2889 Vaca, Torca La
Hornedo 30T 448360 4801402 Altitude 106m Length 14512m Depth 65m

Updated 15th June, 4th, 10th September, 14th , 15th, 17th , 21st, 28th October, 8th, 15th, 30th November, 8th December 2008; 5th, 18th January, 8th March, 8th, 9th, 14th, 30th May, 1st June, 5-7, 9th, 11th November, 7th December 2009; 26th June, 15th July; 13th September, 22nd October; 18th November 2010; 6th January, 16th, 19th, 24th May, 15th October 2011

DRAFT WRITE-UP - SUMMER 09; EASTER 2010 DESCRIPTIONS NOT COMPLETED; SUMMER 2010; SUMMER 2011 some DESCRIPTIONS NOT COMPLETED

A walled and vegetated shakehole contains a shaft which is used as a rubbish dump. There are signs of a wall in the depression and there may be (pre)historic remains / rubbish embedded in the entrance fill.
The entrance climb requires a ladder from a permanent ring bolt on the right hand wall.

The lower levels (Squality Street) are reached down a hole at the back of the shaft. The remaining 12km or so are reached through a hole on the north side of the shaft after the first ladder. The upper cave can be described as phreatically enlarged joints, some narrow, others up to 5m high and 4m wide. In places there are deep rifts or pots in the floor, some formed on the trenches. A number of passages are truncated by sandstone collapse or stal, generally where they head out of the hill to the north.
During the summer of 2008, leads left from the Easter explorations were "finished off" - these included a number of pits down to water level and linking the 50m Rift back to the p12 at the traverse. The route into the far reaches was found after dropping a tight draughting hole down to Lake Bassenthwaite and pushing through a 10m long, out-of-depth, low airspace duck.

Conservation and Restoration
Some parts of the cave are particularly well decorated and damage has already happened to a number of formations and deposits - stal have been broken and mud from hands, feet and caving suits smeared across stalagmites and calcite floors, often unnecessarily.
Photographers' Passage has been taped off and a couple of other places marked with tape as being particularly vunerable. At Red Pike junction and along the southern passage at that level advisory routes have been marked with tape and the muddy stal and calcite floor have been partly cleaned up. Some broken stal have been joined back together and the 1.8m high column in Penguin Passage (which was broken into about 9 pieces) has been stuck back together, mainly outside the cave, and reinstalled (logbook January 2009). (Photos here). A metre-high stalagmite in the northern passage from Red Pike Junction awaits sticking back together.

Routes to Lake Bassenthwaite
The preferred route to Lake Bassenthwaite is shown on this isometric diagram.
Photographers’ Passage and Penguin Passage should not be used; there are alternative routes. The aim is to reach 7-Way Chamber where the only route to the Lake is to the southwest, down a tight p5 and larger p6 on the southern side of the passage.
-  The p12 can be reached through a crawl or c4 to the S of the Garage Party with a lined traverse or, not recommended, missing out the traverse, through Penguin Passage and turning back east and N. If the 1.8m high stal must be passed, it is safer to crawl past at floor level.
- At the base of the p12, a climb up to the Pitch Bypass to the west leads to a p8 down into Gour Passage heading S from Paradise Regain’d to 7-Way Chamber. This should be the preferred route as it bypasses Paradise Regain'd. Alternatively, at the base of the p12, heading north in the rift leads to a rift to the west which ends at Paradise Regain’d then S through Gour Passage to 7-Way Chamber.
- The p12 can be missed out and a route taken along the traverse (or through Penguin Passage) to Red Pike junction. A walk to the south ends at a T-junction and a hands-and-knees crawl to the head of a p17 that drops in close to the pitches down to the Lake.

All survey batches, with dates, are shown in the table below. Batches in bold have yet to be described.

Batch	name	surveyors	date
2889_08_01	Entrance & upstream	Johnny Latimer, James Carlisle, Simon Latimer, Andy Pringle	27/03/2008
2889_08_02	downstream	Johnny Latimer, James Carlisle, Simon Latimer, Andy Pringle	27/03/2008
2889_08_03	177m Joint to "T junct"	Alasdair Neill, Dave Bell, Santi Urrutia, Peter Eagan	28/03/2008
2889_08_04	N at entrance	Dave Bell, Santi Urrutia, Peter Eagan	28/03/2008
2889_08_05	S high level	Dave Bell, Santi Urrutia, Alasdair Neill	28/03/2008
2889_08_06	W high dead end	Peter Eagan, Santi Urrutia, Alasdair Neill	28/03/2008
2889_08_07	NW sandstone choke	Peter Eagan, Santi Urrutia, Alasdair Neill	28/03/2008
2889_08_08	Precarious Passage	Peter Eagan, Santi Urrutia, Alasdair Neill	28/03/2008
2889_08_09	downstream inlet	Julian Todd, Becka Lawson	29/03/2008
2889_08_10	upstream inlet	Julian Todd, Becka Lawson	29/03/2008
2889_08_11	down p to middle level	Carmen Smith, Peter Smith, Patrick Warren	30/03/2008
2889_08_12	alternative route to Red Pike	Patrick Warren, Becka Lawson, Julian Todd	30/03/2008
2889_08_13	Lloyds passage	Peter Eagan, Dave Bell, Alasdair Neill	31/03/2008
2889_08_14	177m joint choke extension	Peter Eagan, Dave Bell, Alasdair Neill	31/03/2008
2889_08_15	small alternate	Peter Eagan, Dave Bell, Alasdair Neill	31/03/2008
2889_08_16	extension to 08_03	Peter Eagan, Dave Bell, Alasdair Neill	31/03/2008
2889_08_16a	pitch to base level (some resurvey)	Peter Eagan, Alasdair Neill	10/08/2008
2889_08_17	to NW sandstone choke	Peter Eagan, Dave Bell, Alasdair Neill	31/03/2008
2889_08_18	Precarious Passage extension	Peter Eagan, Dave Bell, Alasdair Neill	31/03/2008
2889_08_19	Buttermere	Dan Hibbert, Johnny Latimer, Bob Toogood	22/07/2008
2889_08_20	Dingle Pringle Pretty Pushing Passage	James Carlisle, Johnny Latimer, Andy Pringle	23/07/2008
2889_08_21	"50m rift" - replaced by batch 08_37	James Carlisle, Johnny Latimer, Andy Pringle	23/07/2008
2889_08_22	Whitworth	Johnny Latimer, Andy Latimer	25/07/2008
2889_08_22a	Whitworth (HL)	Johnny Latimer, James Carlisle	30/07/2008
2889_08_23	Lake Bassenthwaite to CU@CC	Dan Hibbert, Bill Sherrington, Andy Latimer, James Carlisle	26/07/2008
2889_08_24	"Team B" low level from CU@CC	Dave Gledhill, Bill Sherrington, Johnny Latimer, James Carlisle	27/07/2008
2889_08_25	"Team A" upper level	Simon Latimer, Andrew Latimer, Dan Hibberts, Bob Toogood	27/07/2008
2889_08_26	Tuna Can Chamber and beyond	Simon Latimer, Andrew Latimer, Dan Hibberts, Bob Toogood	27/07/2008
2889_08_27	Southeast passage @ 1st terminal choke	Dan Hibberts, Bob Toogood, Mike Topsom	29/07/2008
2889_08_28	Sumped Outlet	Paul Fretwell, Paul Dold	30/07/2008
2889_08_29	Pablo's Peppers Passage	Paul Fretwell, Paul Dold	30/07/2008
2889_08_30	High Level to Middle level pitch off 7 way junction	Paul Fretwell, Paul Dold, Johnny Latimer, James Carlisle	30/07/2008
2889_08_31	Gledhill's Go'er	Johnny Latimer, James Carlisle	31/07/2008
2889_08_32	Don't be an Idiot	Johnny Latimer, James Carlisle	31/07/2008
2889_08_33	Santi Called it Crap	Pete Eagan, Santi Urrutia	02/08/2008
2889_08_34	low series to Squality Street	Paul Dold, Steve Martin, Pete Smith	02/08/2008
2889_08_35	Mancunian Candidate	Mandy Fu, Michael Topsom, Will Stewart	03/08/2008
2889_08_36	Slot joined to Precarious	Pete Eagan, Santi Urrutia	03/08/2008
2889_08_37	"50m rift" - replaces batch 08_21	Alasdair Neill, Torben Redder	03/08/2008
2889_08_38	"50m rift" - continued and joined to 08_12 S of p12	Santi Urrutia, Torben Redder	04/08/2008
2889_08_39	shaft in NW sector	Ali Neill, Pete Eagan, Torben Redder	10/08/2008
2889_08_40	alt route to p12 on high level	Ali Neill, Pete Eagan	12/08/2008
2889_08_41	route up on R of Lake Bassenthwaite	Ali Neill, Pete Eagan	12/08/2008
2889_08_42	Whitworth Challenge	Mandy Fu Mike Topsom	17/08/2008
2889_08_43	Leg-over Passage	Ali Neill Peter Eagan	17/08/2008
2889_08_44	Resurvey of pitch down to L. Bassenthwaite	Ali Neill Peter Eagan Mark Smith Dave Foxton	17/08/2008
2889_08_45	Spare Rib Passage	Mark Smith Dave Foxton	18/08/2008
2889_08_46	Lake Bassenthwaite tied into junction	Mark Smith, Dave Foxton, Mark Topsom	18/08/2008
2889_08_47	Stream from Manc Candidate to Spare Rib	Mark Smith, Dave Foxton	21/08/2008
2889_08_48	White Havens	Dave Gledhill, Martin Barnicott	31/08/2008
2889_09_01	Scafell Aven; N to choke; S to drop and contin.	Dan?? ++	08/04/2009
2889_09_02	from drop: N and S (Walking on Eggshells)	Over 2 days. Day 1: Simon Latimer, Rodders, Jez Wong Day 2: Dan Hibberts Mandy Fu James Pemberton	09/04/2009
2889_09_03	finish off N passage to choke?	Johnny Latimer Tom Clayton James Wood (Rodders)	10/04/2009
2889_09_04	Eastern series off 09_02	Johnny Latimer Tom Clayton James Wood (Rodders)	10/04/2009
2889_09_05	Leg up in terminal boulder choke	Phil Papard Mark Smith (Killer)	11/04/2009
2889_09_06	E parallel passage to 09_02 & 09_07	Johnny Latimer Jude Onions Lloyd Cawthorne	12/04/2009
2889_09_07	continues 09_02; end Easter 2009	Dan Hibberts Bob Toogood James Wood (Rodders)	13/04/2009
2889_09_08	Hi-level scale, S of Bassenthwaite	Johnny Latimer, Jude Onions (DistoX)	04/08/2009
2889_09_09	Loop to batch 09_14	Johnny Latimer, Jude Onions	06/08/2009
2889_09_10	S extension W and middle (cow11 & cow12)	James Wood (DistoX)	06/08/2009
2889_09_11	End of middle passage (cow21)	Martin Barnicott (DistoX)	06/08/2009
2889_09_12	End of W passage (0608091)	Martin Barnicott Andrew Latimer (DistoX)	06/08/2009
2889_09_13	Sandstone Colandar	Johnny Latimer, Jude Onions	08/08/2009
2889_09_14	SE extension off 09_09 (Ed's Birthday)	Johnny Latimer, Jude Onions	08/08/2009
2889_09_15	S and E low level (Vaca61, 62, 63 and 66)	Martin Barnicott, Andrew Latimer (DistoX)	08/08/2009
2889_09_16	Cl up at S end (Vaca 31)	? (DistoX) Andrew Latimer	08/08/2009
2889_09_17	Continues east extension low level	(Disto X) Martin Barnicott	08/08/2009
2889_09_18	Continues east extension low level (Vacabarny1)	Martin Barnicott (DistoX)	08/08/2009
2889_09_19	ends east extension (2889_09_191)	James Wood (DistoX)	13/08/2009
2889_09_20	Ends S extension (Vaca 51)	Martin Barnicott (DistoX)	13/08/2009
2889_10_01	Frizington Extensions	Bill Sherrington, Tom Clayton, Dave Gledhill	1/4/2010
2889_10_02	Big Passage extensions	Rob Grimes, Dan Hibberts, Bob Toogood	1/4/2010
2889_10_03	La Bella Durmiata off east of Lechuguilla Passage	Diane Arthurs Johnny Latimer	10/8/2010
2889_10_04	(tie-in resurvey)	Diane Arthurs Johnny Latimer	10/8/2010
2889_10_05	passage under Room 10: The Learning Support Dept.	Diane Arthurs Johnny Latimer	10/8/2010
2889_10_06	Deep Rifts Passage (part 1)	Jude Onions Johnny Latimer Sue Ryall Paul Dold	15/8/2010
2889_10_07	NNW from Guano Chamber (links back to known passage)	Johnny Latimer Pete Smith	17/8/2010
2889_10_08	Deep Rifts Passage (part 2)	Pete Smith Paul Dold	17/8/2010
2889_11_01	Push @ south end	Jess Eades Dan Hibbert Rob Grimes Bob Toogood	19/4/2011
2889_11_02	Push Suit Wrecker Inlet	James Wood Jon Pemberton	19/4/2011
2889_11_03	High Street Oxbow	James Wood Jon Pemberton	23/4/2011
2889_11_04	Dive @ Buttermere into chamber	Jim Lister Colin Hayward	18/5/2011
2889_11_05	Extension from Ed's BP under Deep Rifts Passage	Johnny & Jude Latimer	13/8/2011

Entrance to "Downstairs" - the lower stream level and Squality Street
The total length of the downstairs section, including the entrance pitches, is 457m. It is reached down a rubbish-strewn hole on the right at the back of the entrance shaft. A vertical drop of 9m, rigged from unsatisfactory naturals, reaches a lower, rubbish-floored chamber from where a second drop of 6m (requiring a handline?) descends. At the bottom of the rift there is a drippy aven at one end but a small body sized tube corkscrews down onto a mud bank in a large chamber. At the base of this chamber is a small streamway reached by a scramble down a greasy mud slope. This has been surveyed both left, upstream (survey batches 2889_08_01 and 2889_08_10) and right, downstream (survey batches 2889_08_02 and 2889_08_09).
To follow upstream, the second mud bank is climbed and then a drop follows into the crawling-sized, muddy and damp passage at stream level (The Wrong Trousers). This continues east for approximately 150m, still going but very muddy and squalid (batch 2889_08_01).
Back in the main chamber, a climb up a mud slope leads to a southern continuation of the main chamber and some stal but it soon closes down leaving only a low draughting dig.
Downstream is more complex than the survey of Squality Street might suggest with several climbs, chambers and different levels as well as a confusing low section. Squality Street is accessed via a drop down through a slot at the western side of the main chamber on the same tier as the passage leading to the entrance pitch. The route through is to follow the water in confusing crawls downstream until it runs under a very low boulder / bedding. At this point look up at roof to see very deep anastomoses. Avoid getting wet by climbing out of the water up boulders. This leads to another large chamber that is intersected by a high cross-passage, choked at both ends. Up in the roof here leads to a traverse over loose boulders (care!) to an unclimbed aven, perhaps 50m or more in height). A dug out hole to the right allows a drop through, passing under boulders (care!) to regain the water which then develops into a 1.5m wide muddy streamway, approximately 7m high with large mud banks becoming common as the sump approaches. It is worth another look at the sump in dry weather (batch 2889_08_02.) About 10m before the sump, an obvious inlet enters on the right. This starts as walking passage but soon reduces to a crawl and was left (batch 2889_08_09) at a point requiring a flat-out crawl in water.

Entrance to the north
Batch 08_04 The right hand branch from the entrance is easy going rift passage with a few corners and oxbows until a draughting stal blockage is met. There are ways through at floor and high level. The present end is well decorated and the floor is covered in old straws calcited onto the floor. The passage continues beyond a stal blockage.

Entrance to Red Pike Junction
Batch 08_03 starts as a short crawl under the north wall of the entrance shaft (beware of old bones and broken glass) entering a short climb down to an immediate junction. To the right and north lies batch 08_04. Immediately to the left a climb up reaches a decorated bedding at roof level with a narrow trench in the floor. The crawl emerges at a right angle bend with another trench. (This has been descended and linked to Precarious Passage via a low tight squeeze, batch 08_36. This lower route passes under the start of the 180m Rift where it is possible to climb up). A crawl along the left wall reaches a climb down to the left - the start of the Garage Party, 180m Rift. The low passage to the right appears to choke.
The Garage Party 180m Rift is an almost straight line passage that heads off at a bearing of 235 degrees. The whole of this passage is easy walking or traversing, with a number of side passages along its length.
After 33m, a 3m high passage comes in from the north with sandstone in the wall of the passage. This leads to Precarious Passage and a large area of sandstone collapse. Batches 08_08 and 08_18 are the surveys of this area. Precarious Passage starts as easy walking past unstable formations until a junction is met. Right chokes quickly but left leads to a large area of unstable blocks. A climb down at the entrance can be bypassed by scrambling along the left wall but this is loose. The end of this passage has low crawls which could be dug but has no draught. A passage on the right leads to a large low chamber littered with fallen blocks of sand stone (care very unstable). Straight on at the junction a short climb up enters a series of connecting rifts, staying high ahead leads to the large low chamber littered with fallen blocks, or left back to Precarious Passage. A climb down through boulders to the right leads to solid rift passage and a 6m pitch with low crawls and no way on. Across the pitch a decorated crawl leads back to the entrance series past a very tight squeeze. 50m along this crawl a short, tight climb up enters a 4m dia decorated chamber with no way on. There are a number of crawls in this area under blocks but all seem to choke or are dangerously loose.
The main route continues as walking or clambering past the Anorexic Pornstar, a 3m high column. The next passage, at Batman Junction, goes off on the left as Photographers' Passage. This is very well decorated, forcing cavers to twist and crawl around the formations. It eventually emerges part way up the rift in the p12 area. Photographers' Passage has been taped off as the passages at the end can be reached by other routes.
The 180m Rift continues up through a slot to easy traversing above a narrow trench.
Two passages set off at roof level on the north side. The first is choked after 5m with a wall of stal and straws. The next, Lloyd's Passage, is initially a crawl decorated with short straws. This soon encounters a narrow rift, up to 20m deep, and currently ends, full of stal, after 56m.
On the south side, 3 narrow rifts eventually unite. The first links round to the second and continues to a lined, exposed traverse. The 12m, ladder-and-line pitch can now be rigged at the start of the traverse, rather than at the far end. (At the far end of the traverse, the sandy-floored passage meets up with the route from Penguin Passage.)The third passage from the Garage Party is at the base of a climb down from a roof traverse level, just after a fine group of stal on a false floor. This leads to an enlarged joint going off to the south - Penguin Passage, and goes past a spot where the narrow passage is divided in two by a 1.8m tall, repaired column which must be passed (if necessary) with great care and preferably crawling at floor level. (Log book account of repair, January 2009). Other isolated formations are passed as the passage follows the joints until a step down into a small chamber and a crawl to the right. The route back round to the the traverse lies up a lower section to the left with a sandy floor and a left turn into the B joint.
This latter passage has a high level route, Leg Over Passage (batch 08_43), which heads back towards Red Pike. Leg Over Passage is entered via a 3m climb up opposite the end of Penguin Passage. To the left rejoins passage. To the right, awkward crawling with one leg in a trench, eventually looks down into the main passage on its way to Red Pike Junction. Part way along the crawl a 3m climb down enters the main passage.
All routes emerge at a junction, Red Pike, well decorated with roof straws and 2 - 3m tall stalagmites. To the south of the clamber, a 30m deep pitch has, at the base, a rift going through to a parallel shaft coming from above. There is no way on but, halfway down the pitch, a landing on boulders has a second drop to the west which is undescended. [Note F: (PS1) from the survey]. To the north of the clamber a short passage meets a choked 36m pitch which drops to "base level" (batch 08_16 and 08_16a). The route up to Red Pike continues in the opposite direction to the northeast (batch 08_12) to step over a p8 into Gour Passage to link near the base of the p12.
Just before the 180m Rift closes down in a mud choke, a passage (batch 08_14) sets off on the left at Bollard Junction over guano turning to the west and ending at an undescended p20 and a visual connection through stal to a big passage, presumably the one heading north from Red Pike.

Top level - north of Red Pike
North from Red Pike walking in a 4m high and wide passage passes between columns and leads into an area of breakdown, with the floor and boulders rather suspect in places with deep pits, some undescended. Some of the stalagmites are also loose, having grown on sand and or decaying sandstone blocks. Where the passage swings to the left, a route up on the east side leads via a handline to a 31m straight hang pitch which drops into Crap Passage, batch 08_33. The landing is in muddy passage, but apparently not at "base level". Upstream is easy walking to a short crawl and sump, while downstream continues to a 15cm high, muddy, wet and draughting continuation.
There is a small passage going off near to the Crap Passage entry point which may be the same feature. [Note A on the survey: (PS4/PE4) Ramp up from chamber over a lip to a 6m drop on the left to a small chamber with a rock floor. This has a rift about 5m long and up to 1m wide with a straight drop, 32m deep, with a pool at the base. Bolts were placed for descent but remains undescended. On the right a crawl soon chokes. This describes the initial explorations for the nearby Crap Passage.]
The passage heading off to the north through a squeeze past stal is surveyed as batches 08_07 and 08_17. After 15m from the squeeze, a 27m deep pitch on the right has a possible flat floor but is unexplored (note B on the survey). The passage enlarges and swings round to the west. On the southern side, there is a deep rift under boulders that requires gardening (note D). At the western end, a traverse is negotiated by wedging across the top of a rift. After 15m a small chamber is reached with a continuation on the right which starts to get small after 10m (note E). The main route continues north (as a lined traverse??) to a choke with roots and a B draught.
Back before the stal squeeze, the chamber to the west conceals "a deep rift under boulders which requires much gardening" (note C). The western end appear blocked with sandstone collapse with tree roots. The southern side contains a narrow, undescended 20-30m pitch and a 40m pitch to a choke. The long rift has been traversed for some distance at a high level and it is likely to connect with the "narrow sharp rift" south of the Red Pike Junction area. It may be worth while having team at both ends to communicate.

Top level - south of Red Pike
Heading south from Red Pike (batch 08_05), a 3m climb on the western wall enters about 15m of passage to a choke with a section of sharp, dry and narrow rift to the right. (batch 08_06). This could link to a rift investigated at the northern end. A 36m deep pit is immediately encounted on the left of the main passage. This drops straight down into Buttermere, batch 08_19. (See Eldon PC Newsletter, p14). The pitch drops into a high and narrow rift passage. From the bottom of the pitch a mud bank slopes down into deep water. At water level the passage is 2 metres wide narrowing above and below. The water is very deep. However, it is possible to traverse the upstream section (if you have long legs) without getting wet. This ends in a non draughting dig through sand under a low roof. Downstream from the pitch is a swimming section which ends in a sump which cuts under the right hand wall. There are a number of avens in this section (marked on the survey). The sumps were investigated by Jim Lister over Easter 2009. Downstream was impossible due to the current at the time and upstream had much less flow. (The logbook account can be found here.)
The downstream Buttermere sump was dived in May 2011 by Jim Lister and Colin Hayward. (Logbook account and blog)
A bolt has been placed on the west wall, a couple of meters before the arch leading to the downstream sump. A duck under a flake (2.5 m deep) leads to a canal continuation of the Buttermere passage. After 25 m the roof drops down to the water again. Ahead, a mud bank with a boulder blocks the passage (where an eel was seen) but a cross rift to the left (west) at this point enters a cross rift and surfaces in a pool in one corner of a chamber with rifts leading off. (This second dive is also a short, 2.5 m deep duck.)
The chamber appears to be made up of a series of joined rifts. The floor is a mixture of large boulders, sandy flood deposit formed into soft banks and pools of water all at the same level. Several possible rift climbs have been identified. A sump under the northeast corner wall was briefly inspected without diving kit and thought to offer the best option for future progress. Another potential sump under two large perched boulders further east along the same wall (which may be the same sump?) was not looked at. The chamber is almost certainly not the upstream chamber beyond Sump of the Wild Eels in Cave of the Wild Mare. The centre line of the grade 1 survey is attached to the cave centre line as batch 2889_11_04 (amended 23/5/11) and there is a sketch and amended sketch of the downstream Buttermere sump end and the chamber to the next sump.

The high level route continues with walking passage, 4 - 5m wide and high, well decorated in places. Roughly half way along, it is possible to hear water down a narrow, choked rift. A few metres further on is a bolt climb on the same wall to an alcove with a narrow rift that may drop down into the Whitworth Series below. (Logbook account, January 2009). Ninety metres south of Red Pike, a junction is met with passages heading off in three directions. To the west, the passage splits with both routes ending at sandstone chokes; to the northeast, after a short climb up, the passage splits with the lower right hand route becoming full of formations and the left hand route passing over a small unexplored trench and terminating at a low, mud dig. To the southwest, a hands-and-knees passage encounters a 17m pitch which drops into the chamber southwest of the 7-Way Chamber, next to the route down to Lake Bassenthwaite.

Routes from the p12 off the 180m Rift
The pitch, in a north-south rift up to about 15m deep, is at the start of a traverse.
There are 4 routes from the bottom of the pitch:
1: Heading north in the rift leads through Slack Line Chamber to a traverse over an undescended, tight, 5m deep hole and then a number of climbs down into Paradise Lost, where the route becomes too tight (part batch 08_11). On the east side of the rift, in the floor of Slack Line Chamber, a route (batch 08_34) leads down into Squality Streetvia a 6m pitch. There are two routes from Slack Line Chamber into Paradise Regain'd. The first is a 20m crawl at floor level that emerges in the floor of Paradise Regain'd. The second is a climb to the northeast that enters a rift, passing a window and pitch into the crawl, and then dropping down as an easy climb into Paradise Regain'd. This area is well decorated with columns and pools.
2: Heading south from the pitch base enters a technical route in a rift that eventually emerges in 7-Way Chamber (batches 08_12, 08_37 and 08_38). This is described from the other direction in "Routes from 7-Way Chamber", below.
3: By using the installed handline at the base of the p12, Photographers' Passage can be climbed up into on the east wall. There should be no need to enter this profusely decorated passage.
4: On the west wall the same handline provides entry to the Pitch Bypass passage (batch 08_12), on the same level as Photographers' Passage. If followed to the end, this route through well decorated passage emerges up into Red Pike. However, part way along is an 8m pitch down into Gour Passage just south of Paradise Regain'd. This way is the "preferred route" to 7-Way Chamber as it reduces caver movements through Penguin Passage, Red Pike and Gour Chamber.

Routes from Paradise Regain'd
A sloping climb up into the large tube on the north side, with a number of impressive columns, should be carefully approached as the stal may be easily damaged. The Dingle Pringle Pretty Pushing Passage to the north passes through the well decorated section into a mud-floored 3-4m wide, 5-6m high joint which ends abruptly at a sandstone collapse after about 70m. On the western wall is a higher level passage that pops out in the northern wall of Paradise Regain'd.
There are a couple of ways to the south out of Paradise Regain'd. There is also red and white tape which is protecting some sensitive areas , eg a cracked mud floor - please keep to the indicated route(s). After leaving the columns and calcite, Gour Passage, heading south, is 3-4m wide and rather taller with a mud / sediment floor - easy walking for about 100m. At round about the 80m mark, a bedding plane just above floor level on the right chokes. At the end, Gour Passage enters 7-Way Chamber.

Routes from 7-Way Chamber
The chamber, 10m or so across with some stal in the middle, has arguably 7 routes off it. The first is the normal approach from the northwest through Gour Passage.
To the northeast is the entry for the 50m Rift. This passage is entered over a false floor lip and becomes increasingly more technical after initial walking and traversing in a rift with muddy walls about 0,5 to 1,5 m wide. The passage is about 5 m deep and 5-10m high. After passing over a p7 on a roped traverse (10 hangers were used on the original exploration), a crawl under a chock stone reaches the rim of a 30m high aven and a p18. The pitch takes a bit of water from the aven and the base is flat gravel/mud with no way on. The way on is reached via a bolt traverse on the right hand side (about 5 hangers), to reach a dry passage about 10 m high and 1.5m wide with some stal formations and a 3m section with a false floor about 1m above the floor. The passage continues on to another aven with an 11m pitch and a continuing passage about 4 m lower across the pitch and about 6m above bottom of pitch. Up to the right across the pitch a too narrow hole is seen. The passage across can be reached via a pendulum. About 3 m into the passage it is connected to batch 08_12 and the base of the focal p12.
On the eastern side of 7-Way Chamber are a couple of short, low passages that appear to choke and have occasional draught. A larger route exists on the southern side where walking passage becomes smaller at a choke (not sandstone).
The seventh route is an obvious walk down to the southwest where, after a passage split, a roomy chamber is reached with marked station 08_11.34 a start or end point for a number of survey batches. To the southwest, the chamber ends in a draughting boulder choke which has been looked at with the intention of passing over the Lake Bassenthwaite sump. Between here and 08_11.34, on the north side, the p17 from the middle level drops in.
Also on the north side, a narrow rift enters the Whitworth Series (batches 08_22, and 08_22a) and the Whitworth Challenge (batch 08_42), described below. The Whitworth Series starts as a squeeze down a sharp rift for 3-4 metres then dropping into a small chamber. A crawling phreatic passage runs east-west (west to Whitworth Challenge) with the rift continuing north. The rift quickly opens up 2m wide and high which is a muddy climb down before closing in to a 0.5m wide passage. Here running water is heard and a climb up into a 0.75m wide and high rift leads to the cascade and deep water. Downstream ends after 18 metres at a sump, upstream over a small cascade ends after 15 metres at a sump in the right hand wall. (This is worth noting - the flow of water in this section of the system seems to be greater than the flow into Lake Bassenthwaite - worth diving!).
The east trending passage from the small chamber at the bottom of the tight rift leads into sand-floored phreatic passages. There are many oxbows and interconnecting parts in this section. The furthermost point is where the phreatic tube breaks out high in the rift passage above the water. A number of chocked boulders can be used get into the rift. (Very exposed with approx p10 to water). Back at the small chamber, another passage trends south under the main passage from 7 Ways Junction and ends in the boulder choke. (See Eldon PC Newsletter, p14).
Batch 08_42: A drop down back under the entrance rift of the Whitworth Series leads to to a hands and knees crawl with many side passages choked with boulders. The crawl terminates in a notorious squeeze named the Whitworth Challenge, which pops out in a small chamber at the bottom of a twin aven, which has not yet been pushed to conclusion. There is possibility of a draught coming from above. Water can be seen sinking to the floor heading southbound. Prior to the squeeze, there is a sandy crawl heading northbound which has not been fully explored. The retreat is very tiring on return if a turning place is not reached!
The south side of the chamber has the only known route down to Lake Bassenthwaite and hence the multi-level, upstream passages beyond. A tight rift drops to the head of a tight p5 with a wider p6 down a short passage at the base. A seam of black, non-flammable material can be seen part way down the latter pitch. The route drops down a mud slope to Lake Bassenthwaite, a large, out-of-depth pool. This has a 10m, strongly draughting duck, with 10cm or less airspace, going off under the left hand wall. (During the dry 2009 summer there was 30cm of airspace.) The out-of-depth route has a pull through rope at roof level which makes the free-dive, when there is little or no airspace, quite straight forward. On the "upstream" side, the rope is tied off well out of the water.

Upstream of Lake Bassenthwaite to Can You Hear The Buzzing?
The passage immediately splits with a ramp up on the right (batch 08_25, see below) and an upstream passage through Satterthwaite Tarn Chamber to Cock Up at Cockermouth Chamber (batch 08_23).
(The watery cross rifts below station 08_25.0 have been explored. These ended at a squeeze through into a muddy crawl which ended 5m further, at an immature, too tight mud coated rift (0.20x0.5m). Just 10m back from the end, there is another climb out of the water - this is a rift passage connecting to the higher level.)
The vadose route upstream from Cock Up at Cockermouth Chamber (batch 08_24) has "negligible flow" with sharp-finned rock and marmites to trap the unwary. The passage is varied going with glimpses of darkness above where there are possible links to the upper tunnel. From Pablo's Peppers Passage the main route continues as a pleasant wade through waist deep water. Soon the passage turns sharply to the right (west) and the water becomes out-of-depth for 10m or so. To the left, the passage continues a few metres before a mud bank rises from the water and the walls close in to form a rift, too tight for further progress. This out-of-depth section can be bypassed by a climb up on rock fins into the roof just before the corner and this emerges on a rock pedestal above the T-junction in the passage below. To the left is a short rift passage that rapidly closes down too tight. To the right, a passage containing much loose fallen rock heads off, drafting towards you and rising slightly into an enlargement beyond. From the top of the fins/pedestal to the right-hand passage requires a careful step over to, and traverse along, ledges, between which is a gap through which the canal below can be seen.  Care is needed as it is very thin in places and the rock in this area is very loose and friable. An easy scramble up some boulders, emerges into a large chamber (Fisticuffs in Botchergate). (See this sheet by Dave Gledhill which explains the survey at this point).
(The chamber is rather confusing to describe as it has continuations in many directions and height. It forms part of the high-level route that started at the 30m ramp up from the draughting duck. At this point there is a survey station. A climb down between boulders leads to a 6 metre wide 2.5 metre high clean washed streamway with water worn scallops and pools in the rock. Climbing further down the boulders leads back into the streamway. The chamber and routes off are explained in the next section.)
There are two side passages off to the east of the low level. The first is batch 08_28, a sumped outlet passage just south of Cock Up at Cockermouth Chamber. The passage starts off walking-size, passes through pools and over a mud floor to end at a duck after about 100m and then a sump. Pablo's Peppers Passage (batch 08_29) is also about 100m long, passes under a 10m high aven and "ends" at station 25 with passage continuing beyond.
On the south side of Lake Bassenthwaite there is a large passage with the roof soaring up at an attitude of 60° and a sandy slope gains the south-ward trending upper level (batch 08_25). This starts as walking sized passage averaging 2-3 metres wide and passes a number of rift branches coming in that were not investigated on first entry but have been since. (There are a number of parallel rifts, not just the one indicated on the survey. As one rift closed down too much for easy progress, a short backtrack leads to an opportune window into the next rift. These rifts also tend to be different in character too. One is clean dry sand; another is covered in yellow flowstone whilst the next is gnarly scalloped limestone that snags at oversuits.) Easy walking passage has areas of fragile false floor and stall grills which the caver has to pass through and this continues for around 130m to where a 3 way junction is met. Right/ straight on here goes for a further 70 metres and huge aven is met which has truncated the passage. Scafell Aven has a small amount of water entering and is at least 40 m high and around 15m in diameter with a stack of piano sized boulders barring the way on to the continuing upper passage on the far side of the aven. It is not advisible for any attempt to traverse around the edges to reach the continuing upper level as this can be reached via other routes. There is almost certainly a route down through boulders to the lower level streamway. It appears, at the highest level in the aven, there are signs of passages heading parallel to the main route. This would be incredibly difficult to bolt up, as the higher parts of the aven appear to be in an overhanging sandstone band that seems intent on self-destruction. This area is like being in the top of a massive funnel filled with large precariously placed boulders, all poised to move downward taking everything else stupid enough to be there with it. (However, this veranda at the edge of the 40m high Scafell Aven was where bolting up reached the start of the Easter 2009 2.3km extensions. See below.)
Back at the 3 way junction, taking the left passage leads to a southward trending rift which was not attempted, (probably another oxbow) and a couple of 2 m climbs down to Cock Up at Cockermouth Chamber. This route is the easiest and quickest way to Cock Up at Cockermouth Chamber from the draughting duck. (See Eldon PC Newsletter, p15) 

At the top of the ramp beyond the duck, a high rift has been pushed up to a tight bedding at the top. This continues for more than 30m. At the start of the ascending rift is a 4m climb down on the right into a rift. These sections have not been surveyed.
There is another unsurveyed section 40m further south, on the eastern wall. This starts as a high rift passage with a wet sand floor with initial easy walking leading to a 2m climb up over a boulder. The rift narrows, requiring a difficult traverse at higher level on mud coated walls with little grip. The floor is regained and rift height increases with the walls becoming rough and sharp. Floor narrows again requiring further higher level but relatively easy traversing. The rift meets a cross rift and there are possible climbs up in this area with high avens. Left is too tight. Right leads back to main upper level passage but at a higher level (10m up?) than that in which the rift was entered. This point is difficult locate due to lack of marked survey points.
Ten metres further south is another unsurveyed section to the west. This is described as a very tight and awkward rift. The tube in the roof at the end looks climbable but would require placing a few bits of protection. The passage below is choked with mud from the tube. A passage heading southeast from the end connects back to the main route at a high level window. (See Eldon PC Newsletter, p20).
The main passage continues past here through an area of false floor and a possible passage to west with boulders. Just beyond, a unsurveyed route down to the east connects with the streamway. The high level route then slopes down to Fisticuffs at Botchergate, a major and confusing junction.

Fisticuffs in Botchergate area and south to the 1st Terminal Choke
Don't Be An Idiot (batch 08_32) is a small inlet (from the far side of the deep water section) which heads west. It can be accessed through a drop down between boulders just after Fisticuffs in Botchergate, or by a short passage at stream level that cuts through the sharp right-hand corner and connects back to before the out-of-depth section. The route continues as easy walking in a rift passage upstream past an active but too tight inlet on the left. A slippery slither up the steep-ish mud bank eventually levels out with a very small passage continuing in front. A weak draught is felt. A shovel and a few hours work will answer any questions here. There may be an unexplored passage to the east.
The complex Fisticuffs area is further explained with Dave Gledhill's survey sketch.
To the right (north) of the station cairn in Fisticuffs in Botchergate, a walk over fallen blocks, followed by an easy slope down levels out into easy walking, heading back in the direction of Lake Bassenthwaite, but at a higher level than the stream passage. This passage is connects back to the section in the upper series that brought the original survey by team 'A' to a halt.
Straight on (to the west) in Fisticuffs in Botchergate, acareful scramble down over large boulders leads to a large, wide, boulder-strewn passage that swings round to the left before levelling out and then running parallel with, but at a lower level than the high level passage described below. There are numerous ways through this section, but a traverse around the right-hand wall has proved popular. This lower level passage starts to rise and eventually merges with the higher level passage, which comes in from the left.
The main route sets off south from the station in Fisticuffs in Botchergate. A climb up over boulders leads to an ascending rift passage. Walls are solid but slightly slippery, coming together in places to form a partial floor, but opening up again to reveal drops below. The rift is climbed by bridging. The top of the rift opens out into a large, level, square section passage with dry mud floor with a few fallen blocks. The end of the passage cannot be seen from this point, lights unable to reach that far, but it is obvious that it enlarges considerably. There is also a B and consistent draught blowing towards you. The top of the left hand wall has large amounts of yellow flowstone curtains and stals, but the size of these is hard to judge or appreciate fully due to the sheer size of the passage. The floor of the passage then drops away steeply.
At this point, a passage enters from an acute angle in the left hand (east) wall. A careful step over the slope and round the corner leads into a dry, sand-floored, easy walking passage with numerous white stals and flowstone on the walls. The passage rises for a short distance, almost doubling back in the direction of the main passage, before it levels out and swings slightly to the right. The passage increases in height and width, but a deep rift in the floor with sloping sides of sand precluded further exploration. Note - the initial exploration of the cave found this passage to be drafting outwards noticeably. The second visit found no such draught discernable; outside temperature slightly cooler on second visit.
Back in the main passage, an easy scramble down a dry mud & boulder slope against the left hand wall allows the continuation of the now level passage to be explored. The dry mud floor has many suitcase-sized blocks, many of which are covered in flowstone and appear to have fallen from the left wall and/or roof of the passage. Passage continues with steps up/over/around blocks until the level, dry mud floor swings slightly to the right and then starts to descend to merge with a passage coming in from the right that has been running parallel to, but at a lower level than the passage just described. At the point where the two passages merge, the left hand wall has a series of very well decorated stal & column pretties which continue into the end of a short blind aven.
After some 50 metres, passage meets a large chamber with 2 southward ways on. The left fork is an oxbow which loops back into the right fork which is the main way on. The right fork is a climb over a crumbly slippery boulder into a 2.5m wide 3m high passage. A crawl through a sharp low bedding enters rift up onto big fallen boulders. This the start of Tiptoe with the Two Twits. (A hand line would be helpful here!) A traverse across boulders ends at the foot of a big boulder collapse. (It is not advisable to climb the boulder pile as it's very unstable at the top with zero leads!). The route through is found by staying with the left hand wall and following an undercut roof to a crawl through. This is The Buzzing Gets Closer. The end of the crawl is at the top of a 4m pitch which is an iffy climb down with lots of loose stuff underfoot. (A hand line would help!) The route descends to a number of side passages including an unsurveyed section of stooping maze.
The A590 Vindication Highway starts here - a 3m wide 5-6m high passage with a rubble floor. Twenty metres beyond Which Way to the Cumberland Pencil Factory? there is a climb up loose rubble on the east side. This levels off into a low-roffed passage, ending in a complete choke. It appears to continue but there is no sign of a draught.
The A590 Vindication Highway is followed for approximately 100m to 'The Whites Haven' area. This is a climb up then down boulders and past a very nice cracked mud floor.
The Whites Haven (batch 08_48) starts as a dry rift passage with pure white stals covered in helictites. The passage continues as a narrow rift that becomes progressively more and more heavily decorated with gypsum flowers and crystals. The roof is completely covered by helictite-covered stal and straws. A squeeze up and around a rock-fall leads to a T-junction with a much larger passage. A climb down enters very dry and sandy passage with lots of razor sharp gypsum crystals on the walls. A turn left ends at a solid rock wall, whilst right leads along 90m of high rift passage to a sand/mud choke rising up to roof level. An acrobatic climb leads to a high level passage that definitely continues but from which "return would be virtually impossible unless there was some other gullible person to stand on at the other side". (See Eldon PC Newsletter, p21). 
The main route continues as easy romping in 4m X 4m square cut passage with a noticeable B cool draught (outward) a constant feature. About 50m past an oxbow on the north a boulder choke is met which proved a convenient stopping point for the surveyors for batch 08_24.
Just back from the choke (which has been described as "very large and very horrible bolder pile which included a couple of interesting moves to get down") is a passage on the east side which could have up to a kilometre of maze network to survey. This also bypasses the choke and emerges back in the main passage 40m north of Tuna Can Corner. This rift in the left wall leads to a long passage with countless twists, turns and double-backs.
The choke is passed by following the passage round to the left then climbing up 4m and then down 4m. Loose boulders are a hazard and best passed by crossing from the left wall through the boulders to gain the right wall and then down the boulder slope to the continuing easy romp. The cave has a sandy floor and continues in fine style for 130m to a 90 degree right bend into Tuna Can Corner and, straight on, the Mancunian Candidate.
On the west side of Tuna Can Corner an aven comes in with large blocks. The passage doglegs and changes into a tall narrow rift with pools of water a new feature, and second dog leg is met after 88m. Here a smaller (still walking size) passage heads south until a draughting stall grill which has been pushed around to the back of the terminal boulder choke (batch 08_27) . At the second dog leg the passage becomes even more linear with longer legs a noticeable feature, and 100m further on the terminal boulder choke is met.

Tuna Can Corner through to the Shoulder of Mutton
The only way to pass the "terminal" breakdown area is through the Mancunian Candidate (batch 08_35), an area of cross-jointed rifts which heads south off Tuna Can Corner. A passage on the right connects to a parallel rift and terminates in an aven (unsurveyed). Many of the side passages are also yet to be fully explored to conclusion. A cairn is soon reached and a climb down on walls made of chert leads to a streamway. Upstream has out-of-depth water and a tiny cascade. Downstream has not been investigated. Upstream, the passage continues in a tall rift for about 200m where it changes character at Ankle Breaker Passage with more friable rock and dimensions of 3m wide and 1m. Varied going leads through a boulder squeeze and then to a boulder run-in. Some careful climbing up (5m) through the boulders arrives at a squeeze, The Rib Tickler. The high level route (batch 08_45) has now been regained in a chamber 10m wide in proper limestone. The way out of the chamber is by climbing up into a short rift, which pops out in a railway tunnel, It Only Hurts When I Laugh, continuing both to the right (north) and to the left (south). The southern route is an 8 x 8m passage but soon this changes into a 2.5 x 9m rift, Don't Make Me Laugh, where a traverse about 5m above the floor is required. (This may need some protection). The continuation is a boulder floored tunnel with more easy romping over boulders which ends in a boulder chamber 10m (25m??) in diameter with several promising holes in the floor and large car size hanging boulders above, Shoulder of Mutton chamber. On an Easter 2009 trip, the choke was investigated and no way on discovered. (Batch 09_05). (Were the promising holes looked at?)
The upstream route continues smaller through a particularly sharp narrow rift section, Arse Biter and swimming in a rift, Mard Arse. The current end appears to be above a 7m climb where the small passage "ends" at station 08_45.60. (The original explorers feel that this may well join up with one of the holes down at the Shoulder of Mutton.)

Easter 2009 2.3 km extensions from Scafell Aven and summer 2009 extensions
Batch 2889_09_01
Just back from the foot of Scafell Aven is a fixed rope re-belayed on two Petzl Long Life hangers. The first pitch of 9m is free hanging, and leads to a rock platform where the second pitch of 16m can be reached.
At the top of the pitch you are in a rift full of boulders which you climb the obvious way through to get to the top of the aven. On your left side is a big walking passage, which leads into an aven not far from surface. (This area is perhaps 12m below the base of the depression in the road corner near to sites 3166 and 3286 although both smoke pallets and radio connection attempts failed to make any connection).) Straight on takes you across a fixed rope traverse across the top of the aven. Immediately on the left is an opening into an aven and pitch with a voice connection below into the streamway. The other side of the aven a walking sized passage can be seen which has not been entered.
Batch 2336_09_13 Sandstone Colander. From the edge of the colander 'bowl' a rope is required to traverse across. The colander floor is much stronger than it appears and a 2m climb out of the other side leads to a N-S trending passage. South ends in a boulder choke, north is a climb up to a roof tube which heads west after a short distance and drops back into the main passage just south of the Scafell Aven.
Straight on (south) is a traverse over a rift in the floor with a blind passage below. A short climb up over boulders at the end of the passage leads into a large chamber. At the back of the chamber there is a large passage which is the other end of the 1 Haverflatts Lane loop.
The way on is by the entrance to the chamber on the right side through a small hole into a passage below. This passage has a false floor of sandstone and is unstable. At the entrance to the passage is a climb down into another passage below, which mirrors the passage above. Travelling the obvious way on you come to a 3-way junction with a gour pool in the floor: left is unexplored, right is the way on, leading to an aven. At the far end, there is a short climb up into a crawl. On the other side of the aven there are two unexplored ways on (another possible link close to surface).
A short way along the crawl there is rift in the floor, which is a 5m (8m?) ladder climb down. Straight on continues and has been surveyed for 50 metres to a cairn on the floor. Past this point there are two ways on which are unexplored and there is a good draught. This may provide another high level system.
Batch 2889_09_02
At the bottom of the ladder climb, down the rift is walking sized passage, which is very well decorated with dry gour pools in the floor.
North mirrors the passage above heading back into a boulder choke in the area of the last aven. South soon arrives at the head of an 8m pitch, which drops down into a much bigger north-south trending rift passage.
North travels around 500 metres and leads to batches 09_03 & 09_04 (see below) and ends in a boulder choke. In more detail, the north-trending passage starts narrow (not tight) and passes a superb cracked mud floor (traverse around with care) and further on, on the right wall, superb helictites (care). Here, there are a couple of tight rifts in the right wall and straight on passage getting bigger and wider until a ramp up to the left enters a chamber. From here the passage walls and floor are covered with stal and formations, and it is impossible not to proceed without walking on formations. A step up leads out of the pretties and the passage becomes sandy underfoot.
After passing the entry point to batch 09_04, the passage becomes bigger still, with holes in the roof glimpsing further large passages (see batch 09_08 below), and the floor is a long abandoned stream way meandering down the passage. This continues until a deep rift is encountered and batch 2889_09_03 starts. A bolted traverse (rope removed, bolts are in left hand wall) over a 40 metre pitch (descended with 1 possible lead approx 30 metres down on a mud slope) leads to a mud and boulder run in and a choked rift which is very draughty and drippy.
Batch 2366_09_08 In the summer 2009, a hole in the roof was scaled up to, using a maypole. A large chamber leads north to a boulder collapse and south into 2 tall rifts which close down very quickly. From the north east end of the boulder collapse, a crawling passage lifts after 10 metres to a rift passage with ledges. This ends in aven/ pitch above the main passage. There is a low passage from the aven but this quickly ends in a 3m by 8m chamber.

Heading south from the p8 leads, after a few metres, to a big passage on the left (1 Haverflatts Lane, batch 09_06, see below). Straight on soon becomes dry and sandy, at a sharp left hand corner there is a 10m deep hole with a good draught. The obvious way on is much smaller stooping and walking - but mostly walking. The passage changes to breakdown and gypsum. After about 50m there are some very impressive formations which are believed to be giant gypsum crystals. On the east side of Lechuguilla Passage, La Bella Durmiata contains fossils and twinkling walls (batch 2889_10_03)
The passage continues south for about 300m, passing several smaller passages on left and right which all seem to draught well. About 200m beyond La Bella Durmiata, a passage heads northeast for about 70m under Room 10: The Learning Support Department (batch 2889_10_05).
Batch 2889_09_07
A boulder blockage impedes the way on; the route on is under the blockage into a high chamber with no obvious way on. On the far right of the chamber, a rift is hidden under a large boulder. The passage changes at this point it becomes damp muddy and a noticeable change has occurred. There are numerous side passages, which draft strongly from both sides of the main drag. It is apparent there is something much bigger under foot, due to holes in the floor. This section of passage ends at a pitch down of about 4m, which needs a bolt and a ladder. The passage continues at the same level beyond the pitch.
At the bottom of the pitch there is a very large, unexplored passage off to the left. The way is to the right (south) being through boulders into a roomy passage that soon arrives at a 3-way junction.
Right (north) is unexplored but very big. Left soon arrives at a rift chamber with a boulder choke on the right. There are two ways on which arrive at the same place: one through the boulder choke and one following the left wall through a hands and knees crawl.
The passage becomes much bigger where they meet with a sandy floor and gypsum. There are several passages, which form a bit of a maze, but all the passages seem to meet in the same place. After a climb up there is a hole in the floor on the left with a big passage below, which needs a ladder.
To the right is a climb up into a large passage. After a few metres there is an opening on the left wall, under a dodgy slab. A climb down drops into a roomy passage with a dry sandy floor. This passage continues to a large block which could be climbed over, and the passage can be seen to continue. There are a few high level passages in the roof which are unexplored. This was the end of the Easter 2009 exploration.
Setting off from station 09_07.25, batch 2889_10_02 (OGB) was explored at Easter 2010. Description to come. It ends in a boulder choke.
At Easter 2011, batch 2889_11_03 was surveyed as the High Street Oxbow: At the "big collapse area / 10m aven" at the start of High Street the left hand solid wall can be followed through a rift to a climb down to a crawling zig-zag passage to a breakdown chamber. Most ways head back up to the main passage. Straight on can be followed as large passage up and down a slope to a corner containing a 24m high aven and a deep canyon in the floor. Two tubes head off on the right (oxbows) and a climb on the left wall (oxbows). Straight on the passage meets a large choke where the bottom of the 4m ladder pitch is met.
Batch 2889_09_10 (Cow11) (description to come) continued the exploration in the summer to Nearly Dan Chamber and beyond at high level into the western passage, then completed as batch 2366_09_12 (0608091) . This end is described thus: The passage continues from post/ column, passing a choked hole in the floor and a steep stone / shingle bank ahead. On passing over bank the continuing walking passage quickly becomes a crawl, leading into a squeeze through boulders into a draughty calcited bedding filled with stalls.The passage at this point is only 8" to 12" high.This section of passage is abandoned, not active and has a sandy floor for the most part." The draught at the end is strong.
Two other routes lead out of Nearly Dan Chamber: one goes south at high level, the other drops down 35m to a low level. The high level route batch 2889_09_10 (Cow12) (description to come) continues south, becomes batch 2889_09_11 (cow21) (description to come) and ends at a 3 possible routes in a boulder choke(?)
The low level route from Nearly Dan Chamber drops into Henry's Way after climbing down over large boulder's and sliding down a steep scree slope (care - loose boulders!) (batch 2889_09_15 Vaca66) in a large chamber, yet to be fully explored. In the left hand corner of the chamber, a strong draft leads down to more boulders onto a mud slope and brings you to Henry's Way, a large active passage. To the left in the passage wall is a large window with passage leading off currently unexplored. The main passage heads off in a southerly direction following a stream bed with heavily silted mud banks on both sides (approximate dimensions 15m high, 20m wide). The stream bed meanders around large boulders. High up on the right (west) 2 oxbows can be found and on the left (east) at approximately 400 meters from Nearly Dan Chamber an inlet enters the main passage. this inlet is approximately 1500 meters long and heads towards La Gatuna (see below). The main passage continues between boulders until it reaches a bolder collapse which can be climbed up over a steep mud/ bolder slope into Henry's Chamber, a large chamber with a high aven at the easterly end filled with boulders. These form a steep ridge down the centre of the chamber. (batch 2889_09_15 Vaca61; Batch 2889_09_16 Vaca31).
Batch 2889_09_15 Vaca62 description to come) is a side passage to the west.

The route down the rope pitch to the end choke is Batch 2889_09_20 Vaca51. Following the right wall of Henry's Chamber leads to the top of the pitch. Natural anchors are found low down round a "stal" boss; just over the edge is a bolt for a re-belay. The pitch drops for a couple of metres before becoming free-hanging for about 10 metres where it meets a large boulder slope. The rope is used to continue down the slope until it becomes easy enough to walk on down. Looking back up the pitch there are voids high up on the right yet to be explored, and some 15 - 20m to the right there is a boulder choke that could possibly connect to the slope that leads into Henry's Chamber. Continuing down the slope enters the start of main passage that is reminiscent of Henry's Way.
The passage, which is about 15m wide and 10m or more high, continues for about 30m weaving between large boulders on a sand floor before beginning to reduce in dimension to about 8m wide. It is at this point that the stream, which emerges from an inlet on the left another 15m further on, is encountered disappearing into the floor.
Climbing up a sandy slope and following mud banks on the right one reaches a boulder choke after about 25m. The boulder choke appeared to be very stable and several routes have been followed through the boulders but no ways on found in 2009. There was a good incoming draught on the single visit.
Just before reaching the choke, a route down left through boulders led to the active stream that was met earlier.
The choke was pushed in 2011 as batch 2889_11_01. The passage through the choke is described as "big. At the end of the passage is another boulder choke which could not be passed. There is a passage which needs aid climbing to get to which might be worth a look." Better description to come.

Part way along Henry's Way a long passage enters on the east side and heads towards La Gatuna. This is over 1km in a straight line towards the La Gatuna area and is survey batches 2889_09_15 vaca63, 2889_09_17, 2889_09_18 vacabarny1 and 2889_09_191 and 2889_11_02.
The inlet is entered by scrambling up and down over mud coated boulders for about 25m until further progress is along the stream bed and the mud coatings disappear. A number of knee deep pools are encountered as the passage, a couple of meters wide, weaves its course to the south east for about 150m until it turns abruptly north for another 40m before resuming the south easterly direction steadily narrowing until it becomes only possible to progress sideways. One particular narrowing causes severe distress to over-suits about 350m into the inlet. There after, the passage increases in dimensions to allow relatively comfortable progression. The passage height remains around 8m-10m from the start of the inlet. A further 100m leads to a small chamber where a climb up boulders for 6m and then back down to the stream-way is necessary. (It was around this point that centipede-type insects were first noticed.) The passage continues with clean rock floor in the same way for yet another 100m where another small inlet enters from the right (not investigated). Here the main inlet passage flips north for 25m leading into another small chamber where another 10m leads to the end of the section surveyed in 2009. (The passage ahead continued showing signs of getting larger. The water in the inlet had a bad smell (gasoil?). There was a distinct sensation that we were approaching the surface but this was disproved on the next trip in.)(Batch 2889_09_191 description to come).
The "bitter end" of Suit Wrecker Inlet was surveyed at Easter 2011 as batch 2889_11_02 and described thus:
   A small pool followed by a couple of small cascades leads through rift passage to a heavily choked floor passage containing lots of broken suit wrecker rock on the floor. Just beyond, the passage regains the stream and an awkward climb up a small (1.5m) cascade continues in rift passage / streamway / crawling. This eventually ends at "Suit Wrecker 3" where a slight tight and sharp climb up leads into a crawling, wide tube passage floored with sand. Right (downstream) leads around a corner to a further tight unexplored rift passage. Upstream passes a small tube, also unexplored. Continuing upstream, climbing up and heading left and around a corner through an awkward constriction is "Suit Wrecker 4" where the stream can be heard below. The passage continues crawling until a large choke is met. Before the choke, a climb on the right (3m) reaches a walking / stooping passage. Right leads to the boulder choke which can be climbed to a shaft heading down left. A passage-cum-void can be seen in the highest point and looks open, but could not be entered at the time. Left at the junction continues as a crawl. Right leads down a climb (2m) to an unexplored rift passage. On the right, a muddy inlet enters with possible climbs. Straight on eventually leads to "Suit Wrecker 5" and "Suit Wrecked" - a very tight rift with two very small ways off which were not pushed. (From this end point it took 4 hours to exit, at a steady pace.)

Batch 2889_09_04
From STN 25b a 7m high rift passage leads to a large chamber with large boulders on the floor. On the left is a c3 to a draughting but tight and sharp crawl. To the right, the way on is via 2 parallel passages which connect after 25 metres. A 7m x 3m wide pot in the floor is passed to a muddy run in where the way on closes down in a tight rift.
Batch 2889_09_06
Begins as a 6m high rift passage, 1 Haverflatts Lane. 15 metres in is a junction. Right continues trending southwards to a very loose climb up and over boulders, Help me Lloyd Passage. From here the roof lowers with the floor being covered in collapsed gypsum and calcite from the roof and walls for 150 metres, Kendal Mint Cake Passage. The roof now lowers further into hands and knees crawling, Fryers Passage. Sixty metres of crawling and stooping past large gypsum crystal stalactites (good photographer required here) leads to Room 10, The Learning Support Department, a small chamber with a good draught coming from a tight rift.
Left, batch 2889_09_09 has a very good draught and was explored in the summer 2009. Passage passes Guano Chamber, heads north to link back to south of Scafell Aven and also provides access to Ed's Birthday Passage batch 2889_09_14. The description of this route: Back north at Haverflatts 'T' junction, turn left into a narrow (0.75m wide) rift which takes lots of left and right turns until you reach a sandy and boulder blockage. Back 6 metres from the blockage is a very loose climb (care!) up into 6m x 6m x 2m high chamber with guano on southern floor, the northern passage is unexplored. East passage descends boulders then climbs up ending in a boulder choke where a large passage can be seen through boulders below. South from the loose climb up the passage leads to a rift the eastern end of which a small dig broke into the large passage seen previously. In the main passage, north follows a sandy floor, with a number of oxbows on the left, to a boulder pile which can be climbed and descended easily. Next is a crawl through large boulders which can be bypassed by a roof tube 3m up an awkward climb on the left. The two ways meet up and a short hand and knees crawl ends under van sized boulders which can easily be picked through to complete the loop back towards the top of Scafell.
In Guano Chamber, a route also heads NW off the NW side of the chamber to eventually reach (after about 150m) known passage. This is batch 2889_10_07. From Guano Chamber the obvious passage to the north is entered leading to a stooping and walking size rift with a number of potential leads in the floor. Passage is followed through a couple of '1 minute digs' through loose flakes and sand until it reaches a taller, narrower rift with ways on left and right. Left in the rift leads to a tight sharp squeeze followed by an awkward muddy rift (unsurveyed) which opens into a large chamber. (Footprints in the chamber have been followed to a survey station marked 27?? on a boulder in a mud floored stooping height passage. (The station did not seem to appear on the big survey in the office and needs further work to sort this out.) Right in the rift drops down into a small chamber with the way on through another 1 minute dig which breaks out into the large north south passage from the top of Scafell Aven.
Near the start of batch 09_09, batch 2889_10_01, Frizington Extensions, sets off. Description to come.
batch 2889_09_14 South is 4m wide by 6m high passage with huge blocks on the floor. Step from block to block until a collapse is met. (There is a way on the right which leads to a confusing network of dry, sandy crawls which can be difficult to find the way out of.) Climb up the collapse and keep to the left wall and through the obvious gaps in the boulders. Drop down to the base of a high aven with sandstone beds high up. Three or four passages down end in sand and boulder blockages. Way on is left and a loose climb through boulders and left to top of chamber. Descend chamber and down slot into 2m high 10m wide passage. Passage trends south 2m wide and 2.5m high with sandy/ ? floor and gypsum crystals. A passage on the left is Deep Rifts Passage, explored 2010 - see below. Ed's Birthday Passage continues past fine cracked mud floors and gradually becomes wetter, eventually a boulder run in is climbed ending in a 6m high by 1m wide drippy rift, cold and draughty.

Batches 2889_10_06 & 2889_10_08. Deep Rifts Passage heads northeast from Ed's Birthday Passage. The first batch heads off east 1.5 m wide by 2 m high. At the T junction the right hand passage connects back to a small window in Ed's Birthday Passage. Left at the T junction follows a few turns until it breaks into a wide chamber. In and around this chamber are holes in the floor with passage seen below (these have not been investigated). The continuation is a step over a deep rift (needs descending) and into a 6 m high 1 – 2 m wide rift passage. At the first cross rift is a bolted traverse heading south (not concluded). The north cross rift has not been pushed and is well worth a look.
From here Deep Rifts (part 2) begins. The last 50m or so starts as a flatout crawl with a squalid, muddy floor but very draughty. The last survey point is an upturned stal, 6" high in the mud floor. The pasage turns right after a 3m bedding gets too tight but vision continues for a further 12m with a good draught. Before the flat out crawl there is a large, undescended pit in the floor, approximately 2m in diameter and disto'd to 33m deep but thrown rocks continue for another 10m or so. The passage appears to have "missed" site 3300 but is heading towards the surface where sites 3470, 3471 and 3472 are being investigated.
A SE trending rift has been bolted for about 30m and is still going, though getting tighter. Mid-way along there is an undescended pitch about 10m deep with a good draught. SRT kit is required to traverse the in-situ line.

Batch 2889_11_05. The only batch surveyed in the summer 2011. This passages sets off from Ed's Birthday Passage and passes under Deep Rifts Passage. Not yet described. Length 86m.

Although the 2006 optical brightener test from the end of the Sumidero de Cobadal (site 1930) to Fuente Aguanaz (site 713) proved that water route, there was a flood episode during the test and, it may be that during normal flow, water from the Sumidero runs through Torca La Vaca to emerge in Cave of the Wild Mare (site 767). A number of suggestions as to the source of the water in Torca La Vaca are shown here.

A diagram of the hydrology of the San Antonio - Hornedo - Cobadal area drawn after Easter 2011 can be found here.

Dowsing occurred over the end of the Suit Wrecker Inlet in July 2011. A positive reaction was perceived in the "correct" place possibly giving some extra credence to the survey. An article about the dowsing carried out around the northwest sector in July 2011 can be found here.

Reference: anon., 2008c (Easter logbook); anon., 2008e (summer logbook); anon., 2008f (autumn logbook); anon., 2008g (Christmas logbook); anon., 2009a (Easter logbook); anon., 2009b (summer logbook); Corrin Juan, 2010 (photos); anon., 2010b (Easter logbook); anon., 2010c (summer logbook); León García José, 2010 (line survey); Corrin Juan, 2011 (photo); anon., 2011b (Easter logbook); anon., 2011d (summer logbook)
Entrance pictures: yes
Underground pictures : Easter 2008  summer 2008 (230 photos)  conservation & restoration (Nov 2008 & Jan 09)
January 2009 - bolting to an alcove on the top level
Easter 2009: North of Lake Bassenthwaite - dive and rift exploration; general top level; traverse and pitch; middle level
:::::::::::::: South of Lake Bassenthwaite - initial top level after sump; boulder choke at the far end; Lechuguilla Passage
Summer 2009 : summer 2010 : Easter 2011
Video : Easter 2008 wmv file 51Mb download   Easter 2009, Lake Bassenthwaite (9Mb)
Detailed Survey :

produced after	low quality	medium quality
Easter 2008	-	pdf file
Summer 2008	v 2.01	-
"	v2.02	v2.02
"	v2.03	v2.03
"	v2.04	v2.04
"	v2.05	v2.05
January 2009	v2.06	v2.06
Easter 2009	v2.07	v2.07
Summer 2009		v2.08
Easter 2010		v2.09
Summer 2010		v2.10
Easter 2011 (incomplete)		v2.11
Easter 2011 (incomplete; dive)		v2.12
Summer 2011 (incomplete; dive)		v2.13

Explanatory sketch survey sheets (part of v2.05 onward) by Dave Gledhill
Can You Hear the Buzzing	pdf A4 sheet
Fisticuffs in Botchergate	pdf A4 sheet
Explanatory sketch survey sheets by Colin Hayward & Jim Lister
Buttermere downstream sump to chamber Batch 2889_11_04	jpg

Line Survey :
On area survey : Hornedo area (after summer 2011)
Survex file : yes (updated after summer 2011)
Passage direction rose diagram (Patrick Warren): yes