OFD I to Cwm Dwr trip 18/04/2022
Unless otherwise stated, camera, setups, lighting, edits and gallery effects by Tarquin. Modelling and lighting at various points will be Steph Andrews and Jules Carter.
Common frog at the entrance gate, trying to pretend it didn't exist. It was mistaken.
Modelling by Hip, lighting by Tarquin and Sol
A larger common frog in the Main Passage of OFD I, below the entrance ladder. These eek out a successful existence here, since there is plenty of food, in the form of plentiful earthworms and Nymphargus shrimps in the muddy pools, as well as spiders and insects that can be found around the entrance.
Modelling by Hop
Flowstone at the top of The Toast Rack, the way up into Ogof Pant Canol (one of the unused entrances to the system).
Modelling by Steph, lighting by Tarquin, Steph and Jules
Bolt Traverse. We had intentionally taken the Escape Route through OFD I to add this technical aspect, so that Steph could get a bit more experience with the use of safety cables and cows tails, items of PPE for working safely over heights. She had already used these on an earlier trip in a place where they were optional, but they are essential here.
Modelling by Steph, lighting by Tarquin, Steph and Jules
Bolt Passage, just below where it joins the Helter Skelter choke. This vertical tube is affectionately known as The Elephant's Arsehole.
Modelling by Steph, lighting by Tarquin and Steph
Not wanting to miss out on the river, we took a quick detour to visit the OFD I Main Streamway. This part is just downstream from The Sump.
Modelling by Steph, lighting by Tarquin and Steph
Crossing the scaffolding bar at 4th Pot.
Modelling by Steph, lighting by Tarquin and Steph
Letter Box, the iconic climb into a low bedding crawl.
Modelling by Steph and Jules, lighting by Tarquin, Steph and Jules
Low crawl leading to Divers' Pitch. Though not particularly tight, this can feel quite intimidating for some, but there were no issues here.
Modelling by Steph, lighting by Tarquin and Steph
Calcited mud in the passages between The Smithy and Main Route.
Lighting by Tarquin and Jules
Peeling layer of cracked mud, petrified in calcite.
Lighting by Tarquin and Jules
Fractal false floor (calcited mud, where the underlying mud subsequently got washed away).
Lighting by Tarquin and Jules
Helictites above the boulder pile at the end of Main Route.
Flowstone below an aven in Cwm Dwr Jama.
Modelling by Steph, lighting by Tarquin, Steph and Jules
Dim Dwr. Which is wet. Makes complete sense. In fact, it's the wettest part of Cwm Dwr.
Modelling by Steph, lighting by Tarquin and Steph.
The notorious squeeze in Dim Dwr (a part of it that actually doesn't have water). This is Steph's first proper squeeze, and during this trip, it really was a squeeze, as the rubble bags had spilled their contents into it, making it much tighter than normal.
Modelling by Steph, lighting by Tarquin, Steph and Jules.
The rubble was due to be cleared out and bagged the next day, in a concerted effort to move the bags rubble to a place where they won't get damaged, back along the crawl.
Modelling by Steph, lighting by Tarquin and Steph.
Through the tight bit.
Modelling by Steph, lighting by Tarquin and Steph.
Exiting Cwm Dwr. A respectable time of 4 hours and 40 minutes, including the Escape Route, and a detour to see a significant part of the river too.
Modelling by Steph
With some spare time, we paid a visit to Sgwd Henrhyd, the tallest single drop waterfall in South Wales (27 metres). Note the person on the ledge for scale.
Modelling by Steph
Since the flow was low enough, it was possible to descend the rubble slope down to the far side of the plunge pool.
Modelling by Steph
The far shore of Sgwd Henrhyd, which, sadly, does not have a useful path to get back. However, some well placed fallen trees provided a bridge that we used to cross back, completing a small loop.
Small waterfall below the main one.
Walking into the sunset.
Beginnings of bluebell season (the native British type).
A robin who flew along the path with us for a while in each direction.
Modelling by Redmond
Marsh marigolds, in stark contrast to the mud.
Melin-Llech, a former mill near the end of the valley.
Modelling by Steph
Beautiful waterfall near the mill, the last good one on the river.
Common frog at the entrance gate, trying to pretend it didn't exist. It was mistaken.
Modelling by Hip, lighting by Tarquin and Sol
A larger common frog in the Main Passage of OFD I, below the entrance ladder. These eek out a successful existence here, since there is plenty of food, in the form of plentiful earthworms and Nymphargus shrimps in the muddy pools, as well as spiders and insects that can be found around the entrance.
Modelling by Hop
Flowstone at the top of The Toast Rack, the way up into Ogof Pant Canol (one of the unused entrances to the system).
Modelling by Steph, lighting by Tarquin, Steph and Jules
Bolt Traverse. We had intentionally taken the Escape Route through OFD I to add this technical aspect, so that Steph could get a bit more experience with the use of safety cables and cows tails, items of PPE for working safely over heights. She had already used these on an earlier trip in a place where they were optional, but they are essential here.
Modelling by Steph, lighting by Tarquin, Steph and Jules
Bolt Passage, just below where it joins the Helter Skelter choke. This vertical tube is affectionately known as The Elephant's Arsehole.
Modelling by Steph, lighting by Tarquin and Steph
Not wanting to miss out on the river, we took a quick detour to visit the OFD I Main Streamway. This part is just downstream from The Sump.
Modelling by Steph, lighting by Tarquin and Steph
Crossing the scaffolding bar at 4th Pot.
Modelling by Steph, lighting by Tarquin and Steph
Letter Box, the iconic climb into a low bedding crawl.
Modelling by Steph and Jules, lighting by Tarquin, Steph and Jules
Low crawl leading to Divers' Pitch. Though not particularly tight, this can feel quite intimidating for some, but there were no issues here.
Modelling by Steph, lighting by Tarquin and Steph
Calcited mud in the passages between The Smithy and Main Route.
Lighting by Tarquin and Jules
Peeling layer of cracked mud, petrified in calcite.
Lighting by Tarquin and Jules
Fractal false floor (calcited mud, where the underlying mud subsequently got washed away).
Lighting by Tarquin and Jules
Helictites above the boulder pile at the end of Main Route.
Flowstone below an aven in Cwm Dwr Jama.
Modelling by Steph, lighting by Tarquin, Steph and Jules
Dim Dwr. Which is wet. Makes complete sense. In fact, it's the wettest part of Cwm Dwr.
Modelling by Steph, lighting by Tarquin and Steph.
The notorious squeeze in Dim Dwr (a part of it that actually doesn't have water). This is Steph's first proper squeeze, and during this trip, it really was a squeeze, as the rubble bags had spilled their contents into it, making it much tighter than normal.
Modelling by Steph, lighting by Tarquin, Steph and Jules.
The rubble was due to be cleared out and bagged the next day, in a concerted effort to move the bags rubble to a place where they won't get damaged, back along the crawl.
Modelling by Steph, lighting by Tarquin and Steph.
Through the tight bit.
Modelling by Steph, lighting by Tarquin and Steph.
Exiting Cwm Dwr. A respectable time of 4 hours and 40 minutes, including the Escape Route, and a detour to see a significant part of the river too.
Modelling by Steph
With some spare time, we paid a visit to Sgwd Henrhyd, the tallest single drop waterfall in South Wales (27 metres). Note the person on the ledge for scale.
Modelling by Steph
Since the flow was low enough, it was possible to descend the rubble slope down to the far side of the plunge pool.
Modelling by Steph
The far shore of Sgwd Henrhyd, which, sadly, does not have a useful path to get back. However, some well placed fallen trees provided a bridge that we used to cross back, completing a small loop.
Small waterfall below the main one.
Walking into the sunset.
Beginnings of bluebell season (the native British type).
A robin who flew along the path with us for a while in each direction.
Modelling by Redmond
Marsh marigolds, in stark contrast to the mud.
Melin-Llech, a former mill near the end of the valley.
Modelling by Steph
Beautiful waterfall near the mill, the last good one on the river.