The Four Ways Club, Castleton

[pwhole]

It was, but Pegasus were in there until 1977 - Tony Jarratt's logbook states the last trip was 02/10/77 when they de-rigged everything and brought it out - see below - and the link here:

https://www.aditnow.co.uk/SuperSize/Recovering-A-Wagon_109196/

After a bit of searching it seems there are no useful surveys, plans or elevations of Hollandtwine anywhere - apart from one small sketch of a dig in the logbooks. I've got one more lead to go on and that's it. Unless anyone else has anything?

Just realised also that this should be in the other thread

 

[Cheg Chester]

Has anyone thought of asking the Pegasus Club where the Four Ways hut was?

 

[pwhole]

I think you just did. I don't know if I know any members! Maybe I do but don't know it?

 

[Cheg Chester]

The photograph of the Four Ways Hut was passed on to me by a Pegasus member, the late Dave Lucas (The one armed octopus). He had been a member of the Four Ways before he joined the Pegasus in 1964. On travelling down Winnats Pass Dave pointed out to me where the hut had been. From my memory of 56 years ago it was as you passed Speedwell Mine on your right the hut was set well back into a field that adjoined Speedwell Mine.

 

[pwhole]

Then it almost certainly is the one on the left in the photo at the top of the page. Saves me a pirate trip

 

[Pitlamp]

One of the great pleasures of working at a show cave is that you get to meet senior cavers from time to time. Today I found myself chatting with a fella based in Nottingham who had been a member of the Four Ways Club! We swapped contact details and I'm hoping to direct him to this forum topic, as he can probably tell us quite a bit about the photo of interest above. 

 

[pwhole]

Brilliant - the world moves in mysterious ways sometimes

 

[Mike Frost]

Just heard from John Cordingly re query over photo of Notts Four Ways Club Hut. The hut was one of the two farm buildings 'rented' by Ossie Warington of Castleton. It was the smaller of the two below the path from Speedwell Showcave and Castleton. I and John Blunt, Roger Hunt and David Smith all from the Nottingham Four Ways club did a deal with Ossie for the club to rent and renovate the building and use it as our base in Castleton. We also promised to keep the many yobs invading Castleton at the time from pinching his chickens from his adjacent chicken hut. We used it from about 1960 to 1967ish. We subsequently learnt the building wasn't Ossie's to rent out! The bloke with the glasses in the foreground is Roger Hunt a 4 Ways member and TSG member. Roger now lives in North West Leics. A video about the Four Ways club which I made was lodged with Jennie Potts and the DCA archives. If required I can supply a copy of the DVD. The Notts Four Ways club folded in the early 1970s although many old friends and members keep in touch regularly

 

[Pitlamp]

Thanks for posting that Mike - an important piece of Castleton speleo history.

If the video isn't too long, would it be possible to arrange for it to go on You Tube? I'm sure many cavers would be interested to see it.

 

[Jenny P]

Thanks for posting that Mike - an important piece of Castleton speleo history.

If the video isn't too long, would it be possible to arrange for it to go on You Tube? I'm sure many cavers would be interested to see it.

It would be really great if the video was available on U-tube and via UKcaving so that lots of cavers could see it.  It's all part of our rich caving history. 

 

[AlexR]

Completely OT, but when I read Pitlamps "senior caver from Notts" I thought: "If that's Mad Phil he's referring to I'll hear the nuclear detonation from my living room (in Beeston) when Phil reads this" 

A video would be great, thanks Mike for the insight!