Update, 24 September 2000
Received the following [from David Ryall] forwarded from
ULSA. Please pass this info on to anyone you feel appropriate.
Steve King
In the last few months the Great Aven area in Simpsons/Swinsto
has been on the move, with some large rocks and lots of mud
dropping from underneath the huge block which formed the floor of
the Great Aven, where the rebelay for the final part of the pitch
was. Dark mutterings were heard from many familiar with the area
about the fact that the block always seemed to levitate, and now
there seemed to be even less holding it up.
At the end of August, BPC members who had been monitoring the situation reported another big collapse, leaving only two huge (one transit van and one mini sized) boulders seemingly defying gravity by remaining in place.
On Sunday 24th September we went in for another look to find the Great Aven completely transformed. The huge boulders had fallen, pushing a large quantity of rock and mud down to the base of Swinsto final pitch, blocking Philosophers Crawl and leaving lots of big rocks threatening to block the way down to KMC. We had a careful look around, and found the pile to be VERY unstable, with further movement enevitable- the place is really scary now!
Looking up, the Great Aven is transformed, with a huge black space where the 'floor' used to be. Be aware that the pitch is now significantly longer than before, but you'd have to be crazy to abseil down there right now!
In short, through trips down Simpsons/Swinsto are out for now, as you have no certainty of a way out, and if you've pulled through you'll be in for a long cold wait - the chances of digging your way out would be slim! I'm not sure when the collapse actually occured, though I'm surprised we didn't feel the tremors in Spain! Hope no-one was around at the time.
Original Warning, July 2000
Received the following [from David Ryall] forwarded from
Pete Allwright at BCRC. Please pass this info on to anyone you
feel appropriate.
Alan Wood, Hon Secretary, National Caving Association
Hi guys, please spread this around to anyone who might need to
know- the place is a bit scary right now, and is an accident
waiting to trap the unwary or inexperienced or unlucky. If anyone
can put up notes in club huts, websites etc, please do. If some
wally goes getting clumsy in there, it'll take a long time to dig
them out!
The area below the Great Aven in Simpsons Pot, Kingsdale is dangerously unstable.
A number of large boulders and a quantity of mud has fallen from beneath the huge jammed boulder which forms the 'floor' which you land on descending the Great Aven pitch, threatening to block the way down into the KMC. One very large boulder (~3 cubic metres ) is perched just above the squeeze down at the base of the Simpsons/Swinsto final pitches and seems likely to be knocked further by any more falls, effectively cutting off this way on. Philosophers Crawl may remain open, but if the huge boulder comes down this will also likely be blocked.
Looking up, it is difficult to work out what is holding the rest up, and further collapse seems likely. For the time being it seems sensible to avoid descending the Great Aven, and potential through-trippers should be aware that Simpsons/Swinsto through trips may well turn out to be impossible, and should bear this in mind if contemplating one way trips.