Mark Wright said:
AR said:
Mark Wright said:
It's not just the Uni clubs that need to take a head count.
The Eldon did the same thing, I think for a similar duration, down Oxlow many years ago.
I've heard that particular tale from Bob Dearman IIRC, wasn't it immortalised in print as "The Dwarf Caver's Lament"?
Indeed it was. Keith Joule used to do an excellent rendition of it back in the 80's.
Gordon Parkin, the one they left behind, is still around. He was at the recent Eldon anniversary party in Buxton.
Mark
This?
CAVERS LAMENT
C F C G
As I was out walking the streets of old Castleton,
C F C G
As I was out walking down Castleton way
C F C G
I met a young caver all dressed in a wetsuit
Am Dm G C
All wrapped in a polybag covered in clay.
I see by your wetsuit that you are a caver
These words he did say as he watched me walk by,
Come sit down beside me I?ll tell my sad story,
Abandoned down Oxlow they left me to die.
?Twas once in this district I used to go caving,
?Twas once in this district I had my hey day,
Till press ganged by Eldon to dig the connection
Twixt Oxlow and Nettle through tons of wet clay.
They dressed me in wetsuit and gave me a shovel
And took me down Oxlow the very next day,
They set me to digging and then made their exit
Saying we?ll ladder Nettle you can come out that way.
Now when one is digging one loses direction
And in a great circle its easy to go,
And so that was how after eight hours digging
I?d done a great circle and was back in Oxlow.
?You cad sir, you cad sir, you?ve let us down bad sir,
Direction of Nettle an idiot should know,
For that you can stay here no booze and no water,
And what ever happens no DCRO.
