Will's Hole trip 16/08/2023
Unless otherwise stated, camera, setups, lighting, edits and gallery effects by Tarquin. Modelling and lighting at various points will be Mark Hampson.
Will's Hole is one of the shorter Welsh caves that still deserves some attention, being around 400 metres long, and a fragment of a former phreas, with some reasonably large passages. It is located in the Afon Sychryd gorge, beside the Sychryd Cascades. It is likely that it formed along with the nearby Ogof Bwa Maen before the gorge cut down and separated them, and its water may once have flowed through the much smaller Ogof Pont Sychryd.
Mouth of the Afon Sychryd, immediately before it meets the Afon Mellte.
Shortly upstream, the river flows beneath Pont Sychryd. The entrances to Ogof Pont Sychryd are seen as alcoves on the right here.
The twin entrances to Ogof Pont Sychryd, which are connected via a crawl. The main way on is a rift to the right, but almost all of the cave's 200 metre length is small crawls, with only a single significant chamber.
Lighting by Tarquin and Mark
Bwa Maen, the stone bow, a large outcrop of folded limestone thrown down by a fault.
The gaping entrance to Ogof Bwa Maen, a 90 metre long cave formed from several oxbows. The left bank of the river is formed from lower beds of the limestone than the right bank, with the limestone on the left side sloping very steeply left, and the right side forming an arched fold, steeply up then steeply back down. Will's Hole is in the left bank.
Sychryd Cascades, or Sgydau Sychryd, a popular destination. Will's Hole is at the top of the main cascade, up a 2 metre climb to the left of a large boulder where an iron girder can be seen. (Not the obvious black hole covered in ivy on the left, that is just an alcove.)
Sunlit moss on Bwa Maen.
At the top of the cascades.
Entrance to Will's Hole.
Just inside the entrance is a 3 metre climb. This is somewhat tricky, and there are spits for a backup and Y-hang if needed.
Modelling by Mark, lighting by Tarquin and Mark
Textured calcite ceiling. An aven here has too tight passages leading back out to the cascades, filled with spider egg sacs.
Shed skin of a Meta menardi, European cave spider. It is really unusual to see these, even though they must shed several times, just like other spiders, so presumably they usually get eaten by something.
Modelling by Shelob's shawl
Pitch head of the main pitch, with a railway line backup, traverse and Y-hang rigged from spits.
Modelling by Mark, lighting by Tarquin and Mark
Bolt rash at the top of the pitch, showing 6 of the 12 spits, and one of the 4 failed bolt holes. There are so many options, with several spits in good condition, but just 2 spits are needed for a Y-hang.
Main pitch, 11 metres tall, formed on a slope.
Modelling by Mark, lighting by Tarquin and Mark
Base of the pitch, where the way on is a large phreatic passage to the left when facing the bolts at the top of the pitch - seen ahead in this picture. Interestingly, the passage and pitch look like they are formed on a rift, but this is actually a bedding plane, tilted to about 50°. The cave floods to a great depth, seen here as a dark shadow on the buttress in the middle of the picture, level with the top of the distant sandbank. The walls are coated with light-sucking mud, but since our visit was at the end of summer, it had been some time since the cave last flooded, and it would have been possible to remain clean for most of the cave.
Modelling by Mark, lighting by Tarquin and Mark
Formations in the passage. These have a decomposed appearance because the passage regularly floods to the ceiling.
Modelling by Mark, lighting by Tarquin and Mark
The passage joins the main stream passage. The junction is the largest passage in the cave, seen here looking upstream, which would have been to the right.
Modelling by Mark, lighting by Tarquin and Mark
Formations at the junction.
Mud formations at the junction. The almost furry surface texture is formed from millions of worm casts from the cave's extensive worm colony. Most of the casts are very small, but there are areas with much larger worm casts.
Downstream quickly leads to a sump.
Modelling by Mark, lighting by Tarquin and Mark
The sump has been pushed for 45 metres to a surprising 15 metres depth, but its silted nature is responsible for the flooding, as the water cannot flow out fast enough, and backs up to fill most of the cave.
Lighting by Tarquin and Mark
Mud formations at the sump.
Decomposing formation in the upstream passage.
Lighting by Tarquin and Mark
The upstream passage is also formed on a sloping bedding plane. Several short oxbows lead back to the other passage, or loop around to the upstream passage.
Modelling by Mark, lighting by Tarquin and Mark
The best formations in the cave, a whitewash coating over all of the rocks, with many small gour pools. The light patch on the dark formation at the top-right of the picture is a chocolate bar wrapper, which has been washed up to that point in flood, which shows just how extreme the flooding can be here. The formations must get regularly washed over, coated in mud, then rinsed clean. It is really surprising to see such a bright white.
Modelling by Mark, lighting by Tarquin and Mark
Admiring the formations.
Modelling by Mark, lighting by Tarquin and Mark
Crystal pools at the top of the whitewash.
Whitewash.
Continuing upstream, though there is basically no stream any more, just pools. The peeling layers on the right sometimes conceal small passages, the longest of which is a 20 metre oxbow, climbing up into a choked area which connects back to the main passage. It also has its own side passages dropping down very tight holes lower than the main passage, without any sign of water.
Modelling by Mark, lighting by Tarquin and Mark
Flowstone formation on the wall.
Flowstone and crystal pool covered floor.
Detail of the crystal pools.
Tucked up behind the formations is a choked area with several routes through it, some of which drop back into the main passage, and some of which link to the previous 20 metre oxbow. These formations are in one of the routes.
The main passage becomes low, with a crawl leading into a choked chamber, where the Afon Sychryd can be clearly heard flowing through Pwll y Berw. This area draughts strongly, and is almost certainly where the river enters in flood, causing the catastrophic flooding of the rest of the cave. Routes ascend through the choke, but none can be followed far. This whole area smells like gunpowder, with the smell being noticeable all the way back down the passage. The smell is probably natural, coming from the rotting vegetation in the choke. It had been possible to reach this chamber without getting mud on anything apart from our boots.
Modelling by Mark, lighting by Tarquin and Mark
Beautifully marbled rock in the choke.
We then followed the main side passage, which leads to the right from the bottom of the pitch. This starts off as a crawl, with an oxbow on the right. This is the best part of the passage, at its start.
Modelling by Mark, lighting by Tarquin and Mark
The side passage is almost all crawling over mud, with pools keeping some of it wet. Oversuits started to get a bit muddy, but not terrible, as it was possible to bridge over the pools, and get just muddy knee pads. Two very tight side passages here appear to be oxbows.
Modelling by Mark, lighting by Tarquin and Mark
Where the passage appears to close down, two avens can be climbed to reach a small crawl, with a strong draught.
Modelling by Mark, lighting by Tarquin and Mark
The crawl ends in a chamber where any sensible cavers will stop.
Modelling by Mark, lighting by Tarquin and Mark
A stream can be heard flowing down a small cascade, where it disappears into a silted arch. This is a useful feature, as it allows any insane caver who tries to continue, to wash off after realising their mistake.
Upstream, the water emerges from a very low crawl, where there is only just enough space to keep your body and arms out of the mud. However, it is almost impossible to avoid falling in, and most visitors get a thick coating over their arms, legs and chest (I proved it was possible to get through with mud only up to your thighs). The mud is 30 cm (a foot) deep, with the consistency of glue thicker than a Scotsman's porridge, and is not the usual cave silt. It seems to be the mud you get on the bottom of a lake, with different layers and different smells. There is nothing worth seeing beyond it, just a wide area with a choke. Turn around, and try to get back through the 20 metres of sludge without getting a face full. Pretend you can wash off in the cascade, and then destroy your SRT gear by putting it on over the top of the mud. Go home, and destroy your washing machine with the silt that has soaked into your undersuit.
Mud? What mud? I have no idea what you are talking about. What a beautifull waterfall.
Modelling by Tarquin, camera by Mark
Mouth of the Afon Sychryd, immediately before it meets the Afon Mellte.
Shortly upstream, the river flows beneath Pont Sychryd. The entrances to Ogof Pont Sychryd are seen as alcoves on the right here.
The twin entrances to Ogof Pont Sychryd, which are connected via a crawl. The main way on is a rift to the right, but almost all of the cave's 200 metre length is small crawls, with only a single significant chamber.
Lighting by Tarquin and Mark
Bwa Maen, the stone bow, a large outcrop of folded limestone thrown down by a fault.
The gaping entrance to Ogof Bwa Maen, a 90 metre long cave formed from several oxbows. The left bank of the river is formed from lower beds of the limestone than the right bank, with the limestone on the left side sloping very steeply left, and the right side forming an arched fold, steeply up then steeply back down. Will's Hole is in the left bank.
Sychryd Cascades, or Sgydau Sychryd, a popular destination. Will's Hole is at the top of the main cascade, up a 2 metre climb to the left of a large boulder where an iron girder can be seen. (Not the obvious black hole covered in ivy on the left, that is just an alcove.)
Sunlit moss on Bwa Maen.
At the top of the cascades.
Entrance to Will's Hole.
Just inside the entrance is a 3 metre climb. This is somewhat tricky, and there are spits for a backup and Y-hang if needed.
Modelling by Mark, lighting by Tarquin and Mark
Textured calcite ceiling. An aven here has too tight passages leading back out to the cascades, filled with spider egg sacs.
Shed skin of a Meta menardi, European cave spider. It is really unusual to see these, even though they must shed several times, just like other spiders, so presumably they usually get eaten by something.
Modelling by Shelob's shawl
Pitch head of the main pitch, with a railway line backup, traverse and Y-hang rigged from spits.
Modelling by Mark, lighting by Tarquin and Mark
Bolt rash at the top of the pitch, showing 6 of the 12 spits, and one of the 4 failed bolt holes. There are so many options, with several spits in good condition, but just 2 spits are needed for a Y-hang.
Main pitch, 11 metres tall, formed on a slope.
Modelling by Mark, lighting by Tarquin and Mark
Base of the pitch, where the way on is a large phreatic passage to the left when facing the bolts at the top of the pitch - seen ahead in this picture. Interestingly, the passage and pitch look like they are formed on a rift, but this is actually a bedding plane, tilted to about 50°. The cave floods to a great depth, seen here as a dark shadow on the buttress in the middle of the picture, level with the top of the distant sandbank. The walls are coated with light-sucking mud, but since our visit was at the end of summer, it had been some time since the cave last flooded, and it would have been possible to remain clean for most of the cave.
Modelling by Mark, lighting by Tarquin and Mark
Formations in the passage. These have a decomposed appearance because the passage regularly floods to the ceiling.
Modelling by Mark, lighting by Tarquin and Mark
The passage joins the main stream passage. The junction is the largest passage in the cave, seen here looking upstream, which would have been to the right.
Modelling by Mark, lighting by Tarquin and Mark
Formations at the junction.
Mud formations at the junction. The almost furry surface texture is formed from millions of worm casts from the cave's extensive worm colony. Most of the casts are very small, but there are areas with much larger worm casts.
Downstream quickly leads to a sump.
Modelling by Mark, lighting by Tarquin and Mark
The sump has been pushed for 45 metres to a surprising 15 metres depth, but its silted nature is responsible for the flooding, as the water cannot flow out fast enough, and backs up to fill most of the cave.
Lighting by Tarquin and Mark
Mud formations at the sump.
Decomposing formation in the upstream passage.
Lighting by Tarquin and Mark
The upstream passage is also formed on a sloping bedding plane. Several short oxbows lead back to the other passage, or loop around to the upstream passage.
Modelling by Mark, lighting by Tarquin and Mark
The best formations in the cave, a whitewash coating over all of the rocks, with many small gour pools. The light patch on the dark formation at the top-right of the picture is a chocolate bar wrapper, which has been washed up to that point in flood, which shows just how extreme the flooding can be here. The formations must get regularly washed over, coated in mud, then rinsed clean. It is really surprising to see such a bright white.
Modelling by Mark, lighting by Tarquin and Mark
Admiring the formations.
Modelling by Mark, lighting by Tarquin and Mark
Crystal pools at the top of the whitewash.
Whitewash.
Continuing upstream, though there is basically no stream any more, just pools. The peeling layers on the right sometimes conceal small passages, the longest of which is a 20 metre oxbow, climbing up into a choked area which connects back to the main passage. It also has its own side passages dropping down very tight holes lower than the main passage, without any sign of water.
Modelling by Mark, lighting by Tarquin and Mark
Flowstone formation on the wall.
Flowstone and crystal pool covered floor.
Detail of the crystal pools.
Tucked up behind the formations is a choked area with several routes through it, some of which drop back into the main passage, and some of which link to the previous 20 metre oxbow. These formations are in one of the routes.
The main passage becomes low, with a crawl leading into a choked chamber, where the Afon Sychryd can be clearly heard flowing through Pwll y Berw. This area draughts strongly, and is almost certainly where the river enters in flood, causing the catastrophic flooding of the rest of the cave. Routes ascend through the choke, but none can be followed far. This whole area smells like gunpowder, with the smell being noticeable all the way back down the passage. The smell is probably natural, coming from the rotting vegetation in the choke. It had been possible to reach this chamber without getting mud on anything apart from our boots.
Modelling by Mark, lighting by Tarquin and Mark
Beautifully marbled rock in the choke.
We then followed the main side passage, which leads to the right from the bottom of the pitch. This starts off as a crawl, with an oxbow on the right. This is the best part of the passage, at its start.
Modelling by Mark, lighting by Tarquin and Mark
The side passage is almost all crawling over mud, with pools keeping some of it wet. Oversuits started to get a bit muddy, but not terrible, as it was possible to bridge over the pools, and get just muddy knee pads. Two very tight side passages here appear to be oxbows.
Modelling by Mark, lighting by Tarquin and Mark
Where the passage appears to close down, two avens can be climbed to reach a small crawl, with a strong draught.
Modelling by Mark, lighting by Tarquin and Mark
The crawl ends in a chamber where any sensible cavers will stop.
Modelling by Mark, lighting by Tarquin and Mark
A stream can be heard flowing down a small cascade, where it disappears into a silted arch. This is a useful feature, as it allows any insane caver who tries to continue, to wash off after realising their mistake.
Upstream, the water emerges from a very low crawl, where there is only just enough space to keep your body and arms out of the mud. However, it is almost impossible to avoid falling in, and most visitors get a thick coating over their arms, legs and chest (I proved it was possible to get through with mud only up to your thighs). The mud is 30 cm (a foot) deep, with the consistency of glue thicker than a Scotsman's porridge, and is not the usual cave silt. It seems to be the mud you get on the bottom of a lake, with different layers and different smells. There is nothing worth seeing beyond it, just a wide area with a choke. Turn around, and try to get back through the 20 metres of sludge without getting a face full. Pretend you can wash off in the cascade, and then destroy your SRT gear by putting it on over the top of the mud. Go home, and destroy your washing machine with the silt that has soaked into your undersuit.
Mud? What mud? I have no idea what you are talking about. What a beautifull waterfall.
Modelling by Tarquin, camera by Mark