I was at the Gaping Gill winch meet on Saturday and on our way out we encountered something of a lunatic.
Our trip had been: down Stream Passage, out Flood Entrance; then back down Corky's Pot and we were on our way out Bar Pot.
When we had been in Stream we had encountered this rather inept caver, who was being helped by those around her, so we just assumed she was a part of the group in front of us. When I got to the top of the big pitch in Bar Pot it became apparent that she was in fact caving solo, and had no idea how to get out of Bar Pot. We offered to show her the way out and she followed us. At the greasy slab she had real difficulties and had to use her ascenders to get up the rope coming down from the entrance pitch. This inelegant manoeuvre took her about half an hour. Once up, we tried our best to persuade her that we were stronger together and she should follow us out Small Mammal, which (for those who don't know) is a far less narrow alternative, but she seemed to have quite a dominating personality and insisted that she wanted to go out Bar Pot. Her main reason for this Barexit campaign seems to have been that she was stuck there a few years ago and now felt she needed to overcome these inner demons.
At this point, two other cavers had arrived below us and seemed quite happy to escort her out Bar Pot. We headed out Small Mammal and informed the BPC members at the winch.
It seems that she was soloing this trip without the required knowledge or skills, and wholly relying on others to help her out.

Lunacy? Is this a hidden message?

I have a feeling that I know who this caver is. No names on here of course 

Peter Burgess said:

Lunacy? Is this a hidden message?

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My thoughts entirely.

scurve said:

...she seemed to have quite a dominating personality...

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Could be worse, could have been found prussiking up the bucket haul line in a 13m dig shaft which was held in place by a overhand knot jammed into the pulley at the top. Followed by tieing herself to a handline which blatantly wasn't the 60m entrance shaft only to get stuck a meter off the floor requiring rescue from the diggers whilst DCRO gathered at the surface. But that would never happen.....

Groundhog said:

I have a feeling that I know who this caver is. No names on here of course 

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Yes.

'Dominating' and 'Barexit'

I wonder if she thought it would be more "economical"?

Care for a punt Fulk?

I can't help but wonder what she told her client to do while she was underground...?
I definitely saw a man helping her carry her kit up the hill, but then presume he was told to make himself scarce or stay in a dark hole till she got back.

Hmm, we were also doing Stream to Bar on Saturday, I still haven't encountered this person either above or below ground and thinking that's a good thing 

Incidentally, following a useful suggestion from one of our group, I used my pantin on the top rope that was coming down the greasy slab... Brilliant, have struggled to get up there in the past!

I always just find it easier if I just jam my foot in the crack on the right I can shimmy up.

Griffin said:

Hmm, we were also doing Stream to Bar on Saturday, I still haven't encountered this person either above or below ground and thinking that's a good thing 

Incidentally, following a useful suggestion from one of our group, I used my pantin on the top rope that was coming down the greasy slab... Brilliant, have struggled to get up there in the past!

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Luckily they must have extricated (or encouraged) the obstruction before you made your way out, they were certainly getting excited and hovering around Bar when I was making my way off the hill.

About 50 years ago we (RRCPC) came across a man coming out of Henslers crawl at the bottom of Bar Pot with failing light lost and little left of the jar of onions he had for emergency use.!! We then took him round a lot of GG so as to not spoil our day(we were badboys +young (still am)  this backfired as he was beyond tired .he had to be pulled up everything !!he never spoke on exit nor did we see him again if he is reading this sorry

Many, many years ago I was abseiling first down the entrance pitch in Bar Pot and managed to get my hair caught in my rack - it hurt, a lot.  I was about 5ft off the floor, slowly sinking lower and beginning to panic due to the pain....

To my relief two cavers appeared out of the climb below on their way out.  Immediately seeing the problem, one sat me on his shoulders and the other helped get my hair free.  Grateful doesn't cover it - however I have no idea who they were - so if you're reading this - THANK YOU!!!

.....and yes, I keep my hair tucked well away these days 

I solved the hair problem years ago, having kids made it fall out
Josh W is good at getting help in Bar Pot, especially when trigger words don't register, "Like I fit" so it obviously bigger than average for most cavers, sorry Josh few more years to run on this one

although the first time down Marilyn was rather too snug, next time put the stop onto the cows tails still snug but least I could squeeze the handle

Ah yes - good to see that others are now 'sharing the load' as it were. Thanks for that. Hopefully by the time every caver in Britain has made the acquaintance, she'll have figured out how to do SRT.

Aren't you normally supposed to "figure it out" before you go underground, though?

Alternatively seek/receive training. Do It Yourself Brain Surgery, anyone?