26th January 2017 -

19th January 2017 - Ah-ah, ah! Ah-ah, Ah! Valhalla I am coming...

Given that Tony was so impressed with his first visit to Lost Johns with Dick that he'd gone back a few days later, it seemed right that we should try a trip to the bottom of the pitches as soon as possible. 

Unlike the last time we had tried this, when all I can remember was gathering every bit of rope and every maillon we possess and shoving them in innumerable tackle bags, split between the two of us, Dick had pulled off an organisational master stroke. There were three neatly packed bags, one each and a plan that would have us each rigging a couple of pitches.

Dick set off like a whippet down an enlarged rabbit hole and was soon rigging the first of his pitches while Tony and I followed more sedately, enjoying what seem to be the purpose built traverses above the streamway and holes.

The first two pitches swiftly dispatched, I took over for Candle and Shistol, before a short piece of horizontal cave brought us to the Battleaxe traverse.

The traverse is a fantastic piece of cave, exciting bridging above the heard, but unseen, streamway far below.  Passing over the first y-hang we made our way to the very end of the traverse, where a rather cramped game of leap frog crossed with cat's cradle put Tony on point.

Muttering something about "progression in SRT skills!", he moved up to rig the y-hang before descending the superb Valhalla pitch.

12th January 2017 - The other Witch Way