I once got stuck in the Lobster pot for 5 days with the rest of the group below me. In those 5 days I lost 2" off my waist which finally allowed me to pop like a cork. Since then, I refuse to enter Sidcote Swallet and take a trip to the pub down the road for beer and chips
SmudgeDiver your group did not leave a 'top man' I guess is that correct ? would one top man have even been able to help anyway ? maybe he would have been useless but sounds like Keith group leaving one guy up was the safest choice ...glad u got out I bet your friends were even gladder :))
Unlike many other extreme sports, fucking up in this, i.e. getting stuck, is actually solvable in most cases. As long as it's not under water or the person being upside down like John Jones in Nutty putty, you have virtually unlimited time to solve the issue as long as you can provide the person who's stuck with food and water. A parachute that doesn't unfold won't give the jumper that benefit.
@Dog Faced Pony Soldier Yeah, but you should make sure there a people who know where you are who come looking for you if you don't come back and usually you won't have to die.
If this gave you anxiety, then please don’t watch John Johns Nutty Putty video. Within the first 3-5 mins watching that one. I had to stop. This video gave me a anxious feel too. Why do people do this is way beyond me to understand.. Great video though. 👍🏻
Rob Farrow Hi Rob. Your comment is greatly appreciated as it comes from an adventurer. Hopefully there will be more 'extreme' caving videos as the year progresses.
Dagger my problem? You should reread what I said and who I was responding to because nothing I said is against you. I literally just responded to the asshole a9s0asc who said being afraid of caves is stupid.
@@CaverKeith No prob, mate! It has got very good criticism and feedback from the public and different sites. So I think I with good heart may recommend it to someone😄
@@mortenkul going to agree with you here Morton. I like the film…. Except ii think it’s a horror movie set in a cave rather than a caving horror movie. If that makes sense
watched the john jones video 2 nights ago an have been binge watching these basically non stop. I'm still at the HELL NO point but curiosity is definitely starting to over power lol..
Guillermo M 2 days ago there was a comment saying that the video had inspired the person to go caving but it's had the completely opposite effect on you. I guess we are all different and that's what makes the world such an interesting place.
hahah true... I'm a bit claustrophobic, I start to think that I won't be able to get out of there and I can go wildly irrational haha. In general I'm not a fearful person but don't put me in a closet :P
I've just spent the weekend Caving!! I did Goatchurch Cavern and Sidcot Swallet on Saturday, though didn't go down the Lobster pot. I then did Swildons hole on Sunday. They are my first caving trips. I had so much fun and I am definitely going to cave more!!! Great Video!! :D :D
Hi Clog, glad you had fun! How did you find the waterfall in Swildon's and did you go through the sump? (no shame if you didn't on your first trip.). If you go to the Mendips again I also recommend GB Cavern which has some beautiful formations (be careful not to touch them!) and is at a good level for novices. A key is required but you can get one from the Wessex, BEC or Shepton Mallet clubs which all have huts in Priddy. Also Cerberus on East Mendip. Other favourite caves for beginners are P8 and Giants in the Peak district (similar to Swildons), I love Little Neath in Wales, but it's best done in a wet suit (it floods in winter), on a warm day you can float down the entrance series like a gentle water slide.There's also Bridge Cave next door and you can have a fun gil-scramble if you go down stream, where there are also numerous little caves like Igam Ogam (Zig-Zag). In the Yorkshire Dales there are loads, but a favourite with beginners is Longchurn on Ingleborough. And one of my all time favourite fun trips is Simpson's Pot (or Swinsto next door). It's a pull-through trip you enter at the top of a very steep hill, then do a load of abseils before coming out of the valley entrance. You'll need a bit more experience under your belt before tackling that, but I've taken novices after they've had 3 or 4 caving weekends. If you get the chance definitely try it.
lol if I was to go down there, when and if I emerged there would just be shit ALLLLL along that massive 2km long tunnel. Much scare such brave very congrats
I did Hellish Tight once too. Or rather I dropped into the top of it. Remained there for probably an hour in real-time, but a lifetime in perceived time. Managed to get out. Never forgotten the feeling - the first time it had ever dawned on me that I was in a situation that could conceivably (although not in hindsight), be my last ! Dread, panic, fear - all subsumed and dealt with, and ignored to get myself out. It's an easy cave, and not dangerous, but as an inexperienced caver, it taught me quite a lot about myself. Now, nearly 30 years later, I'm itching to get back underground again. It's not just interesting, or sporting, or fascinating - it's another world, and as a visitor about whom it has no regard, it's humbling if you want to survive. In many ways you need to become a different version of yourself down there, especially if something off-script happens.
I did it today it was an interesting experience I came back up through it after we had done the drainpipe and at one point was pulling myself along with the fingers on my right hand cos my arm couldnt really move and my left was behind me to angle my shoulders.
pls answer this: 1) a tiny earthquake, a rock dislodges, You are stuck and die, yes no? 2) a sudden downpour, water pouring down the tight squezes, You can't pass, yes no? 3) You slide and break an elbow and hip, You can't get through the narrow squezes yes no? I've done rockclimbing, rocks are loose even without tiny earthquakes. Where am I wrong?
Lol. A fun, tongue-in-cheek film Keith. The Lobster Pot's always fun. I once met 2 hardened cavers from Yorkshire, who'd come for a weekends reccy, before bringing a scout group. In the spirit of friendly rivalry they'd made a few derogatory remarks about easy Mendips caves. They'd seen me take about 30 seconds to get up the Lobster Pot, so when I offered to tell them the trick of how to do it, they rather cockily said they'd be fine, before sliding down. After a few minutes they attempted to come back up. There then ensued about 15 minutes of grunting, thrutching, swearing and going red. I'm not sure if the redness was from exertion or because I was watching on with evident amusement. However it was clear when they did eventually get up that they viewed the Lobster pot with considerably more respect!
+Keith Edwards (Caver Keith) - I did have a rather less fun experience there though. Helping a rather large (16+ stone) lass up by letting her use my shoulders and head as foot holds! (I was a slim 11 stone at the time!).
@Brandon Gaines - Hi, not sure if you're familiar with Goatchurch & Sidcot's (They're in Burrington Combe, the Mendips, England) but they're small caves which despite their size have plenty to them and are fantastic for beginners. I've taken numerous groups of students, scouts and ventures there in the past. There are several other small caves a short walk away (Pierre's Pot, East Twin Swallet, Lionels Hole, Plus Rods and Reeds not far away on Blackdown. It's a while since I've been down Sidcots, but from memory this is how I do it. The trick to the Lobster Pot is counter-intuitive. If you look at 5:13 you'll spot a broad ledge in the centre of the picture with another just below. On the way back up you get to a point where your feet are on the bottom ledge and your head and shoulders out of the hole (your back is at the bottom of the picture, your chest facing the top). At this point most people grab a breather before attempting a final push out of the hole, only to find they're not quite high enough to do so - cue much grunting and swearing. And they haven't enough room to bend their legs to get their feet onto the higher ledge. The first part of the trick is to turn on your side but NOT towards the open chamber (your right at 5:13) as most people instinctively do, but LEFT towards the bare wall, then leave your RIGHT foot (again this is counter intuitive) on the lower ledge and hopefully you'll now be able to bring your LEFT foot up to the higher ledge. This gives you the extra height needed to allow an easy(ish) push out. N.B: I'm (or was) a slim 5'10" with short legs so I find this manouver fairly easy, however if you're a big build or have long legs you may find it more difficult. Hope that's helpful!
Nikita Mikhailov Going caving would get you cold, wet and muddy. Are you sure this is for you? Why not just relax in an armchair with your favourite tipple and carry on watching the videos?
brilliant video. 'Each grabbing a handful of suit we hoisted him out of the ground like a large turnip'! I literally pissed myself keep on spelunking :-)
Just watching this caused panic....much respect to those who do this - jumping out of airplanes is apparently less than nothing compared to what I just watched!
Thanks Keith, it takes much more control and discipline doing what you do than jumping out of an airplane. Although there is no possible way I could do this caving....I can't stop watching the videos - great posts!
Goat church is one of the easiest cave on the mendips (I've even camped in it for a weekend) and was used (1980's) as an introduction to caving - the drain pipe is the hardest part and is 30ft long 😉 - try swildons to sump 2 lol
@@jonhale6918 there was a small air gap at the time so I didn't even need to bale. But the cold water made my head feel like it was in a vice so I bottled.
@@MG-bs5mr yea, it's pretty cold. There is a dry route, just follow the 'top path' after the triple pots at the diagonal downward squeeze? - there's a super muddy crawl that'll either have you laughing or crying :)
That's odd. I distinctly recall doing Goatchurch a while back in dress shoes using a pen light, fortified only by a few beers to ward off snakebite. Eh, must've been a different Burrington.
Hi Don. Thanks for watching my videos. They do seem to hold a morbid fascination for many people who would never dream of trying caving for themselves.
@@CaverKeith in the mid 1970s I was allowed twice, with adult supervision, to enter a cave on my aunt's property in West Virginia. While I find it unthinkable to push my body through narrow apertures, I understand the fascination of wanting to see what's around the next corner. I imagine you've seen things most people have not. You also know things about yourself you never would have known unless you made the journey. I'll keep watching from the living room 👌
i dont know, but is it worth It? just thinking that once i get stuck and dont have the ability to help myself out or even push the walls, i will panic instantly..
Great video, brings back memories of teenage caving trips in the 70's with little premier helmet mounted carbide lamps. Come on now, tell the full horror story, no one does Goatchurch without at least one fatality in their group!! Just the walk in from the road would exhaust the fittest of cavers. If you do the lobster pot with a hand line then you really don't deserve a beer afterwards AND you should buy beer for everyone else! Cheers Paul, now in NZ.
thankyou for the upload, my dad took me to goatchurch cavern as a child and I might be going back next week (albeit 31 and 17 stone) with a friend who hasn't been. any tips for someone who hasn't been caving in a long time? thankyou again
Well as you appreciate the video is a spoof as it is a very straight forward cave. Be careful at the Coffin Lid as it is very slippery and at 17 stone the drainpipe might be a little cosy. Other then that it's a great trip. Enjoy.
keithpeckett did u happen to try hellish tight ? the bypass seemed just as bad ...being an American I'm not familiar with the term ' stones ' as in 17 stones I am assuming it has to do with weight or size :)
Another fantastic video as always Keith. After watching this I seriously need to lose some weight. At the rate I'm expanding not a chance of me fitting down these holes.
Tony Salusbury Thanks Tony. Praise indeed coming from a fellow cave videographer. The viewing figures for the spoof video are some of the best I've ever had, perhaps it's because I used the word 'extreme' in the title?
This was too funny, your editing skills are on point and you added just the right amount of suspense to your voice to perfect it! Love you and your little crew too! Are you still caving? Any left over effects from the bad fall? All the very best to you!
Thanks again for your supportive comments. These are novice caves but it seems adding the word 'extreme' in the title guarantees that a caving video will get watched. I am still caving and will need to get a couple of video trips in this month as I've been asked to produce an opening video for a conference in December - details at www.rgs.gharparau.org.uk. I'm pretty well fully recovered from my fall.
Appreciate the interesting videos and a view into something that most people will never see. It's definitely not for everybody but cool nonetheless. Safe explorations and once again please say hello to Gollum for us.
Hi i4Ni. Thanks very much for taking the time to watch my videos. You are absolutely correct, caving is not for everyone but it is really, really cool.
@@CaverKeith I will admit that sometimes when I watch these videos I feel like (why) would anybody want to do that. I have to remind myself that exploration no matter how out of the "normal" it seems is a part of human nature. There are lots of "seemingly irrational" things that people strive to do because curiosity is in our nature. Skydiving, space and underwater exploration, ultra long distance hiking, mountaineering, free diving...and the list goes on and on. You guys obviously know your hobby, take precautions and work in groups and we get to come along for the ride so it's a win-win in my book. During your explorations into middle earth if you happen to come across the ring that rules all the other rings, please leave it be. :) ”Life is short and the world is vast-explore your passions" I also love reading some of the comments to these types of videos, colorful and entertaining.
Keef must not touch the ring, but the ring is so pretty! Come to me my precious. Bad boy, BAD BOY. Keef must not touch the ring, but the ring is so pretty! Come to me my precious.
Somewhere in Goatchurch Cavern, not too far from the entrance, there is (if it hasn't been found or destroyed by nature) an earthenware container used in laboratories to store mercury ... containing mercury. I put it there in 1959 when I was on holiday from my job in a laboratory. I can't remember why I put it there ... maybe I was making an offering of some sort?
I had the great pleasure of providing extreme merriment to other members of the Plymouth Caving Group in the early 90's while attempting to exit the Lobster Pot, and have been mentally scarred ever since. I seem to recall the trick's in the feet.
I can watch mine exploration videos all day long. Mines were made by people for people. Caves with those squeezes are terrifying to watch. I must take your experiences all in a bit at a time.
So at the beginning Mark was shown to enter the cave and he is like you said "larger than the average caver" so how did he manage the spaces that were too tight for Mel?
Hi JuusoH. I know, it's amazing, it's like he's made of rubber. We went back to this cave a couple of weeks ago and I took video of Mark in Hellish Tight. I'm aiming to do a director's cut of this video to include the new footage.
I'm usually not too bad with small spaces and wouldn't mind some light caving or potholing, but that part "Hellish Tight" at 2:30 would have ended me i think. I got stuck in a sleeping bag once that i had my head inside and couldn't move my arms or get my head out properly and took me ages to untangle the cords but not before i had properly freaked out. I guess some people can stay composed better in those situations maybe through personality or exposure to it.
You folks have amazing skill and patience. I am curious, do you typically cave with any supplies (water, food, emergency items) just in case anything happens. I can only imagine being able to get through a squeeze but not back out on the return trip.
+Chiefmanywrenches Yes, we do usually take drinks and chocolate or Mars bars as well as a first aid kit. Very tight squeezes are always a worry for the reason you have stated.
Brazil here ! Just a few days agoa I learned about Jhon Jones and his death at Nutty Putty. I have been having nightmares ever since. Seriously. But at the same time I am addicted to whatch caving videos. Am I going crazy ? Help!!!!!
If you guys go back to Goat Church please record you all going through that first squeeze that got Mel and the second that she made through ... I would love to see how you guys managed that first one tho 😅
Fairly sure "the bypass" is actually hellish tight, almost got stuck there. Fun! Looked at "hellish tight" and just thought hell no. May be wrong though.
Why is the lobster pot challenging? It doesn't look that tight as people seem to have no problem getting in. Is it just that you are dangling with no foot holds?
1:28 isn't that the guy from the Tight Cave Large Caver video who initially got stuck in The Vice before making it through on a second go? If it is, good to see him again. Edit: A 2km long crawl? Holy hell, no thank you! I can just imagine how your arms and knees must have felt after that!
One of the few videos that I thank the comments section for keeping me distracted while trying to get through this video...about 2:17 is when my comment scrolling level reached its peak
I`m just thinking of the first person to have done this cave, what a brave soul.
Brave is not the word i'd use.
Not brave,reckless
It's a fine line between brave and bat shit crazy.
I can’t breath watching this
@@MaterLacrymarum And this crossed it miles ago.
I once got stuck in the Lobster pot for 5 days with the rest of the group below me. In those 5 days I lost 2" off my waist which finally allowed me to pop like a cork. Since then, I refuse to enter Sidcote Swallet and take a trip to the pub down the road for beer and chips
***** LOL. I think we need you to join our team. You'll fit in very nicely.
Keith Edwards bumbum lol
SmudgeDiver your group did not leave a 'top man' I guess is that correct ? would one top man have even been able to help anyway ? maybe he would have been useless but sounds like Keith group leaving one guy up was the safest choice ...glad u got out I bet your friends were even gladder :))
SmudgeDiver how did you survive this?
Can't tell if this is a joke or not
Is it really worth it ?
I mean if u get stuck you would probably regret it really big time
@@Mrfluffyice Watch the nutty putty cave documentary. Dude did get stuck and his body is still down there and it is sealed off.
@@jamesbowyer3655 *remains. The body's been decomposed for years. He's just a small pile of bones today if bacteria hasn't eaten that up as well.
Unlike many other extreme sports, fucking up in this, i.e. getting stuck, is actually solvable in most cases. As long as it's not under water or the person being upside down like John Jones in Nutty putty, you have virtually unlimited time to solve the issue as long as you can provide the person who's stuck with food and water. A parachute that doesn't unfold won't give the jumper that benefit.
That guy made a lot of mistakes though
@Dog Faced Pony Soldier Yeah, but you should make sure there a people who know where you are who come looking for you if you don't come back and usually you won't have to die.
Mel is fantastic, made me laugh " ooo I'm a little bit stuck " !
I cannot stop laughing!
Honestly, your videos are the scariest things I watch, Kieth.
+Georgie Roots Hi Georgie. It's amazing what a bit of editing can do. Goatchurch is a novice cave that is used to introduce people to caving.
Ha i see, i have watched a few of them now.. i just think its terrifying!
Georgie Roots I got anxiety watching this
If this gave you anxiety, then please don’t watch John Johns Nutty Putty video. Within the first 3-5 mins watching that one. I had to stop. This video gave me a anxious feel too. Why do people do this is way beyond me to understand.. Great video though. 👍🏻
A little too extreme for my fat ass and wide shoulders! I'd plug that hole up and seal you guys in! LOL! Great videos!
Rob Farrow Hi Rob. Your comment is greatly appreciated as it comes from an adventurer. Hopefully there will be more 'extreme' caving videos as the year progresses.
should stop tacobell m8
+Chowbizful no mcdonalds.
Ahahahahahahahahhaah lol
holy shit this is giving me anxiety. that crawl "the drainpipe" is 2km long?! i would seriously rather die than have to go through that thing
its about 10 meters long, the video is a bit of an exaggeration. See "Goatchurch the movie" for more BS
Why? what the fuck? how the fuck is something like this scary? World full of fairies.
I'm watching this video to fight my christophobia
john john it's scary because people have a phobia of tight spaces I don't see what's your problem
Dagger my problem? You should reread what I said and who I was responding to because nothing I said is against you. I literally just responded to the asshole a9s0asc who said being afraid of caves is stupid.
this is scarier than any horror movie ever
Watch "The Descent" caving-horror movie. It's EXCELLENT.
Sorry to disagree but it’s rubbish.
@@CaverKeith No prob, mate! It has got very good criticism and feedback from the public and different sites. So I think I with good heart may recommend it to someone😄
@@mortenkul going to agree with you here Morton. I like the film…. Except ii think it’s a horror movie set in a cave rather than a caving horror movie. If that makes sense
@@Apeshower You're exactly right!
watched the john jones video 2 nights ago an have been binge watching these basically non stop. I'm still at the HELL NO point but curiosity is definitely starting to over power lol..
Mann we are same
This is how my grandparents described their way to school.
Casually Explained
Guide4Ever 💀💀💀
Hahaha
Guide4Ever haha
Generice extreme cave exploring video comment. Ive watched 7 so far, and this has been the first comment for each one. Lame.
I feel claustrophobic by only watching, I think I'm never going to try.
Guillermo M 2 days ago there was a comment saying that the video had inspired the person to go caving but it's had the completely opposite effect on you. I guess we are all different and that's what makes the world such an interesting place.
hahah true... I'm a bit claustrophobic, I start to think that I won't be able to get out of there and I can go wildly irrational haha. In general I'm not a fearful person but don't put me in a closet :P
Guillermo M You don't need to be claustrophobic to feel scared. Watching extreme caving in videos makes me feel so bad too.
I don't think I'd have the courage to do this. Great stuff. Thanks for posting. (I'll stick to overground sports for now 😀)
We took some more video in Goatchurch Caverns before Christmas. The aim is to make a Director's Cut of this video sometime in the next few months.
All i can say is WHY
Because we enjoy it.
Keith Edwards I've got to take my hat off to you for doing this and putting it online, I feel claustrophobic when I'm in the loo lol
David Knight True that. Why go in.... 👍🏻💀💀💀
Horrible. Please stop doing dis!
Its like a mental condition these people have, claustrophilia.
What scares me most his how immovable everything is. Once you're stuck, you have no control.
Agreed, All I can think about what if I had a heart attack...lol
"It was only the thought of not collecting my pension that kept me going" LOL!
I've just spent the weekend Caving!! I did Goatchurch Cavern and Sidcot Swallet on Saturday, though didn't go down the Lobster pot. I then did Swildons hole on Sunday. They are my first caving trips. I had so much fun and I am definitely going to cave more!!! Great Video!! :D :D
So you never got to see the dreaded Sidcot ducks! Pleased you liked caving and thanks for watching my video.
Hi Clog, glad you had fun! How did you find the waterfall in Swildon's and did you go through the sump? (no shame if you didn't on your first trip.). If you go to the Mendips again I also recommend GB Cavern which has some beautiful formations (be careful not to touch them!) and is at a good level for novices. A key is required but you can get one from the Wessex, BEC or Shepton Mallet clubs which all have huts in Priddy. Also Cerberus on East Mendip.
Other favourite caves for beginners are P8 and Giants in the Peak district (similar to Swildons), I love Little Neath in Wales, but it's best done in a wet suit (it floods in winter), on a warm day you can float down the entrance series like a gentle water slide.There's also Bridge Cave next door and you can have a fun gil-scramble if you go down stream, where there are also numerous little caves like Igam Ogam (Zig-Zag). In the Yorkshire Dales there are loads, but a favourite with beginners is Longchurn on Ingleborough. And one of my all time favourite fun trips is Simpson's Pot (or Swinsto next door). It's a pull-through trip you enter at the top of a very steep hill, then do a load of abseils before coming out of the valley entrance. You'll need a bit more experience under your belt before tackling that, but I've taken novices after they've had 3 or 4 caving weekends. If you get the chance definitely try it.
lol if I was to go down there, when and if I emerged there would just be shit ALLLLL along that massive 2km long tunnel. Much scare such brave very congrats
Interesting watching these types of videos but I could never do this myself I would panic at getting stuck
No way would I put myself in this situation
edge of the seat stuff this! fantastic video!
IKS Production Team We do our best.
I've watched videos several times alone and with my whole family. It's incredible.
Thanks.
i would hit the panic button
I love the demeanor. "I'm a little bit stuck. That's a bit cozy, isn't it?"
Ive done Hellish tight, ONCE, and once was enough, and I'm not an anorexic dwarf
I did Hellish Tight once too.
Or rather I dropped into the top of it.
Remained there for probably an hour in real-time, but a lifetime in perceived time.
Managed to get out. Never forgotten the feeling - the first time it had ever dawned on me that I was in a situation that could conceivably (although not in hindsight), be my last ! Dread, panic, fear - all subsumed and dealt with, and ignored to get myself out.
It's an easy cave, and not dangerous, but as an inexperienced caver, it taught me quite a lot about myself.
Now, nearly 30 years later, I'm itching to get back underground again.
It's not just interesting, or sporting, or fascinating - it's another world, and as a visitor about whom it has no regard, it's humbling if you want to survive. In many ways you need to become a different version of yourself down there, especially if something off-script happens.
I did it today it was an interesting experience I came back up through it after we had done the drainpipe and at one point was pulling myself along with the fingers on my right hand cos my arm couldnt really move and my left was behind me to angle my shoulders.
This is hard to watch.
"The drain is 2 KM long and known for ending cavers careers..."
-Well sounds good to go then! Lets hit it!
-Keith
"ooh I'm a little bit stuck" 🤣🤣 I would panic so much and she's just so polite about it
pls answer this:
1) a tiny earthquake, a rock dislodges, You are stuck and die, yes no?
2) a sudden downpour, water pouring down the tight squezes, You can't pass, yes no?
3) You slide and break an elbow and hip, You can't get through the narrow squezes yes no?
I've done rockclimbing, rocks are loose even without tiny earthquakes.
Where am I wrong?
I cant go cave diving, my dingle is too big 😂
"Its only the thought of not collecting my pension that kept me going" haha
I don't know how you do this, it's awesome and so interesting but Goodness me this feeds my nightmares!!!
That moment that you are crawling down the drainpipe and you feel something crawl up your leg...
oyyyy yoy oyyyyy
🇨🇦this is my favourite video from u so far.
Thank u.
Brilliant video as always !
Thank you! Cheers!
Lol. A fun, tongue-in-cheek film Keith.
The Lobster Pot's always fun. I once met 2 hardened cavers from Yorkshire, who'd come for a weekends reccy, before bringing a scout group. In the spirit of friendly rivalry they'd made a few derogatory remarks about easy Mendips caves.
They'd seen me take about 30 seconds to get up the Lobster Pot, so when I offered to tell them the trick of how to do it, they rather cockily said they'd be fine, before sliding down. After a few minutes they attempted to come back up. There then ensued about 15 minutes of grunting, thrutching, swearing and going red. I'm not sure if the redness was from exertion or because I was watching on with evident amusement. However it was clear when they did eventually get up that they viewed the Lobster pot with considerably more respect!
+speleokeir Pleased you like it. I agree, there's endless fun to be had at the Lobster Pot.
+Keith Edwards (Caver Keith) - I did have a rather less fun experience there though. Helping a rather large (16+ stone) lass up by letting her use my shoulders and head as foot holds! (I was a slim 11 stone at the time!).
+speleokeir Ever since we made this video we've intended to go back and film some more scenes to make a director's cut. Perhaps later this year.
speleokeir so please explain your trick of getting up from the lobster pot in 30 seconds it looks near impossible
@Brandon Gaines - Hi, not sure if you're familiar with Goatchurch & Sidcot's (They're in Burrington Combe, the Mendips, England) but they're small caves which despite their size have plenty to them and are fantastic for beginners. I've taken numerous groups of students, scouts and ventures there in the past. There are several other small caves a short walk away (Pierre's Pot, East Twin Swallet, Lionels Hole, Plus Rods and Reeds not far away on Blackdown.
It's a while since I've been down Sidcots, but from memory this is how I do it. The trick to the Lobster Pot is counter-intuitive. If you look at 5:13 you'll spot a broad ledge in the centre of the picture with another just below. On the way back up you get to a point where your feet are on the bottom ledge and your head and shoulders out of the hole (your back is at the bottom of the picture, your chest facing the top). At this point most people grab a breather before attempting a final push out of the hole, only to find they're not quite high enough to do so - cue much grunting and swearing. And they haven't enough room to bend their legs to get their feet onto the higher ledge.
The first part of the trick is to turn on your side but NOT towards the open chamber (your right at 5:13) as most people instinctively do, but LEFT towards the bare wall, then leave your RIGHT foot (again this is counter intuitive) on the lower ledge and hopefully you'll now be able to bring your LEFT foot up to the higher ledge. This gives you the extra height needed to allow an easy(ish) push out.
N.B: I'm (or was) a slim 5'10" with short legs so I find this manouver fairly easy, however if you're a big build or have long legs you may find it more difficult. Hope that's helpful!
Nice, now I want to go caving, thanks to your videos. :-)
Nikita Mikhailov Going caving would get you cold, wet and muddy. Are you sure this is for you? Why not just relax in an armchair with your favourite tipple and carry on watching the videos?
Keith Edwards yea, after some time I thought that water must be extremely cold down there. That makes me even more excited :D
@@NikitaMikhailoff after 4 years, have you finally tried it?
Another extraordinary video, thanks Keith!
Stephen Jones Extraordinary is one word to describe it! We're hoping to film some additional scenes and produce a director's cut later this year.
brilliant video. 'Each grabbing a handful of suit we hoisted him out of the ground like a large turnip'! I literally pissed myself keep on spelunking :-)
+pikal69 Thanks. We've had great fun over the years and there's still lots moire to be had. Please keep watching.
Just watching this caused panic....much respect to those who do this - jumping out of airplanes is apparently less than nothing compared to what I just watched!
George Curtis You wouldn't catch me doing silly things like jumping out of a plane. It's far safer underground.
Thanks Keith, it takes much more control and discipline doing what you do than jumping out of an airplane. Although there is no possible way I could do this caving....I can't stop watching the videos - great posts!
George Curtis I knew someone was watching them! Thanks for subscribing.
George Curtis I also can not stop watching although it indeed causes me panic just watching :))
Goat church is one of the easiest cave on the mendips (I've even camped in it for a weekend) and was used (1980's) as an introduction to caving - the drain pipe is the hardest part and is 30ft long 😉 - try swildons to sump 2 lol
The video is a spoof as I'm sure you know.
I got as far as only my face above water ready to do sump 1 but I'm afraid to say I bottled it.
@@MG-bs5mr aw gutted :( you can bail the water out of sump 1 using your helmet and then crawl through lol. I'd love to go back and do it again :)
@@jonhale6918 there was a small air gap at the time so I didn't even need to bale.
But the cold water made my head feel like it was in a vice so I bottled.
@@MG-bs5mr yea, it's pretty cold. There is a dry route, just follow the 'top path' after the triple pots at the diagonal downward squeeze? - there's a super muddy crawl that'll either have you laughing or crying :)
Caving looks like fun. But I couldn't do anything to tight. I'd freak out I'm sure. But some of the caves with a little more room would be amazing.
Imagine you went to this cave and suddenly earthquake came and all the ways are closed!!!! what would be the condition😰😰😰😰
It’s safer than outside believe me or not
That's odd. I distinctly recall doing Goatchurch a while back in dress shoes using a pen light, fortified only by a few beers to ward off snakebite.
Eh, must've been a different Burrington.
I think this is crazy, but I can't stop watching this videos.
Hi Don. Thanks for watching my videos. They do seem to hold a morbid fascination for many people who would never dream of trying caving for themselves.
@@CaverKeith in the mid 1970s I was allowed twice, with adult supervision, to enter a cave on my aunt's property in West Virginia. While I find it unthinkable to push my body through narrow apertures, I understand the fascination of wanting to see what's around the next corner. I imagine you've seen things most people have not. You also know things about yourself you never would have known unless you made the journey.
I'll keep watching from the living room 👌
This whole video I felt like I couldn’t breathe.
i dont know, but is it worth It? just thinking that once i get stuck and dont have the ability to help myself out or even push the walls, i will panic instantly..
Great video, brings back memories of teenage caving trips in the 70's with little premier helmet mounted carbide lamps.
Come on now, tell the full horror story, no one does Goatchurch without at least one fatality in their group!!
Just the walk in from the road would exhaust the fittest of cavers.
If you do the lobster pot with a hand line then you really don't deserve a beer afterwards AND you should buy beer for everyone else!
Cheers Paul, now in NZ.
LOL.
anyone else on late night spelunking binge?
The worst part is knowing you have to go back through all those death traps to get back out!
Great memories..... thanks for that
wait a second you said 2 km long crawl? really? thats insane !!!!
thankyou for the upload, my dad took me to goatchurch cavern as a child and I might be going back next week (albeit 31 and 17 stone) with a friend who hasn't been. any tips for someone who hasn't been caving in a long time? thankyou again
Well as you appreciate the video is a spoof as it is a very straight forward cave. Be careful at the Coffin Lid as it is very slippery and at 17 stone the drainpipe might be a little cosy. Other then that it's a great trip. Enjoy.
thankyou for getting back to me, yes to be honest I might skip the drainpipe seeing as you have to go back the way you came!,
keithpeckett how was your trip with ur friends who had no been ?
had a really good time thanks although it was really busy with lots of children doing adventure training. I would go again
keithpeckett did u happen to try hellish tight ? the bypass seemed just as bad ...being an American I'm not familiar with the term ' stones ' as in 17 stones I am assuming it has to do with weight or size :)
Another fantastic video as always Keith. After watching this I seriously need to lose some weight. At the rate I'm expanding not a chance of me fitting down these holes.
Tony Salusbury Thanks Tony. Praise indeed coming from a fellow cave videographer. The viewing figures for the spoof video are some of the best I've ever had, perhaps it's because I used the word 'extreme' in the title?
2 questions are there any easy parts and why are the ducks feared?
This was too funny, your editing skills are on point and you added just the right amount of suspense to your voice to perfect it! Love you and your little crew too! Are you still caving? Any left over effects from the bad fall? All the very best to you!
Thanks again for your supportive comments. These are novice caves but it seems adding the word 'extreme' in the title guarantees that a caving video will get watched. I am still caving and will need to get a couple of video trips in this month as I've been asked to produce an opening video for a conference in December - details at www.rgs.gharparau.org.uk. I'm pretty well fully recovered from my fall.
Appreciate the interesting videos and a view into something that most people will never see. It's definitely not for everybody but cool nonetheless. Safe explorations and once again please say hello to Gollum for us.
Hi i4Ni. Thanks very much for taking the time to watch my videos. You are absolutely correct, caving is not for everyone but it is really, really cool.
@@CaverKeith I will admit that sometimes when I watch these videos I feel like (why) would anybody want to do that. I have to remind myself that exploration no matter how out of the "normal" it seems is a part of human nature. There are lots of "seemingly irrational" things that people strive to do because curiosity is in our nature. Skydiving, space and underwater exploration, ultra long distance hiking, mountaineering, free diving...and the list goes on and on. You guys obviously know your hobby, take precautions and work in groups and we get to come along for the ride so it's a win-win in my book. During your explorations into middle earth if you happen to come across the ring that rules all the other rings, please leave it be. :) ”Life is short and the world is vast-explore your passions"
I also love reading some of the comments to these types of videos, colorful and entertaining.
Keef must not touch the ring, but the ring is so pretty! Come to me my precious. Bad boy, BAD BOY. Keef must not touch the ring, but the ring is so pretty! Come to me my precious.
@@CaverKeithMy precious :) Keep up the great videos, I'm sure it's pretty challenging in those conditions but the videos are are done very well.
Somewhere in Goatchurch Cavern, not too far from the entrance, there is (if it hasn't been found or destroyed by nature) an earthenware container used in laboratories to store mercury ... containing mercury. I put it there in 1959 when I was on holiday from my job in a laboratory. I can't remember why I put it there ... maybe I was making an offering of some sort?
6:00 Oh he did say "Ducks" earlier, that's cleared that up. All questions answered no mystery here!
I had the great pleasure of providing extreme merriment to other members of the Plymouth Caving Group in the early 90's while attempting to exit the Lobster Pot, and have been mentally scarred ever since. I seem to recall the trick's in the feet.
Caving, keep pushing on until fully stuck. If you have to exhale to get through then its probably too tight !!! just a little hint.
People like this are incredibly brave.
Thanks Katie.
Went to this place today and did the drainpipe!
+Jamie B It's a little shorter than 2km.
+Keith Edwards (Caver Keith) not the 2km one must be another tunnel called the drainpipe as well
We might have exaggerated a little when we made the video!
@@CaverKeith .Don't you mean lied? Heh
Yep.
When the bypass is equally as tight... 😍
I can watch mine exploration videos all day long. Mines were made by people for people. Caves with those squeezes are terrifying to watch. I must take your experiences all in a bit at a time.
Hi David. Mines are inherently much more dangerous places to explore as they are in a permanent state of collapse. Caves are much more stable.
lol. :) Nice vid. For your next challenge how about attempting to push the connection between Bath swallet and Rod's pot?
I had a panic attack just watching this , you have balls of steel
“Only the thought of not collecting my pension keep me going.”
I can't stop shaking my leg while watching It...
So at the beginning Mark was shown to enter the cave and he is like you said "larger than the average caver" so how did he manage the spaces that were too tight for Mel?
Hi JuusoH. I know, it's amazing, it's like he's made of rubber. We went back to this cave a couple of weeks ago and I took video of Mark in Hellish Tight. I'm aiming to do a director's cut of this video to include the new footage.
Oh sweet, eager to see that :)
I can’t breath watching this
Obese they said. Exercise more they said. So I went down Sidcot Swallet. I'm still there. Been a few months now. Fun they said.
Can you imagine 2 kms long
In _The Drainpipe_ (3:18 - 3:51), is that a *Rude Nora* on that helmet?
No, it's a Scurion.
Keith Edwards TY
This seems like a cakewalk compared to the one I just watched where not only a dude got stuck but the cave was flooding rapidly 😰
I felt like my heart is being squeezed when the girl was trying to to fit herself in in those holes
Big breast woman would face a serious challenge
Oh Mark always getting stuck in tight situations.
I'm usually not too bad with small spaces and wouldn't mind some light caving or potholing, but that part "Hellish Tight" at 2:30 would have ended me i think. I got stuck in a sleeping bag once that i had my head inside and couldn't move my arms or get my head out properly and took me ages to untangle the cords but not before i had properly freaked out. I guess some people can stay composed better in those situations maybe through personality or exposure to it.
You folks have amazing skill and patience. I am curious, do you typically cave with any supplies (water, food, emergency items) just in case anything happens. I can only imagine being able to get through a squeeze but not back out on the return trip.
+Chiefmanywrenches Yes, we do usually take drinks and chocolate or Mars bars as well as a first aid kit. Very tight squeezes are always a worry for the reason you have stated.
Omg my anxiety went through the roof watching this
Can you do Reads Cavern and Rods pot (which are also in burrington Combe) I have never got the chance to go in those
I will have a read of the guide book and see what they are like.
Thanks I heard Rods pot is a popular cave and I’ve been told reads cavern is an easier version of Goatchurch. Loved the video and thanks for replying
Brazil here ! Just a few days agoa I learned about Jhon Jones and his death at Nutty Putty. I have been having nightmares ever since. Seriously. But at the same time I am addicted to whatch caving videos. Am I going crazy ? Help!!!!!
What if you're like half way through and one of you can't fit?
What do you mean by "ending many cavers career"?
If you guys go back to Goat Church please record you all going through that first squeeze that got Mel and the second that she made through ... I would love to see how you guys managed that first one tho 😅
That's not going to happen.
Keith Edwards 😭 why Keith what happened??
@@wbgames7406 Nothing has happened. It's simply the fact the none of us would fit.
Keith Edwards ah understood... hey did anyone fit through hellish tight that day of the video?
@@wbgames7406 We tried from both ends but it's only really suitable for young children - everyone else it too large.
Fairly sure "the bypass" is actually hellish tight, almost got stuck there. Fun! Looked at "hellish tight" and just thought hell no. May be wrong though.
your crawling along and suddenly from both sides you are stuck, arms pinned - unable to go back, turn around or go forward.... and with no help.
Even if I was the skinniest man alive covered in oil I would never do this !!! I panicked by watching this !!
If someone got stuck for even a little bit of time wouldn’t it cut off airflow?
That was very difficult to watch; this is my biggest fear
Caving looks very interesting! I have to ask though, what do you do if you get stuck?
Cave rescue will get you out, they might have to cut bits off though 😀
Why is the lobster pot challenging? It doesn't look that tight as people seem to have no problem getting in. Is it just that you are dangling with no foot holds?
everybody loves something , but i clearly can't try to do that , respect!
What would you say is the height and weight limit for someone to attempt this?
1:28 isn't that the guy from the Tight Cave Large Caver video who initially got stuck in The Vice before making it through on a second go? If it is, good to see him again.
Edit: A 2km long crawl? Holy hell, no thank you! I can just imagine how your arms and knees must have felt after that!
Well spotted. That's him. He's in lots of my caving videos. For example have a look at th-cam.com/video/QQ8UtzMmM2o/w-d-xo.html.
Hey man thanks for the reply! I've been wanting to get into caving and watching your videos for years. Thanks for all the great content!
Thanks for watching.
So did they find something magical down there?
Can’t say. We’ve all sworn a vow of secrecy.
I’m going on a school trip tomorrow and I’m coming here to do the same cave
I'm sure you will enjoy it. 😀
who the heck discover that cave and how did they know that there's an passage way hmmm
What a radical crew.
One of the few videos that I thank the comments section for keeping me distracted while trying to get through this video...about 2:17 is when my comment scrolling level reached its peak
There's NO f***ing way,cheers to you folks!