Lathkill Head Top Entrance

Tony Seddon and his travelling caving gear shop, “Starless River”, had arranged with Keith and myself to meet up at the Orpheus cottage around 10: 30 for Keith to buy two tackle bags for the Club and for me to buy some screwgate karabiners.

So the three of us had breakfast in Monyash at the café as usual then drove to the Orpheus cottage. We chatted to various members while we waited for Tony to arrive. A girl turned up who had arranged to meet Tony as well to buy some gear and we soon had parted with our cash in return for some shiny new kit.

As well as the screwgate karabiners, I bought Karen an new Petzl Fractio harness as her current one was a bit short in the leg loops.

Afterwards we returned to Monyash and parked in the layby at the head of Lathkill Dale and got changed into caving gear. Luckily it was a bit warmer than yesterday's unseasonable temperatures.

We then walked to the Lathkill Head Cave Top entrance and after unscrewing the nut on the lid and filling in the logbook, again Keith was doing the rigging and he started down the very short entrance shaft and onwards down to the Waiting Room, the large chamber below.

I followed Keith down and paused as I dropped down the hole in the ceiling of the Waiting Room so that I could have a look at the decorations of white stalactites hanging from the ceiling then joined Keith at the bottom.

We waited for Karen to start down to join us then I walked down the sloping floor of the Waiting Room to clamber between the gaps in the boulders where the climb down into Lathkiller Hall begins.

Keith also arrived while I was having a look around among the boulders and he soon clambered down the climb which always looks very tricky from the top but is much simpler once you are on it as you can see the footholds on one wall.

Karen also arrived and Keith was saying below there might be an alternative route down but while Karen also clambered down to join Keith, I had a look around and could see Keith's light through small gaps in boulders but there was no easier alternatives in the end.

I moved a couple of small loose boulders which were near the top of the climb down and by then the other two had started back up to join me.

So we headed back to the surface and I had the usual awkward problem getting back through the small hole to the foot of the small entrance shaft. I can easily get my outstretched arms and upper body through but then cannot pull myself through any further, nor can I get anything to push with either foot. So as usual I just waited for Keith to arrive and provide a step to stand on using his knee to get started the a shove on my foot to complete the awkward manoeuvre.

We walked back to the layby and after getting changed said “good bye” to Keith who was heading home while Karen and I returned to the café for a much-deserved snack.