Bar Pot to Main Chamber and Mud Hall

Sunday November 3rd 2013

Members present: Gary Douthwaite,  Matt Ewles,  Nettie Alevropoulos-borrill,  Patrick Kelly,  Will Scott

A surperb freshers trip to Bar Pot and perhaps one of the most efficient ever!

David and I were not needed as drivers so, rather than spend the day watching telly, we decided to go with the Bar Pot trip. We went directly to The Dales while Gary went and picked up people and ropes at the container. This meant that when Garys car arrived in Ingleton, David and I had already had breakfast, and so we took the ropes and headed off immediately to Clapham as an advanced team. We got underground around 1pm after the usual long walk up and were able to get the entrance and main pitch rigged. We then rigged that second route down the main pitch (down the slot at the start of the traverse) and I had just finished putting in the last rebelay when we heard Garys mob arriving. Perfect timing!

We were ruthlessly efficient down to the Main Chamber, where the water was gushing in all over after a few days of heavy rain. Everyone seemed pretty awe-struck. We spent some time admiring the Main Chamber. Nettie decided she would dance underneath one of the small side-waterfalls and get a total soaking, proclaiming that she loves getting wet and loves it when water fills her wellies. Quite mad! We took a wander along to Mud Hall while Gary took some photos and then headed out. With both routes up the pitch rigged we were very efficient out, with only a slight queue forming at the entrance pitch.

We were out at a staggeringly early 5:30pm and we were back in York (via Bodrums in Skipton for pizza of course) by 9pm. I have been on numerous Bar Pot freshers trips, and none of them have I ever been out of the cave so early! Midnight returns to York are commonplace and so this trip was a victory for efficiency and fafflessness. Mark would be proud.