Hello

PJM496

New member
Hello all,

My name is Paul, I'm 49, unfit and live in Peterborough, Cambridgeshire.

I have always wanted to cave but, taking into account the above, would you all recommend I just stay on the sofa??  :unsure:

Looking forward to reading through the forum.
 

mch

Member
Definitely not! Get off that sofa, find a suitable caving club and get underground. You don't have to be superfit to cave, there are holes in the ground to suit all levels of fitness!
 

martinb

Member
I started caving in 2007. Then I was 45, slightly overweight by about 10kg, but had the advantage of living 10 mins drive from my nearest cave.

This year I will obviously be 55, I cave & dig once a week, and feel more spry than I did 10 years ago, have lost my flab/gut/beer belly, have improved muscle tone, especially round my upper torso (my wife of 34 years likes loves that!  :hug: ). However, I also do quite a bit of walking as well - that helps!

She appreciates that caving is a hobby/madness/illness (delete as applicable), even though she is claustrophobic (even under a bedcover  :blink: )

Its given me something to look forward to on a weekly basis - especially  :beer: afterwards. 

I've also done conservation work and audits, found new cave, investigated every hole I come across.

There should be plenty of ideas for novice cavers across the forum, but as I'm in Derbyshire, one of the following will suit:

Carlswark - Gin to Eyam shaft, Peak Cavern - beyond the showcave 'tourist' trip to Far Sump/Ink Sump/Buxton Water Sump, Bagshawe Cavern, Giants to Garlands Pot.

Undoubtedly others will recommend for other areas.

Try it, you never know, It's infectious!

 

damian

Active member
Most (not all) indicate their geographical base, but from Paul's posting, "Cambridge Climbing and Caving Club" stands out as an obvious possibility to contact (though I know nothing about them)
The 4Cs are a great club. They've just spent this weekend staying with us at the YSS. Your dilemma is probably whether you'd like to join a club that's near to home, helping with transport, or one that's based in the Caving area you most visit. I can recommend the YSS if you decide you'd like to be Dale's based.
 
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