RichardB1983
Member
In mid-September I had joined a DCC "try caving" trip in Peak Cavern as my first "proper" caving trip - along the main streamway and a few side passages visiting most of the main easily accessible sumps. In mid-October a few members of the club had organised an SRT practice day in the quarry at Alderley. I'd never done this before and was somewhat nervous, but managed to do a couple of basic ascents and descents without killing myself before I had to leave for another commitment - so that gave me a bit of confidence.
And then a couple of weeks ago one member posted on the Facebook group asking whether there would be any interest for a midweek evening trip to P8 in Derbyshire - and it'll be using SRT. As it turned out, there would be 8 of us on this trip - 6 experienced cavers, myself, and another novice on his first SRT trip too. Not a bad turnout for a Thursday evening trip.
We arrived at the car park to kit up. The other novice was sent to pay the farmer whilst I made slight adjustments to my kit setup. When he returned and now that my croll was on the right way up - it was off, following the reflective markers to the entrance. By this point it had been quite dry for the past couple of months - although a bit of heavy rain overnight made sure that the entrance wasn't completely dry.
And so the group made it down the crabwalk-style passage - down a couple of longer descents - the largest of which is "Idiot's Leap" - and then ended up in a queue for the first pitch. As there was a bit of water coming down the pitch, it had been rigged as about a metre and a half drop to a re-belay and then from there a straight drop down to the bottom - but there was also an in-situ rope going straight down the pitch. Although I had watched a couple of good SRT demonstration videos on YouTube - as I had had to leave the SRT pratice day a bit early - it turned out this would be my first ever re-belay. Nothing like learning on the job!
The thing I found most encouraging is that all of the experienced cavers were more than willing to help us newbies - one waited for both of us at the top of the pitch to make sure we were going to get attached properly - and another was there making sure we got the rebelay right. And without too much drama, we'd made it to the bottom of the first pitch. First ever rebelay done! It was then decided that we'd opt for the higher route to what is apparently called the "2nd ladder pitch" after an old ladder that was removed a few years ago. So a climb up and then across a few large holes in the floor to a little window between two columns to the pitch head. This was rigged as a straight drop. It wasn't my smoothest descent, but made it safely to the bottom ok - and then it was off to explore the rest of the cave.
In the passage not too far ahead - there was a slight squeeze that - with full SRT kit on - it didn't seem to want to let me through - and climbing higher to try and get over it just had the Petzl stop pressing against somewhere that I really didn't want it to! After a bit of wriggling, I did make it through and into the Mud Hall.
Just beyond - there was a traverse over a vadose canyon with a stream - which is where I think I found myself most out of my comfort zone in the whole trip. But again a couple of experienced members of the group stuck with me and encouraged me along. And it wasn't too long before the passage opened up into a big chamber with nice flowstones all over the left hand side and we'd reached the first downstream sump.
From here we turned around and started to head out. Taking the stop off the D-ring made the squeeze that I struggled with the first time a lot easier - and before long we'd reached the 2nd ladder pitch again. It probably wasn't the quickest ever ascent but it seemed easy enough - and onwards to the next pitch.
One of the group altered the rope to start with a traverse then a slightly awkward attach for the ascent - but someone suggested I have a go at the in-situ rope up the waterfall instead. When cold water is falling on your helmet, it felt slightly like being waterboarded and I think I could easily have had a bit of a sense-of-humour failure at this point - but luckily before long I was high enough that the water was only falling around my legs and I'd made it back up to the top. The other novice had some fun and games with attaching himself on the new rigging, but eventually made it up ok too. From there it was only the matter of idiots leap - and another little ascent to contend with before we made it out back to surface.
At this point it sadly became obvious that we were likely to miss last orders in the Wanted by the time we returned to the car park - but a few of us found an open watering hole in Chapel before heading back.
So overall a good first SRT trip - it's not put me off just yet. Beforehand I was very apprehensive, but I surprised myself with how calm I felt whilst I was doing the SRT - given I hadn't gotten round to doing it underground before now. It was really reassuring to have lots of experienced group members to help us newbies out on the slightly more tricky bits.
And then a couple of weeks ago one member posted on the Facebook group asking whether there would be any interest for a midweek evening trip to P8 in Derbyshire - and it'll be using SRT. As it turned out, there would be 8 of us on this trip - 6 experienced cavers, myself, and another novice on his first SRT trip too. Not a bad turnout for a Thursday evening trip.
We arrived at the car park to kit up. The other novice was sent to pay the farmer whilst I made slight adjustments to my kit setup. When he returned and now that my croll was on the right way up - it was off, following the reflective markers to the entrance. By this point it had been quite dry for the past couple of months - although a bit of heavy rain overnight made sure that the entrance wasn't completely dry.
And so the group made it down the crabwalk-style passage - down a couple of longer descents - the largest of which is "Idiot's Leap" - and then ended up in a queue for the first pitch. As there was a bit of water coming down the pitch, it had been rigged as about a metre and a half drop to a re-belay and then from there a straight drop down to the bottom - but there was also an in-situ rope going straight down the pitch. Although I had watched a couple of good SRT demonstration videos on YouTube - as I had had to leave the SRT pratice day a bit early - it turned out this would be my first ever re-belay. Nothing like learning on the job!
The thing I found most encouraging is that all of the experienced cavers were more than willing to help us newbies - one waited for both of us at the top of the pitch to make sure we were going to get attached properly - and another was there making sure we got the rebelay right. And without too much drama, we'd made it to the bottom of the first pitch. First ever rebelay done! It was then decided that we'd opt for the higher route to what is apparently called the "2nd ladder pitch" after an old ladder that was removed a few years ago. So a climb up and then across a few large holes in the floor to a little window between two columns to the pitch head. This was rigged as a straight drop. It wasn't my smoothest descent, but made it safely to the bottom ok - and then it was off to explore the rest of the cave.
In the passage not too far ahead - there was a slight squeeze that - with full SRT kit on - it didn't seem to want to let me through - and climbing higher to try and get over it just had the Petzl stop pressing against somewhere that I really didn't want it to! After a bit of wriggling, I did make it through and into the Mud Hall.
Just beyond - there was a traverse over a vadose canyon with a stream - which is where I think I found myself most out of my comfort zone in the whole trip. But again a couple of experienced members of the group stuck with me and encouraged me along. And it wasn't too long before the passage opened up into a big chamber with nice flowstones all over the left hand side and we'd reached the first downstream sump.
From here we turned around and started to head out. Taking the stop off the D-ring made the squeeze that I struggled with the first time a lot easier - and before long we'd reached the 2nd ladder pitch again. It probably wasn't the quickest ever ascent but it seemed easy enough - and onwards to the next pitch.
One of the group altered the rope to start with a traverse then a slightly awkward attach for the ascent - but someone suggested I have a go at the in-situ rope up the waterfall instead. When cold water is falling on your helmet, it felt slightly like being waterboarded and I think I could easily have had a bit of a sense-of-humour failure at this point - but luckily before long I was high enough that the water was only falling around my legs and I'd made it back up to the top. The other novice had some fun and games with attaching himself on the new rigging, but eventually made it up ok too. From there it was only the matter of idiots leap - and another little ascent to contend with before we made it out back to surface.
At this point it sadly became obvious that we were likely to miss last orders in the Wanted by the time we returned to the car park - but a few of us found an open watering hole in Chapel before heading back.
So overall a good first SRT trip - it's not put me off just yet. Beforehand I was very apprehensive, but I surprised myself with how calm I felt whilst I was doing the SRT - given I hadn't gotten round to doing it underground before now. It was really reassuring to have lots of experienced group members to help us newbies out on the slightly more tricky bits.
