0662: Tonsillitis Pot
La Rasa 30T 449054 4793567 (Datum: ETRS89. Accuracy code: G) Altitude 665m
Length 109m Depth 61m
Area position : Logbook search

Updated 17th February 2011; 5th May 2022

   A slope down into the cave which contains a chamber and a 5m blind pit. The length is 25m with a depth of 15m. A visit to the entrance at Easter 96 found the cave draughting.

   The cave was named "Tonsillitis Pot" in 2022 after a substantial extension. The following description is by Alex Ritchie.

   A large entrance gash leads down a steep slope and climb and into continuing large passage in daylight. On the left, just before the slope, is another draughting entrance which has not yet been looked at.
    At the bottom of the slope are two ways on, to the right the passage quickly ends after 4m under the boulders of the entrance climb. To the left the cave diminishes in size to a short (?) with a strong draught which immediately opens out into a chamber 5 x10m, Fever Chamber. In the chamber on the left is a wide, 6m deep Sore Throat pitch with possible continuing passage at the bottom - this has not been dropped.
    Ahead the passage shrinks after 10m to a too small hole. Back in the Fever Chamber, taking the immediate left (after passing the crawl) a drafting crawl soon reaches an easy skydive into a chamber over a hole. This hole is another pitch, Cold Shiver, in a rift. Ahead leads to an un-surveyed passage that likely closes down (check). To the left is a boulder slope, that spirals upwards a before becoming choked.
    Cold Shiver is rigged rom the obvious natural belay. A descent past a ledge 5m down leads into a larger chamber. A further 4m descent lands on a large ledge with various holes that we presume, by testing with rocks, go the same place. We descended the largest hole using the obvious flake as a re-belay which turned out the be a fine shaft of 21m (Runny Nose pitch). At the bottom we turned right (left too small and chossy, but leads to same place). A short climb up and back down whilst protected by the rope leads to a squeeze onto the final pitch of 15m (Blocked Ears pitch), which we rigged from a couple of small spikes. This landed in a large chamber where the only way on without bolting up led down an easy but loose climb through a window into a final chamber with no way on.

References: card; material in file; anon., 1996a (Easter logbook); anon., 2011a (January, February logbook); anon., 2022b (Easter logbook)
Entrance pictures : 2011 : April 2022
Underground pictures: April 2022
Video: Cold Shiver pitch
Detailed Survey : 1987 : 2022
Line Survey :
On area survey :
Survex file : April 2022

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