A short trip report with a difference - would have made a great photo!
Present: Three Owd Gits, and a Seven Year old
Four candles, a mince pie and a cheap bottle of sherry!
Twas the day before Christmas, three wise men (Well, a little bit of artistic license should be allowed at Xmas!) and an angelic, though slightly troublesome little kid, did follow the well worn track to Jug Hole. They sought peace with the spirits that dwell in the darkness.
Confronted with a short shaft leading to the netherworld, a chain of bodies was soon able to pass the wee member of the group to the bottom without mishap ? not sure what health and safety would say!
Onwards and downwards, we were soon slipping our way down the slopes on our backs through a tight little slot ? not too rough as the place was covered in thick mud - as Owd Git looked on, smirking away, before proceeding down the much more comfortable route round the corner.
At the beehive, we started to clamber up, making full use of the comforting nodules, runnels and gours, to aid the ascent of the slippery calcite slopes (after scrubbing our boots of course!). We clambered up to it's furthest recess, where we made ourselves comfortable.
But can you Adam and Eve it, when you need some mud...
Luckily our suits still held a smidgeon or two, so the candles soon adorned the rocks around us, each on its own little plinth. Tim poured out a libation (or two!) and left the mince pie, both to T'Owd Man and his recently departed Mum, Sougher (to whom these places were like a second home in the days of Op Mole) .
The sherry was a little sharp, but what would you expect for a fiver and beggars can't be.... Adi took a quick swig but firmly turned his nose up at the chance of more (that should put him off for the next few years!).
The descent was fun, smooth and fast ? Adi was really in his element now ? and then scorching back up the initial slopes whilst us oldies struggled in his wake. Then after the ubiquitous blind alleys, back to the short shaft, a quick chain and we were out.
Hopefully, Derbyshire T'Owd Man will be at peace for another year now!
Present: Three Owd Gits, and a Seven Year old
Four candles, a mince pie and a cheap bottle of sherry!
Twas the day before Christmas, three wise men (Well, a little bit of artistic license should be allowed at Xmas!) and an angelic, though slightly troublesome little kid, did follow the well worn track to Jug Hole. They sought peace with the spirits that dwell in the darkness.
Confronted with a short shaft leading to the netherworld, a chain of bodies was soon able to pass the wee member of the group to the bottom without mishap ? not sure what health and safety would say!
Onwards and downwards, we were soon slipping our way down the slopes on our backs through a tight little slot ? not too rough as the place was covered in thick mud - as Owd Git looked on, smirking away, before proceeding down the much more comfortable route round the corner.
At the beehive, we started to clamber up, making full use of the comforting nodules, runnels and gours, to aid the ascent of the slippery calcite slopes (after scrubbing our boots of course!). We clambered up to it's furthest recess, where we made ourselves comfortable.
But can you Adam and Eve it, when you need some mud...
Luckily our suits still held a smidgeon or two, so the candles soon adorned the rocks around us, each on its own little plinth. Tim poured out a libation (or two!) and left the mince pie, both to T'Owd Man and his recently departed Mum, Sougher (to whom these places were like a second home in the days of Op Mole) .
The sherry was a little sharp, but what would you expect for a fiver and beggars can't be.... Adi took a quick swig but firmly turned his nose up at the chance of more (that should put him off for the next few years!).
The descent was fun, smooth and fast ? Adi was really in his element now ? and then scorching back up the initial slopes whilst us oldies struggled in his wake. Then after the ubiquitous blind alleys, back to the short shaft, a quick chain and we were out.
Hopefully, Derbyshire T'Owd Man will be at peace for another year now!
