Hi all,

Can anyone recommend trips suitable for novices in Derbyshire? I know Giants but that's about it.

Cheers,

Paul

Not much more than a novice myself but Carlswark (Stoney Middleton) and Jug Holes (Matlock ) where my first And seem to be very popular with outdoor and school groups.

P8 would be another good one.

As follows:

Carlswark - Stoney Middleton - Gin entrance in and out or drop down Eyam Shaft by SRT or Ladder and lifeline and out the Gin entrance.

Windy Ledge/Bossen Hole - Stoney Middleton - Short but interesting phreatic tube - ledge is hairy but if you are careful it's not bad (taken groups of 11 year olds and not lost any!) - combine with Carlswark.

P8 - Near Castleton - good novice cave.

Giants - again near Castleton and P8 - nice easy caving until Garlands Pot.

Jug Holes - near Matlock - drop down ladder shaft just in main entrance and out of adit.

Wapping/Cumberland Mine - near Matlock - nice easy mine - mostly walking.

Great Masson Mine - near Matlock - similar to Wapping/Cumberland

P8 isn't a trip for novices, especially past the first pitch. I've also seen people struggle on Idiot's Leap, even though there's a handline on it. All depends on their confidence / experience.

Yes, Carlswark via Gin entrance (Stoney Middleton) or Jug Holes (Matlock ) would be excellent, then there's Giant's Hole to the first pitch, Suicide Cave (Castleton), Mouldridge Mine at Pikehall, Hillocks Mine, (Monyash), you can go as far as you want, Ricklow Cave (Lathkill Dale), Lower Limepits Mine (Ecton), St. Bertram's Cave (Beeston Tor, Manifold Valley), Waterways Swallet down to The Gallery. (Blore, near Ilam.)

I'm sure that there are many, many others too Paul, all over the Peak.

Mel.

Thanks for the suggestions, I think the club has got (or has on order) a copy of the new book on Derbyshire caves so I'll check that out too.

P

Hitch n Hike's website is also a good resource:
http://www.peakdistrictcaving.info/

When you say 'freshers' I assume you mean students.

Why not contact/join SUSS (just a thought)

http://suss.union.shef.ac.uk/suss/

IIRC Garland's Pot in Giants is the easy ladder pitch, a bit like the 20' in Swildons? If so, we'll probably get newbies past there into the meandery bit (the crabwalk?)

I do remember doing a fun round trip in Giants - there was a bit of an airy free climb and a wallowy crawl - does this sound familiar?

testgerbil said:

there was a bit of an airy free climb

Click to expand...

Climb down to the stream on the round trip?

testgerbil said:

...and a wallowy crawl - does this sound familiar?

Click to expand...

Giants Windpipe?

Bagshawe is another good one

testgerbil said:

IIRC Garland's Pot in Giants is the easy ladder pitch, a bit like the 20' in Swildons? If so, we'll probably get newbies past there into the meandery bit (the crabwalk?)

I do remember doing a fun round trip in Giants - there was a bit of an airy free climb and a wallowy crawl - does this sound familiar?

Click to expand...

I would not recommend the round trip as a good trip for novices/freshers. Yes, I'm sure most are capable of i, Especially if they are well shepherded. However, its a question of whether or not they enjoy it. Far better to take them to the lip of Garlands, then a quick jaunt round the upper streamway from basecamp chamber, rig a ladder/rope down the pitch there to return to Basecamp chamber.
It will leave them wanting more.
It is very easy to overstretch someone on the round trip, the crabwalk being rather long and monotonous, boredom sets in, then once knackered, its time to go up hill and then, when they're really knackered you tell em they've got to wallow around in the windpipe.
A trip down garlands, then half way along the crabwalk, only to turn round at some random point is also completely pointless as to me, I'd be asking what the point was of doing this monotonous bit of cave, only to turn round half way down it.

Save the round trip till the clubs quite established with a  good number of trips under its belt so you'll have weeded a few out and are only left with keenies.

[/2p]

Agree completely with SamT about the round trip in Giant's. We did it last year and though all reasonably fit and experienced, we were all feeling the effects by the time we got back towards the abseil back down into the crabwalk near Garlands. (We are all over 40 though, lol!)

Also:-

IIRC Garland's Pot in Giants is the easy ladder pitch, a bit like the 20' in Swildons?

Click to expand...

It's NOT necessarily easy if there is more water than normal, (some people have had to be rescued from the bottom of it!), or if any of your trip members have no ladder experience, etc., etc. Also we found communication from top to bottom was difficult with the noise from the waterfall.

You have to plan your trips with your least experienced party member in mind, otherwise they might get into difficulties...

Agree with Bagshawe though. We did the Upper Series on Sunday and it was excellent! (First time I'd been down there for over 20 years!)

Both Garlands (Giants) and Jack Pot can be serious undertakings in wet weather, the former has been the scene of one fatality and several rescues in the last few years. All these would (probably) have been avoidable with an experienced group.

My advice would be "learn to walk before you run". The suggestion of joining a club is a good one. Hitch n Hike will recommend one close to where you are based.