Freshers 2016: 14 October-16 October
The Belfry, Somerset
The first trip with SUCC for many freshers, including ourselves, took place in the depths of Somerset, at what we now know to be the well-loved club hidey-hole. The Belfry, ayy! Upon arrival, the place was buzzing with excitement by both newbies and club members, all looking forward to the adventures that would await over the course of the weekend. An evening of name games, a bit of boozy dancing, and use of the punishment wheel for bizarre mistakes followed, leaving many of us freshers baffled, but already feeling like members of the club.
Saturday morning found some people feeling more fragile than others as we split into small groups and chose our caves for the day, one of which being the Bath Swallet to Rods Pot cave, and vice versa. Whilst Jake started at Bath, rigging the ladder before descending and crawling the tight track, Ellie started at Rods, deciding to fall into a hole almost immediately?on purpose of course. Whilst Jake?s team was sussing and sorting the ladder, Ellie?s team found great amusement in adventuring every possible area of Rod?s Pot, making the most of our time in the cave..totally not because we got lost. With Paul unsure if we were even in the right cave, and the team unable to find the through passage to Bath Swallet, we turned to our Bertie Bat senses. Lights off. Sat in darkness. Questioning if we heard voices of the other group or if we were hallucinating them. Meanwhile, Jake?s team had made it into the cave and were on their way, thankfully talking loudly and having a whale of a time in their first ever cave for some of the freshers. Crawling down the through passage, the team were met by familiar faces, attempting to shimmy up rock to let them squeeze past. A quick catchup and the teams departed, following the reverse of the cave the other team had just accomplished. Rain upon exit of the caves simply helped to clean the mud off of our oversuits, and we trundled back to Belfry, one team raving to Pauls beautiful music taste; I come from afar, I come from planet Mars, I?ve come to stick your brain right up your fuckin? arse. The others probably sat in silence...how boring.
Unfortunately, Sophie couldn?t cave on the Saturday morning, after chundering in the toilet on the first night, and somehow getting stuck in there, she was dead the next day. Only joking, she did Goatchurch...might as well have stayed at home.
Enthusiastic chit-chat swarmed the Belfry as groups slowly reappeared, and of course, the alcohol started flowing and the party began. One very passionate group even went for a second caving session in the evening and returned to games followed by more games, followed by good or bad dancing depending on your viewpoint, followed by even more games, Nutella-cucumber fencing (earning Sophie her nick name as Nutella girl), dancing, and of course, sofa rugby?where both teams battled like Spartans and we?re still not totally sure who won (Definitely not Dan?s team though?).
A couple more fragile individuals were found on Sunday morning, and again we all departed in our varying groups. Ellie went to Swildons, where it?s actually incredibly difficult to get lost, and yet they still couldn?t find the right passage route. Jake and Sophie accompanied by Vlad, Mikey and Charlotte went from Rods Pot to Baths Swallet and back again. Jake tried to
lead them as he did the cave the day before, amazingly not failing miserably. While Vlad was still wanting to explore the others were just glad to get out. A shorter caving session than the Saturday, and the 28 strong caving team cleaned the Belfry from top to bottom that afternoon (except for Sophie she didn?t help); yes including the walls and of course the ceiling. Saying a sad goodbye to the beloved Belfry and the Mendips, we all began the tedious drive home, chanting ?Shithampton, Shithampton, Shithampton?? as we departed. All of us wishing we could have stayed so much longer and explored so much more. So long Belfry, we?ll see you soon!
The Belfry, Somerset
The first trip with SUCC for many freshers, including ourselves, took place in the depths of Somerset, at what we now know to be the well-loved club hidey-hole. The Belfry, ayy! Upon arrival, the place was buzzing with excitement by both newbies and club members, all looking forward to the adventures that would await over the course of the weekend. An evening of name games, a bit of boozy dancing, and use of the punishment wheel for bizarre mistakes followed, leaving many of us freshers baffled, but already feeling like members of the club.
Saturday morning found some people feeling more fragile than others as we split into small groups and chose our caves for the day, one of which being the Bath Swallet to Rods Pot cave, and vice versa. Whilst Jake started at Bath, rigging the ladder before descending and crawling the tight track, Ellie started at Rods, deciding to fall into a hole almost immediately?on purpose of course. Whilst Jake?s team was sussing and sorting the ladder, Ellie?s team found great amusement in adventuring every possible area of Rod?s Pot, making the most of our time in the cave..totally not because we got lost. With Paul unsure if we were even in the right cave, and the team unable to find the through passage to Bath Swallet, we turned to our Bertie Bat senses. Lights off. Sat in darkness. Questioning if we heard voices of the other group or if we were hallucinating them. Meanwhile, Jake?s team had made it into the cave and were on their way, thankfully talking loudly and having a whale of a time in their first ever cave for some of the freshers. Crawling down the through passage, the team were met by familiar faces, attempting to shimmy up rock to let them squeeze past. A quick catchup and the teams departed, following the reverse of the cave the other team had just accomplished. Rain upon exit of the caves simply helped to clean the mud off of our oversuits, and we trundled back to Belfry, one team raving to Pauls beautiful music taste; I come from afar, I come from planet Mars, I?ve come to stick your brain right up your fuckin? arse. The others probably sat in silence...how boring.
Unfortunately, Sophie couldn?t cave on the Saturday morning, after chundering in the toilet on the first night, and somehow getting stuck in there, she was dead the next day. Only joking, she did Goatchurch...might as well have stayed at home.
Enthusiastic chit-chat swarmed the Belfry as groups slowly reappeared, and of course, the alcohol started flowing and the party began. One very passionate group even went for a second caving session in the evening and returned to games followed by more games, followed by good or bad dancing depending on your viewpoint, followed by even more games, Nutella-cucumber fencing (earning Sophie her nick name as Nutella girl), dancing, and of course, sofa rugby?where both teams battled like Spartans and we?re still not totally sure who won (Definitely not Dan?s team though?).
A couple more fragile individuals were found on Sunday morning, and again we all departed in our varying groups. Ellie went to Swildons, where it?s actually incredibly difficult to get lost, and yet they still couldn?t find the right passage route. Jake and Sophie accompanied by Vlad, Mikey and Charlotte went from Rods Pot to Baths Swallet and back again. Jake tried to
lead them as he did the cave the day before, amazingly not failing miserably. While Vlad was still wanting to explore the others were just glad to get out. A shorter caving session than the Saturday, and the 28 strong caving team cleaned the Belfry from top to bottom that afternoon (except for Sophie she didn?t help); yes including the walls and of course the ceiling. Saying a sad goodbye to the beloved Belfry and the Mendips, we all began the tedious drive home, chanting ?Shithampton, Shithampton, Shithampton?? as we departed. All of us wishing we could have stayed so much longer and explored so much more. So long Belfry, we?ll see you soon!