Gorton Falls - Gunchester - Feb 2011

[MJS]

Well, what an eventful mission. Stale air, dizziness, rising water levels, water falls and ladders of death!!
All in all, a good days draining!

We entered the system, walked to the upstream end, and worked back taking pics from there.

GORTON FALLS

Already the air quality was poor, and any sudden or strenuous movement left us both feeling light headed! Not good....







Moving downstream, you get to the smallest of the falls





Cripplegay at work. Notice the tree roots entering the culvert.





Some of the larger rooted sections took a fair bit of choreography to get past.... Roots Manuva!!



Looking down the largest of the falls





By now the water had risen significantly. The velocity of the flow proved fair struggle to keep your footing, let along keep your tripod up!!



Climbing down the ladder, the water caught my arm and very nearly took me down!! The flow was immense!

Looking back at the falls, a comparison between last night, and one of Ojay's shots from summer.
The water is bouncing off the sides!!



I've wanted that bloody shot for years, but there was far too much spray, and to be honest, I wanted to get out!



Even the exit / entrance isn't for the faint hearted. Look at the frigging rungs on that ladder, well, the ones that are left!



You can see how treacherous the flow was. The water level at the base of the ladder was above the knee.

And another thing to note, that tunnel on the bottom left is a 20 foot chute leading to a sump. If you were to loose your footing and fall down there, you be dead. End of.



Finally, back on dry land.... my arse!! The heavens had opened while we were underground, hence the rising water levels!!





If you were to be so unlucky as to fall into the sump, this is where you'd end up getting spat out.
Again, another comparison just to show the difference in water levels


Last night ^^^


Last summer ^^^


Maybe a rain check would have been a good idea!!





Thanks for looking

[MJS]

It's not for kids down there.

Here's one more of Cripplepants