A competent group of us are off up to Weardale for a few days at the start of next week. We've done a bit in the area before (and a lot around Nenthead!) so we're looking for something new to explore underground - preferably horizontal - that's worth having a look at. All suggestions welcome!

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-york-north-yorkshire-65811429

Sad news from the Beeb...

Not sure if this has been posted before, but just in case...

https://metro.co.uk/2021/09/15/man-finds-underground-tunnels-and-hidden-rooms-in-family-home-15262607

Should we all be worried? https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-57922664

Heard from a reputable source that the Hill Inn, Chapel-le-Dale will not be repoening as a pub post-covid. Big shame since it has a lot of caving history. Wondered if any other caving pubs have fallen by the wayside in the same circumstances?

An old friend, and member of the original team, has sent me a link to a photo-book about the 1972 expedition that he has put together as a project during lockdown. He's happy to share, and methinks its part of caving history that it would be easy to forget...

According the the BBC..... "Chancellor Rishi Sunak is preparing to unveil his first Budget amid continued pressure from the coronavirus outbreak. Mr Sunak will present his economic plans to MPs in the Commons at 12:30 GMT, less than a month after taking over at the Treasury. Some elements...

Does anyone know who runs the above site? Whilst it is a superb resource, there are no "Contact" details shown on any of the webpages and it appears to have developed some technical hiccups over time that make it less useful than before.

I've just been doing a bit of online Xmas shopping on Amazon and I've just been asked which charity I'd like them to support from my purchases. As a Clapham resident, I'd have chosen to support CRO but they are not listed in the search - though DCRO is there? Perhaps everyone who uses Amazon...

This seems to have passed UK Caving by, but the New Inn in Clapham has recently changed hands and things are looking up for the caving fraternity! It was sold by Enterprise Inns to new owners, and they have stated a wish to get it back to what it was like before the previous regime. Cavers...

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-york-north-yorkshire-45258457

.... looks like it is almost ready to re-open. When I drove past today, it looked like they were stocking up the shelves for the new store, which has all been completely rebuilt.  :) No idea what they are going to be charging for fuel though!  :(

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-41325581/what-s-it-like-to-go-down-a-disused-400-year-old-tin-mine

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-england-york-north-yorkshire-40672629/heavy-rain-brings-long-gill-near-ingleton-back-to-life

... appears to be back on sale again. We just drove past a big billboard at the end of the road on the A65 with a big billboard advertising the sale. Mind you, it had been going downhill for some weeks now and the regular folk session held there every third Thursday in the month had already...

So how will you vote? Are you in the "Remain" camp or are you in the "Leave" camp? Personally, I think CRoW is a good thing so I'm going to vote to stay IN!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-36097300

... what the big heap of stones - with the decidedly purple sheen - is that's in the field beside the A65 not far from the road off to Ireby? There are a couple of other similar heaps along the A65 corridor too, but none of them seem quite as purple.