Just got back from a good trip down Short Drop with Rachel, Julie and beginner Dave. We met in Inglesport Cafe at nine and after a quick brew were up on Leck Fell, changed and ready for the descent.Went and forgot the lifeline for the waterfall pitch, so we had to improvise with some rope that Julie had tucked away in the depths of her huge - vast white van. As it happened this was just fine,and served us well today.
It was a sunny, but windy day up in the Dales, and although it was a bit hazy, there were still some fine views to be had looking over the Lune valley.Down in Short Drop`s entrance series we made good progress towards the crawl, and although there has been rain during the week, water levels were quite low really.We made our way through the wet crawl with no problem and continued on to the junction with Masochists passage.
Short Drop is a fine hole with lots of variety within a short distance.Old,vast fossil galleries are intersected by smaller rejuvenated sections - and the main passage has obviously at one time been a major route for water draining north west, off Gragareth.We marvelled at `The Bridge' and wondered just how it had been formed and also had a good look at the formations and impressed Dave with our knowledge of geomorphology etc.
The waterfall pitch was reached and ladders and lifelines were uncoiled and three descended, with Rachel waiting at the top, while we had a quick scoot downstream, to the start of the climb up to Gavel, where we turned round.We returned to the top of the pitch, without incedent and made our way back, through the gradiose spendour of this Dales gem.
At the end of the wet crawl Rachel posed the question `Just what is Julie doing with a big van with a bed and ropes in the back'? I reposted that she must be a peripetetic hangwoman! Julie said nothing - silence is confirmation, so now you know !
Back to Inglesport for some grub and back home for a shower.Can't wait for the next trip !
It was a sunny, but windy day up in the Dales, and although it was a bit hazy, there were still some fine views to be had looking over the Lune valley.Down in Short Drop`s entrance series we made good progress towards the crawl, and although there has been rain during the week, water levels were quite low really.We made our way through the wet crawl with no problem and continued on to the junction with Masochists passage.
Short Drop is a fine hole with lots of variety within a short distance.Old,vast fossil galleries are intersected by smaller rejuvenated sections - and the main passage has obviously at one time been a major route for water draining north west, off Gragareth.We marvelled at `The Bridge' and wondered just how it had been formed and also had a good look at the formations and impressed Dave with our knowledge of geomorphology etc.
The waterfall pitch was reached and ladders and lifelines were uncoiled and three descended, with Rachel waiting at the top, while we had a quick scoot downstream, to the start of the climb up to Gavel, where we turned round.We returned to the top of the pitch, without incedent and made our way back, through the gradiose spendour of this Dales gem.
At the end of the wet crawl Rachel posed the question `Just what is Julie doing with a big van with a bed and ropes in the back'? I reposted that she must be a peripetetic hangwoman! Julie said nothing - silence is confirmation, so now you know !
Back to Inglesport for some grub and back home for a shower.Can't wait for the next trip !
