How has the heat affected caving plans?

[Pegasus]

I was working outside late afternoon yesterday (walking miles putting up electric fencing) and was so hot I could barely think. However, thankfully, by evening when a few of us met in the beer garden of the Pheasant in Casterton (great fish and chips), the weather had cooled considerably and I was even a tad chilled, lovely. The Diggers in the group were saying how they had been vying for the dig face earlier in the day as it was coolest, away from the surface sun.

Got me wondering, how has the recent heat affected caving? Been more for the cool? Been less as the effort in the hear was just too much?

 

[bagpuss]

I was working outside late afternoon yesterday (walking miles putting up electric fencing) and was so hot I could barely think. However, thankfully, by evening when a few of us met in the beer garden of the Pheasant in Casterton (great fish and chips), the weather had cooled considerably and I was even a tad chilled, lovely. The Diggers in the group were saying how they had been vying for the dig face earlier in the day as it was coolest, away from the surface sun.

Got me wondering, how has the recent heat affected caving? Been more for the cool? Been less as the effort in the hear was just too much?

The walk in to the cave Wednesday evening was pretty hot, still about 32 degrees. Had my swimming top on and poured cold water down my wetsuit before heading off. Managed to get the shivers in the cave, but straight back to boiling once back outside. The Hunters was much cooler than our house.
Weather had cooled a little bit last night for a beginners trip to Goatchurch, a relief just to wear a boiler suit for the walk in. All of us cooled off in the water of West Twin Brook adit after the trip. I wonder if caving will become more popular in the future when there are more extended periods of hot weather..

 

[Pitlamp]

Two days ago I was laying line in a new sump at a stupidly early hour of the morning, purely because I couldn't face getting into a wetsuit then walking half a mile with a heavy load once the sun got revved up. (I've never been great in extreme heat.) It was quite good actually, because there was much more time than usual over the rest of the day to deal with the aftermath. And I was changed and glugging down the contents of the flask before the first tourists turned up to park in the layby. Lot to be said for a very early start.

 

[AR]

I've spent the last few days thinking that if I could get wifi at the entrance to Devonshire Cavern, I'd take the work laptop, a spanner and a deckchair up there then open the door and sit in front of it, working in the wonderful natural air-con...

 

[amw]

On Wednesday I refitted a repaired gate 34C outside 12C in the cave.

 

[Lankyman]

34C outside 12C in the cave.

Up here in Orkney it's barely risen into the teens. Right now in Kirkwall it's a tropical 22C!

 

[Max bowen]

The walk up to swinsto yesterday was a shorts and t shirt affair. The draft coming out of valley entrance was pretty strong. There have been two occasions this year when I’ve been caving specifically to avoid the heat

 

[JAA]

Limited my digging/diving for no other reason than it was too hot to take the dog until today!

 

[mikem]

Had a few groups change their choice of activities to caving, so they could avoid the heat (still humid now)

 

[Cantclimbtom]

Limited my digging/diving for no other reason than it was too hot to take the dog until today! View attachment 26904

Not quite sure from photo if it's a van and the middle seat in front, or if the dog is the your driver?

 

[pwhole]

To be fair, if they could drive, a dog would probably use indicators better than humans currently do

 

[JAA]

Not quite sure from photo if it's a van and the middle seat in front, or if the dog is the your driver?

She tends to drive herself.

 

[Pegasus]

Blimey, despite not having had as much extreme heat or drought as other areas of the UK (it did rain overnight, not that you'd notice), the river levels are low in the Dales. I rode through Austwick Beck at the Wash Dubs today, a route I have ridden countless times - I have never seen it anywhere near as low

How are water levels both above and below ground looking elsewhere??

 

[bagpuss]

Blimey, despite not having had as much extreme heat or drought as other areas of the UK (it did rain overnight, not that you'd notice), the river levels are low in the Dales. I rode through Austwick Beck at the Wash Dubs today, a route I have ridden countless times - I have never seen it anywhere near as low

View attachment 27279

How are water levels both above and below ground looking elsewhere??

Mendip isn't as low as it was last year when it was hot, I'm guessing because we had a wetter winter so ground levels taking longer to drop.

 

[mikem]

Tells you last year's comparison too:

Current reservoir storage

Up to date information about Bristol Water's reservoir storage levels.

www.bristolwater.co.uk

Similar situation up north:

Watsit Report

The water situation (or Watsit) report is a report we produce to oversee our water resources. It includes a summary of all the major sources of the water we draw on to make sure your taps stay full of water 24 hours a day.

www.yorkshirewater.com

However, Ribble is bouncing between 1&2 cm, normal low is 11:

River Ribble level at Locks Weir - GOV.UK

Check the latest recorded river level and recent 5-day trend at Locks Weir

check-for-flooding.service.gov.uk

 

[Fulk]

Got me wondering, how has the recent heat affected caving?

Well, a few days ago I had the chance of a Juniper Gulf trip, which I quite fancied, but couldn't be arsed to walk up there in the heat.

 

[topcat]

I've also been selecting caves based on the hot walk-ins. Avoiding them of course Even Dale Head seemed a long way...in both directions !

 

[Fulk]

Even Sell Gill from New Houses seemed a long way!

 

[Max bowen]

Even Sell Gill from New Houses seemed a long way!

The walk up to the Bradford winch meet on the bank holiday Monday wasn’t fun even with caving stuff in a backpack haha