On Saturday 23 February, with Jason Mallinson, I revisited the boulder choke in the far reaches of Dub Cote Cave. It was a challenge to myself really as last year I'd foolishly offered to accompany Jason to the end. It's quite an arduous trip to the choke and involves diving and an awful lot of crawling. Nobody has visited it since 11 March 1984, and I was actually on that trip! If the choke can be passed, it has the potential to intercept the main Fountains Fell drainage system beyond the current Gingling Hole extensions. This was another surreal experience, especially when we were trying to remove a boulder that had dropped into one of the constrictions and needed to be shifted to get through. At one point I picked up an old lump hammer to try and knock some edges off the rock and suddenly realised that I'd picked up the hammer from where I had put it down myself - 35 years ago!! Since then, I've had a full 30-year career in the Fire Service AND been retired for five years!! The lump hammer shattered after about three blows, but Jason had taken a spare, unfortunately ruling out an early exit to the pub. I'm already looking forward to my next visit here when I'm 94. Very pleased to have done it though!
Full report in the next CDG Newsletter.
Here's a link to a VERY edited video of the trip.......
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xJwnL5NxhYY
Full report in the next CDG Newsletter.
Here's a link to a VERY edited video of the trip.......
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xJwnL5NxhYY