EDIT: - revisit October 2010 with Urbanity and Frayedsanity - deeper, darker, further - seen end of thread
Hi, I’m Troy McStyru!
You may remember me from such 28DL underground boating extravaganzas as
“Why is all of Bristol staring at us?”
and
“If these are Catacombs – why don’t the locals speak French?”
For today’s third installment in the underground boating series we leave the UK, and head to a quaint nearby country called ‘Somerset’.
Situated literally next-door to modern-day England ‘Somerset’ has no formal entry requirements – but you must remember to turn your watches back (about 25 years)
Building on the lessons learned during previous trips (yeh –right!) we took a veritable flotilla of vessels this time (4 people + 5 boats = flotilla!)
We assembled a crack team of explorers – but sadly they all told us to bog-off – and so the party consisted of Mr Urbanity, the Reverend Spungletrumpet, Troy McStyru and Rob (a friend of Urb’s who lives in the real world, and so hasn’t got a silly pseudonym)
Our quest for the day was Crimson Hill tunnel:
Rarely explored, and certainly never reported here full credit to Urbanity for getting out there and finding/scouting this one*.
*(what does he want want, a medal or something??)
Oh, OK, go on then...
On with the pics.
Pre-access access point (the way all good explores should start on a sunny day) the aptly named Canal Inn
The canal itself has long since silted up/been drained.
Sad remains of the once great waterway:
An interesting navigation, we were already aware that a roof fall about halfway in had put the mockers on a through trip, and with the water depth varying between about 8 and zero inches our passage was a combination of paddling, punting, and wading (whilst the water level was low you will be pleased to hear that the mud/silt level under the water was a healthy 10-14 inches of wader grabbing goodiness!)
The mystic portal
Please remove muddy footwear before entering craft
It was at this point that Mr urbainty piped up with the soon to be regretted line:
This line was soon to be followed by
and
Camera hints number 453 - always ensure a firm base for your tripod
The Explorer 200 - a modern day classic in underground boating
At about its midpoint the tunnel widens to allow boats to pass, it was also at this point that water turns to some of the deepest, stickiest mud and silt that I've waded in ages:
Urbanity (top) and Spungletrumpet about to experience an altogether higher level of mud sinkingness
Whether coincidence, or whether it was due to the wide nature of this section, this is the point at which a fall blocked the tunnel a few years back:
Urbanity inspects the damage - anyone got a bucket and spade?
Beating an equally muddy, wet retreat, we retired back to the Canal Inn
But not before Spungletrumpet had stopped to kiss the ground, and give thanks to the Lord for a safe trip:
(or he might have just been deflating his trusty 'Explorer 200')
The looks on the faces of the locals upon seeing boating gear and much mud were priceless - I think few of them had any idea that there was a waterway nearby (although you'd think that the fact that it was the Canal Inn would have been a bit of a give away
)
A big thanks to my (so far) trusty £9.99 Union Jack boat that is now survived 3 underground trip, and to my Lidl waders that, despite a year of launching/retrieving boats in the Bristol Channel and being stuck in some of the worlds stickiest mud once again stayed watertight.
Cheers for the company guys - look forward to your pics, comments, laundry bills, insults, etc.
BUT WAIT - there's more! - we returned at a later date and got past that fall - see further on in this report!!!
.
Hi, I’m Troy McStyru!
You may remember me from such 28DL underground boating extravaganzas as
“Why is all of Bristol staring at us?”
and
“If these are Catacombs – why don’t the locals speak French?”
For today’s third installment in the underground boating series we leave the UK, and head to a quaint nearby country called ‘Somerset’.
Situated literally next-door to modern-day England ‘Somerset’ has no formal entry requirements – but you must remember to turn your watches back (about 25 years)
Building on the lessons learned during previous trips (yeh –right!) we took a veritable flotilla of vessels this time (4 people + 5 boats = flotilla!)
We assembled a crack team of explorers – but sadly they all told us to bog-off – and so the party consisted of Mr Urbanity, the Reverend Spungletrumpet, Troy McStyru and Rob (a friend of Urb’s who lives in the real world, and so hasn’t got a silly pseudonym)
Our quest for the day was Crimson Hill tunnel:
Rarely explored, and certainly never reported here full credit to Urbanity for getting out there and finding/scouting this one*.
*(what does he want want, a medal or something??)
Oh, OK, go on then...
On with the pics.
Pre-access access point (the way all good explores should start on a sunny day) the aptly named Canal Inn
The canal itself has long since silted up/been drained.
Sad remains of the once great waterway:
An interesting navigation, we were already aware that a roof fall about halfway in had put the mockers on a through trip, and with the water depth varying between about 8 and zero inches our passage was a combination of paddling, punting, and wading (whilst the water level was low you will be pleased to hear that the mud/silt level under the water was a healthy 10-14 inches of wader grabbing goodiness!)
The mystic portal
Please remove muddy footwear before entering craft
It was at this point that Mr urbainty piped up with the soon to be regretted line:
This line was soon to be followed by
and
Camera hints number 453 - always ensure a firm base for your tripod
The Explorer 200 - a modern day classic in underground boating
At about its midpoint the tunnel widens to allow boats to pass, it was also at this point that water turns to some of the deepest, stickiest mud and silt that I've waded in ages:
Urbanity (top) and Spungletrumpet about to experience an altogether higher level of mud sinkingness
Whether coincidence, or whether it was due to the wide nature of this section, this is the point at which a fall blocked the tunnel a few years back:
Urbanity inspects the damage - anyone got a bucket and spade?
Beating an equally muddy, wet retreat, we retired back to the Canal Inn
But not before Spungletrumpet had stopped to kiss the ground, and give thanks to the Lord for a safe trip:
(or he might have just been deflating his trusty 'Explorer 200')
The looks on the faces of the locals upon seeing boating gear and much mud were priceless - I think few of them had any idea that there was a waterway nearby (although you'd think that the fact that it was the Canal Inn would have been a bit of a give away
)A big thanks to my (so far) trusty £9.99 Union Jack boat that is now survived 3 underground trip, and to my Lidl waders that, despite a year of launching/retrieving boats in the Bristol Channel and being stuck in some of the worlds stickiest mud once again stayed watertight.
Cheers for the company guys - look forward to your pics, comments, laundry bills, insults, etc.
BUT WAIT - there's more! - we returned at a later date and got past that fall - see further on in this report!!!
.
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