SRT Practice, West Bromwich
Sunday 5th October 2003

More much needed SRT practice for the Juniper Gulf trip - 7 'downs and ups' (approx. 420') followed by sausage sandwiches and tea at the Bizarre Cafe and back in time for lunch!

Present: KEd & GSm

Rowter Hole, Rowter Farm, Derbyshire
Sunday 12^th October 2003

Juniper Gulf, The Allotment, Nr. Austwick, Yorkshire Dales
Saturday 18^th October 2003

The team and the entrance rift.  Graham Smith rigging.

Emma Porter negotiating the roof traverse between pitches two and three.

Mike Clayton rigging the final 175' pitch.

Andrew Cross about to start the long slog up pitch three.

The big one completed in a little under 6½ hours, plus an hour's walk each way.  Lovely classic Yorkshire clean-washed pitches - pity about the traverses between them!

Present: ACr, MCl, KEd, EPo & GSm + special guest Steve Tomalin.

OFD 2 to 1 through trip, Penwyllt, South Wales
Saturday 25th October 2003

Everyone turned up in wet-suits and neo-fleeces except no one had thought to tell the novice (Seb) who only has dry gear, that it was a wet trip.

We decided to go downstream for a change which meant two knackering walks up-hill, and it was a little bit more than the standard through trip, we took in Top Waterfall too.  On the way back from Top Waterfall we found the way up into the lower end of Pendulum Passage.

Keith fell off the climb up into the Great Oxbow but survived without so much as a scratch.

All of this was done in a mere 5¼ hours.

Present: SBa, JCa, KEd, CJe & BMa

Powell's Cave, Penwyllt, South Wales
Saturday 25th October 2003

On the way back up-hill from OFD 1 we completed the through trip in this well-decorated system.  We were particularly impressed with the "car tyre" formations and the fantastic reflections from the floor littered with "broken glass" crystals.

Present: SBa, JCa, KEd, CJe & BMa

Brickworks Dig, Penwyllt, South Wales
Saturday 25th October 2003

A quick look in the cave revealed that nothing had changed since our last visit in September.

Colin and Brendan took the opportunity to complete the round trip.

Present: KEd, CJe & BMa

OFD 2 Rescue Call-Out, Penwyllt, South Wales
Saturday 25th October 2003

After the rest of us had left and were nearly home Brendan was called out to search for an overdue party.  After a Land Rover ride up to Top Entrance the party were located in Gnome Passage.

All in all a very packed caving day.

Present: BMa

New Goyden Pot, Nidderdale, North Yorks
Monday 27th October 2003

An interesting but relatively short SRT trip in the far away valley of Nidderdale. Sunshine made for a pleasant day.

Present:  ACr + Tony Jordan

Gaping Gill (Flood Entrance), Claptham, Yorkshire Dales
Tuesday 28th October 2003

Gaping Gill was as impressive as always. It's a shame that the walk is so far with 160m of rope shared between two. Tony got hung up at the re-belay at the top of the last pitch, unfortunately he got off before I managed to rig a rescue. We came out into 100m visibility, it was more pleasant underground.

Present:  ACr + Tony Jordan

Tatham Wife Hole Nr. Ingleton, Yorkshire Dales
Wednesday 29th October 2003

A mighty fine pot which has some pretty decoration which is unusual for so active a pot. A damp but very pleasant cave, which exceeded my expectations. This was rigging practice for me. It was my turn to get hung up when my foot loop got stuck whilst sliding out of a tube - I ended up hanging from the rope and the foot loop with the hand jammer at a frightening angle. It's both a long way up the hill to the pot with a lot of rope and a strenuous trip underground. I felt like when I got out of Juniper Gulf.

Present:  ACr + Tony Jordan

 Ogof Craig A Ffynnon, South Wales
Saturday 8th November 2003

A pleasant trip to the Promised Land taking in the sights and side passages as we went in. The rigging of the Promised Land pitch was as interesting as we had been advised. A few pictures of the formations were taken before we looked at our watches and realised we were near then end of the Promised Land and five hours into the trip! A quick exit was made and 8 hours after starting out emerged to see the night sky lit up with fireworks.

Seb Ballard at the Pagoda, Promised Land

Present:  SBa, CJe & BMa

Notts Pot II, Leck Fell, Yorkshire
Saturday 22nd November 2003

A scaffolded entrance shift which has to be seen to be believed, a fantastic streamway and decorations second to none make a trip into Notts II a caver's dream.  Highly recommended.  Thanks to the West Midlands Cave Exploration Group for letting us share their permit.	Martyn Barrett and Andrew Cross in the Main Streamway	Vlad the Impaler and Andrew Cross in the Main Streamway
	Brendan Marris in Curry Inlet

Present:  MBa, ACr, KE, BM & PS + Colin, Fenella & Tom from WMCEG

Giants Hole, Derbyshire
Saturday 29th November 2003

The Round Trip arranged for Mike Cavanagh. Much to our amazement Mike did manage to squeeze down the Crabwalk and through the Vice, and finally complete the round trip - even trying to commit suicide on the ladder climb out (hanging upside down by your wellies is not a good idea).
A very eventful trip with lost wellies and lamps going out, but a good laugh was had by everyone - eventually!!!

Present:  PAn, PBr, MCa + Juliet, AGr (trip report) & MNo.

Giants Hole, Derbyshire
Saturday 6th December 2003

The Round Trip arranged this time for new members, Peter, Juliet and Nick. Rumour has it that last week's epic lasted 7 hours.  This jaunt was completed in 3 hours 8 minutes, so we went back in and knocked off Upper East and Upper West passages.  Then just for good measure we polished off both ends of Giants Cave.
A good time was had by everyone.

Present:  ACr (+ friend, Neil), KEd, JGo, NGo, PLi & BMa.