4th European Speleological Conference, Villard en Lans

Keith and Pete headed of for another Via Ferrata - Pete would do that and Keith planned to walk up to the top and meet him. Karen and I decided to go and see the Grottes de Choranche show cave. As this was at the further end of the Bourne Gorge, we took the same detour as the other day to Pont en Royans and on the way were flagged down by a van full of cavers. We had seen their white van at the Speleo Conference camp site car park and it had large red Cyrillic lettering on the rear. They were asking if we knew the way to the Grottes de Choranche! I told them that we were going there and they said that they would follow us. They did this until we reached the main road and they stopped at a shop.
We arrived at the car park and I realised the the huge bay in the large limestone crag opposite was where the Grotte de Bournillon was located. I had though it was further up the Bourne Gorge and would be out of reach due to the road works. It turned out that you could actually drive some 14 kilometres up the gorge from Pont en Royans. We bought some tickets for the cave and as we had half an hour before the next tour, we had an ice cream and a drink at the restaurant while sitting on the balcony.
We then headed into the show cave (we saw the cavers from the white van so they had made it). I had been to the show cave in 1990 while on the WSG Gouffre Berger trip and remembered it as being well decorated and it was.
Afterwards, we walked the short distance to the Grotte de Gournier where there were even a couple of dinghies! These are required to cross the very deep lake in the entrance. After returning to the car we drove a short distance back up the Gorge road and turned right onto the track leading to the hydro-electric works down by the Grotte de Bournillon and parked up behind two cars part way down as there was a closed gate preventing us going any further. We walked down the track and passed the power station and followed the path on the right-hand side which passed under a large steel pipe dropping down steeply to the power station. You could hear the water rushing down the pipe as you passed underneath. We followed on until we reached the impressive entrance (the largest in France) of the Grotte de Bournillon. It was a hot day and it was nice to get into the cool air near the entrance. We continued on into the massive entrance and stopped at a metal bridge which crossed to the other side where the cave closed down to more "normal" proportions. The water levels were very low.
After returning to the car we headed back to Villard to eat. Afterwards it was back to the gite to start packing up everything as we had an early start in the morning: we left at 5:00am for our 9:00am flight from Lyon back to Birmingham.

4th European Speleological Conference, Villard en Lans

Yesterday while we were in Lans, we had booked the Trou Qui Souffle for the five if us for today. Boyd and Jenny were attending talks, films, etc at the Conference. I got a call in the morning (we had left my mobile number as the contact for the caving trip) from a French caver called Tibon who asked if he could come with us as he had no transport. So Keith and Pete picked him up on the way to the cave at the Speleo information centre in Lans and we headed for the cave.

The entrance is right on the edge of the road at the bottom of a small rock wall and was discovered while men were working on the road. It had a bent tubular metal railing and was blowing a very cold breeze out (hence Trou Qui Souffle - The Hole which Blows). We parked a short way up the road and got changed. Pete and Keith were planning to do the traverse and exit via an adjoining cave called Les Saints de Glace, while Karen and I were planning to visit just the Trou Qui Souffle and come out the same way. Tibon was to go with Keith and Pete.
So, we let the three of them go first down the short 7 metre entrance pitch starting right on the surface just after 11:00am. Karen was next and after she had called "rope free" I clipped on and started down. The rope was a fairly thick 11mm and I found it had a lot of friction. When I got to a short narrowing, I found that I wasn't able to move any further! I called down to the others to tell them to go on (there was a 30 metre pitch) not much further in so I knew I could catch them up) while I sorted myself out. Next thing I heard was that Keith had injured a finger and was coming out! He had placed his hand on some rock as he passed and as he pushed off, he said his little finger on his left hand had felt strange. It seemed to be wobbling strangely in his glove and when he took the glove off, he found that he could bend the finger part way but could not straight it again without assistance from his other hand. So I returned the very short distance to the road and Keith followed out while the other three continued onwards into the cave planning to just stick to the TQS and return the same way.
Leaving Keith to get changed and his and Pete's rented car, I walked the short distance to the nearby connecting cave Les Saints de Glace. I soon found the entrance a short distance down a path off of a dirt track. I headed into the smallish entrance, which also was blowing a strong very cold breeze outwards like the TQS. After a short downward-sloping and low passage, I reached walking-size passage and soon reached a short pitch down large steps with a short traverse at the top. The pitch was this time rigged with 9mm rope and covered with slippery clay, black with alloy deposits from SRT gear. I dropped down the initial few metres, this time having the opposite problem of a very slippery rope! A short way down there was a Y-hang and another few metres to the bottom.
As it was so slippery and I was on my own, I decided that I had gone far enough and headed out to get changed. There was a group of cavers getting changed near our car and said "Bon jour" - but they turned out to be British anyway! I got changed and Keith returned after have gone looking for the entrance to Les Saints de Glace cave! We both waited for the others to exit from the TQS, meanwhile watching other cavers enter the cave - and coming out very soon afterwards! It turned out that they were mostly canyoners and were able to cope with the 7 metre entrance pitch with their gear - but not the 30 metre pitch further in!
Pete popped out followed by Karen and finally Tibon just after 3:10pm.

4th European Speleological Conference, Villard en Lans

Keith and Pete headed off at 7:30am to do the Grotte de La Luire which, since it had a 9:00am start and also involved 230 feet of fixed iron ladder on the exit (my arms still weak after recovering form a long period of shoulder injury), Karen and I decided not to go. Instead we got the map out and went for part of a circular route in woods on the mountainside above Lans en Vercors.
We stopped at an auberge to have a coffee and myrtle berry tart, which was lovely. We followed signposts to "La Belvedere" (view point) and when we got there, the view was mostly blocked by trees!
We wandered back to the original route and passed above the auberge and followed a track passing some bolted crags with kids being given rock-climbing instruction. After passing a skiing car park (obviously only used in the winter), we followed the road down to where we had parked the car.
We rang Pete and Keith and they were just booking in at the cave registration tent after their trip, so we arranged to meet at a cafe and have some coffee. As we were heading for the cafe we met Simon Brooks who had just arrived from his home in Ashbourne to stay for a couple of days as he was giving some talks about his caving trips. After the coffee we went back to the gite.
In the evening we we met Simon in the Speleobar and he came back with us to sleep on the sofa in the gite.

4th European Speleological Conference, Villard en Lans

After a crappy night's sleep and not feeling up to it despite getting up at 7:00am and putting on my furry suit, I decided to not go down the Berger with the others. Keith and Pete had left early to buy some insoles for Pete's wellies (he ended up getting some nifty canyoning boots!). Karen and Boyd left to do a relatively short trip in the entrance series. So I spent the day reading and dozing. Karen and Boyd eventually arrived back at around 8:00pm after having been to the top of Aldo's pitch and being held up for some time by other cavers.
We went to the Speleobar for a very nice chilli and met Steve Jones and Dave Harley from SUSS there. Keith and Pete turned up after 9:30pm after having been as far as the Salle de St Germaine.

4th European Speleological Conference, Villard en Lans

Keith, Pete and Boyd left to do a Via Ferrata and as I had promised Ralph to pick up some bolts he had ordered from Expe in Pot en Royans, Karen and I thought today would be a good day to do this as we had a trip booled into the Gouffre Berger tomorrow.
We knew that unfortunately we knew that the road through the Bourne Gorge was closed for road works all week, so we planned a longer, alternative route. First we dropped into Lans en Vercors to book another caving trip on Wednesday (you could only book two days in advance) to the Grotte de La Luire which Boyd wanted to so and was also a show cave. After this we drove the alternative route, passing some kids getting changed in caving gear and later on, another group of cavers getting changed.
We got to Pont en Royans and after parking had a wander around. When we left the gite, it had been sunny and the temperature was around 10 degrees C. By now it had reached 24 degrees. We then sat outside a cafe and had some crepes and coffee. Realising it was 11:30am and Expe closed for lunch at midday, so, after a few wrong turnings, we found the large Expe shop (it had been relocated since my last visit). I presented the email from Ralph about his order for bolts and they knew nothing about it! I rang Ralph on my mobile phone and we agreed that I would pay for the bolts with my credit card and we would settle up later.
After another trip to the Speleo Conference trade stands for Karen to buy a very nice Adventure Vericale oversuit, and the went to Villard de Lans for yet more crepes and coffee!
We met the others later on and after another visit to Villard, we went to a restaurant for a meal. Karen and I had a very nice Ravioli Royans which were small ravioli pasta parcels with a local cheese stuffing. Pete and Keith were happy with steak and chips!

4th European Speleological Conference, Villard en Lans

We saw Boyd and Jenny in the morning and the four of us: Karen, me, Keith and Pete, went on a mission to find a supermarket (they were closed last evening) and also a shop which sold Via Ferrata gloves for Pete. Unfortunately, we failed. The supermarket didn't open on Sundays and the sports shops we did try didn't sell Via Ferrata glove.
We returned to Lans to have breakfast in the Speleobar: a vast marquee near the camp site just on the outskirts of Lans. We paid one Euro fifty Cents for wooden plates and wooden knives, forks and spoons. After breakfast we went to the trade stands in a nearby building where Boyd bought two tackle gabs for the Orpheus Caving Club's trip to the Pierre St. Martin cave next week. I bought a Petzl Basic jammer at the Expe stand to replace my old one which was getting on a bit and the teeth were becoming a bit blunt. Unfortunately, there was also a Scurion Caving Light stand and I succumbed to temptation and bought one!
After lunch of Croque Monsieur or Crepes with Gruyere Cheese and sausage in Villard de Lans, we drove up to a very busy La Moliere, near Autrans and walked to the entrance of the Gouffre Berger. I know the route very well after having been there twice before in 1990 and also in 2002. It's a very nice walk starting at the La Moliere car park with clear views of Mont Blanc, and The Ecrins including La Meije, and we took a leisurely one and a half hours to reach the entrance. We found a small group of cavers (French I thinks) and a pile of caving gear. We had registered at the Speleo Conference earlier in the morning for a trip down to the Salle de Treize on Wednesday.

4th European Speleological Conference, Villard en Lans

Karen and I drove to Birmingham Airport to board an Air France Bombardier C100 50 seater to fly to Lyon. Once there we picked up the Citroen C3 hire car we had booked and drove to the Gite at Les Frier near Villard de Lans.
Boyd and Jenny had already arrived earlier in the day and had gone to Lans en Vercors to visit the Speleo Conference. We contacted Pete Collins and Keith, who had flown from Stanstead to Lyon, by mobile phone and as they were on the way, Karen and I decided to wait at the Gite until they arrived soon after in the early evening.
Once they had arrived and unpacked their car, we went to look for supermarkets (Karen and I had stopped at one already on the way - but Pete and Keith hadn't) and register for the Conference at Lans en Vercors. We then went out for a Pizza in Villard de Lans.

Walk Around Winnats Pass and Cave Dale, Peak District

Karen and I parked near the car park for Mam Nick and walked down the path in Winnats Pass then crossed the road by Speedwell Cavern and continued into Castleton where we had an ice cream!

After this we walked up Cave Dale, passing beneath Peveril Castle and down the lane past Rowter Farm to end up back at the car after walking past Windy Knowl.

Masson Cavern, Peak District

Nine of us: Anna, Ian, Julie, Denise, Graham. Scott. Lee, Karen and myself met up at home and drove along the minor road past Jug Holes wood and parked up. After changing into caving gear we walked the short distance to Masson Quarry and headed into Masson cavern just before midday.
We had a good poke around most areas and got as far as the gate to the show mine before heading for the surface to exit just before 3pm.