digwookeyhole

Vince, Nick, and Sam

Rendezvous with the team at the allotted time and place and collect cave key from hotel receptions. Only three of us this evening but enough to comfortably carry kit through the cave to the dig at LoH&G.

At the dig, I was left to my own devices while Nick and Sam collected a few tools and went to investigate some other leads that had been previously identified.

Ladder was installed at the top of the pot, and I descended to drill some holes and apply some “induced rapid speleogenesis” techniques. All wired, bags packed, I returned along the narrow passage, laying the wire as I proceeded to arrive at a suitable spot to finish it all off. Waited for a few minutes for Nick and Sam to join me. Fired. Warning signs were placed to inform of potential fumes.

Exited the cave to enjoy some refreshments in the ravine. All good. Will have to wait and see what effect the IRS will have.

Vince, Nick, Jake, Jon, and Sam

Well, here we are at last the first trip into WH of 2026. Now that the wet winter has passed and a sustained period of drier weather it is time to get back to some digging!

At Land of Hope & Glory (LoH&G) and as it was his first trip into this part of the cave, Jake and Jon took Sam for a tour around this fine section of the cave. Meanwhile, me and Nick went along to the dig to have a review of situation and make an assessment as to what our next move might be – it wasn’t looking especially promising at the close of 2025 (but, perhaps we’ve had it too easy and about time we worked a bit harder!) Nick descended the ‘pot’, some poking and prodding ensued, some bags were filled and hauled out, I joined Nick in the ‘pot’ and a discussion took place. The upshot being that I will resort to some “induced-rapid speleogenesis” to remove (hopefully) a ‘bulge’ of calcite so that we can better assess whatever lies beyond. The dig continues.

Jake and Sam helped to remove the filled bags to be emptied into Pointless Pot, Jon was already on his way out with some, now unused, buckets and ‘old’ bags that were probably beyond their useful ‘life’ (they were heavy!) We caught him up at the Cascade.

It is an excellent evening caving trip. Refreshments were enjoyed in the ravine taking care not to disturb the ongoing bat survey too much.

Due to the rather persistent wet weather (and extensive roadworks in the village, 2026) so far throughout the winter months (2025-26), the digging team have decided to put activities in the Land of Hope & Glory area on hold until the weather improves, hopefully, in early spring. The connection between Wookey 20 and Colston Hall area is susceptible to flooding and we do not want to impact the sediment banks there by constant wading through the ‘pond’.

Vince, Jon, Callum, and Sam

We had a team, we had a key, so let’s go digging. Ambled up to the cave where we changed and made our way towards Land of Hope & Glory (LoH&G).

On arrival at LoH&G we made our way into the ‘Diamond Mine’ and along to the current dig site, quickly explained to Sam and Callum what we trying to achieve and let them get on with it. Me and Jon provided support and spoil removal. Sediment-filled bags were removed along the narrow passage and stacked part-way up the slope to complete their journey later in the evening.

At about 20:30 a total of 20-bags had been filled with sediment, and it has not got any bigger at the end. Sam was digging at arm’s length in a silt/sand filled crack about 100mm width with no immediate indication it was getting any bigger. The question is now, Is it worth pursuing further? Will have to ponder a while! Anyway, that was it for this evening, time to remove the spoil through Fuzzy Wuzzy into Colston Hall and emptied into Pointless Pot. Job done we made our way out of the cave. A cold night, refreshments in the tunnel!

Vince with Nick and his cousin, Peter Ridges

Ten years have passed since first exploration and digging trip with Tom Chapman et. al: Log entry 10th December 2015

A slower paced tourist trip to LoH&G with Peter. It was immediately noticeable that the high-water levels of last week had receded considerably, much quieter through the cave passage followed. The pool of water at the access into Colston Hall the required wading through last week had gone, no boots were filled with water!

The slower pace meant that Nick and I had plenty of time to examine and discuss various geological features along the route to LoH&G. Of particular interest was the nature of the contact zones between the Triassic conglomerate and Carboniferous limestone, and the many examples of faulting present.

It is always a superb trip with plenty to see and marvel at!

Vince, Roz

No digging team available for this evening so decided to retrieve the ladder for some TLC, and to investigate water levels; there has been a lot of rain recently.

The sound of water was immediately heard when we moved beyond the show cave section, the water cascading through the passage. All the way toward Land of Hope & Glory there was water everywhere. I was not surprised to find a deep pool at the access to Colston Hall.

Roz decided not to follow and waited for me in the decorated chamber below the climb. I carried on to the dig. Once there, tools were moved up into the little alcove (top of pot), hauling rope coiled, rolled up the ladder and placed it into a tackle bag.

Everything secured and packed away made my way back to rejoin Roz. A steady trip out, stopping every now and then to admire this fine section of cave passage.

Vince, Nick and Jake

At the current dig in LoH&G, I was down in the ‘pot’ digging, Nick was hauling up the bags and ‘tossing’ them through the narrow hole to Jake. Jake then moved the bags along the passage towards the slope.

It isn’t the loosening of the sediment that is especially slow but crouching down in a very constricted space to fill the bags with the loose sediment. It is barely shoulder width and doesn’t (at this stage) appear to be getting any bigger! We had a look, we talked about it, and we will persevere!

Once the few bags were emptied, we made our way out of the cave stopping briefly to look at discuss the various areas where there is contact between the Dolomitic Conglomerate and limestone, in particular, in Colston Hall.

Refreshment in the ravine. It was unseasonably warm!

Vince, Jake and Nick

In LoH&G, Jake digging, me ‘tossing’ and Nick in ‘drag’. Digging was not easy, the way ahead has become narrower and in the constricted space filling bags is difficult, progress slow. We’ll give it, at least, another session.

As usual spoil was dragged through to Colston Hall and dumped into Pointless Pot. We made our way out for refreshments in the ravine. It was dark and drizzling!