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Out and about with Dudley
Caving Club
Some
trips and events which took place in January, February and March 2007
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Mike Noble on the way back up |
Snailbeach Lead Mine, near
Minsterley, Shropshire
Sunday 14th January 2007
A pleasant exchange trip via the Classic and Scenic
routes, after a BCA Council meeting the previous day for some members of
the party. A great place for training novices Dea and Steve on SRT, who
both did really well. A trip to the Stiperstones pub rounded the day off
with its excellent beer, food, tea and biscuits! Thanks to SCMC.
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Mike Noble on the way back up |
The Dudley Team: PeAn, MiCl, KeEd, BrMa,
MiNo, EmPo, GrSm, StWa & DeWi
The Shropshire CMC Team: Steve Holding, Andrew Wood
From SWCC: Idris Williams
From Wessex CC: Dave Cooke, Les Williams |
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Giants Hole,
Castleton, Derbyshire
Sunday 28th
January 2007
The standard round trip arranged for Derek. A
surprise member turned up while we were eating breakfast in the Woodbine
and joined us for a rare sighting underground. The route was completed
it just 2.5 hours
The Team: JiDu, KeEd, BrMa & DeRo |
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Tunnel Cave,
Tunnel Cave, Swansea Valley Area, South
Wales
Saturday 24th
February 2007
This replaced the rained off intended trip to the main
streamway in OFD and was organised as a SRT training trip for Del and
Mark.
After walking up hill to the cave Keith realised he had left the cave
key in his car! Nevertheless 1/2 hour later we were ready to
descend. This meant that the trip was shorter than intended and we
didn't get as far as the show cave door.
Chris Webb ascending the 1st Calcite
Slope |
Derek Robertson negotiating the traverse
above the Calcite Slope |
Derek Robertson negotiating the traverse
above the Calcite Slope |
The Team: KeEd, BrMa, DeRo, MaRo & ChWe |
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Manor Farm Swallet,
Mendip
Saturday 24th
February 2007
A wet trip into Manor Farm Swallet, Mendip which was
curtailed due to the amount of water just after the curtain in Curtain
Chamber when we reached the climbs at Fluted Pot. Still feeling
enthusiastic, we went and cleaned our kit in Swildons with a quick trip
to the Twenty and back.
The Team: EmPo, MiCl & StWa
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GCRG rescue practice - Pancake Mines, Doward
Sunday 4th March 2007
After a very wet start above ground, we spent several
hours practising stretcher packaging and handling in the Pancake
Mines. A very useful training exercise and particularly good
practice for Dea and Wal.
The Team: MiCl, EmPo,
StWa & DeWi |
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Upper Smithy, Cwm Dwr, Penwyllt,
South Wales
Saturday 10th March 2007
A trip to complete the passages in the Upper Smithy -
last visited in September 2005. After this we went to look at the
passages at the top of the maypole in Nether Rawl - an area that the
club dig is heading towards. The trip involved covering a large
portion of Cwm Dwr and took almost 8 hours.
The Team: KeEd, CoJe, BrMa, DeRo & MaRo |
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Oxlow Caverns, Near Castleton,
Derbyshire
Saturday 10th March 2007
This was the third attempt to bottom Oxlow for Peter
and myself, so this time we took extra people to ease the burden of
carrying the tackle, and slow but steady progress was made down to West
Chamber where the decision was made to start our way back out with only
a few members entering Waterfall Chamber. Exiting took longer than
expected as we had to wait for another party to leave, unfortunately one
of their members had became wedged in the entrance shaft (tackle bag on
his back).
The Team : PeAn, AnCr, AnGr, MiNo, MeWa & StWa |
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Rjuken, Norway
9-12 March 2007
A weekend trip to the
Norwegian town of Rjukan, famous for its "heavy water" and frozen
waterfalls for three days of ice climbing.
The Team: MiCl, EmPo,
Joyce and Tony Harrison (Cleveland Mountaineering Club) |
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The Outdoor Show, NEC
Weekend 17th/18th
March 2007
Four club members and one squeeze box attended the
Outdoor Show at the NEC to help on the BCA stand, manning the artificial
cave. The cave was a great attraction along with the squeeze box.
Saturday saw hundreds of people try caving - indoors! The squeeze box
was a great advert for the Club thanks to Dea's artwork.
A team photo |
The DCC Squeeze box |
The YHA artificial cave |
The Team: MiCl, EmPo, DeWi, CaNo |
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Brickworks Dig,
Penwyllt, South Wales
Saturday 24th
March 2007
The smallest dig team ever (KeEd, BrMa & DeRo) cleared out
the infill which had slumped in from the cross-rift over the Winter, installed
conveyer belt in the main dig passage, surveyed the system down the the
cross-rift and broke through into approximately 15 feet of virgin passage!
Details on the
dig page.
The Team: KeEd, BrMa & DeRo |
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Lower Pendulum Passage, OFD II,
Penwyllt, South Wales
Sunday 25th
March 2007
Derek Robertson in Pendulum Passage |
Derek Robertson in Pendulum Passage |
The Team: BrMa & DeRo |
Photographic Credits: All pictures
by Brendan Marris, except GCRG Rescue Practice by Nicky Bayley, Rjuken by
Tony Harrison and the Outdoor Show by Mike Clayton.
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