Ogof Draenen Big Country trip 22/04/2018
Unless otherwise stated, camera and setups by Tarquin, modelling by Pete Bolt, lighting by Tarquin, edits and gallery effects by Tarquin.
The classic triangular cross section of Big Country's main passage, looking upstream. The entrance to Slaughter Canyon is in the shadows on the left.
Lighting by Tarquin and Pete
Big Country, just upstream of the Blorenge Inlet junction.
Lighting by Tarquin and Pete
Grotto in the unnamed side passage just downstream of Blorenge Inlet. This is formed in the low space above a boulder collapse, and is too small a space to work with in a single picture. This was constructed as a panorama from 4 photographs. The viewpoint is reached by scrambling up between the boulders in the roof of the passage.
The same grotto, seen from its usual viewpoint, which is much easier to reach. In person, it looks better from here, but the earlier picture is nicer
The dramatic sediment cliff at the end of the side passage.
Lighting by Tarquin and Pete
Blorens Inlet, showing its typical cross section.
Lighting by Tarquin and Pete
Cryostal in Blorens Inlet.
Colourful rocks in Mineral Passage. The green is likely to be copper oxide. The red is likely to be iron oxide. The white is barite, similar in appearance to cacite or quartz, but much heavier.
Crystals with iron oxide.
Fault aven with a thick vein of barite.
The real highlight of Blorens Inlet is this beautifully decorated chamber which lies just beyond the junction with Poetic Justice. The chamber does not appear to have a name, but definitely deserves one.
Lighting by Tarquin and Pete
Stalagmites in the chamber
Lighting by Tarquin and Pete
The ceiling is richly decorated with these formations. Each seems to start as a stalactite or small curtain. Then they start to grow a series of helictites around the base. Then the helictites change their mind and turn into straws instead. Helicstraws, maybe. A similar formation can be seen at the Hanging Basket in Crystal Maze.
Helicstraw bunch.
Straws with helictites.
Backlit.
Lighting by Pete
Aven at the end of the chamber, with more formations. The passage at the top is impossibly narrow.
Lighting by Tarquin and Pete
More formations in an alcove. This is the end of the oxbow from Poetic Justice.
Formations in the alcove.
Helictite pillar in the oxbow.
Formations in the oxbow, which can be accessed from the Poetic Justice end.
Main grotto in the oxbow.
Lighting by Tarquin and Pete
Main passage of Poetic Justice, roughly walking height at this point.
Mud dribbles below an inlet aven.
Mud teeth.
Tall fault chamber above the Blorenge Inlet choke. The hole down into Blorenge Inlet can be seen on the left at the lowest point.
Lighting by Tarquin and Pete
The classic triangular cross section of Big Country's main passage, looking upstream. The entrance to Slaughter Canyon is in the shadows on the left.
Lighting by Tarquin and Pete
Big Country, just upstream of the Blorenge Inlet junction.
Lighting by Tarquin and Pete
Grotto in the unnamed side passage just downstream of Blorenge Inlet. This is formed in the low space above a boulder collapse, and is too small a space to work with in a single picture. This was constructed as a panorama from 4 photographs. The viewpoint is reached by scrambling up between the boulders in the roof of the passage.
The same grotto, seen from its usual viewpoint, which is much easier to reach. In person, it looks better from here, but the earlier picture is nicer
The dramatic sediment cliff at the end of the side passage.
Lighting by Tarquin and Pete
Blorens Inlet, showing its typical cross section.
Lighting by Tarquin and Pete
Cryostal in Blorens Inlet.
Colourful rocks in Mineral Passage. The green is likely to be copper oxide. The red is likely to be iron oxide. The white is barite, similar in appearance to cacite or quartz, but much heavier.
Crystals with iron oxide.
Fault aven with a thick vein of barite.
The real highlight of Blorens Inlet is this beautifully decorated chamber which lies just beyond the junction with Poetic Justice. The chamber does not appear to have a name, but definitely deserves one.
Lighting by Tarquin and Pete
Stalagmites in the chamber
Lighting by Tarquin and Pete
The ceiling is richly decorated with these formations. Each seems to start as a stalactite or small curtain. Then they start to grow a series of helictites around the base. Then the helictites change their mind and turn into straws instead. Helicstraws, maybe. A similar formation can be seen at the Hanging Basket in Crystal Maze.
Helicstraw bunch.
Straws with helictites.
Backlit.
Lighting by Pete
Aven at the end of the chamber, with more formations. The passage at the top is impossibly narrow.
Lighting by Tarquin and Pete
More formations in an alcove. This is the end of the oxbow from Poetic Justice.
Formations in the alcove.
Helictite pillar in the oxbow.
Formations in the oxbow, which can be accessed from the Poetic Justice end.
Main grotto in the oxbow.
Lighting by Tarquin and Pete
Main passage of Poetic Justice, roughly walking height at this point.
Mud dribbles below an inlet aven.
Mud teeth.
Tall fault chamber above the Blorenge Inlet choke. The hole down into Blorenge Inlet can be seen on the left at the lowest point.
Lighting by Tarquin and Pete