfortunately my memory wasn't working properly and we soon found out that this passage only sumped! Back to Hidden pot pitch and after another climb and traverse we where soon in Burnett's passage. Andy and Sam disappeared downstream to have a look at the 'Great cavern' while Alan and me had a well deserved rest.

Regrouped again, we set off towards North chamber to find the gour chambers! After a very tiring climb up Alan, Andy and me were sat in the gour chamber admiring the fine formations. I then remembered last time I came here with Duncan, we had found a tight climb up into another large chamber, but it had proved too difficult for us to enter at the time. Well I wasn't being defeated this time, as we stood and looked up at the squeeze Alan said that it didn't look too tight and he was right but, the fact that it was above head height made it that little bit more difficult!

Andy gave it a go first and managed to get his shoulders through, but that was all, due to his robust build he failed in getting his arse up through it! Well that was all I needed if he could get his shoulders through then so could i. Head and one arm through I couldn't get a good foot hold so Alan and Andy improvised one and with a lot of grunting and groaning I was halfway there just my hips now! This was when I realised just how tight it was since I felt my pelvis wedge quite firmly! I then proceeded in pushing as hard as I could with my legs until something gave and I was through (yeah!) I had a good look around the upper gour chamber and then contemplated my return back through the squeeze. The way I saw it was to just let myself drop and with a bit of luck I would slip back easily. Worked a treat and we where soon back in the entrance shaft telling our tales to Sam who strangely didn't follow us into the gour chamber! (Why?)

We made our exit out of the cave without any incidents and we where soon back in the cosy confines of Bull pot farm. Once changed into dry clothes we studied the survey just to see where we had been.

I've been down BPW a few times before now and had never realised how much cave lies beyond the Hidden pot pitch. An excellent trip with lots to do and see a must for anyone who likes this sport!