underground unpleasantness

Foxhole Slade 1

Image by thesweetcheat

Rhiannon Apr 11, 2015 19:48:24

Further to the strange landscape thread... I saw TSC's comment about Goblin cities here
http://www.themodernantiquarian.com/post/136965/foxhole_slade.html
and it made me laugh. In a kind of unpleasant wriggly way.

Your photo reminded me of somewhere I saw only last night... we'd been outside having a beer in the sunshine, looking over the lovely landscape (very lucky), and as we left I remembered, what with the hills being totally riddled with holes round here, that I'd read there was a quarry entrance opposite the pub. So we wandered across to an obvious path and up to the rock face... threatening cracked lumps of rock overhead, metal prop things, massive concrete blocks, a mangy notice with the cave rescue emergency phone number, and a horrible big dark hole exuding a big cold damp draft of air. Naturally Mr Rh stuck his face in, wielding the feeble light of his phone: 'ooh it must be massive in here, I can't see a thing', but I just didn't even like being near it.

Perhaps this is just straightforward self preservation? But some people actually enjoy caving, so I understand. But something in me absolutely finds the idea of such places just horrible. (Having said that, I've been in show caves and mines. But they're so tidy and sterile).

I wonder if there's an element of Mr Garner in this even. When I was about 9 my teacher and class were so mad on 'The Weirdstone' that we had to enact it in our PE lessons, leaping across imaginary underground chasms in the gym. Maybe the fear stuck.

So, any tales of underground unpleasantness? Or are you all far more brave than I am.

Emma A Apr 11, 2015 22:10:55

Replying to Rhiannon

That is exactly how I feel about caves too, Rhiannon! I can comfortably go on tours of show caves - nice and tidy, well-lit, with a guide who knows the entire history and the way out - but "wild" caves really really give me the creeps. I can't bear to be near them! And if I come across one unexpectedly, I can't even look at it! It's my one irrational fear.

thesweetcheat Apr 12, 2015 09:21:47

Replying to Rhiannon

To be honest, that doesn't sound very appealing. Was this at night? Even less so.

You need a nice spacious cave with a sea view, or something with lots of sparkly crystals. Creaky pit props and dank air isn't really sounding like somewhere I'd want to go.

Howburn Digger Apr 16, 2015 18:43:38

Replying to Rhiannon

As a habitual visitor to Arran I have become well acquainted with its many caves - and they are many. Most are beach caves and the others are raised beach caves. They range from the small to large and I have visited most of them. The Black Cave, King's Caves, the raised beach caves south of Lochranza, Catacol and Blackwaterfoot. There are also some up above Corrie. None of them are in any way disturbing or strange. And unusually for me I don't find exploring them claustrophobic or nerve wracking in any way.

However, a few years back, during a mild October visit, we called upon the King's Caves. We walked in from the car park near Tormore. Because it was October and all the greenery was down, some parts of the cliffs were more visible than usual. I noticed an entry in the cliff which I'd not seen before. Myself and my son scrambled up. Normally in summer it was obscured by ivy, rhododendron, long grass, shrubbery etc.
The entry was a narrow crack in the cliff face about the width of a person and as high as the cliff. I climbed in and followed the narrow passage and started feeling rather "hemmed in". The sheer rock walls rose high above me on either side and might even have met in the middle at the top. The passage ended abruptly after about 20 yards with another passage/chamber leading off to the right. I had to step into it to turn around as the passage was so narrow by that point. By this time I felt that I had to leave - immediately. I huckled my way past my son who was following me in. He came back pretty sharpish too. Neither of us could bear to be in the chamber off on the right. We both had head torches and it wasn't the dark which panicked us. To me it was the weight of the rock "closing in" on me and the unknown qualities of the chamber on the right.

http://www.themodernantiquarian.com/img_fullsize/91647.jpg

I've just checked - it was the year of the Chilean Mine Rescue - 2010. It actually happened while we were over on Arran. I'd have been useless at Copiapó!

The Eternal Apr 17, 2015 20:39:53

Replying to Rhiannon

Hi Rhiannon,

I used to do a little bit of caving in the late '80s, early '90s.

Two particular things used to bother me, but I persevered.

One was a situation which is fairly common; making my way, un-roped, along a fluted passage (a vertically 'S' shaped horizontal passage) where there is an unseen drop below you. You don't slide or fall down because your body is contorted into the 'S' shape, thus providing friction, yet the yawning, unseen, black abyss is beneath, waiting for you.

The other was a 'cheese-press'. This involves crawling flat on your stomach along a horizontal passage. In these the floor and ceiling were getting closer together until I had one cheek (of my face!) flat against the ground in order to give clearance of the ceiling for my helmet (on my head!). This usually went on for about 50 yards or so (seemed longer). Eventually, on one occasion, we entered a huge underground cavern called Lancaster Pot. So beautiful it was worth it. As were all the other times I went through my fear.

All the above experiences were in the Ease Gill system on the Lancashire / Cumbria border.

All the best,

TE.