cap n chris
Well-known member
Should newcomers be taken on arduous "If you ain't `ard you shouldn't have bloody well come" epics to begin with or should they be gently taken by the hand and mollycoddled around something simple and undemanding?
pisshead said:i'd say something simple - but not boring - generally simple is safer - we don't want any of them badly injuring themselves due to a lack of experience - also what's the point in putting them off on their first trip? don't want them to think they're not up to it when they would probably fine with a bit of practise - that could have been worded better - i apologise!
cap 'n chris said:"If you ain't `ard you shouldn't have bloody well come"
Do you know where that saying comes from?
andymorgan said:Obviously it depends on the person, a fit climber will probably manage more than some one overweight who hasn't done any exercise for a while. However the fit climber may get more claustrophobic... so you can't really tell beforehand.
I agree with Johnny, the different route idea is good one. When I took my younger brother on his first caving trip down Goatchurch, I was more knackered than him at the end :roll: and he wanted something more challenging. In hindsite I should have taken him somewhere else.
cap 'n chris said:Do you know where that saying comes from?
Yes, thank you.
kay said:Why should caving be about physical challenge?
If you take the view that caving can be about exploring a different world, rather than pushing yourself to your physical limits, then there's no reason at all to feel that you should "stretch them a bit" let alone "give them a bit of a beasting"
cap 'n chris said:"It's a bit Ken Pearce" is used to describe gnarly hardcore caving.
Limestone_Cowboy said:I can see the point in both arguments and have tried both approaches with our freshers. I have so far found that the easy first cave with interesting bits approach is the best and leads to the most retained novices who are after all the comittee of years to come. The one time we tried the hardish cave first to see what they're made of approach we never saw most of them again, saying that I did take one climber on his first trip and we did Deaths Head/Big Meanie exchange. He loved it but has never ventured underground again.
cap 'n chris said:"If you aren't bloody hard, you shouldn't have bloody well come"