Swaledale Outdoor Club

> Home > Newsletter > Caving > Roaring Hole

Roaring Hole

James - Terry - Lucia - John - Andy - Steve - Mike

The RV was in Bernie's at 09:30, and we were off an hour later heading for the lay-by above the Hill Inn. For me, I was to meet five new faces today, mostly from YSS.

Ingleborough was shrouded in low cloud swept along by a biting wind. The forecast was for rain and it was looking imminent.

We set off across the fell and watched the young sheep farmer on his quad bike complete with sheep dog sitting on the back. He roared across the fields calling the sheep, scattered some sheep nuts (not actually sheep nuts, just man made protein) for them to feed on and departed. It all took five or six minutes. Steve and I agreed that it must have taken his Grandfather up to half the morning in his day to complete that task. How times change.

Heads down into wind Steve and I set a good pace for Roaring. I navigated to the very spot, which was a nice feeling of accomplishment.

I listened down the entrance as I remember when I visited there three years ago you could hear the water roaring far down below. Today all was quiet, but for how long?

James and I discussed the point to start rigging the ladder, from the surface or from about 12 foot further down. He decided to free climb the first bit and then rig the ladder. In fact the ladder is really only used as an aid to get back up the tight bit at the bottom of the entrance series.

The best way to describe the first 100' of descent, is that it is a large chamber with a couple of rock floors through which you have to pass through. This is accomplished by a series of shored up holes that you shuffle/climb down whilst being overtaken by the water constantly, apart from the gallons that lodge in your boots, underpants and ears. The first proper pitch is along a rough crawl to a ladder into The Auditorium. James volunteered me first down the ladder. I reckoned the belays were not quite up to the PB standard, but I was happy with James rigging. I landed on a very large ledge halfway down the chamber with a nasty waterfall pitch at my feet. The way on is by an exposed traverse round to the high side of the sloping chamber floor, then scramble down to the beginning of a really wet hole due to a waterfall landing 1m from it.

Now life turns up some coincidences at times. 12' feet down this climb is a big block which the water pours over in volumes which you have to crawl through and under the block, and look for a slot to drop into. You and lots of water. When I tried this a few years ago it was just a maelstrom and the slot was choked with water. This was as far as I got then. The coincidence is that this was the same point James was turned back. So James and I and Roaring had a bit of sorting out to do.

At this point Andy decided his knee was not up to any further punishment and had a refusal. I led on down and found it very wet though passable. This is not the place to be climbing up when the water flow has risen behind you, unless you really like this sort of thing and are confident of your own ability in such a place.

Down we went with the girls squealing with delight (I think) as the water penetrated their suits. Now we were in a horizontal stream passage instead of a vertical one! Lucia and I led on, first in a 4' high passage then on down to another large chamber.

A meeting was called as to how much further we were going to go on, as the rain had actually started as we entered this underworld. Ten more minutes was agreed upon.

James in front now grunting in a 20' flat out crawl in the stream. Not looking good now as he starts to descend a narrow chimney which concentrates the water even more. "I think I can get through, but it is getting difficult" he shouts above the noise of the water. This is a noisy place. My concern was getting the girls back up the wet meandering climb and under the block, and if the water was to rise we might be in an awkward position. We happily agreed discretion was the better part of valour, or something like that and we hiked it out of there.

Terri asked me to lead the wet pitch and keep shining my light for her to follow. So like an ageing hero I did my duty and spluttered my way up to the safe side of the wet pitches.

Andy had failed to get up the tight bit at the bottom of the entrance series and had waited chewing on a Mars bar. The ladder against the rock is really useful here, it provides handholds as there is nowt for your feet for a few moves. The vertical exit chimney was filled with steam from our efforts, it billowed out into the daylight like smoke. A brisk walk in lashing now almost sleet, got us back to the cars in quick time. A foretaste of what is to come this winter.

Bernie's was revisited for hot chocolate etc and Lucia did a wee bit of shopping .. £77 worth.

Roaring Hole 4

Cavers 0 ........... Bugger

Mike Peters

Last Modified: 7 May, 2003