Sunday 21st June 2026

Mike Kushy and Lee Venning arrived on site at 11am, the weather was already rather warm. LV headed down cave equipped with the breaker and got to work removing loose rock and mud from the floor and walls (the mud is so hard that it also required the use of the breaker). After MK had winched twenty loads to the surface, we decided to stop for lunch, this was about 1pm and by this point the heat was bloody ridiculous.
Once lunch was done MK went down cave and got to work with the breaker, in the meantime Trevor Hughes arrived, this was about 1:40pm.
A further eight buckets were winched to the surface by TH with LV emptying the buckets. MK returned to the surface and TH and LV went down cave to drill holes and set up.
We drilled 5 x 500mm holes and then TH supervised LV who did the set up. Meanwhile on the surface MK had a visit from John Cooper. Once this task was completed, we retreated to the surface and the holes were destroyed.
We all left site at 4:15pm, 5 ¼ hours. Lee.

Today's total. Photo LV.

Tuesday 16th June 2026

Sam Hill and Mike Kushy. MK arrived at 1645, emptied the dumper, ran the extractor down Templetwin for 15 minutes, tied the white pipe onto the ladder and lowered the telescopic ladder down. MK went down and found a good footing for the ladder (which is a perfect height) and filled 1 bucket up. MK came to surface and winched the bucket up. SH arrived at 1730 and went straight down the hole and with MK winching 36 loads were cleared. The breaker was brought out and SH had first go for 20 minutes or so. MK then went down the hole with SH winching. 55 buckets in total. Lots of mud to clear and more breaker work to be done. Finished at 1945. Mike.

All photo's MK.

Looking North, before clearing.

South before clearing.

Facing South and looking at the floor, before clearing.

South after clearing.

Sunday 14th June 2026

John Cooper, Mike Kushy and Lee Venning. We all met at 10.00 and MK went down the hole first with breaker, 50 loads cleared. We broke for lunch around 12.30. LV went down next and a total of 63 buckets cleared, making 189 since the last charge. Supervised set up for LV by MK, 4 holes @ 600x10mm and 1 hole @ 900x10mm. Super sticky mud in the floor and the largest gap being 18 inch wide. Looks like we could be in darker limestone with a bedding layer perhaps. JC did all the winching. Finished around 15.00. Depth measured at 14.3m. Mike.

Lee drilling. Photo MK.

Today's total haul. Photo LV.

Sunday 7th June 2026

Morning Session. Mike Kushy and Hollie London. 25 loads cleared with HL at the bottom and 25 with MK at the bottom. Sam Hill and Callum Symmonds arrived for Templeton whilst we were having lunch and HL left for The Hunters'. 2 hours. Mike.

Before clearing. Photo HL.

Before clearing. Video HL.

Afternoon Session. John Cooper, Trevor Hughes, Mike Kousiounis and Lee Venning. John arrived about 13.30 to find the morning team having a lunch break having hauled 50 loads out. Sam Hill and Callum Symmonds departed for Templeton South Pot. Mike went to the bottom of Templetwin to load with John hauling and emptying. When Lee and Trevor arrived Mike came out and was replaced by Trevor with Lee emptying. Mike went off to Templeton South Pot to fire the charge for them. We heard this at 15.48 and soon after Trevor came out having reached 100 loads for the day. Lee took his place and hauling continued. Mike rejoined the emptying team and we called it a day at 126 loads. 4 hours for the afternoon session. John.

After clearing, looking North. Photo MK.

After clearing looking South. Photo MK.

42 times 3. Photo LV.

After clearing. Video MK.

Sunday 31st May 2026

John Cooper, Trevor Hughes, Mike Kousiounis and Lee Venning. Spoil clearing session, started around 2pm. Trevor started by sorting out some pipe for use with his extractor fan. Meanwhile Kushy was at the bottom loading, John hauling and Lee emptying. After 30 loads Lee went down with his breaker and Trevor took over emptying the buckets. At 56 loads hauled out Mike and Lee took a break. They reported loads more to come out. John then left. John.

Bottom, looking South. Photo MK.

Today's haul. Photo LV.

After a break we measured the depth at 13.7m (we haven't cleared the floor in weeks). A small ladder was lowered and 5 holes drilled to trim the wall in various places. All 10mm holes, 3 x 1m and 2 x 500mm. The objective was to give better ladder placement and fewer places for the bucket to snag when raising and lowering. Task completed and finally the extractor fan was tested with a successful result. Supervised setup for LV, cold and draughty for MK supervising. Finished just after 6pm. Mike.

Lee drilling. Photo MK.

Fumes being extracted. Video MK.

Monday 25th May 2026

John Cooper, Mike Kousiounis and Lee Venning. 10am start but it was was already hot and sunny, 25°C and increasing. Kushy to the bottom with John hauling and Lee emptying. Stopped at 58 loads removed to reach 100 for the last bang. Mike came out for lunch break at 12.30. Lee’s new counter was used and it agreed with the rock abacus. John left to go and drill in Frog Pot. John.

(Mike mentioned that it was very cool and draughty down below. Same set up as previous, loud noise made).

Lee's new counter. Photo LV.

End of clearance - looking South. Photo MK.

PM session. MK and LV drill and bang.

Ready for next clearance session. Photo LV.

Thursday 21st May 2026

Harley Bennett, John Cooper and Hollie London. Warm sunny evening. Hollie down for a before photo and the first session. Harley took over for the second session and finally John did the third. Hollie down at the end for an after photo. 42 loads hauled out this evening. Still more loose debris to come out. 2½ hours. John.

Before Clearing. Video HL.

After clearing. Video HL.

Looking North. Photo HL.

Looking South. Photo HL.

Harley hauling. Photo HL.