Caving & Exploration (1954-2019)
Fossil Pot: Steve Woods & Mick Ellerton (14 Jan 2019). With thanks and a whole list of exciting nuggets of information courtesy of Hucky and Woody and with the Upstream Sump on hold I was keen to visit The Driftwood Series and investigate. Earlier trips had led to nothing. The first of these in a …
After several trips with Ian, which he documented - it seems fitting I add a little bit more to the tale. We have come to understand the demands of this cave, to love it, admire it, think about its character and how the nature of that cave feels very different to others visited. The fine …
(Main photo by Steve Warren). Richard Gibson says we White Rose diggers are a parochial lot, but in a very rare event he’s managed to drag us out of Wharfedale TWICE!! in 7 months. Anybody familiar with his digs would be better off at least 100 miles away when he comes seeking volunteers, but seeing …
Continue reading "The Secret Seven Go Digging At Ribblehead, by Phil Ryder."
Main Photo - Hucky, Gibbo and Adele in Howgill Nick. The new cave entrance (hidden) is just above them. Photo by Phil Ryder. NGR SE0233068385. Alt 450m. Length about 20m. Howgill Nick is a great big shakehole, and is accessible by a long walk from Yarnbury, above Grassington. It was first dug properly by the …
Continue reading "The Dig at Howgill Nick, Grassington Moor, by Phil Ryder"
Ian and Adele, 27/05/2019 The quarry face - upper tiers are foreshortened - big bands of sandstones and shales above 15m of limestone. We decided to survey the inlet between Vein Chamber and The Choir, not having the energy to face 2 hours of crawling to finish off Myers' Passage at the moment. So …
Ian and Adele: Several trips (March, April, May 2019). We investigated Myers’ Inlet and quickly deduced the speculative notes in Northern Caves were incorrect and set about surveying it. In brief we have surveyed 400m so far and there’s plenty more to go. In 2 or 3 trips we had data collected up to a 3m-deep …
Recent photos by Bill Nix of Scanty Lardos Pot capture many of the highlights of this ongoing club project...
Fossil for me started with a number of tourist trips followed a few years later with considerable fun via several club projects. The first finding Chris C demonstrating what happens when you attempt to drill out a hole where all the caps haven't done their business. The next finding Joe demonstrating Fossil's uncanny ability to …
Ian and Adele, 5/01/2019 After many trips into Fairy Holes, this final section of the cave had to be investigated. A previous attempt at a surveying trip a few years previous had ended when my companions lost interest, so I felt fortunate to have the ever-keen Adele in support this time. I had a feeling …
Continue reading "Myers’ Passage, Fairy Holes, Weardale by Ian Cummins"
Main photo - Abigail Rhodes in Compass Pot 2006. Photo by Steve Warren Length c88m Depth c22m The Explorers :- Simon Beck, Richard Bendall, John Clarke, Ian Cummins, Richard Gibson, Graham Huck, Phil Parker, Chris Smith, Alan Speight, Abigail and Gary Rhodes, Phil Ryder, Steve Warren For the last 3 decades the White Rose have …
Continue reading "The Compass Pot Saga 1992 – 2018 by Phil Ryder"
Ian and Adele 28/06/2018 The aim of this dive was to get through the narrow rift after sump 1 to check the status of the belay at pitch 2 - hoping to find some nut cracks to avoid hauling bolting gear through.....but the best-laid plans..... A scorching day in Buckden ruled against walking in …
Continue reading "Redmire 2 – The Underwater Beach by Ian Cummins"
Seventy Three Series: Steve Woods & Johnny Roe (19th June 2018). Pics by Johnny Roe.
Redmire Pot - Ian and Adele (4/6/18) After last year’s one-day effort with my daughter Beth ended in finding sump 1 to be choked with sand, I decided to return with a bit more gear this year. With two trips in to deposit two 3L cylinders and other diving gear, the obstacles down to the sump were …
Carefully, positioning my feet on slopy footholds, I looked ahead. The passage continued on in a similar manner but the best footholds seemed to further up, meaning I would have to climb upwards to carry on..