The Ariel round trip is a great introduction to the cave involving a good mixture of passages. Traditionally it is accessed by abseiling into Ariel main entrance however can now be completed having entered Ariel Cave from Persil Rift or Hopeless Hole. A number of sizeable rifts intersect the phreatic tunnels in Ariel which provides ample opportunity to extend the round trip. Some of these rifts contain excellent and unusual formations and so are well worth exploring. Combining the round trip with a foray down Ariel Tunnel as far as Brownsea Island and back is a fine sporting trip respectable of any caving region. Beyond tackling the entrance little or no gear is required.
This description outlines the traditional round trip achieved by abseiling into Ariel main entrance, however it can also be completed having entered via Persil rift and the Grand Canyon or Hopeless Hole & C&A Rift...
Having made it into the entrance it is debatable whether it's best to remove harnesses led down in bird poo or crawl to Piccadilly Circus getting snagged regularly on route to reach a more comfortable place to de-kit. Up to you!
From the entrance, crawl, passing a too tight rift on your right with a view to daylight, to arrive in Piccadilly Circus, the first main junction in the cave and the first opportunity to stand up. On your right is the climb down into C&A Rift marking the end of the round trip. Just before the obvious climb down, what initially appears to be a 'wall' is one face of the massive Eros Boulder. By either climbing onto this or an exposed traverse around the far side leads to the high level route across C&A Rift. The left handed fissure leading off Piccadilly Circus is correctly named Left Twin Crack, however it is simply the Northern continuation of C&A Rift and can be followed for a short distance. Directly above Piccadilly Circus is the exposed route into SOHO. The way on, however, is straight ahead down the phreatic tunnel; more flat out crawling. First, Tangerine Rift is crossed before the passage improves a little and then opens out at a wide rift, the Grand Canyon, where the connection to Persil Rift is found off to the left.
To explore Grand Canyon or find the connection to Persil Rift, descend to floor level beneath the bold step. This is free climbable however a short ladder (5 m) and line belayed through holes in the right hand wall a few metres back in the approach passage may prove easier for some. To the right the wide rift soon closes down at a flowstone bank with an extremely tight connection with Query rift. Even squeeze lovers are unlikely to pass this. To the left the wide rift can be followed past a wall of bulbous helictite until blocked at a choke. Just before the choke a strenuous 6 m climb directly up the wide rift finds a false floor above. Atop the false floor the rift is seen to split; the left is too tight but the right hand option is the enlarged connection to Persil Rift.
A bold step across Grand Canyon rift regains the phreatic tunnel which becomes increasingly taller as a vadose development passing some nice formations and eventually pushing up through a squeeze into The Confluence.
To the left is a tight passage which simply decreases in size, however it's worth wriggling into (once) to see to fine orange formations in the 'too tight' rift above.
Straight ahead, through a small tube, is the continuation to the further reaches of Ariel Tunnel, Brownsea Island and Squeezy Rift, eventually reaching the link to Sandy Hole. A detour along the continuation of Ariel tunnel as far as Brownsea Island and back will add approx. 1 hour 15 to the round trip providing a fine extension (see The Confluence to Sandy Hole for further details).
The round trip continues by doubling back right handed at the Confluence into a second phreatic tunnel heading back towards the cliff, Via Aquae Sulis.
A decorated rift, Fairy Rift, can be found immediately above (if visiting this area please take care not to damage any formations). Start by climbing up into the rift over a loose section to find an attractive area taped off immediately ahead. Continue upward opposite the taped off area to find an even more spectacular section of cave. The route from here continues downwards and ahead past delicate formations until becoming muddy and too tight. It's best to turn back just before it become obviously muddy and void of formations.
Via Aquae Sulis is followed first passing Nutcracker Rift and then Query Rift through an area of collapse where care is required to find the continuation of the phreatic tunnel. It is necessary to traverse over the rift at one point which briefly follows the route of the tunnel. This is straight forward and only requires a little care not to fall down the hole in the floor.
By climbing high up into Query Rift a superb array of straws and some excellent orange flowstone can be found. Ahead and below this is the too tight squeeze into Grand Canyon.
Back in the phreatic tunnel, head left and continuing along the larger tunnel which is now called Fool's Paradise and once again becomes more defined. Pass over two further small rifts. Next you arrive at the impressively sized C&A Rift.
For those who like seagull poo continue straight ahead on hands and knees to look out of Queens Entrance passing one final rift (Next to Go or Mustafa Rift) on route. The name of this entrance has also lead to the entire length of this phreatic tunnel back as far as the Confluence also becoming known as Queens Tunnel.
C&A Rift can either be traversed at a high level by climbing up to the right (North) or by easily climbing down to the left (South) onto wedged boulders and then heading back underneath the false floor forming the high level route into the lower part of the rift.
The southern continuation of C&A Rift is found by passing through an obvious gap in the flowstone part way down the climb to the lower level.
If taking the high level route, a good head for heights is required. After the initial climb up, it starts sensible on a false floor, descends over a couple of wedged boulders then ends as a very exposed traverse over 2 holes in the false floor to reach Piccadilly Circus via Eros boulder. The lower option however, is much easier. From the bottom of the climb down, traverse the rift just above floor level on ledges Northwards, before climbing over a wedged boulder and then dropping onto the floor where the rift widens into an impressively sized passage. Walk along this to arrive at an obvious climb up. Keep to the right and move into the narrower section of the rift which immediately opens out into Piccadilly Circus. Some may like a hand line here. Finish by turning left and crawling back to the entrance.
Trip time: 1 h 30 to complete the round trip excluding excursions.