With the annual Shepton Mallet bonfire meet the opportunity to reinvigorate some SRT presented itself. Hollie is a competent mountaineer with limited rigging experience. Where better than Hunters Hole?
This cave starts with a Y hang and slippery but short vertical, an ideal location. The progression then shifts to traverse line with partner in close proximity, great for teaching. The vertical drop onto ledge pitch is the first real commitment, bomb proof and confidence building.
Opportunities for alternative progression exist dependent on techniques you are wishing to master. We went for the direct ‘Sago Pot’ whilst a deviation or rehang are introduced on alternative routes.
After a great evening at the hut and Hunters, Saturdays plan was Rhino. With Steve on board we left the electronic mapping in the car and then struggled initially to find the entrance. It was certainly not familiar, making me question when I last visited.
From the pitch head the second drop is easily accessible. Hollie set out to rig but as the first deviation was not quickly identifiable we switched over. The cave has been clearly rebolted with two new shiny types – threaded and a ring attachment. This is in addition to the P hangers already in place.
The second pitch leads to a obvious horizontal ledge with a athletic deviation opposite. I dropped to the ground, wrong. This was on the right hand route but I had inadvertently switched to the direct route. The second deviation had been missed.
The third pitch [blue] was superb, I was unaware as I rounded the corner that I was on a hiding to nothing and the landing revealed a lunar environment, angular, loose and foreboding. The way forward was P bolted; a single high bolt and then extended duel anchors.
We decide to return. Steve de rigged three, Hollie went out and I took pitch two, supported from above. A fabulous trip but keen to return and ‘get it right’ bottoming out.
Toucan Outdoors 