Topic

Quite a few of us and some try cavers met up at the entrance.
Gordon, Gary and I went on ahead to put the string in, and head on down the crabwalk to complete the round trip.
After the Eating House we went the wrong direction ending up at Valentines sump and Geology Pot. Explored every which way to find the way on, almost given up we met the others at the Eating House. Anthony dished out cake and after a chorus of Happy Birthday we headed on up the only route we hadn't explored. Made our way up and through the windpipe and over the top of the crabwalk back to Garlands - up then out.

I now know the way round

Gordon, Gary, Stu, Paul, Anthony. Ales plus special guests.
3 hours ish

Pics
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my bit gordon hadnt done Giants so dragged him along for the day

after two years of trying to get Samantha and Paul from southport on a trycaving even it so happened that they were going to derbyshire the same day as us, so after lots of facebook messages the trip was on.
the idea was just to do the entrance and a quick bimble down garlands pot , samantha abseiled down and paul came down the ladder , then there was the long trek down the crabwalk before turning round at the vice due to them having incorrect footwear and not having undersuits i didnt want to get them to wet on a first trip paul was to big and sam was to short to pass so all of us would have had to hit the stream.
making our way back up garlands pot and then having a poke around the upper bits on the way back to daylight. trip time 2.5 hrs

they are hooked and hopefully we will see them in the Dales soon

And My bit :-p

Myself Stuart and Ales intended taking the Round Trip (with the roof traverse back to garlands) with claire and Kerrie, It was Kerrie's first proper caving trip

We made steady progress down the crab walk as I was in front (big lad, tight passage), Much fun was had negotiating the tight bits with much grovelling in the stream until we met up with Team Finch who were almost ready return up the crab walk!

After a quick stop for cake and a very touching chorus of happy birthday our two teams headed off together for a little while until we were all up the slippery climbs. eventually we found the best part of the trip, A section to take your time over and savor the atmosphere "The Wind Pipe" It appears someone is taking the time to make some of it a bit bigger an roomier although the water level and head space in the duck seemed as small as ever our two novices coped quite well without a single scream between them unfortunately....

It then seamed a lot further than I remembered to regain the top of the crab walk, Kerrie was a bit nervous on the traverse and didn't fancy the tricky bit leading to the keyhole (and neither did I that day) but we had left to rope for the pull through at Garlands Pot... Nothing to fear though as I deployed my emergency 10meters of 8MM, Ales free climbed the 'third way up' Stu life lined me Claire and Kerrie and then free climbed to join us back in the crab walk for a re-trace of our steps back to the ladder and a pleasant stroll through the roomy entrance series!

Fairly full on trip for a novice but Kerrie wasn't put of and seems very keen to try some Yorkshire caving

Trip Time 3Hrs55Mins

Great trip, glad that I came, really enjoyed it!

A grand day out!

Had lots of 'fun' exploring ALL the passages in the bottom?! .... Until we met Anthonys group.

The second half was much better than the first half.

We did n't go down the pitch the other group seem to have gone down (?Where the hanger was?) .... we carried right on to the end and then gradually descended down into the crab walk.

Well done to the starters for getting all the way round/ as far as they did 'the vice' - with such little kit!
You must have been freezing!!
- It will be easier next time!

A big thank you to Anthony for organising. And to everyone else for a good trip!