23/08/2014 - James Wood, Bob Toogood
Bob and I were both free and up for a trip somewhere, Bob suggested he would like a more detailed look at Maginn's Rift in Giants Hole.
With the recent Crusader discovery in New Oxlow, we both were thinking that things could also have been missed. Even without gaining any further knowledge, we would at least enjoy what turned out to be quite a dry round trip.
Bob and I started from the bottom working our way up to the top exploring the passages hoping to find something interesting. A few climbs and managed to find passages that ended up back into the rift. Nothing of major interest. Eventually we for to the top of the rift where there are two ways on. To the right, what looked a very uninspiring tight wet tube. To the left it was dry, hands and knees crawling at first after a short section of flat out crawling it opens up. With bang wire and blast debris, clearly a site of some previous interest.
Bob was the first to go along the main drag for a look, he came back informing me of a strong draught coming through boulders. I went for a look, there was definitely a good draught. At the end is timber across the passage, shoring debris from blocking the way out. On the top of this is where the choke is. A gap between a solid wall and a boulder was big enough to get head and shoulders in for a look above at the choke. I took my back up light off and managed to light up beyond the boulders, it definitely opened up. With 3 main boulders stopping the way on, i was convinced it would be easy to reduce them and gain access.
I had seen enough to want to come back again in the near future. We both made our exit continuing the round trip.
Later after contact with a few members, Jon P confirmed that it was the Death Series. Furthermore he had a copy of a journal with K. Bentham's account.