Caving log: Ogof Daren Cilau, 13/04/07
13/04/07 Ogof Daren Cilau, Time Machine
Andy Snook, Clarie Morton, Fi Crozier
7.5 hours
The Adventures of Ogof Daren Cilau.
Once upon a time three fair maidens had set upon the mighty Ogof Daren Cilau, cave of wonderment and terrors, but had been defeated therein. For whilst Fiona, princess of note amongst the fair hills of the Mendip, had climbed the awesome ladder up the Cliffs of Insanity her sweet companions had turned back in fear for the ladder was high and they were but weak.
But Princess Fiona was not of the temperament to be beaten and had long dreamed of returning to the cave. So also had one of her companions. The maiden Clarie was dark and small of stature, but her heart was steady and ashamed of her previous fear she wished to conquer the ladder and reach their grail: that hallowed cavern known only as 'the Time Machine.' Together they had resolved to return, and one spring day when the daffodils had finished blooming and the sun was rising over the dark city of Brigstowe they called upon the services of the Knight Errant Andy and set off to those wild hills in the west.
Sir Andy had accompanied the two maidens in adventures before, and knowing of his strength and steadfastness they entrusted to him their journey. He guided them faithfully, and there was no adventure to be had until they arrived at the foot of the mighty escarpment. They had dismounted, and unladen their poor beast of the equipment necessary for that day's venture when forsooth! Around the corner appeared the fearsome Llangottock dragon, with smoke pouring from his nostrils, and steam arising where the heat of his breath met the cool morning mist.
Undaunted, Princess Fiona stood her ground against the mighty beast, and with stinging strokes of her sword defended her right to be upon the mountainside and to face the caves. Though he breathed fire, eventually the dragon withdrew to his den with grumblings of defeat. Sir Andy, fearing for their mounts' safety in their absence, advised finding safer stabling down the hill.
This was done and after final preparations, Clarie wove a magic spell to tell of their day's intentions to Sir Stuart, Hero of the Wessex and beau of Princess Fi.
Onwards and upwards then, bracken under foot and the baa-ing of sheep in their ears, till they came upon that grim rockface, silent and still against the clear blue sky of the mountain top. There was no pool outside now, nor no watcher in it, and it was in peace the travellers sought the small gap that marked their entrance to the cave. Ever first, Fi led the way, with Sir Andy following suit. Clarie looked at the sky one last time, and with a deep breath, forsook the pleasant morning light to crawl after the knight errant's disappearing feet.
Two body lengths in, and the darkness and torment ahead almost crushed the brave knight's spirit. He knew not what horrors lay ahead, but he would not pause, nor even cry out. Bravely he pressed on, though the passage about him was small, and the waters were cold. Relentless was that entrance way with no room for standing nor turning. Rare indeed was it to find room even sit and pause. Emerging into the open cavern at passage end was like finding snowdrops in spring, so free and peaceful did that first chamber feel.
Still Fi led ahead, confident and ebullient in the day's adventure. The maiden Clarie picked her way over the boulders quietly, aware of the rocks around her and the route ahead at every point. In her mind's eye was the ladder and the help she would then need. which knowledge now made her bold and determined to climb into the oxbow without assistance. Indeed, so much was her trepidation that when Princess Fi slipped and fell down the boulderous gap into Jigsaw Passage some small, disquiet part of her mind wondered whether they could now turn back without failure nor defeat.
But of course her love for her friend was vast in comparison to her fear and it was with relief and joy she found the princess had fallen only a few feet and had suffered little injury beyond bruising.
They wandered on, the roomy passage and easy path through jigsaw cracked mud slopes being rest to aching bodies. Our travellers found their way surely to the Big Chamber Nowhere Near the Entrance and the mystical log book of previous adventurers where lead can mark paper clearly even though it be damp. Sir Andy recorded their intention - one more clue, should they be prevented from returning, and Sir Stuart have to call out the cavalry. Ever present in Ogof Daren Cilau is the knowledge of the journey back and the dangers it presents to those who fall there.
Onwards and now upwards Clarie wisely guided them, into Eglwys Passage and across that traverse where the ground gives way and yet the passage continues on. Now down again, on bellies in snakelike mud which lies smooth over Daren's rocks of greeny-grey and black. Through eyeholes and down holes, into chambers named for dead saints and out through bouldered climbs our party pick their way. Here lies Preliminary Passage so called, but to the adventurers' minds not a passage but a canyon with walls stretched high above them beyond the extent of their light.
Here, here lies that ladder of which so much woe has been written and so much heartache suffered, and there, there it is, stretching away up a cliff face of insanity, wreathing and twisting in the light, up beyond sight and knowledge. But for Fi, both Princess and Warrior, there is no fear. Like a gazelle she leaps on to the ladder and climbs steadily up. She has faced this before and conquered and now the challenge calls her like the stag on a winter's morn calls his mate. Below her companions slide muddy rope through rings of metal, tautly aware of her weight as she rises. It is hard work on tired arms, and they pause and rest before Clarie begins her ascent.
Slower than her doyenne, placing both feet on each rung, she climbs steadily. Never looking down, or back, but upwards to Fi's light and voice and sweet treats held safe she ascends. Halfway there's a ledge where the ladder swings over rock and here she rests before mounting again on to that twisting hanging chain. Warned by Fi she panics not but slowly climbs again, legs and arms shaking and tired, and steel in her spirit stronger than that of the metal she holds on to as she climbs. The cliff edge slopes to the drop, and ropes secured to the canyon's edge give place to tie on as the maidens secure the rope for the faithful knight's ascent.
Sir Andy climbs rhythmically, fast at first and then slowly as the ladder twists beneath his weight. Undaunted by neither the height nor the 60 foot drop beneath him the knight greets his companions again and they laugh and grin, proud of their accomplishment.
With joy now our bold pioneers move on. The maiden Clarie stares in wonder at the village of models made by past explorers who waited here for their fellows to ascend the canyon. She must turn aside too quickly for beyond lies adventures and perils not yet seen. First comes a drop - a small drop, yes, and of little consequence for now, though later it too will have its turn in the tale.
Another cord speaks of the next challenge. It stretches around the wall of the cave and beneath it lies the tell-tale blackness of depth. No-one knows how deep, for our adventurers do not look - it may be five feet or fifty but the line will hold, no matter what the depth, and trusting their weight to it makes this test less than those already passed. With wings now they cave, passing rock and chamber easily until they reach pits in the cave floor. They could not stop, not now, with ladder passed and destination near, but here are climbs which make Fi pause and Sir Andy doubt.
Old rope leads down, loops tied for handholds and mayhaps footholds too, should chance require. And here Princess Fi is cautious, looking, testing, finding firm places for feet as she descends. But the hole is not wide and so Clarie drops quickly, safe in the rock around her and the ropes here placed. There is no fear in going down, for her, and she is content to leave 'up' until they must. She speaks encouragement up to Sir Andy, who wary of time and of injury appears unsure. But this trial too is passed, and the next, until they find the river for the first time since entering the cave. Water flows beneath their feet and the passage here is wide - wide enough for three to walk abreast, then four, then five, then more.
Sir Andy now surges forward and with a shout he hails the Time Machine. He mounts the pile of rocks and looks out across the cavernous hall. At the edges of sight his light disappears into darkness.
Here is a chamber beyond the senses - where the walls cannot be both seen with one torch, and the subterrane leads on and on. 100 feet wide it stretches, with huge boulders littering the floor. Mysterious lights placed moons ago show the way ahead, for one could walk and turn and lose their way in this cavern where darkness sucks at the edge of your light and the rock arches above you like the sky.
Here all time seems different - the world has slowed and it is you and the rock. Ages have passed since this cavern was formed and you are man like grass in the field and dust in the wind, here today and tomorrow gone. And yet here both man and rock belong together in stillness and silence broken only by distant water: large and small, old and young, temporal and eternal.
It has been four hours now since our explorers entered the cave. If they have not emerged in the same time again the alarm will sound. From Wales and from Mendips men and woman would come to seek out our explorers - not for being princesses, knights and maidens, but because they are human. First they will search for their mount, and on finding him still safely stabled (if he is, for who knows what the dragon will have done in their absence?) they will come to the mouth of the cave, hoping to find our heroes sitting in the sunlight outside. From there will be that protracted entrance in, through rock and water, and the lengthy walk to the log book. Would they find them there, nursing broken ankles? Or at the foot of the ladder, injured on the way down and lowered to the bottom, where they wait? Half their food is gone now, and half their water. They have light enough, but the cold would seep to their bones and exhaustion and inertia can kill, here in the depths of the mountainside.
Let us break this pondering. It is enough that it is time for our cavers to return - through river and up ropes, across pit and to the drop. At first our heroine leads the way, using her strength and agility to pull up the ropes and allow access to the way ahead. Clarie follows more circumspectly, espying out footholds before committing herself to the knotted hawsers. At one point her foot slips and their protector behind enables her to climb, using his own body as a support. As she comes to the traverse she requests the lead, and facing her fear traverses across: princess and knight nimbly following. A short way on and a yell from Sir Andy echoes through the cavern. In a flash his princess is beside him - up the short drop his foot slipped, and the rope there caught around his torch. Suspended by his helmet, he cried out and our princess deftly freed him so he could climb unhindered. Shaken, but stoic as ever, the brave noble clambers on towards the top of the ladder.
Here Princess Fi retrieves her magical descending device. She has carried it through the cave for this point - attaching it to the twisted cord hanging over the underground cliff face she plummets into the depth of the canyon, landing safely at the bottom. Her companions do not trust to this magic and must use their own strength to descend the ladder. Sir Andy follows next, stepping on to the ladder amidst the tangles of ropes and chains that hang from the rocks above, securing him from plunging to the depths and his death. From the half way ledge the ladder hangs at an angle, and rungs seem to be missing from beneath his feet. He finds the metal with his feet as a blind man searches for the roads' edge and descends steadily to the bottom. With Fi now securing the rope Clarie descends, most of her weight taken by the pair at the bottom.
From here the exit seems so close, and the way familiar - up canyon's end, through the limey St Valentine's chamber, into Eglwys passage. Sure of the turns they continue, through crawl and over traverse, emerging once again to the Big Chamber and the logbook. None have entered since them - they are alone in the cave. The journey is wearying now, and the hours are taking their toll. Our heroes sit and rest at the turn to the entrance series, taking a last drink. The cavern here seems smaller than it was 5 hours ago - the Time Machine has changed their scales of size, and warped their experience of time: already it seems a distant memory.
The exit is hard, a relentless series of squeezes and crawls, zigzag bends and tight rifts. Fi pushes ahead joyfully - not for her a fear of tight spaces but the joy and the thrill of pitting herself against a confining cave. Sir Andy has slowed now. He has tired of pushing his larger frame through such demanding passage. He rests where he can, though such opportunities are few here, giving his smaller friend time to catch up as Clarie contentedly crawls slowly through the passage. She is unconstricted by space but confined by conservation of energy. The last thrutch takes almost more effort than our adventurers can give but they gain sunshine and rest, the still evening air leaving a mist over the valley below.
Proud conquerors they, who did battle against Ogof Daren Cilau and win. The dragon is fearsome no more, for they have faced the cave and emerged victorious. With pity they pass his lair, and Clarie asks of her companions compassion for this sad creature, bitter in his loneliness, who knows nothing of the joys of going to the depths of the mountain and ones' self and finding what lies within.
At their mounts they weave magic once more - Sir Stuart will not call out the rescuers today, for they are safe and well and returning home. Their knight leads them back to the green Mendip hills through the darkening night. And as she dozes, safe in the saddle, Princess Fi begins to dream of the return and future adventures within the halls of the mountain king.
Andy Snook, Clarie Morton, Fi Crozier
7.5 hours
The Adventures of Ogof Daren Cilau.
Once upon a time three fair maidens had set upon the mighty Ogof Daren Cilau, cave of wonderment and terrors, but had been defeated therein. For whilst Fiona, princess of note amongst the fair hills of the Mendip, had climbed the awesome ladder up the Cliffs of Insanity her sweet companions had turned back in fear for the ladder was high and they were but weak.
But Princess Fiona was not of the temperament to be beaten and had long dreamed of returning to the cave. So also had one of her companions. The maiden Clarie was dark and small of stature, but her heart was steady and ashamed of her previous fear she wished to conquer the ladder and reach their grail: that hallowed cavern known only as 'the Time Machine.' Together they had resolved to return, and one spring day when the daffodils had finished blooming and the sun was rising over the dark city of Brigstowe they called upon the services of the Knight Errant Andy and set off to those wild hills in the west.
Sir Andy had accompanied the two maidens in adventures before, and knowing of his strength and steadfastness they entrusted to him their journey. He guided them faithfully, and there was no adventure to be had until they arrived at the foot of the mighty escarpment. They had dismounted, and unladen their poor beast of the equipment necessary for that day's venture when forsooth! Around the corner appeared the fearsome Llangottock dragon, with smoke pouring from his nostrils, and steam arising where the heat of his breath met the cool morning mist.
Undaunted, Princess Fiona stood her ground against the mighty beast, and with stinging strokes of her sword defended her right to be upon the mountainside and to face the caves. Though he breathed fire, eventually the dragon withdrew to his den with grumblings of defeat. Sir Andy, fearing for their mounts' safety in their absence, advised finding safer stabling down the hill.
This was done and after final preparations, Clarie wove a magic spell to tell of their day's intentions to Sir Stuart, Hero of the Wessex and beau of Princess Fi.
Onwards and upwards then, bracken under foot and the baa-ing of sheep in their ears, till they came upon that grim rockface, silent and still against the clear blue sky of the mountain top. There was no pool outside now, nor no watcher in it, and it was in peace the travellers sought the small gap that marked their entrance to the cave. Ever first, Fi led the way, with Sir Andy following suit. Clarie looked at the sky one last time, and with a deep breath, forsook the pleasant morning light to crawl after the knight errant's disappearing feet.
Two body lengths in, and the darkness and torment ahead almost crushed the brave knight's spirit. He knew not what horrors lay ahead, but he would not pause, nor even cry out. Bravely he pressed on, though the passage about him was small, and the waters were cold. Relentless was that entrance way with no room for standing nor turning. Rare indeed was it to find room even sit and pause. Emerging into the open cavern at passage end was like finding snowdrops in spring, so free and peaceful did that first chamber feel.
Still Fi led ahead, confident and ebullient in the day's adventure. The maiden Clarie picked her way over the boulders quietly, aware of the rocks around her and the route ahead at every point. In her mind's eye was the ladder and the help she would then need. which knowledge now made her bold and determined to climb into the oxbow without assistance. Indeed, so much was her trepidation that when Princess Fi slipped and fell down the boulderous gap into Jigsaw Passage some small, disquiet part of her mind wondered whether they could now turn back without failure nor defeat.
But of course her love for her friend was vast in comparison to her fear and it was with relief and joy she found the princess had fallen only a few feet and had suffered little injury beyond bruising.
They wandered on, the roomy passage and easy path through jigsaw cracked mud slopes being rest to aching bodies. Our travellers found their way surely to the Big Chamber Nowhere Near the Entrance and the mystical log book of previous adventurers where lead can mark paper clearly even though it be damp. Sir Andy recorded their intention - one more clue, should they be prevented from returning, and Sir Stuart have to call out the cavalry. Ever present in Ogof Daren Cilau is the knowledge of the journey back and the dangers it presents to those who fall there.
Onwards and now upwards Clarie wisely guided them, into Eglwys Passage and across that traverse where the ground gives way and yet the passage continues on. Now down again, on bellies in snakelike mud which lies smooth over Daren's rocks of greeny-grey and black. Through eyeholes and down holes, into chambers named for dead saints and out through bouldered climbs our party pick their way. Here lies Preliminary Passage so called, but to the adventurers' minds not a passage but a canyon with walls stretched high above them beyond the extent of their light.
Here, here lies that ladder of which so much woe has been written and so much heartache suffered, and there, there it is, stretching away up a cliff face of insanity, wreathing and twisting in the light, up beyond sight and knowledge. But for Fi, both Princess and Warrior, there is no fear. Like a gazelle she leaps on to the ladder and climbs steadily up. She has faced this before and conquered and now the challenge calls her like the stag on a winter's morn calls his mate. Below her companions slide muddy rope through rings of metal, tautly aware of her weight as she rises. It is hard work on tired arms, and they pause and rest before Clarie begins her ascent.
Slower than her doyenne, placing both feet on each rung, she climbs steadily. Never looking down, or back, but upwards to Fi's light and voice and sweet treats held safe she ascends. Halfway there's a ledge where the ladder swings over rock and here she rests before mounting again on to that twisting hanging chain. Warned by Fi she panics not but slowly climbs again, legs and arms shaking and tired, and steel in her spirit stronger than that of the metal she holds on to as she climbs. The cliff edge slopes to the drop, and ropes secured to the canyon's edge give place to tie on as the maidens secure the rope for the faithful knight's ascent.
Sir Andy climbs rhythmically, fast at first and then slowly as the ladder twists beneath his weight. Undaunted by neither the height nor the 60 foot drop beneath him the knight greets his companions again and they laugh and grin, proud of their accomplishment.
With joy now our bold pioneers move on. The maiden Clarie stares in wonder at the village of models made by past explorers who waited here for their fellows to ascend the canyon. She must turn aside too quickly for beyond lies adventures and perils not yet seen. First comes a drop - a small drop, yes, and of little consequence for now, though later it too will have its turn in the tale.
Another cord speaks of the next challenge. It stretches around the wall of the cave and beneath it lies the tell-tale blackness of depth. No-one knows how deep, for our adventurers do not look - it may be five feet or fifty but the line will hold, no matter what the depth, and trusting their weight to it makes this test less than those already passed. With wings now they cave, passing rock and chamber easily until they reach pits in the cave floor. They could not stop, not now, with ladder passed and destination near, but here are climbs which make Fi pause and Sir Andy doubt.
Old rope leads down, loops tied for handholds and mayhaps footholds too, should chance require. And here Princess Fi is cautious, looking, testing, finding firm places for feet as she descends. But the hole is not wide and so Clarie drops quickly, safe in the rock around her and the ropes here placed. There is no fear in going down, for her, and she is content to leave 'up' until they must. She speaks encouragement up to Sir Andy, who wary of time and of injury appears unsure. But this trial too is passed, and the next, until they find the river for the first time since entering the cave. Water flows beneath their feet and the passage here is wide - wide enough for three to walk abreast, then four, then five, then more.
Sir Andy now surges forward and with a shout he hails the Time Machine. He mounts the pile of rocks and looks out across the cavernous hall. At the edges of sight his light disappears into darkness.
Here is a chamber beyond the senses - where the walls cannot be both seen with one torch, and the subterrane leads on and on. 100 feet wide it stretches, with huge boulders littering the floor. Mysterious lights placed moons ago show the way ahead, for one could walk and turn and lose their way in this cavern where darkness sucks at the edge of your light and the rock arches above you like the sky.
Here all time seems different - the world has slowed and it is you and the rock. Ages have passed since this cavern was formed and you are man like grass in the field and dust in the wind, here today and tomorrow gone. And yet here both man and rock belong together in stillness and silence broken only by distant water: large and small, old and young, temporal and eternal.
It has been four hours now since our explorers entered the cave. If they have not emerged in the same time again the alarm will sound. From Wales and from Mendips men and woman would come to seek out our explorers - not for being princesses, knights and maidens, but because they are human. First they will search for their mount, and on finding him still safely stabled (if he is, for who knows what the dragon will have done in their absence?) they will come to the mouth of the cave, hoping to find our heroes sitting in the sunlight outside. From there will be that protracted entrance in, through rock and water, and the lengthy walk to the log book. Would they find them there, nursing broken ankles? Or at the foot of the ladder, injured on the way down and lowered to the bottom, where they wait? Half their food is gone now, and half their water. They have light enough, but the cold would seep to their bones and exhaustion and inertia can kill, here in the depths of the mountainside.
Let us break this pondering. It is enough that it is time for our cavers to return - through river and up ropes, across pit and to the drop. At first our heroine leads the way, using her strength and agility to pull up the ropes and allow access to the way ahead. Clarie follows more circumspectly, espying out footholds before committing herself to the knotted hawsers. At one point her foot slips and their protector behind enables her to climb, using his own body as a support. As she comes to the traverse she requests the lead, and facing her fear traverses across: princess and knight nimbly following. A short way on and a yell from Sir Andy echoes through the cavern. In a flash his princess is beside him - up the short drop his foot slipped, and the rope there caught around his torch. Suspended by his helmet, he cried out and our princess deftly freed him so he could climb unhindered. Shaken, but stoic as ever, the brave noble clambers on towards the top of the ladder.
Here Princess Fi retrieves her magical descending device. She has carried it through the cave for this point - attaching it to the twisted cord hanging over the underground cliff face she plummets into the depth of the canyon, landing safely at the bottom. Her companions do not trust to this magic and must use their own strength to descend the ladder. Sir Andy follows next, stepping on to the ladder amidst the tangles of ropes and chains that hang from the rocks above, securing him from plunging to the depths and his death. From the half way ledge the ladder hangs at an angle, and rungs seem to be missing from beneath his feet. He finds the metal with his feet as a blind man searches for the roads' edge and descends steadily to the bottom. With Fi now securing the rope Clarie descends, most of her weight taken by the pair at the bottom.
From here the exit seems so close, and the way familiar - up canyon's end, through the limey St Valentine's chamber, into Eglwys passage. Sure of the turns they continue, through crawl and over traverse, emerging once again to the Big Chamber and the logbook. None have entered since them - they are alone in the cave. The journey is wearying now, and the hours are taking their toll. Our heroes sit and rest at the turn to the entrance series, taking a last drink. The cavern here seems smaller than it was 5 hours ago - the Time Machine has changed their scales of size, and warped their experience of time: already it seems a distant memory.
The exit is hard, a relentless series of squeezes and crawls, zigzag bends and tight rifts. Fi pushes ahead joyfully - not for her a fear of tight spaces but the joy and the thrill of pitting herself against a confining cave. Sir Andy has slowed now. He has tired of pushing his larger frame through such demanding passage. He rests where he can, though such opportunities are few here, giving his smaller friend time to catch up as Clarie contentedly crawls slowly through the passage. She is unconstricted by space but confined by conservation of energy. The last thrutch takes almost more effort than our adventurers can give but they gain sunshine and rest, the still evening air leaving a mist over the valley below.
Proud conquerors they, who did battle against Ogof Daren Cilau and win. The dragon is fearsome no more, for they have faced the cave and emerged victorious. With pity they pass his lair, and Clarie asks of her companions compassion for this sad creature, bitter in his loneliness, who knows nothing of the joys of going to the depths of the mountain and ones' self and finding what lies within.
At their mounts they weave magic once more - Sir Stuart will not call out the rescuers today, for they are safe and well and returning home. Their knight leads them back to the green Mendip hills through the darkening night. And as she dozes, safe in the saddle, Princess Fi begins to dream of the return and future adventures within the halls of the mountain king.