County Pot - Pool Sink

A rather late start due to the prior CNCC meeting, but we assembled at Bull Pot Farm at 1:30pm intent on a very efficient exchange between Pool Sink and County Pot. It was Old Farts (Me, Gary, Ade, Fleur) going down County and the younger contingent (Rachel, Josh, Toby) down Pool Sink.

We had a merry trip down County Pot taking the usual Upper Trident route to avoid having to rig any pitches other than the one just below the entrance. This route has one challenging climb, but is otherwise tackle-free. An excellent description of the route to Stop Pot from County via Upper Trident (as well as via Poetic Justice and Manchester Bypass) can be found on the CNCC website, although I am biased as I wrote them!!!

The stream was up a little, but of no concern and within about 45 minutes of entering the cave we were at the bottom of the Stop Pot boulders.

It had been some considerable time since I have done Pool Sink, so navigation to it was a little uncertain, but Fleur had a better memory than me. In the end, it's dead easy; head upstream from the foot of Stop Pot for a few hundred metres, keeping left and gradually rising up onto boulders perched above the stream. After about 75m the stream is lost from immediately below the boulders but continue onwards regardless. Another 75m later (still continuing over boulders), the passage ahead narrows and there is a hole in the floor under the right wall leading back to the stream. This is Holbeck Junction.

Return to the stream here and turn right (downstream) in walking passage for 20m and into an obvious crawl on a shelf on the left. This leads into approximately 10 minutes of easy and varied caving (passing the very recognisable serrated limestone walls; the Bacon Slicer, characteristic of this part of the cave). We didn't know where we were going so we just followed the most obvious route which seemed to work fine. We reached to the bottom of the final pitch of Pool Sink just as the others had got to the bottom, so we traded banter and parted company again.

Pool Sink boasts an absolutely cracking selection of short, easy and enjoyable pitches, which we quickly ascended. The final section of the cave which leads to the surface is annoying; a narrow crawl with a few awkward bends, but it's extremely short and daylight soon beckoned ahead.

Returning down the valley to County Pot we met the others just coming out - Perfect timing! Total time underground only 2.5hr!!!

Plenty of time for tea at the NPC and then curry in Bentham. A great day out.