Dowber Gill Passage: some images
The pages below are under development and will be updated on a regular basis as the various sections are completed.
Some locations in Dowber Gill Passage:
Jack's Duck
Gypsum Traverse
Rock WIndow
Bridge Cavern
Stalagmite Corner
Dowber Gill Passage has a number of difficulties - ducks, tight squeezes, perilous traverses.............. For a guide to the route through Dowber Gill Passage see "Dowber Gill Guide" pages
The author at the entrance to Dowber Gill Passage from Dow Cave, c 1960.
All pictures are from the author's collection unless otherwise stated.
Ian
Cummins and George attempt the free climb of the
Buddist Temple (unsuccessfully).
November 10, 2007.
First scaled in 1955 with the aid of an assemblage of nailed together fence-rails and string by Randy Coe et al and then with a scaling pole and ladder. In the 1980s Peter Rose free-climbed this first section and took a ladder up to enable others to follow. Around that time a large ring bolt was fixed into the floor of the ledge. In 1986 Dennis Round and Patrick Warren took a 5m builder's ladder to it and made some survey measurements and notes. The highest point is 20m above stream level..
"...At the top is a high chamber, with walls of gleaming white calcite. One side of the aven is like a carved temple wall, whilst on the others there are ribs of calcite which run for the height of the wall. There is plenty of colour in the formations which are all of course very active. Two pools in the floor reflect the beauty of this grotto. Elsewhere is covered in calcite..." (R G Coe CPCJ 2/1 1955 pp14-15)
Dowber
Gill Passage is a great place if you like lots of water sloshing around
your ears: Patrick in the water.
January 15 2006
Right: start of the fourth duck
Left : middle of the fourth duck
Right; end of the fourth duck
May 3 2004
Left: Some Chamber
Right: 800 Yards Chamber
Above: Andy Cole and Sweeney going up
Left: The Bridge as seen by Dennis Brindle in 1955
Right:
The Bridge as seen by
Simon Beck in 2016
Andy Cole and Patrick Warren in Gypsum Traverse.
There is clearly a displacement of the beds of approx 0.5m down to the right of the picture (west) thus implying that the Dowber Gill Passage is formed along a geological fault.
January 15 2006
Andy
Cole steps up to have a look into the Hidden Corner,
close to Stalagmite Corner, where a rarely seen treasure chest of of
straws and stalactites sits high up in the roof.
May 29 2009
The
diminutive triangular opening at
Stalagmite Corner that releases one
from the perils of the Dowber Gill
Passage. (May 29 2005)
The
start of Dowber Gill Passage:
full steam head for Dow Cave.
(May 29 2005)
Any
shortcomings in the text are entirely my own.
If you would like to get in touch or add information, there is an email
address:
mudinmyhair@btinternet.com
Steve Warren
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