White River Series, Peak Cavern
Jon Pemberton, Rob Eavis & Dylan Kocher
With the temperature on the plummet, holly being hung and the distant bells of a two week vacation away from the madness of work; a Christmas trip is always in order! This year JP organised a White River trip and decided to keep it small and sweet as speed turns out to be quite the factor when we encounter the Battle Of The Bung! Arriving at 8am and then down JH at 9 having to rig over some in situ ropes, we swiftly entered the streamway. Admittedly being brought up in Stony caving, my experience with Peak is quite limited. However, the system does seem to be fairly quick and sporting. Rob leads the group through JH into Peak and the approaching speedwell where our bodies fall into the deep canal. Just when your body composes itself and height is gained a swift right leads to the Bung ladders. On first impressions, the stream trickles over the top of the dammed steel. With a closer inspection a complete vortex consumes the descent below. “F##k that” Jon yells, and before I know it Rob had disappeared into the maelstrom only to hear a faint shriek below signaling the next candidate. After Jon it's then my turn. Alone it does truly feel like the Bung separates you from the trip ahead and in a way, that was the true start for our trip that day. First few steps you try to take quickly, tucking your chin hoping to brace the torrent above and swiftly descend. Once the water crashes on to your head, the steps slow in a shock response to steady the feet. Quickly down I cannot remember how to exit off the ladder, being relentlessly thrashed with icy water. I just let it push me backwards, and out to my colleagues who all are enjoying the scene.
With some respite, we set off up Block Hall. Pitch after pitch we encounter an ever growing quality of flowstone pouring over the cave, until the top! Sadistically Peak district, a crawl at the top adds unwanted varieties to the trip but quickly leads through to The Kingdom. Here I listen in on the tales of exploration and discoveries, before we head up to Heaven for a photoshoot. Here is the only part of the report that is not bullshit. I pose, Rob sets the flash, and Jon takes out his camera. With one click the cave lights up. “I think that's the one”. With three more shots it's clear that the first picture was the best. Unknowingly Jon's entire caving career had led up to this moment. Sending his flash to Heaven. With the historic and remarkable feat completed we venture down the White River Series. One of the most unique cave features presenting a remarkable turkey teeth white! A calcite river seemingly frozen in time and well preserved passes on the left and before you know it we enter the pull-throughs of the Ventilator. Rob takes first, I second, and Jon third. Pull throughs go smoothly; and quickly out through peak and back into JH. De-rigging all the rope was a bit of a faff but we did it in a remarkable time. All in all, the full trip took four and a half hours. Good to see the boys do some caving and off to do some good honest christmasing.
