Whilst I've never had a full night's sleep underground I frequently have a nap in a cave, I find the atmosphere pleasantly soothing, and providing one can get out of any spray and draughts quite comfortable. Sometimes there's a particularly grotty extension someone wants to explore, or perhaps a...

Well known I'd have thought, but always good to get these concepts actually confirmed. Presumably more of a problem in warm and humid climates, the UK show caves mostly suffer from a little lichen/algae. Continual lighting is also out of favour, most show caves I've been in have motion/guide...

It shouldn't be under-estimated just how tiring it can be for a beginner though. Easily 4-5 hour trip, wet and probably cold for much of it.

Surely you need 2 ladders to get to the bottom of p8? And the 2nd pitch curving over the stal boss is pain on a ladder. You could do Giants with just 1. Not much that isn't vertical. As above Jugg Holes can spend a while rootling about, and the other mines.

Suggestion from locals down south - pet hair remover rollers. Those sticky roller things, just run them over your clothes (socks leggings etc) after a walk through long grass. They pick up a lot of the ticks that are hanging on. Probably not practical en-route to the cave, but could help on the...

Somewhere on UKC is a list of 'worthwhile' Peak District trips I asked about a few years ago. Logimos post above seems to cover most of the best. I'd perhaps add Water Icicle as another fun one to tag in. Simple abseil in, followed by a bit of exploring. (and flat out bedding plane crawling as...

Presumably it's the entrance that counts as a mine? Or the original purpose? P8 is at least partly mined. Water Icicle etc, almost all the Derbyshire caves break into mines somewhere?

For a long time the coldest I'd ever been was early in my membership with RDCC when we decided to do Link pot in January. There'd been a hard frost the night before, but most of the trip was fine. I had volunteered to de-rig, so sat at the bottom of link in damp caving gear waiting for 6 people...

Does this include Diss? What's the current status of Mud Hall?

My mate had a bloody ammo tin too. My mate's favourite thing to do was, 'just hold this a minute while I check the route ..... yes it's this way' and you'd be left lugging the damm thing around.

Living in a city and working in the centre, means I have no requirement for a car for anything other than caving, and so don't own one. I keep telling myself I could hire one but so so far I've not found it necessary. It is possible to fit an entire weekends camping and SRT caving kit into one...

Notts 2 of course! Very surprised that wasn't already mentioned. In through Cupcake if you want a harder challenge (and out through Lyle caverns if you want an extreme challenge, some pre-rigging support might be needed).

Depending on which bit of Herfordshire if it's NEish you might find the CCCC a useful (friendly) club. Based in Cambridge, do weekend trips to all the main caving areas, and have arranged N Wales trips from time to time. Have been a bit quiet lately but a few trips scheduled for this year. Also...

How did your leg fare ?! - that looks like it's gone right through both sides! 😮 No horror stories from me, my oversuits have just faded over time becoming thinner, patched, repatched and given up.

One of my clubs has done in the past, but I don't think currently does because of data storage/protection issues. My other club doesn't. And then had a beginner turn up who failed to mention they had a loose shoulder joint which they managed to dislocate twice in P8 to some consternation all...

From my trips to Claire, a bit further around from Cork, you can have a lot of fun sporting trips without any vertical gear, or digging/bolting kit. All the caves there are young and active so vary from mildly to very wet. Wetsuit still optional Neofleece perhaps sometimes, but...

Mistral connection through to Link? Easy to get to, safely horizontal for heel dragging, only a little bit damp. Felt very committing when I was shown it.

Really impressive! Great write up. If I ever manage to own a 5mm wetsuit I could consider it (very unlikely). How much difference does being tall/short make? I'm thin(ish) but quite long. If duck 3 is sumped how do the voices carry through? Or does sumped simply mean there is a airgap but it's...

The demands the photographer made from their models became increasingly challenging.

How many cavers can I fit in a phonebox was deemed not challenging enough.