Pitlamp
Well-known member
The farmer at Braida Garth rang me early this morning, about something that happened last night. Around 1:00 a.m. his dogs were making a row and he saw 3 or 4 lights moving around in the yard. Anyone who reads the Craven Herald newspaper will probably know there's been a large number of burglaries from farms over recent months in the Dales, some quite serious. Obviously concerned, he rang the police, who turned out in force, very quickly.
The police then met some cavers at the road end of the lane, who I think had quite innocently been returning late from a trip up on the East Kingsdale bench.
The reason the farmer rang me was to see if I could put the word around the caving community about visits to the East Kingsdale caves in future. He's been really good with us and I'm sure this will continue. He asks that, if folk are going into any of the longer potholes on that side of the dale and there's a possibility of returning late via the farm, please call in and just let him know that you may be late back down? Even if you don't expect to be too late, have a word anyway in case of unexpected delays underground.
(Given the level of farm crime generally, it may be worth doing the same thing in similar situations elsewhere around the Dales. Most farmers are grand and they just want to know if there may be folk about legitimately, at unusual times.)
If the cavers who were late down last night see this, could you please send me a PM? (There's no finger pointing involved ; it'd just be useful to chat it through, so I have better information for next time I'm at at Braida Garth; thanks.)
The police then met some cavers at the road end of the lane, who I think had quite innocently been returning late from a trip up on the East Kingsdale bench.
The reason the farmer rang me was to see if I could put the word around the caving community about visits to the East Kingsdale caves in future. He's been really good with us and I'm sure this will continue. He asks that, if folk are going into any of the longer potholes on that side of the dale and there's a possibility of returning late via the farm, please call in and just let him know that you may be late back down? Even if you don't expect to be too late, have a word anyway in case of unexpected delays underground.
(Given the level of farm crime generally, it may be worth doing the same thing in similar situations elsewhere around the Dales. Most farmers are grand and they just want to know if there may be folk about legitimately, at unusual times.)
If the cavers who were late down last night see this, could you please send me a PM? (There's no finger pointing involved ; it'd just be useful to chat it through, so I have better information for next time I'm at at Braida Garth; thanks.)
