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Expedition logs:
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Translation:
The Battle of El Mazuco
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Expedition log, Summer 1989
A summary and index of the Speleogroup logbook.
(Update to full transcription in progress.)
Llanes area, Mestas, Socueva, La Borbolla, etc.
Date
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Activity
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30.06 |
(Friday) Mike, 24 hours after return from Seattle, finds himself
on a BA flight to Bilbao (an hour earlier than the usual “Iberia”
flight). Met by Bill and Elsa at about 16:15, then onwards in traffic
jams (hmmm... maybe Friday not such a good idea) to Llanes (with
sustenance stops at Ôtanes and Santillana). Arrive Barcenas campsite
9:45. 10:15 to Covadonga restaurant, where chuletillas mysteriously
become escallope... The Marques de Riscal was good! Town and
campsite very quiet.
Bill arranges campsite fee reduction (1350ptas per day). Diesel
fuel costs 55 ptas/litre – going up tomorrow to 59 ptas. Sun &
blue sky.
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01.07 |
Up at 8:30, Elsa has a shower while Bill & Mike take coffee on the
bar terrace. After more coffee with Elsa, we drive to Lubiesco track.
Walk starts at 10:00 up the valley we explored briefly in 1988. Up the track there is an ‘abandoned’ limestone
mountainette [sic]. This did contain a nicely draughting
cave-passage (old?) leading off into the hill. Passage big. but
entrance blocked by a rock. 7″ squeeze will require dedication
to pass. We looked at several possible stream-level resurgences
but the only promising one was under lock & key! We did find the
source of Río Dovedad – multiple (many!) small resurgences.
At 12:30, Elsa returns to car and Bill and Mike march up the hill
south of path to junction and shepherd in ruin. We are informed
of torcas and a cueva in the westward-leading valley (as
opposed to the eastward valley leading to La Borbolla). So admiring
(but not descending) the magnificent depression to the south we proceeded
up and west.
Up we climbed on a fairly good path past many smaller depressions
and saddles. Unfortunately there was no stream and no obviously
visible cave entrances. (However we never descended any of
the depressions.) The agreement was to return to Elsa after two
hours. We reached 550m to the highest (but not last) saddle at 13:30.
On the way back we mistakenly took a higher path past a couple of
torcas (not descended) and correcting ourselves we rediscovered an
old mine passage full of cow shit and mud. Drizzle was partially
welcome to cool off.
We returned to the junction at 14:20 and it was agreed that Mike
should walk to La Borbolla bar and Bill should return to Elsa and
car then drive round. Bill found Elsa at 14:40
and the eastern bar was reached at 15:05. Cheese and beer were ordered
and Mike duly turned up at 15:20. The track down to La B. was imaginative
(the map-maker’s imagination) but after 30 minutes jungle-bashing
a reasonable cowpath was reached. A small sink didn’t go, but soon
a larger depression with dry (it was a drought) waterfall with hanging
valleys above is worth a return visit. Could be hard to find from
La B.
Back to the campsite to write up log. To El Retiro for chiperones,
Campo Viejo (×2), cheese, churizo, etc., then back into
town (via fiesta in Pancar for fireworks and marksmanship by M (globes!))
to El Taleru, etc. Town seemed to be full of Valencian students.
Overcast.
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02.07 |
A slow start. Acuario for tortilla, then a look a look at Cueva
Geoffo (Cosagra), then lunch at Ortiguero. Weak fabada but excellent
chips. Back down-valley towards Rales – curiosity leads us left
up to Malatería village and onwards to Sucueva – accessible by
a very new road. Didn’t linger there even though hamlet overlooked
by caves – locals said they didn’t go. Elsa tried raw walnut: reaction
sufficient to stop Bill & Mike from repeating the experience.
Back towards Malatería – but first up a side-valley (S [at
Mestas?] and then W) which was idyllic. Find a cave resurgence
with a strongly draughting entrance which leads to a cross-rift rather
small, with water, but promising. M grovels in the cave. To the
bar at Malatería – here told of a large cave nearby used for shelter
during the War. Definitely worth a prospecting trip.
Back to campsite for a couple of hours sleep – and on to Bill’s
Birthday dinner at El Hornu. Green beans, peppers, avocado, anchovies;
merluza con quisquillas, merluza romano, chuletillas
– washed down with Viña Soledad. Back to campsite for an early
night.
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03.07 |
Up at 9:30 on a fine sunny day, the night’s sleep having been disturbed
by fiesta music until 3 a.m... Tortilla in Acuario, film purchase,
then on to Cueva Cosagra. Mike & Bill enter with rope and descend
the the pitch/ramp explored the previous day. A rift passage leads
to water, wading under an arch to noisy streamway. The rift continues
to final sump via a pair of deep pools. Bill slipped into the first
pool and was out of his depth! The final sump looks infinitely promising,
blue clear water under an arch, but the presence of divers’ handline
suggests it has already been dived with bottles. Washed in river
after finding pitch bypass via stream course to resurgence entrance.
Lunch @ 14:00 in El Viveru overlooking the sea. Patatas bravas
(again) and Bonito a la plancha. Next off to find the fabled
“resurgence near Bar La Roxia” (OUCC Trans CRG April 71: “At the
nearby village of La Pereda, near the Bar La Roxia, is another resurgence
cave, carrying a small stream which is used locally as a water source.
This was entered by the 1969 expedition, but has not been explored.”)
Follow the dry streamway up the hill – it becomes wet with a small
stream – but eventually in the heat and humidity we retire to the
bar for a cerveza. Back to the campsite, then at 9 to the restaurant
opposite La Viveru – beans with clams for Mike (doing his bit for
the Greenhouse Effect – regretted later!) excellent fish soup for
Elsa, etc. La Viveru afterwards for sweet frothy coffees among lightning,
powercuts, and (later) rain.
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04.07 |
It’s Tuesday, so off to Tito Bustillo (free on Tuesdays) – not a
bad cave (though paintings a little disappointing). Definitely worth
the visit.
The exploring SW of Ribadesella for caves – end up driving through(!)
a cave on the way to Cuevas (3km SW of Riba. Δ).
Back, via Riba. to Arriondas and San Remo Bar/Restaurant for traditional
menu: fabada (excellent), truchas con jamon (average),
flan (above average), coffee (good), and pan y vino (average).
600pts (£3) each – far to much (to eat) for a lunch!
Next stop the Lakes. OUCC just arrived really, nothing to report,
all bar one up the hill. Low cloud, cool, but not raining. Brisk
stroll about the lake, appreciating the view.
Back down (via craft shop) and along the Cangas↔Mestas de Con road
towards Rales and Posada. Up the track (now a road) through Bobiás
and Demués (stopping at Cueva del Agua on the way) and finally
back down to Con and the “main” road. No other speleo interest.
Back to campsite for a light pollo al ajillo, etc. at
El Retiro, before retiring.
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05.07 |
+++ In progress, to here +++
Back to Malatería to look for caves; met Angel, who agreed
to take us to a bigger cave near Mestas. This cave, Cañada,
is about 300m above the Socueva junction through dense undergrowth
and brambles (grid ref: 4966 9765). Angel and Bill explore 140m of
mixed passages, worth the walk. Lunch at Meré. Driving back
along Mestas–Riensena road we spotted a resurgence near Socueva,
near 4946 9777, to be investigated later (06.07). Also investigated
cliff face in depresssion near Priedano, but no cave. Back to Llanes
for Paella at Covadonga.
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06.07 |
Shopping for boots to fit the Bill. Then back to the resurgence spotted
yesterday. Three entrances lead to rift passage 20m long ending in
7m pitch (explored 08.07). Back to Llanes for quiet potter. More
thunder, lightning, and powercuts.
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07.07 |
East to La Borbolla via Purón campsite for breakfast. Up the
valley just west of village, then east up-valley to line of depressions.
The highest had a strongly-draughting hole (too-small, but class-A
dig), but the big find of the day was a fine plum tree, on the edge
of the same depression. Circled back to La Borbolla; a long walk.
El Jornu (Pancar) for a good, fishy, meal, washed down liberally
with Monopole. Met Antonio of Rales at El Taleru.
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08.07 |
The previous evening’s ambitious plans of a sporting cave were soon
overridden by general stiffness from the strenuous walk the previous
day. So, back to Mestas (via Acuario for tortilla) to explore the
pitch found on 06.07. Bill agilely descended the pitch with rope
and descendeur to 20m rift passage which ended abruptly.
Lunch in Ortiguero, then a long investigative drive via Arenas,
Alles, Panes, Columbres, and back to Llanes. Little of interest noted
(map in log). Rte. Covadonga for expedition dinner (Stuffed peppers,
Bonito, Lechazo) with excellent Marques de Murrietta 1983.
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09.07 |
To Bilbao in very light traffic. Hours to spare before flight; Elsa
finally manages to find a truly vegetarian meal. Bill & Elsa depart
for France.
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Personnel:
Bill & Elsa Collis, & Mike Cowlishaw.
Other log details:
Exchange rate 189 pesetas/GBP. Diesel 55–59pts/litre.
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