(cross post from DP)

DP Big Bash Week

Well, what a fantastic week! I know a lof of other stuff went on and being a Soft Local and only camping a couple of nights I missed most of the evening fun, but here is my take on the DP BB...


Day 1 (Saturday): Arriving late and un-named slate mines...

I wasn't camping so drove down in the morning, but arrived at the camp about 15 minutes after everybody else had left 😞 Danger Badger was still around though, he was breakfasting. And boy can he eat 🙂 So We nipped off to try to catch up with the others in his V8 Disco (V8 much more fun than Td5). We saw Jagman in his Disco and the Fun Bus going the other way, but as DB drives at about warp factor 9 all they saw was a blur headed in the opposite direction... We managed a look at where you'd all been, then headed back to camp.

In the afternoon the whole group headed off to a slate mine that had better remain nameless here and had a good look around. An interesting mine with a good number of artifacts and something quite unique in Welsh slate.


Day 2 (Sunday): Cwmorthin SRT Day

A very long day, something like 9 hours underground with Miles, Vanoord, Wormster, Darkstar, Root, Nimrod and Wenders. The route had been previously rigged in readiness and took in a good number of SRT pitches and some slides...

Tin Miner came along, but wasn't feeling well, and after a delay at the head of the first pitch decided that he would go back to the surface. Sorry you missed it TM, but Cwmorthin will be there for you another time.

The delay at the first pitch was me and Darkstar (well me to be honest) getting the rope tangled, but I think there was a wee bit of exaggeration about how long it took 😉 Anyhow, we all made the descent safely and headed off for many hours of excellent and enjoyable exploration. We spent a little time on C and D floors looking at bridges as this area hadn't been seen by any of the party before, and then made our way down to Lefel Ffrench taking in two hugely enjoyable slides down slate slabs. It was great fun watching the expressions on people's faces as they came hurtling down!

Our route took in a lot of Cwmorthin and lunch at the boiler chamber. We then made our way to the BODOD, and the recently rigged traverse above chamber 15 and finally the descent into and ascent out of chamber 14. It was here we hit a bit of a problem, I went down first, followed by Darkstar, as she started the descent she noticed the rope was rubbing on a previously undetected rub point and the sheath had been damaged. Quickly assessing the situation she decided it was safer to descend carefully than to risk sawing the rope by ascending and on arrival at the base shouted up to warn the others. The rope was then re-rigged by Nimrod with Vanoord bashing the rub point into oblivion and one of the rope protectors being put into use. This delay saw us missing out some of the round trip, but in comparison to what could have happened this was of minor concern. Somewhat sobering, but it really does go to show that however careful you are slate is desperately sharp and can damage rope very quickly.

Returning to daylight about an hour and a half later we said our goodbyes with the bulk of the group heading back to camp and the soft locals to their houses :)

Root at the Caban:

[img]http://www.aditnow.co.uk/showimage?f=/community/Dark-Places-Big-Bash-Cwmorthin-Trip-05-08-2007-Image-015/[/img]

Nimrod and Wormster in the manway:

[img]http://www.aditnow.co.uk/showimage?f=/community/Dark-Places-Big-Bash-Cwmorthin-Trip-05-08-2007-Image-016/[/img]

Party in a large chamber on DE floor:

[img]http://www.aditnow.co.uk/showimage?f=/community/Dark-Places-Big-Bash-Cwmorthin-Trip-05-08-2007-Image-017/[/img]

Day 3 (Monday): Gold Mining with Simply

A fleet of Discos and the Fun Bus descend on a Welsh gold mine. Thanks very much for this one Simply, had a cracking day. I felt rather guilty that I was in the group that arrived back up to two hours after the main party (we'd been photographing the upper level), so if anybody wants my address to send me hate mail I'm sure Vanoord will oblige...


Day 4 (Tuesday): Drwys y Coed

The 'Assualt on Drws y Coed'... Met up with the group, and Mountainpenguin at Drws y Coed. The bulk of the party heading off to investigate the upper walk-in adit and the shaft that had been previously descended with Drainrat. Hopefully somebody can fill in the details of those explorations. Wormster, Darkster and I were despatched with Hilti drill and rope with strict instructions to investigate another shaft and stope further down the valley.

After a deal of scratching around on the hill side (I've never been good at finding adits) we eventually found our shaft. Darkstar rigged and despatch me down the shaft, on the basis that I was local. Something to do with local shafts for local people. Anyhow, about 35m down I found myself above water, above an exploded and rotting sheep (stinky in the extreme) swinging from side to side and flailing rather whilst trying to grab the opposite side of the stope to clamber up and across to get at a level. Probably somebody more experienced and/or brave would have managed this, but I found I couldn't hold on, and there was a rub point above me and after the experience in Cwmorthin the day before I felt unhappy about swinging around too much.

We then (and after even more scratching around) found our stope. This was bolted and rigged, and Darkstar descended, coming to the knot in the rope about 15 feet above a false floor. Having ascended she explained the setup, fasle flooring partly complete and a section of solid floor, but tunnels not looking as if they went for any great distance. Wormster also went for a look.

Wormster heading off down the bolted stope:

[img]http://www.aditnow.co.uk/showimage?f=/community/Dark-Places-Big-Bash-Drws-y-Coed-Trip-07-08-2007-Image-001/[/img]

Meeting back up with the rest of the group we then headed off in separate directions. Some to Dinorwic and others to a lead mine. I went along on the lead mine trip, and after a stop in Beddgelert for icecream (Glaslyn Ices, visit if you're in the area!) we arrived at our mine, kitted up (to the confusion of the sunbathers and holiday makers) and headed off for a round trip involving a fair bit of water, some squeezing and a journey through an ore chute...

End of the day:

[img]http://www.aditnow.co.uk/showimage?f=/community/Dark-Places-Big-Bash-Pandora-Trip-07-08-2007-Image-010/[/img]

Day 5 (Wednesday): Nothing for me

I had to work :(

But made it after work for the BBQ and party for Giz's birthday. A great night, and cheers Wormster for the space in the Bedouin tent.

My over-riding memory of the evening was of lying in the tent about 2.30am feeling waves of intense heat wash over the camp site and seeing the sky light up with orange mushroom clouds as quantity after quantity of petrol were poured on the fire 🙂

[img]http://www.aditnow.co.uk/showimage?f=/community/Personal-Album-1-Image-022/[/img]

[img]http://www.aditnow.co.uk/showimage?f=/community/Personal-Album-1-Image-023/[/img]

Day 6 (Thursday): Parys Mountain

After dashing home in the morning to do a bit more work I met up with everyone at Parys. We had split into two parties, one designated 'damp' and the other 'wet'. I got co-erced into the wet group... Fun, but expensive :)

After a tour of the surface (and feck does Rubber Duck's V8 Rangie sound good) we made our way to the portal and descended as two groups.

Or trip took in ladders, some amazing formations, bronze age workings, timbered sections that made some other mines look like theme parks and a section of neck deep water to get into Mona mine. It was after this water that I found my Aquapac had leaked and my camera had got wet and was dead 😞 Quite probably Aquapacs are meant for nice clean sea and lake water, and not acidic copper mine sludge. A cracking day, and the inside of my house is still bright orange...

Mountainpenguin and Darkstar in a chamber:

[img]http://www.aditnow.co.uk/showimage?f=/community/Dark-Places-Big-Bash-Parys-Mountain-Trip-09-08-2007-Image-004/[/img]

Mineral formations:

[img]http://www.aditnow.co.uk/showimage?f=/community/Dark-Places-Big-Bash-Parys-Mountain-Trip-09-08-2007-Image-006/[/img]

Stalactites:

[img]http://www.aditnow.co.uk/showimage?f=/community/Dark-Places-Big-Bash-Parys-Mountain-Trip-09-08-2007-Image-014/[/img]

The black pools:

[img]http://www.aditnow.co.uk/showimage?f=/community/Dark-Places-Big-Bash-Parys-Mountain-Trip-09-08-2007-Image-007/[/img]

Day 7 (Friday): Croesor-Rhosydd Through Trip

Another CRTT and another breakfast at Vanoord's (ta!), we met up with Nimrod, Wenders, Root and Wormster, and also Merddinemrys and Barney. A few of us have done it a fair few times now, but it was Root's first and he looked far more relaxed than I did on my first time, and crossed the first zip wire at breakneck speed! We spent some time under Vanoord's directions trying to recover the ladder bridge, and got it part way out but failed to recover it completely. Once into Rhosydd territory we split into two parties, some heading out via the twll, and some out the Rhosydd number 9 adit. I'm glad we did go the way we went, and that Root was with us because Dark Prince had left a glow stick and message for Root on a slate slab, a really thoughtful idea, although nobody noticed that he'd also left chocolate bars! So if you're in Rhosydd, look at the bottom of the incline and you'll find choccies 🙂

Vanoord was driving so in order to make the last night party I had to come home then thrash the living daylights out of the MEVOD to make it back down to camp by 11.30. Cheers to Rubber Ruck for the badger and Wormster for space in the Bedouin tent again!


Day 8 (Saturday): Party with the Daddy

Travelled up from camp in convoy to meet Miles and Vanoord for a day in a slate mine and a lesson in off road driving from Jagam and Rubber Duck - thanks chaps.

I felt really knackered after a heavy week so walked around with my eyes half closed all day. I think I had a good time, but I was too exhausted to tell for sure.

Poor old Walrus got left behind after going for a pee, nobody bothered to tell the drivers the party was one down!


All in all a really fantastic week. Big and grateful thanks to everybody involved in the organisation and for everybody at the camp not minding at this Soft Local dipping in and out of camping!

Good to catch up again with:

Clunk
Danger Badger
Dark Prince
Going Under
JagMan
Miles
Orinocco
Nimrod
Root
Simply Exploring
Smurfette
Wenders
Wormster

And good to meet for the first time:

Darkstar
Giz
Jimbo
Lil Bro
Mountainpenguin
Rubberduck
Silent Dave
Simply Crawling
Tin Miner

(sorry if I've missed anybody)

Here's to 2008 :)

---

(cross posted from darkplaces)
I had written a trip report, but I am unsure of names and what I can say publically, so I will just go with some basics.
Friday 3rd
Picked up at lil bro's house at 14.30 hours. I was nominated driver. So we set off. GU finnished a bottle of something before we left wilts. Lil-bro's navigating ment we got stuck in traffic for an hour and 20 minutes. Finally arrived on camp at 8 pm ish.
Saturday 4th
Went somewhere wet. Very wet. Darkstar fell into the water getting in and giz fell in to the water getting out. Root laid down in it for fun. Started welly depth as we got in. turned to chest deep as we progressed. darkstar tested the depth after a crawl through the water. She stopped when it got to her neck. We turned back. (darkstar and nimrod returned later in the week with wetsuits to go further).
Later in the day we explored a slate mine where danger badger fell asleep whilst weeing. then woke up to complain of a cold penis. GU brought back a monolith of slate from the mine.
Sunday 5th
Some people went to cwmorthin, we didnt. I ended up getting thrown about in simply's lightweight. Jagman popped a tyre. I nearly got killed when a washing machine sized lump of slate, came hurtling towards me at a massive rate of knots. I just managed to throw myself to the side as it shot past then landed on the rope.
Monday 6th
errr, I cant remember what we did. Oh yes I can, but cant talk about it.
Tuesday 7th.
Did some srt down a shaft. did not go far. Went to slate museum. I had 11 passengers in the fun bus. They were all quiet. I think I scared them into silence.
Wednesday 8th
Went to same place we went to sunday but with different people. In the evening it was the big bash party. Highlight of the night is watching peopl run for thier lives as Rubberduck and danger badger play with petrol, buckets and barbeques.
Thursday 9th
Those of us that did not do parys went for a walk up the 'stairway to heaven' at dinorwig
Friday 10th
Did a little lead mine. Tiny place, was in and out in an hour. In the afternoon, duck, lil-bro and I took rangie down a green lane.
Saturday 11th
Most left for somewhere. Myself and lil-bro stayed behind. Me cause I could not be arsed to go and lil-bro cause he cooked breakfast and everyone was leaving before he was ready. When they got back, we had most of funbus(tm) packed ready to roll. Left there at 19.15 and arrived at my house at 23.10

A few things I have learned from this weekend.
Darkstar is quite comical when pissed.
Orinocco has poor taste in cars.
Smurfette did the most extreme thing this week. Carrying simply crawling up the stairway to heaven.
Too many people have massively overpiced stenlights.
I want a 4x4.
Cathedral in box is tiny.
I need an oldhams
Jagman has a secret softspot. (come on darkprince, show the photo)
To run when gu puts a cake in front of root. Especially when root tries blowing out the firework imbedded in the top of the cake.
Rubberduck snores as bad as root.
But the one thing I have noticed is the comradery displayed this week. I would like to think I left this week with one or two more friend's.
For those that did not come, you really did sh1t out.

While some were looking at a mine or two, myself rubberduck and lil bro did this with ducks rangie


And I still have not met Vanoord.