Recent content by caving_fox

Well known I'd have thought, but always good to get these concepts actually confirmed. Presumably more of a problem in warm and humid climates, the UK show caves mostly suffer from a little lichen/algae. Continual lighting is also out of favour, most show caves I've been in have motion/guide...

It shouldn't be under-estimated just how tiring it can be for a beginner though. Easily 4-5 hour trip, wet and probably cold for much of it.

Surely you need 2 ladders to get to the bottom of p8? And the 2nd pitch curving over the stal boss is pain on a ladder. You could do Giants with just 1. Not much that isn't vertical. As above Jugg Holes can spend a while rootling about, and the other mines.

Suggestion from locals down south - pet hair remover rollers. Those sticky roller things, just run them over your clothes (socks leggings etc) after a walk through long grass. They pick up a lot of the ticks that are hanging on. Probably not practical en-route to the cave, but could help on the...

Somewhere on UKC is a list of 'worthwhile' Peak District trips I asked about a few years ago. Logimos post above seems to cover most of the best. I'd perhaps add Water Icicle as another fun one to tag in. Simple abseil in, followed by a bit of exploring. (and flat out bedding plane crawling as...

Presumably it's the entrance that counts as a mine? Or the original purpose? P8 is at least partly mined. Water Icicle etc, almost all the Derbyshire caves break into mines somewhere?

For a long time the coldest I'd ever been was early in my membership with RDCC when we decided to do Link pot in January. There'd been a hard frost the night before, but most of the trip was fine. I had volunteered to de-rig, so sat at the bottom of link in damp caving gear waiting for 6 people...

Does this include Diss? What's the current status of Mud Hall?

My mate had a bloody ammo tin too. My mate's favourite thing to do was, 'just hold this a minute while I check the route ..... yes it's this way' and you'd be left lugging the damm thing around.

Living in a city and working in the centre, means I have no requirement for a car for anything other than caving, and so don't own one. I keep telling myself I could hire one but so so far I've not found it necessary. It is possible to fit an entire weekends camping and SRT caving kit into one...

Notts 2 of course! Very surprised that wasn't already mentioned. In through Cupcake if you want a harder challenge (and out through Lyle caverns if you want an extreme challenge, some pre-rigging support might be needed).

Depending on which bit of Herfordshire if it's NEish you might find the CCCC a useful (friendly) club. Based in Cambridge, do weekend trips to all the main caving areas, and have arranged N Wales trips from time to time. Have been a bit quiet lately but a few trips scheduled for this year. Also...

How did your leg fare ?! - that looks like it's gone right through both sides! 😮 No horror stories from me, my oversuits have just faded over time becoming thinner, patched, repatched and given up.

One of my clubs has done in the past, but I don't think currently does because of data storage/protection issues. My other club doesn't. And then had a beginner turn up who failed to mention they had a loose shoulder joint which they managed to dislocate twice in P8 to some consternation all...

From my trips to Claire, a bit further around from Cork, you can have a lot of fun sporting trips without any vertical gear, or digging/bolting kit. All the caves there are young and active so vary from mildly to very wet. Wetsuit still optional Neofleece perhaps sometimes, but...