Caving: Agen Allwedd (04-Jan-2025)

• Agen Allwedd


• 03:00 hours
• 2,622:04 cumulative hours

After an adventurous time getting to Whitewalls, and needing to find someone with a 4x4 to tow the van off the edge of a steep icy drop (all ended well fortunately), we got changed and headed to Aggy.  A very straightforward trip through the entrance series to Barons Chamber (and the start of the big stuff).  The nice walking passages all the way to the Music Room, with some photos along the way.  Then a cold icy walk back along the tramroad.

Caving: Daren Cilau (05-Jan-2025)

• Daren Cilau


• 06:30 hours
• 2,628:34 cumulative hours

First time doing the Ogof Cnwc through-trip.  It took us a few attempts to find the Ogof Cnwc entrance, but it was obvious when we got to the right location. 

The journey through Ogof Cnwc was all very straightforward, thanks to the excellent description on the CSS website.  Our first (and only real) mistake was when we got to Busman's, and we headed left instead of following the tape round to the right, but we soon corrected this error and we were back on track.

The route along Busman's was all OK, and thanks to the description, we didn't really have any issues finding the ladder and boulder choke through into Antlers Passage.  We took it very steady along Antlers, double checking we were on the right route, and all went by without any issue, and we were soon at the various ladders and fixed aids at the end of Antler Passage.  I rigged a traverse line for Andy over the big-drop before the final down-ladder.  We then spent a bit of time admiring, and taking photos, of the Antlers and then the Urchins.

It was then fairly straightforward progress, along Epocalypse Way to Big Chamber, then finally Jigsaw Passage to the Entrance Series.  The entrance crawls was OK, just a bit of a fight with the tackle bag, but all good.  Andy was amazing, had no issues, and was loving it.  It got pretty cold towards the end, when the air temperature started to drop (from a cold draft), and the water flowing into the cave was meltwater from the snow/ice outside.

Once back at the entrance, everything outside was frozen and it was starting to snow. So we made a quick retreat to Whitewalls to warm-up, then added down the hill before the forecast heavy snow arrived (which it did).

A great first trip for Andy into Daren, he did very well. We were meant to do Ogof Capel with Martyn the next day, but the weather and enthusiasm levels had other ideas!