GarDouth
Administrator
On Saturday 9th February 2019, York Caving Club celebrated our ten year anniversary!
We formed on the 1st January 2009, although our first trip didn?t happen for nearly two months; a highly unsuccessful trip down Growling Hole, involving two members making it underground (just), two members not, and one getting wedged in the entrance by a giant Toblerone.
Five of us, all active cavers with York University Cave and Pothole Club, saw a need to try to keep some of the older (i.e. non-student) cavers engaged with the sport. The club was thus formed to try to ensure people could continue with caving beyond the university club, while still being available to help the students out when required. It was a slow first five years but we kept at it, trying all different strategies to encourage people to get involved. Over the past 3-4 years in particular the club has flourished with new members. Going into 2019, we have 29 members, the majority of who are underground regularly.
Caving in York is truly thriving, both via York Caving Club, and also YUCPC ,which continues to go from strength to strength thanks to the student?s enthusiasm and hard work.
We celebrated our anniversary with a trip to Excalibur Pot, which was a joint YCC/Scarborough CC discovery in 2007 (actually before YCC was formed, but the same people were involved). The landowner had given thumbs up to a larger than normal group for the occasion, and we ended up with 13 members down the cave. It was in flood, and usually we advise against descending in these conditions. However, after ten years digging there, we had sufficient confidence in the hydrology, knowing what bits are passable, and recognising the underground signs of rising/abnormal water, to head down there. We had a great wet trip to the well decorated main streamway.
In the evening about 25 members and guests met at The Black Swan in York for a ?Pie and Pud? dinner plus beer, a presentation from founder members, and then cutting of a lovely chocolate cake.
It was great to see such a fantastic turnout, and a thoroughly enjoyable and successful evening. Thank you to all of our members, past and present, who have supported the club for the last ten years and helped to keep York on the caving map. We?re looking forward to many more adventures over the next ten years!
(2nd photo is four of the five founder members)
We formed on the 1st January 2009, although our first trip didn?t happen for nearly two months; a highly unsuccessful trip down Growling Hole, involving two members making it underground (just), two members not, and one getting wedged in the entrance by a giant Toblerone.
Five of us, all active cavers with York University Cave and Pothole Club, saw a need to try to keep some of the older (i.e. non-student) cavers engaged with the sport. The club was thus formed to try to ensure people could continue with caving beyond the university club, while still being available to help the students out when required. It was a slow first five years but we kept at it, trying all different strategies to encourage people to get involved. Over the past 3-4 years in particular the club has flourished with new members. Going into 2019, we have 29 members, the majority of who are underground regularly.
Caving in York is truly thriving, both via York Caving Club, and also YUCPC ,which continues to go from strength to strength thanks to the student?s enthusiasm and hard work.
We celebrated our anniversary with a trip to Excalibur Pot, which was a joint YCC/Scarborough CC discovery in 2007 (actually before YCC was formed, but the same people were involved). The landowner had given thumbs up to a larger than normal group for the occasion, and we ended up with 13 members down the cave. It was in flood, and usually we advise against descending in these conditions. However, after ten years digging there, we had sufficient confidence in the hydrology, knowing what bits are passable, and recognising the underground signs of rising/abnormal water, to head down there. We had a great wet trip to the well decorated main streamway.
In the evening about 25 members and guests met at The Black Swan in York for a ?Pie and Pud? dinner plus beer, a presentation from founder members, and then cutting of a lovely chocolate cake.
It was great to see such a fantastic turnout, and a thoroughly enjoyable and successful evening. Thank you to all of our members, past and present, who have supported the club for the last ten years and helped to keep York on the caving map. We?re looking forward to many more adventures over the next ten years!
(2nd photo is four of the five founder members)