Water Icicle Close Cavern

I joined Keith and Pete Collins, who had driven up to the Peak District yesterday evening and stayed overnight with us a s usual, to shift the scaffolding we had moved a fortnight ago as far as the gate, to Three-way Aven.
We met in Monyash café for breakfast as Karen wisely stayed at home in bed as it was already raining.
Leaving the café, I followed after Pete and Keith in Pete's car and at Derby Lane I saw a “convoy” of three cars just turning off the road onto the lane with 5 or six more waiting to follow them!
The car in the lead stopped at a large pool of water just past the tarmaced section by the farm and the others were waiting. I saw the driver get out and I did the same. He explained he was concerned about the pool but when I explained that it wasn't very deep, he was happy to continue.
The “convoy” parked on the grassy section next to the stony section of the track not far from where the soft grassy and muddy section starts with Pete's car just a short distance further along.
I got changed into caving gear and after a quick chat with some of the other cavers, it turned out that they were from the Combined Services Caving Club, staying at the Orpheus cottage for the weekend and, as I guessed, having a trip in Water Icicle.
I mentioned I was with two others already heading for the cave on a digging session and wished the a good trip and set of in the strong wind and heavy rain along the muddy track towards the field containing the entrance shaft.
I though if I brought my SRT kit in its tackle bag rather than put it on at the car I might catch the other two up, but they were already gone having dropped down the shaft. So I walked to the nearby corner of the field to get a bit of shelter from the cold wind and rain as I got my SRT kit on and then walked to the shaft top, clipped on a cowstail, got my descender onto the rope and clambered into the top of the shaft.
What a difference! It was noticeably warmer and completely out of the wind.
I abseiled down to the bottom and set off for the end of North-west Passage where I could here Pete at the the gate above rattling scaffold tubes as he moved them.
I climbed up the bolted-on builders ladder and as Pete went further down the scaffolded route through the boulder choke, I started handing down the scaffold tubes to him and he dropped them further down into the small chamber beneath so that Keith could then move them onwards.
Once all the scaffold tubes were shifted, I started moving the 60 plus scaffold clips onwards as well in three stages.
The three of us then shifted the clips to join the tubes in Three-way aven.
Once this was done we had a look at the top of The Elevator pitch where there had been a minor fall of some of the loose material while a group had been on a recent trip into the gated extensions.
Once this was done Keith and Pete went for a look at the end of the Cherty-two extension while I mad my way back towards the entrance shaft, where I found some of the Combined Services Club on their way out.
I noticed third rope in the shaft and they said some more cavers had come in earlier which turned out to be Pete Wagstaff and other Orpheus members on a digging trip in the newer extensions.
In the meantime Pete and Keith arrived and eventually we were all back on the surface with the wind as strong as ever and light rain.

After the rather unpleasant action of getting changed back at the car with wet and muddy gear, it was back to the café to warm up and aplenty of tea!

Kinder Scout

Karen was going to a spa with some workmates and I went walking on Kinder Scout again. It was a cold morning, but above freezing, and pretty windy.
The forecast was for a good morning but turning wet in the afternoon.
As the forecast was for a westerly wind, I decided to walk with the wind mostly from behind so I parked in Edale car park and made my way along the beginning of the Pennine Way then branching off towards Crowden Clough before the path drops down towards Barber Booth farm.
I always enjoy this route onto Kinder as it is always quiet with the crowds following the Pennine Way up Jacobs Ladder or the original route which follows Grindsbrook Clough. There is also a lovely river a lot of the way and an enjoyable little scramble at the top which was wet and a bit dirty but the holds are excellent.
After making my way up Crowden Clough I made use of the shelter offered by the top section near the path following the edge of the plateau to stop for a few minutes and have a hot drink from my flask. There was a string wind but it was dry so far with sunny periods.
I continued following the southern edge path right around the plateau edge until reaching the gritstone ridge known as Ringing Roger. I found a small bit on the eastern side of the ridge I have used in the past which has a small flat grassy area and is sheltered on three sides by the rock. There is also a geocache container there. I sat on this sheltered spot to eat my sandwiches and afterwards made my way back down towards Grindsbrook Booth and the Edale car park.
As I reached the village I noticed the sun had gone and darker clouds were making an appearance over the heights of Kinder above. Aha – here comes the rain!
As I was dropping down from Kinder I was passed by several others, some with rucksacks, some wearing jeans and down duvets, etc. heading up. Since it was around 13:30, it would be getting dark in three hours so I have no idea why they were leaving it so late in the day to set off. Of course now they would also be getting very wet!
As I neared the car park the first one or two rain drops tarted to fall and just as I changed out of my walking boots and got into the car, the heavy rain began.

As I was driving towards Hathersage to eat at Outside, the heavens opened with torrential rain and lighting as well to add to the fun.

Aquamole Pot

A repeat of yesterday morning with breakfast at Bernies to start the day. It was like the good old days of the 80's or 90's with with a crowd of cavers in Bernies, mainly because there had been a party yesterday evening for Dave Brook's birthday.
Anyway, while the others had various plans for the day, Boyd and some others were going to visit Kingsdale Master Cave via Valley Entrance for example, we decided on a second try at Aqualmole Pot with Alice joining us today.
Luckily not only was the weather better today, there were no cars parked at the usual caver parking places! Hooray!
We parked in a better location today and after getting changed into caving gear, we walked back up the valley side on a better route than yesterday to arrive at the shaft leading into Aquamole Pot.
Again Keith was on rigging duty followed by Karen then Alice and finally myself bringing up the rear.
Alice was not very experienced at SRT so we took care to remain fairly close in case she had a problem but in the end, she was absolutely fine.
One of the rebelays was very drippy so we put on the hoods from our oversuits.
We hadn't planned on descending the final pitch due to the time so when we got to the short crawl at the bottom of one pitch I waited for the others to have a look at the top of the final pitch-head as I kept getting various bits of SRT kit stuck in the crawl and I wasn't sure how large it was beyond a bend I could see. I went as far as the bend and then reversed back to the beginning of the crawl. After a short rest (and a Mars bar!) I took off my small tackle bag from my belt and left it and was about to have another go at the crawl when I heard the others returning.
So I waited for them to arrive and then took the tackle bag they had and set off back up the pitches to the surface.

Again, the usual routine followed: change out of caving gear and back to Bernies before heading for home.

Bull Pot, Kingsdale

Karen and I drove up to the Dales last night arriving at our accommodation for the weekend at the Old School House in Helwith Bridge. We met Boyd and Jenny Potts there as well as Pete Wagstaff and Jack and Jason.
At Bernies in the morning we also met Keith with Alice (who he gave a lift to), Brian Potts, Dave Phillips.
After breakfast, Boyd headed for Selside with Jack, Jason and Brian to have a trip in Alum Pot, Pete, Dave and Alice set off for Clapham to walk up to near Gaping Gill to have a trip in Marylin and then towards Far Country. Keith, Karen and I left for Kingsdale intending to have a trip in Aquamole Pot.
As we drove along the road in Kingsdale we could se the beck was flowing well after all the recent rain. Luckily it wasn't too cold (at around 6 degrees) and there was the odd light rain shower. We spotted three vehicles parked up in one of the laybys and I stopped to ask where the cavers (who had changed into their caving gear) where they were heading for? The reply: “Aquamole!”. And they were planning to spend the hole time “trying out their new 9mm rope only in the entrance series!”.
Rats.
In the meantime, Keith, who had got to Kingsdale before us, realised that Alice had gone off with Pete without collecting his spare SRT kit which she was going to borrow. So, he had to drive over to Clapham to deliver his SRT kit!
As it had started to rain, rather than start getting changed and having to wait for Keith's return, we sat in the car and waited.
Meanwhile, the other party of cavers were still standing around their vehicle.
So it was Plan B. We decided on a trip into Bull Pot, which wasn't ideal due to the wet ground and chance of rain. But it was nearby and the ropes we had with us would be suitable.
Eventually Keith returned and I suggested Plan B: Bull Pot. The rain had stopped so we started to get changed. The other cavers started walking up the valley side towards Aquamole Pot.
We got into our caving gear. Some of the other cavers still were making their way up the valley side.
We rearranged the ropes and tackle bags and then the other cavers had gone out of view.
We followed them up the valley side and saw most of them standing around the shaft entrance to Aquamole Pot!
As we were on the wrong side of a drystone wall, we found a suitable place to climb over without causing any damage and made our way along the Turbary Track in search of Bull Pot.
We soon found our cave and Keith dropped down the entrance pitch rigging as he went, followed by Karen then me.
In the chamber below the third pitch (we had used the “slot” variation to avoid any water should there be any rain.
Karen and Keith dropped down the fourth pitch and had a look at the top of the final pitch, which we weren't going to bother with as it only drops down to a sump and is rather tight and awkward.
I waited at the top of the fourth pitch as I would have problems getting back to the nearby chamber of there was any increase in water level, which was actually at normal levels while we were there, as the connection is quite narrow and I would have to crawl at the bottom where the water would be.
Soon we were busy de-rigging and re-ascending to the surface.
We walked back to the road via a more direct route and then along the road to where we had parked.
In the meantime, the cars belonging to the other group in Aquamole Pot entrance series were still there.
A quick change and then back to Bernies.
In the evening we met in the Helwith Bridge pub to eat at 19:00. They were having a darts, pool, etc event so wee only doing food until 19:30. Pete and Alice turned up after their trip in the Gaping Gill system (Dave was only up for the day and had gone home) looking food. It was 19:31 and they missed out!

Never mind , they managed to get a pizza and some chips in Settle later on.

Water Icicle Close Cavern

While Karen did what may have been the sensible option of going shopping with work mates, I met Keith and Pete Collins in Monyash at the café for breakfast.
The weather had turned much colder than of late with a heavy frost which helped Pete get the truck he had borrowed from work up Derby Lane all the way to the end. He had borrowed the truck to get a load of scaffold poles and clips up towards the cave entrance.
We got changed and started moving the scaffolding over to the shaft entrance and then down the shaft.
Then started the hard work of getting it all through North-west Passage and up the builders ladder to leave the scaffolding just outside the gate to the newer extensions.

The scaffolding will be used in the continuing dig at the foot of The Elevator pitch in the future.

P8

Although it was a dry morning, it wasn't altogether surprising that there was a lot of water flowing into the usual entrance to P8 near Castleton.
We could have clambered down the usual entrance even with the amount of water poring down it. It would have been very wet and cold, but coming out would have been much, much worse as it would take a longer time.
So, it was an easy decision to give it a miss on this occasion despite having changed into caving gear and walk all the way over to the cave.
As we were there, I thought I would have a look at the older, dry but tight entrance to P8 which was a few metres away.
Karen dropped first down through the small hole to the small chamber just inside the old entrance and I followed. It was noticeably warmer in the chamber compared to the surface and Karen had already disappeared down a short low and sloping continuation. This led to a rift section with a flat out tube continuing at head height (while standing on the floor of the rift) and a second continuation at floor level.
Karen decided that either alternative looked very tight so she came back to the small chamber as I was having a look at what looked like another possible route from the chamber, but turned out to be a dead end.
Once Karen had returned, I went to have a look at the rift and small crawling passage and they certainly looked to be very tight. There was sound of water coming through the lower continuation: the tight section leads to the section of the cave not far in the wet entrance.
We clambered back to the surface and washed the mud and grit from the cave off of our oversuits in the small stream flowing into the cave and then slid down the wet grass on sloping ground to wash the dirt off our backs.

It was a very short caving trip but at least we got underground!

DCRO Call Out to Gautries Hole

It was my birthday and I had been to work as usual and both Karen and I had gone to bed. Then at 01:37, the telephone rang and the disembodied voice provided by BT for SMS message delivery via voice calls started. There was a DCRO call out to Gautries Hole. I could here the rain hammering down so guessed it would be weather related.
After taking a couple of minutes to wake up and get out of bed, we started getting suitably dressed to be outside in the cold and rain. Next was getting other kit together quickly such as caving gear, hot drinks and some quick food.
I tapped in a reply to the SARCALL SMS notification system on my mobile phone and pressed “send” so that the reply message would get sent once I was in an area with mobile phone reception and then walked down Main Street to get the Xtrail and then park outside the house and start loading our stuff in.
We drove to the RV point (the usual car parking layby for P8) via Ashford in the Water and the A623 via Sparrowpit arriving to join other vehicles already there after a travel time of 35 minutes at 02:14. After checking in, I sent a text message to my line manager at work to say I would not be in in the morning.
The incident involved a group of 3 cavers who had been on an evening digging session and after the heavy rain, the section of cave between them and the entrance had sumped. Their wives initiated the call out after they hadn't arrived home as expected.
Three cave divers had been called out and had dived through to find the digging team with no problems, just trapped by the sump.
The decision was taken to bring the diggers out through the sump.
Karen was manning (womanning?) the radio in the DCRO vehicle and I set off for the cave with two air bottles in case they were needed by the divers. The path around the depression containing the entrance to the cave was very muddy and required care to prevent falling and adding to the number of casualties. It was also tricky finding the cave location in the dark despite it only being a short distance from the road.
A small number of us were waiting by the entrance and I could here water flowing inside. After what seemed a relatively short period, the first caver arrived after having been brought through the sump.
Myself and two others accompanied him, after he had been given one of the team Mountain Equipment insulated jackets, back to the parking space so that he could check in and get changed out of wet caving gear. The process was repeated for the remaining two cavers.
Soon all the DCRO kit used was also back at the vehicle and after checking all the kit had been retrieved and everyone had been logged as leaving the incident, we set off for home after 04:20.
By the time the car was unloaded and a few things put away, we managed to be back in bed for 05:15.

I stayed at home having taken the day off from work and getting up at 09:30, while Karen had been up at the normal time of 07:30 and managed to spend a normal day at work.

Kinder Scout

Another return to Kinder. I know its not very imaginative, but I always enjoy walking on Derbyshire's highest location. This time I parked in the layby near Upper Booth and walked across the fields to Edale. I managed to slide on muddy grass as I stepped of the paving slabs to let a couple coming the other way get past and ended up with a muddy knee, sleeve and one cheek of my bum! I also managed to slightly bend the end of one walking pole but managed to straighten it again by carefully bending it while it was stuck in a gap in one of the field walls.
When I reached the junction with the start of the Pennine Way coming for Edale and the route up Grindslow Knoll, I washed off most the the mud in a small stream next to the path.
Repeating a section of yesterday's walk, I started up Grindslow Knoll, only this time it was quite a bit colder (just around freezing point) and the air was clear and drier so I was nowhere near as warm as yesterday.
As I was walking up the steeper stepped section of path near the top, I head an odd squeaking noise and paused to have a look around. I then spotted a large skein of geese flying in several “V” formations flying overhead from the direction of Grindsbrook Clough and the odd noise was their continuous “honking” as they flew!
At the top of the Knoll, I stopped again, like yesterday, but instead of to cool down, this time it was to put on a Mountain Equipment Shadow Hoodie fleece jacket as it was so chilly and I had now reached a windy section, Up to then there had been hardly any wind and I was walking uphill so just the Paramo Aspira smock I was wearing had been warm enough.
I also had a quick hot drink from my flask and then continued.
Reaching the top of Grindsbrook Clough, I turned left to follow the large stone slabs forming the pathway and headed in the direction of Crowden Clough to the west. I saw several runners heading along the path at the top of Crowden Clough and met on who asked if we were at Crowden Clough – it must have been some sort of event.
Continuing on, it became very windy and streams if mist were blowing across the plateau as I made my way through the natural sculpture park called The Woolpacks and near the large rock outcrop called the Pagoda I found a small bench-like clump of mossy grass by some boulders which was mostly sheltered from the biting wind and I sat there to eat my sandwich and have a hot drink. I put on my Paramo Torres gilet to keep warm and ended up leaving it on afterwards until I reached the top of the footpath down Jacob's Ladder.
As I was finishing lunch, there was a light snow shower and the wind seemed to increase. So I packed everything up and continued on my way following the path below Edale Rocks and then down Jacob's Ladder.
When I reached the bottom of the stepped section of the path just above the old packhorse bridge, I saw there mountain bikers coming down the bridleway section which this short section of path provides an alternative. The guy in the lead was walking wheeling two bikes along and a second guy was carefully walking slowly behind while the third followed slowly on his bike.
I asked the first guy if the guy walking had come off and he said that he had and had broken his cycling helmet so it must have been with some force. I asked if he had been knocked out at all and he said he hadn't and was happy to continue slowly.

I polished off the last of my hot chocolate from my flask and made my way back to my starting point.

Kinder Scout

Karen had been having pain from a bruised heel and as it was still playing up she decided to continue taking it easy so again I returned to Kinder Scout. I repeated the walk I did on New Years Eve: up via Grindslow Knoll down via Ringing Roger.
The weather forecast had bee for yet more wind and gales but these failed to materialise although it was misty on the top of the plateau.
I left the car park in Edale and started up Grindlow Knoll and found it fairly warm and sweaty. Although it was still cool at around 5 or 6 degrees Centigrade, with the mist the air must have been very humid, plus I was moving fairly swiftly up hill.
I stopped on the lee side of the Knoll to have a breather and cool down and also a drink from my flask. As I was sitting there on piece of insulating pad I always carry in my rucksack, I heard some voices and three walkers: two men and a woman appeared out of the mist following the path skirting the Knoll on the Grindsbrook side.
One of the men asked if I could read a map and pointed at Kinder Downfall on his map saying that was their destination. He then pointed at another location and asked if that was where we were. I didn't pay attention to exactly where he was pointing as I could see it was nowhere near Grindslow Knoll so I corrected him and showed him where we really were. They had followed the route up Grindsbrook from Edale and turned sharp left to get where they were.
He was surprised at how far out he was from where he thought he was! He pointed at the green dashed line following the original route of Pennine Way heading for Kinder Downfall and asked where that path was.
I explained that there was no path, that the line was only showing the route of a Public Right of Way and showed him the symbol for a path on the ground (black dashed line). He was happy with my suggestion of following the path from the top of Grindsbrook Clough on the slabs a or well-worn path following the plateau edge heading for the top of Jacob' Ladder seeing as they weren't confident at map reading nor had a compass and it was misty! They decided to do this and at the junction of the path which heads towards the Downfall, they would decide wheter to walk tot he Downfall and back to return to Edale via Jacob's Ladder or just go straight back to Edale via this route leaving the Downfall for another day.
I continued on my way around the top of Grindsbrook Clough and along the edge path heading towards Ringing Roger.

At about Noon, I stopped in the lee of a boulder to have lunch, then proceeded again towards Ringing Roger and then down back to Edale.