‘Bumhole’
An explore that features our intrepid draining hero, @tallginge, having an encounter with a giant drain-anus, in otherwise unremarkable circumstances... Bumhole is a short, culverted section of Shire Brook on the outskirts of Sheffield. I first saw the gated infall back in 2013 while out on a bike ride on the Trans Penine Trail, but then entirely forgot about it. More recently I had mis-recalled it as an upstream section of the Carr Brook, but it wasn’t until I came across some archive pics of the area (and then had a convo with @WB who, it transpires, had also been here) that I realised it was in fact and upstream section of Shire Brook and needed further investigation.
Having now re-located the brook on a map I took a solo visit, only to find the infall clogged and seemingly impassable without some kind of intervention. Returning a couple of weeks later with both @tallginge and @Esoteric Eric we were pleased to find that the debris and detritus had been cleared and entry was enacted with little drama, except for a squeeze and a brief but friendly encounter with a very flappy and colourful bird - possibly a greenfinch - that made a nice change from the usual startled, scabby pigeons.
The first section of the drain is a long 6ft (or 0.85 of a TG) pipe, roomy but relatively clear of additional features. This is the first time I can recall seeing corrugated pipe in Sheffield so it made a nice change.
This leads to a chamber with two possible directions, both of which are unappealingly small. The three of us first took the route towards the outfall (labelled ‘Sec 1’), only to be beaten by the thigh crushing stoop. No pics here. Returning to the chamber we then took the next, slightly roomier route (‘Sec 2’), which led to a smaller chamber and also became impassable. :-(
We returned to the main chamber, which I’ve saved until last as it’s the origin of the drain’s name... This atmospheric chamber proved to be an excellent place to linger and enjoy a beer (sadly only a four-pack of Carling and not the fine craft beer selection provided last time by @tallginge, but drain-beggars can’t be choosers).
You’ll notice that the chamber features some dramatic ochre-coloured mineral deposits dripping through the giant’s ring-piece from the chamber above that has both covered and somehow warped the ladder and other metalwork. Selflessly eager to provide optimum lighting conditions for our beverage enjoyment and subsequent photos, @tallginge ascended the ladder leading to the bumhole, squeezing himself adeptly into the chocolatey orifice above. Emerging triumphantly from the sphincter and the 30ft bowel, our hero was now impressively stained from head to toe in the drain’s anal-ochre residue.
Biofilm is the new black...
Cheeeeers....
‘Disorder’
After Bumhole this second, shorter section of Shire Brook is perhaps a relative disappointment. I did this bit on my own on my first visit; it’s a stoopy old brick passage which features a very uneven crazy-paving arrangement of stone underfoot and therefore requires slow
progress... It begins in Beighton Marsh, a nature reserve, and travels under the railway line into the River Rother beyond.
And the outfall to the River Rother...
An explore that features our intrepid draining hero, @tallginge, having an encounter with a giant drain-anus, in otherwise unremarkable circumstances... Bumhole is a short, culverted section of Shire Brook on the outskirts of Sheffield. I first saw the gated infall back in 2013 while out on a bike ride on the Trans Penine Trail, but then entirely forgot about it. More recently I had mis-recalled it as an upstream section of the Carr Brook, but it wasn’t until I came across some archive pics of the area (and then had a convo with @WB who, it transpires, had also been here) that I realised it was in fact and upstream section of Shire Brook and needed further investigation.
Having now re-located the brook on a map I took a solo visit, only to find the infall clogged and seemingly impassable without some kind of intervention. Returning a couple of weeks later with both @tallginge and @Esoteric Eric we were pleased to find that the debris and detritus had been cleared and entry was enacted with little drama, except for a squeeze and a brief but friendly encounter with a very flappy and colourful bird - possibly a greenfinch - that made a nice change from the usual startled, scabby pigeons.
The first section of the drain is a long 6ft (or 0.85 of a TG) pipe, roomy but relatively clear of additional features. This is the first time I can recall seeing corrugated pipe in Sheffield so it made a nice change.
This leads to a chamber with two possible directions, both of which are unappealingly small. The three of us first took the route towards the outfall (labelled ‘Sec 1’), only to be beaten by the thigh crushing stoop. No pics here. Returning to the chamber we then took the next, slightly roomier route (‘Sec 2’), which led to a smaller chamber and also became impassable. :-(
We returned to the main chamber, which I’ve saved until last as it’s the origin of the drain’s name... This atmospheric chamber proved to be an excellent place to linger and enjoy a beer (sadly only a four-pack of Carling and not the fine craft beer selection provided last time by @tallginge, but drain-beggars can’t be choosers).
You’ll notice that the chamber features some dramatic ochre-coloured mineral deposits dripping through the giant’s ring-piece from the chamber above that has both covered and somehow warped the ladder and other metalwork. Selflessly eager to provide optimum lighting conditions for our beverage enjoyment and subsequent photos, @tallginge ascended the ladder leading to the bumhole, squeezing himself adeptly into the chocolatey orifice above. Emerging triumphantly from the sphincter and the 30ft bowel, our hero was now impressively stained from head to toe in the drain’s anal-ochre residue.
Biofilm is the new black...
Cheeeeers....
‘Disorder’
After Bumhole this second, shorter section of Shire Brook is perhaps a relative disappointment. I did this bit on my own on my first visit; it’s a stoopy old brick passage which features a very uneven crazy-paving arrangement of stone underfoot and therefore requires slow
progress... It begins in Beighton Marsh, a nature reserve, and travels under the railway line into the River Rother beyond.
And the outfall to the River Rother...
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