Team A: JonP, SamP, JoeB
Team B: DylanK, RobE
I was away last week so was keen to see what they had found down in Victory. Luke and Neptune joined us for pre-beers in the Miners, especially as it was supposed to be a monthly meet but we knew us cavers wouldn't be out in time.
Team A descended Cliffstile first and were gone by the time I got to the bottom. Their plan was to go rig some handlines and get some photos of last week's discoveries, whilst me n Dylan began the long and cold(!) job of surveying all of Victory Level, starting from Moorwood Sough. This was made all the more tricky as there was lots of rain a couple days ago, leaving only 4 inches of airspace in the lowest sections. We eventually got to the end and i was glad to be out of the water. My 2mm wetsuit is ok for Cussey but for sustained wet periods like that it was not enough.
Joe Buck in the breakthrough dig, by JonP
As we start surveying the dry workings i'm impressed with the size of the worked stope here, over 3m wide in places. Dylan does a good job of survey station finding and we quickly arrive at their dig. It's snug still but easily passable. Beyond the passage opens up again and heads in all directions, stuff going off everywhere. Dylan lights up with enthusiasm as he recounts discovering this last week. A few survey stations later and I light up too, this place is mega! The mined passage breaks out into a phreatic, walking-sized passage, adorned with a deeply cracked mud floor. A very cool discovery. It's hard to be sure but I think this is actually a pipe vein, maybe.
Sam and Joe in the main passage, by JonP
We survey off down various passages, some natural some mined, and note some excellent looking, draughting digs. Thin, calcified roots hang from fossil filled ceiling in places, suggesting Stoney Dale is not too far above.
Joe Buck admiring some thin roots, by JonP
We then survey a different direction and bump into the others who were returning from photographing an awesome wooden wheelbarrow. I was glad a couple climbs now had handlines on and soon we were at the end; a pitch down into more workings which eventually reaches back into the sough. Both me and Dylan had a go at freeclimbing down it, so we could survey the full loop, but it was too loose and slippery to do safely.
One of the handlined climbs, by JonP
We therefore headed back, unfortunately just as the others had finished their photoing, meaning that they were ahead of us to go up Cliffstile first. We therefore hung out, finished a few more bits of surveying, then slowly made out way out. Well earnt tea and medals (beer and crisps) back at the cars.