Topic

Glorious day in the Yorkshire dales, this years summers day had arrived at last and we had a permit for the lonely curlew calling calcareous upland on Casterton fell, Lancaster Hole. We set off in good spirit and this continued for most of the day. The pitch was rigged with a Y hang and a rebelay at the ledge. We had used brand new rope and the speed at which we made our descents was very interesting, Stu did not have to pull in the lever on his Stop to let the rope run through his descender... It just did

Stu stopped at the ledge and gave Jordan some assistance at his first rebelay, all went very smoothly. We walked and climbed to Colonnades, a number of the party had not seen these magnificent pillars before, they are going through the process of a clean up, Ruthie felt the need to give a hand on a conservation day so if anyone can feed her some advice about contacts, then please do. We made our way to Fall Pot and down the muddy fixed rope and through the boulder choke into the master cave. Water levels were low we charged down to the sump and then up to Double Decker Pot and the interesting rope climbs and onto Wilf Taylors passage (always looks a splendid piece of passage).

A quick look at the upstream sump and then down waterfall passage. The ropes finished at the ledge so we shared descenders (or should I say, I borrowed Jordan's) and Alex rigged an interesting and exciting rope through the splendid waterfall ensuring that we got a pleasantly thorough soaking as we descended. All down we progressed to the exit, On the way out at Nigel's insistence we located the large and dangerous looking ladder that leads into Montague West, we did not pursue this line of exploration deciding to leave it for another day (incidentally have you noticed the different way Montague is spelt in the old and the new surveys, it would be interesting to note on which survey the error has been made). Nigel and Ales had a quick stomp to the pitch on the way to The Graveyard. We all made a quick exit out of Lancaster except Nigel who had a mini epic derigging .

The YSS rope had twisted and tangled around the other rope and he could not untwist it, the mischievous cave imps (are they boggarts?) were out that day because he would unwind the rope turn his back and it became a matted mess worst than any 'bird nest' that he has had to unravel on his fishing reel. Anyway to cut a long story and wait for his chums at the surface, short (if that makes sense), he continued out of the cave, Ales did a fine job assisting in the unravelling of the brand new YSS rope . All in all an interesting days caving, there are some fine passages and interesting routes close to the entrance of Lancaster Hole, cannot wait to do Woodhouse way
Time taken 4 hours
Players: Nige Steel, Stu Weston, Ales Harbrec, Alex Wallman, Susan Blackburn, Ruthie Smith and Jordan Smith

For furure: Number of us expressed an interest in a trip towards Cape Kennedy to see the unique calcified bat...

Thanks guys, really lovely chilled out trip

Sorry I missed it

You were missed Keith, sounds like there is a future mission looking for the calcified bat in Cape Kennedy tho, have you been there?