Agen Allwedd trip 31/01/2004

Main Passage trip

Pictures by Chris Poole, Tarquin Wilton-Jones and Jenny Williams. Click the thumbnails for the full sized pictures

1. The weather was as bad as it could be. Gales and heavy rain made the walk around the escarpment distinctly unpleasant.
2. After a gentle stroll through the entrance series, passing well over 100 bats, the final crawl through the First Bolder Choke brought us to Baron's Chamber.
3. Tarquin and Jenny in Baron's Chamber (yes, that big black space!)
4. The passage continues so large that the camera cannot make out any walls
5. The floor ramps up as Main Stream Passage leads off on the right, and Main Passage continues large for about a mile, passing through several stooping height arches.
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11. In a couple of places, Selenite crystals up to six inches long protrude from the mud on the floor.
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14. Main passage continues, becoming larger again
15. Finally, the passage opens out to full size again, and Southern Stream Passage heads off to the right
16. In a more rocky, wide area, Trident Passage leads off on the right
17. A music stand in a low, wide, rocky area signifies the Music Hall
18. Tarquin claims to be wringing out Jenny's wet socks ... honest!
19. Just beyond the Music Hall are the Cliffs Of Dover, where a stream has cut through the sediment in Main Passage
20. Jenny - an underground portrait - at the Cliffs Of Dover
21. We then head back to the Main Stream Passage
22. A slope down from Main Passage enters the Main Stream Passage
23. The stream passage begins low, and the water is much deeper than normal, although still easily passable
24. A second stream enters from Meander Passage (normally just a trickle) and the combined streams flow on
25. We turn back, as the passage continues the same way, and the second choke would be completely flooded anyway
26. We walked back around the escarpment, linking arms in an attempt not to be blown over the edge of the path