Swildon’s Hole – Through Sump 1 & Beyond

A few months ago, my buddy Richard, a fellow travel blogger from Chalk and Cheese Travels, suggested, we could do a little caving trip together, maybe Swildon’s Hole Sump 1 and beyond.

He had never done any caving. I had done a few days underground, but was without any doubt still very much a beginner.

WHAT IS A SUMP

In caving, a sump refers to a section of an underground passageway that is completely (or almost completely) submerged in water. This makes it impossible to breathe, while your face is under water. Sumps can be of any length, from just half a metre to several dozen metres. I believe, you usually stop calling it a sump, if it’s more than 50 or 100m. It just becomes a ‘submerged part of the cave.’

 

Feature pic (c) Somerset Adventures; all others (c) BSqB unless where otherwise mentioned

SUMPS ARE CONSIDERED CHALLENGING

Sumps are, for obvious reasons, considered to be among the more challenging bits of a caving trip.

Swildon’s Hole Sump 1 is only two metres long and does not require scuba gear. However, many sumps (including at least one at Swildon’s Hole) do. Whenever scuba gear is being used, the activity changes from being classified as ‘caving’ to being classified as ‘cave diving.’

Cave diving pretty much has a reputation of ‘extremely daredevil’ amongst its proponents, similar to wingsuiting or base jumping. The other folks usually look at it as somewhere between ‘mental’ and ‘suicidal.’

Partially because of this occasional overlap with cave diving, sumps have a certain ring.

HOW TO GO THROUGH A SUMP

While it’s not cave diving, Swildon’s Hole Sump 1 is not like holding your breath for a few seconds in a swimming pool. The hole through which you dive is very, very narrow. There are only a few centimetres of water between you and the rock which surrounds you. To make things safer, a rope has been fixed through the sump and attached to rocks outside each of the two ends of the sump.

You grab the rope with both hands, submerge your body into the water, then gently pull yourself through the sump.

SAFETY DISCUSSIONS PRIOR TO OUR TRIP TO SWILDON’S HOLE SUMP 1

Richard and I had chosen Somerset Adventures for our underground excursion. I had done several sponsored trips with them before, including to Swildon’s Hole (once, but not as far as Sump 1) and Goatchurch Cavern. Robin is the owner and chief instructor. He was going to be our guide for the day.

 

1st pic (c) Somerset Adventures

WHEN YOU TELL KIDS NOT TO DO SOMETHING

In line with the warning on his website, Robin had strictly, vehemently, and repeatedly advised us against attempting Swildon’s Hole Sump 1. It is meant for more experienced cavers who have done longer caving trips before. I had been underground for seven hours a day before, but never in one go. Always with an hour of daylight and fresh air and relaxation in-between. I had in the past, also at times struggled with exhaustion and completely fogged up glasses.

SIX HOURS OR MORE UNDERGROUND

Sump 1 takes experienced cavers four hours there and back, if they do not take any breaks. Beginners like us could expect to take 6h or more. There are no side entrances or emergency exits. One caver, I had spoken about this trip with, in preparation for it, had been to Swildon’s Hole a dozen times but never gone through the sump.

THE DEAL

I won’t lie. Would Richard not have been so insisting on attempting Sump 1, I would have been happy to settle for a shorter trip. In the end, after lengthy discussions about our respective fitness levels and prior useful experience, Robin cut us a deal: we would enter the caves with an open mind. If at any stage Robin would feel that we are getting too tired or that our skills were not sufficient, that would be it. We would make a U-turn and return to the entrance of the cave.

We were not going to take any risks.

 

(c) Somerset Adventures

HOW TO GET TO SWILDON’S HOLE FROM LONDON FOR THE SUMP

Considering that Somerset is quite a distance from London, it is surprisingly easy to get to. Richard and I took the train from Paddington at around 6:30 in the morning, arriving at Taunton two hours later. We then caught a ride with Robin to the cave, which took another hour. From the parking lot it is a mere 10 minutes’ walk to the cave entrance.

Other options are to drive by car directly from London or to take the train to Bath (1h20m), then hire a car from there (40mins drive).

SECOND THOUGHTS ABOUT SWILDON’S HOLE SUMP 1

When we entered the cave at around 10am, I had some second thoughts going through my mind. I remembered how at times in the past, when underground or on a mountain, the exhaustion had hit me out of nowhere. Like an uppercut from Mike Tyson. One moment you feel like you can run a marathon, the next moment you want to lie down and never get up again. Ever.

1:1 WITH INSTRUCTOR VS 1:2

In many ways, going 1:1 with an instructor, like I had mostly done in the past, can be much easier. Usually, the instructor carries all or almost all of the gear, so you travel light. This time, Richard and I had to take turns carrying one of the bags. Also, everything is tailored exactly to your needs, if you go 1:1, now two persons’ possibly very different needs had to be taken into account.

GREAT TEAM

Luckily, Richard and I paired up very well as a team. The good man is a fair bit younger, and a lot fitter, physically, than I am. However, with my very limited but nonetheless given caving and climbing experience, I could offset this to some extent. Also, great company always makes challenges easier to overcome.

SAFE HANDS

Most importantly, I knew I could trust Robin’s judgement and expertise. And Richard seemed to trust me trusting our guide. Robin would make sure that we would turn around before it got dangerous.

 

LOW WATER LEVELS

Despite the fact that heavy rain and floods had affected some areas not far from the cave, the water levels were very low. During my earlier visit, the area close to the entrance had sported a proper little stream. This time around, that section was almost dry. Usually this is considered to make the trip easier.

WALK IN THE PARK

We were progressing deeper and deeper into the cave very quickly and surprisingly smoothly. 80% almost felt like a walk in the park for the first 20 minutes. The rest was far from challenging. There were passages where we could walk upright, others where we had to lean and/or crouch. Other sections required some squeezing, crawling, and wiggling, nothing too narrow, though.

 

(c) Chalk and Cheese Travels

FORTY FOOT POT

Soon we arrived at Forty Foot Pot, the first proper challenge. As you would have guessed, it is a cylindrical, vertical hole, 12m deep. It is about 5m in diameter and there is a tiny bit of water running over its edge.

SETTING UP THE BELAYING STATION

Robin set up a belaying station. Then we clipped the rope into our respective harnesses, and Robin lowered each of us gently down to the ground below. We kept the rope dangling where it was, and continued to Twenty Foot Pot. Yes, it is 6m deep, and about 4m in diameter. This time there was more water running over the edge. It fed a pool at the bottom.

TWENTY FOOT POT

After giving us instructions, Robin went first and waited for us at the side of the pool at the bottom. He shouted “Try not to fall, but if you do, know that the pool is more than 1m deep, so should hopefully prevent serious injury.”

 

(c) Somerset Adventures

CAVING VS CLIMBING

Once again, I got reminded about how different ‘climbing’ underground is from actual climbing. If this short 9m climb (6m vertically, 5m horizontally) would be rated on a French sport climbing scale, it would probably barely make a 2. At indoor climbing gyms the easiest routes are starting at 3 or 4. Most climbers only consider it proper climbing, if it is at least a 5 or 6. For reference: the currently hardest climb in the world is rated 9 (9C, to be precise; there are grades within the grades).

DENTED SELF-CONFIDENCE

I can pull off a 6A, when I’m in good shape (nothing to be proud of, it’s a low grade). However, with wet, at times muddy, slippery rocks, using wellingtons with neoprene socks inside, I struggled with this 2 at first. We were not clipped into a rope this time. Having difficulties with such a simple climb hit my self-confidence. I got nervous. I remember thinking: how do I try to hit the water surface below, if I fall? Should I try to fall on my back, to get maximum friction and prevent myself from hitting the rocks below the surface?

SOME POINTERS

The position I was in on the wall was uncomfortable and I was using too much energy. It was a huge relief when Robin gave some pointers. “Move your right foot about half a metre lower, slightly to the right, there’s a little ledge just below that bump. You can’t see it from your position, but it’s there. Now try to grab that hold below your right hand.”

Richard didn’t seem to struggle at all and touched base with Robin and me shortly after I had arrived at the bottom on the side of the pool. The passages that followed, gradually appeared more and more difficult. But we were still moving fast.

 

REACHING SWILDON’S HOLE SUMP 1 AHEAD OF TIME

Neither Richard nor I could believe it, when we reached Sump 1 after just over two hours. Robin spent quite some time, briefing us. Among others, we were to zip up our caving suits to make sure that there were no bits that could get stuck on a protruding rock.

YOU WON’T KNOW UNLESS YOU TRY

I’m 200cm/6’7’’ tall and weigh more than 100kg/220lbs, despite having lost 7kg/15lbs recently. Richard weighs a fair bit less, but is almost as tall. More or less jokingly, I asked, if Robin knew if anyone our size had ever made it through the sump. It felt weird, when Robin said ‘no’ with a straight face. We were assured, though, that there was definitely sufficient space for us.

FACE DOWN, ONLY HANDS

As mentioned earlier, you are supposed to grab the rope, then take a good breath, start submerging yourself into the water, face downwards, then simply pull yourself through the sump using only your hands. We learned that if you use your feet, there is a small risk you might get into an awkward position and increase friction.

GOLF OR BOWLING

I remember looking at Richard, who seemed slightly less self-assured now, but still hellbent on going ahead. Then I looked at the puddle. Right in front of me. Next to the sump entrance. Robin was already waiting on the other end. What the heck was I doing here? What was wrong with me! Why didn’t I pick up golf or bowling, like other people my age.

   

(c) Chalk and Cheese Travels

FREEZING

I lowered myself into the 10C cold water, and almost immediately pulled back, gasping. This was insanely cold. And that hole looked barely big enough for a toddler to pass through.

LITERARY EXCURSION

Would there not have been the peer pressure, Richard nodding at me “C’mon old feller, you can do it”, never in the world would I have gone through that deathy, watery hole. I should mention, that I recently read a novel, Death Sentence by Damien Boyd. It starts with a scene where someone drowns at Sump 1 at Swildon’s Hole after getting stuck. The passage stretches over several pages and is rather graphic.

NO DEATHS SO FAR, MORE OR LESS

I reminded myself that except for one case of hypothermia in 1959, no one had ever died in this cave. Much different from, say, Alum Pot, where Ellie & I had done some caving earlier this year, which claimed several lives in recent years.

EYES CLOSED. HEAD FIRST.

Eyes closed. Head first. My motto. I took a good breath, grabbed the rope and rhythmically pulled myself through the sump. Left hand, right hand, left hand, right hand. I was almost ecstatic when I had reached the other side after a few seconds. I HAD DONE IT!!

 

1st pic (c) Chalk and Cheese Travels, 2nd (c) Somerset Adventures

WAITING FOR THE THIRD MAN

Now, Robin and I were waiting for Richard. He was now alone in the chamber on the other side, with just his headlamp providing light. I much preferred having gone first. Being alone with your thoughts in a barely lit cave. I didn’t envy my mate.

NO TIME TO WASTE

The dude wasted no time. Seconds after me, he joined Robin and me for a little celebration. Robin mentioned that he does not think, that anyone has ever done a sump dive on their first caving trip. Kudos to Richard.

(c) Chalk and Cheese Travels

THE BIG QUESTION

Now the big question: Shall we go a little bit further? Answer: Absolutely. There is a real cool sign on the other side of the sump that reads: “Wookey Hole 1.5, avoiding city centre.”

THE CONNECTION FROM SWILDON’S HOLE SUMP TO WOOKEY HOLE

No one has ever made the 1.5 miles from this point to Wookey Hole, because no one ever managed to pass Sump 12. Yep, there are at least 12 of them, varying in length from 2m to 40m.

That said, we know that there is a connection to Wookey Hole (which Ellie & I have been to). This is because in the 1930s two cavers added some dye to the underground stream in Swildon’s Hole, and it surfaced at Wookey Hole.

A DIFFERENT CAVE ON THE OTHER SIDE

The cave feels entirely different on the other side of the sump. Part of it might be psychological, but that’s not all. There are more wide but very low passages with lots of rubble on the ground. On some sections you have to crawl over the rubble. It is very hard on the knees.

 

1st pic (c) Chalk and Cheese Travels, 2nd (c) Somerset Adventures

MY KNEES

I have had knee problems for almost one and a half years now. Some time ago it had been so bad, that I had to stop several times when climbing the stairs to Ellie’s and my third-floor apartment. An exacerbating factor on this particular trip was that because my knees are quite big, the XL kneepads regularly fell off, leaving my knees unprotected.

SUMP 2

I’m pretty sure that Richard could have easily made it to Swildon’s Hole Sump 2. However, when we were still about 100m from Sump 2, I indicated that I’d be happy to wait until everyone returned from Sump 2. I was not going to go any further.

WILDLIFE UNDERGROUND

The decision was made that we should all return to Sump 1 and be on our merry way towards the entrance. It was at around that stage, when we saw a tiny, completely white mosquito buzzing about. Amazing how some ecosystems work. There are several different types of crustaceans, spiders, and insects in these caves too.

 

THREE HOURS UNDERGROUND

When we reached and passed Sump 1 again, we had been underground for almost three hours already. As expected, the way back was a lot harder than the way in.

 

(c) Chalk and Cheese Travels

THE WAY BACK IS ALWAYS HARDER

We were starting to get tired. My glasses started fogging up quite heavily, my knees had seen better days. Climbing up a rope ladder is so much harder than abseiling. Going uphill is harder than going downhill, at least for most of us.

   

(c) Chalk and Cheese Travels

KEEPING THE SPIRITS UP

Robin did a great job in keeping Richard and me motivated and positive, and keeping us going. It was really only during the last half hour, that my energy seemed almost gone. Richard didn’t seem hit quite as bad, but also looked less energetic and chirpy than before.

YOU USE MORE ENERGY, WHEN YOU GOT LESS

As I had experienced before: once you get tired, you start using more, not less energy. Which is kind of making things worse exponentially. For example, when your mind and body are fresh, you approach a problem systematically. You study an incline, look for holds, plan your moves, before you actually make a move. When you’re tired, you sometimes just plough ahead, without much planning or foresight.

Sometimes you will find yourself in a very uncomfortable, energy-consuming position, and you simply do not have a clue on where to place your feet and hands next. I remember various occasions when I was just clinging to (not vertical, but slanted) walls, breathing heavily, my glasses all fogged up. Not having a clue about what I was doing.

   

(c) Chalk and Cheese Travels

SIX HOURS AND THIRTY MINUTES UNDERGROUND

What should have been the last five minutes to get to the entrance of the cave, took Richard roughly ten minutes. I took at least 20 minutes. In the end I made it too. What a day it had been. We still couldn’t quite believe that we had made it. 6h30m underground, (at our request) without any breaks longer than 10mins.

THANKS TO OUR GUIDE

Robin had done an excellent job guiding us. For the avoidance of doubt: there was never any risk of us not making it out there in an orderly fashion. In a worst case, I would have simply had to take a longer break, cool down, make sure my glasses stopped fogging up. We would have been fine either way. Somerset Adventures do not take any risks with their customers.

 

(c) Chalk and Cheese Travels

THE NEXT CAVING ADVENTURE

Richard and I are already eyeballing the Three Counties System, the UK’s biggest cave system with more than 85km of mapped paths. Fingers crossed, hopefully it will happen later this year.

Looking for more outdoor adventures? Check out my posts about Pridhamsleigh Cavern, about canyoning, rock climbing, ice climbing, off-roading, ocean rowing, paddle boarding, open water swimming, and packrafting.