Pupils caving at Goatchurch Cavern
Descend the standard starter Cave system at Goatchurch Cavern. This is a relatively small system but contains some notable passages designed to test the nerve of cavers in that the grading ranges from Gentle to Severe. All caves have just about every section named either after the caver who first discovered them or about the passage themselves. The above photograph shows the Drainpipe which, along with the nearby Smartie Tube, offers a one way 10 metre passage to a small chamber at the other end. The Drainpipe was completed by all pupils with some degree of discomfort but by being all together the group kept their spirits up and came out smiling. The Coffin Lid – a smooth near vertical slab – followed after an exhilarating descent down a chimney not a lot bigger than that of a standard house.
Caving is very much a test of exploration and leadership and this event was tailor made to pupils with a degree of nerve. Afterwards it was smiles all round as we went to the kebab house for a well earned bite to eat.