Caving & Exploration (1954-2022)
Dowbergill: Fay, Jack, Bob Reilly, and Steve Woods (2nd May 2021). There's plenty of tales of Dowbergill trips and Dowbergill records. I’ve been reading Wim Hoff’s book recently. He’s a remarkable guy. He talks about how we are all capable of more than we think, regardless of the limits others set for us or we …
Friday 23rd April 2021 Tatham Wife Hole Jack, Fay, Bob Cattley, Scott Nixon (KCC) The good weather continues! Usual energy-sapping trudge up to the cave, in glorious sunshine. Once inside, the downhill-ness of the cave is very apparent, followed by the 2 pitches in quick succession to the decidedly awkward, snaggy rift. One last thrutch …
Thursday 15th April 2021 Ireby Fell Cavern Jack, Fay, Bob Catteral, Scott Nixon (KCC) Making the most of the good weather, off to Ireby with its reported wetter entrance. Except there wasn’t any water! Ding, Dong, Bell quickly rigged by Scott, just a little interest when 43m of rope seemed slightly shorter than the …
Wednesday 7th April Sell Gill Jack, Nige, Bob Reilly, Bob Catteral, Scott Nixon (KCC) Surprisingly warm considering it was 3°C and windy, but everyone was glad to be down the first pitch after a bit of tackle juggling since another party was already down (you need to be up early to beat the Junior Leaders!) …
Dow Cave: Mick Ellerton & Steve Woods (14th July & 8th August 2020). Dow Cave is a fab place for a mooch but there’s so much more to it than that. Both of us slightly rusty we'd accordingly decided on Dow with no particular plan. The walk to the entrance is always something familiarly special. …
Scanty Lardos Pot: Mick Ellerton, Steve Woods, Olly Rees (Over and Under) & Rich Hudson (BPC), 28th July 2020. It’d been a protracted abstinence. Various new ‘guidelines’ and details were now in place and to be followed. It was exciting to be heading underground finally though; a return to some semblance of normality. Anticipating this …
Wednesday 26th February 2020 Lancaster Hole – Earby Series Jack, Fay, Bob Reilly Contrary to all the gloom and doom from the Inglesport pundits, the road up to Bull Pot Farm was clear – well, tarmac strips, at any rate – and the view of snow-covered Casterton Fell was tremendous. No wind, so the change …
Thursday 23rd January 2020 Christmas Pot Jack, Fay, Bob Reilly, Adele, Chris Curry (Moldywarps) Gentle, though long, walk up in mist and fog straight to the entrance. Chris and I went in rigging. With 5 re-belays on the first pitch, we were able to keep everyone moving to the next obstacle – an awkward slot …
(Main Photo by Phil Ryder. Adele Ward in Goyden Pot main streamway with River Nidd in full flow.) Caver's - Adele Ward, Phil Ryder. Glad to be underground again with Adele. For once it hadn’t rained for several days, but the River Nidd was still thundering through the main passage. It was very hard to …
(Main Photo of Phil Ryder in Langstroth Cave by Adele Ward ) This week’s trip nearly didn’t happen due to concern about Adele’s long trip down when there was black ice about on untreated roads. So everything was last minute. “I’d like to take my camera into Langstroth Cave and have a play about”, says I. …
Continue reading "Light Painting in Langstroth Cave, Thursday 21/11/2019 by Phil Ryder."
(Main photo by Phil Ryder - Adele on Moorend track with Kettlewell and the glaciated valley of Upper Wharfedale). For four years in my teens I played the position of Hooker for my school Rugby Union team, and have suffered from problems with my knees ever since. Although I’m sure 48 years of caving might …
Continue reading "Moorend and Strawberry Pot by Phil Ryder."
Fossil Pot: John Wootton, Ann Rutherford & Steve Woods (Friday 9th August). I willingly put myself up for this trip thinking it would be a good work out for the muscles and give me a few hours off work. Plus neither me or John had seen our old pal Steve Woods for ages, so I …
Wednesday 7th August 2019 County Pot – Wretched Rabbit via Manchester By-pass Jack, Gen, Bob Reilly, Martyn Soliman It must be the Mendip Caver in me, but I do like this trip. Laddered County Pot, then the climb into Broadway giving entertainment in inverse proportion to a caver’s height, on to show Gen the …
Main Photo - Ian after a successful venture into Kilnsey Cave. Photo Steve Warren July 2018 In September 2006 a new face appeared on the White Rose Pothole Club caving scene. Ian Cummins had done some caving in past years, he then went into climbing quite seriously, and now he was back to try his …