Trips & Reports

Having hatched evil plans for a trashy caving horror film with Phil, Tom, Julia and Alyssa, we decided to put the plans into practice on Wednesday and chose to film in OFD1. Julia and Alyssa didn't feel like doing it in the end, but Phil, Tom and Echo were motivated. So we shot our scenes within a few minutes; my tripping over my own feet whilst trying to hold the camera and about three more torches made the scenes look... read more

Climbing in a wetsuit is significantly more difficult than in normal caving gear! Ace trip. It was dry enough that we managed to get down into Mazeways - lots more lovely phreatic passageway :)

Awesome trip. You only really need a survey for most of it, though a description is probably a necessity for the boulder chokes and finding the way through in a couple of places. The inner circle is not a much bigger trip. But the grand circle rather is, and involves going through 'deep water' - a section of streamway with neck deep water. Neck deep tends to be nostril deep for me so count me out. Highlights include: tempting Jonny through... read more

A good adventure but shocking in places. Not for the caver of larger dimensions, or anyone with a fear of bats.

LOL a wet trip like this one is supposed to get full marks for scum= wet ^^ That doesn't mean that I didn't like it. On the contrary, I like any excuse for getting totally wet, and really had such a good time in the main stream. It was such a magic place, in particular Marble Shower Series which took my breath away. Wearing just the right amount of layers helped me to keep warm so that even prolonged stays... read more

A lovely trip with an unusually low level of testosterone. We did the round trip, but broke off before Lowe's passage to visit the Waterfall Series for a bit. We headed to Crystal pool chamber via the dry way and back via the wet way! Wish I had played around a bit more in that chamber as I am lead to believe there is some lovely stuff leading off from there... We weren't underground for long at all, so had... read more

I agree, it was a very pleasant and efficient trip: minimum of faff (whilst getting ready and going to the cave, not instead of it ;)) It was my first time to lead really, and I was a little bit nervous about it. There was no back-up Martin to explain things to me! But we made it to Crystal Pool within an hour and enjoyed a snack in this beautiful place. I totally failed taking pictures that truly represent the... read more

I'd been pretty nervous about the OFD 3 traverses after what I'd heard about them from various people, but they're really not that bad at all - and that's coming from someone who's scared of traversing! Got to the streamway but it was too wet to carry on up to Smiths Armoury so we made an about turn. I'll be back... On the return we stopped for a snack; I discovered mid-mouthful that my cereal bar was mouldy. Unpleasant. I have been... read more

(not sure if I forgot somebody)

Good fun. A few years since I've been, so I'd removed the crawly/rifty bits from my memory. A bit of a messRT fest for the bottom half, especially with the addition of a knot pass, but at least the y-hang for the last pitch now stays attached to the wall once it's rigged. ... read more

Mike and I arrived in the Peak on Friday evening with the idea of going climbing on Saterday, but we needed some Friday night entertainment and as the TSG was quiet and we just happened to have SRT kits and 300m of rope (my 200 and Mike's 100) in the car we decided to head to Eldon, getting there just as it got dark. For the first exchange Mike rigged East route while I rigged West route (the best of... read more

My last minute decision to come on that trip meant that there was no space in the cars left, so that I had to take the train up to Clapham, where someone was supposed to pick me up and take to the cave. However, when I arrived at destination, I got a call that the car was still miles away, and I phoned up John Holloway whose group had already arrived at Ingleton for breakfast. At last the second car... read more

Did I mention how good binch eating at a random fast food at the station feels after such a long caving day???

Intense.

The trip had been in the planning for a long time, and this was it. The others were off to Heron, but we didn't fancy that. Not one bit. We were going for it. Big time. Toby, as usual, was having a lie in, but I really did fancy the trip so whilst I knew it was cruel, he had to be forced out of bed. He did not look happy. It was pretty foggy as we left the YSS, but... read more

I gave it hard 2 for the rig, it wasn't trivial and provided some decent entertainment.

A really really fun pitch to rig....what is it doing in Yordas?! Ridiculous.

There's 2 things I never remember about this cave: - How wet it is and how much you have to get into that wet. - How long the walk is, it just seems to go on forever. But there's also a lot I do remember: - Face melting SRT which is glorious to rig and de-rig - Amazing passages and chutes - The connection through to Ireby II and the wonders therein Well worth a(nother) return trip!

Agreed. Ireby 2 has everything in it, SRT, horizontal bits, commitment, isolation (for Yorkshire), formations (best ive ever seen but SHHH) its got it all