Simon Beck
Member
I'm gonna quote myself here 'the most regular hardcore partner i've had is a women of 60years. She's to be revered!. '
gus horsley
New member
When I was about 18 I did a trip down Hammer Pot and never went anywhere near it again. That was in 1965 (ish). Without a wetsuit too, just a series of gradually shredded dad's pullies and a pair of excruciating hobnails. And rope ladders 'cos, even though they'd been used for a couple of years, nobody in our club trusted them. I'm far too lardy and enfeebled now for anything other than an OFD through trip nowadays.
Simon Beck
Member
I remember back to the first time i did Dowbergill passage with a friend of mine (who'd only done 4-5 trips at that point), i'd been caving maybe 6months but vowed that i would not call myself a caver untill i'd done this one. If my friend had known what the day had in store for us he probably would have waited till summer and got better prepared, the time we chose to do the trip was during a very very cold spell just after christmas, i was wearing my fathers old kayaking wetsuit which was 42" chest (about 2 sizes to big) it also had the arms cut off, so i had to pack it out with t-shirts trackie bottoms etc. The water down in the main streamway was neck deep and out of depth at times and absolutely freezing cold, we had to keep climbing outta the water to warm up. We got lucky with route finding and never had to turn back once but the passage just went on and on and on or seemed to then, i knew more about the history of the passage than my mate did so i was filled with anxiety about what it had in store for us next, but i thoroughly enjoyed every minute of the 6 hours it took, even when things were looking grim at the end when we were both close to freezing to death, that is when i realised that's all i wanted in life 'EPIC adventures' it's the only time i feel truly alive and feel like i'm somebody, the rest of the time i just question who i'm and feel insecure about myself, there's nothing out there in the world that appeals to me more, and i certainly do not lust after money.
Excellent posts Dep and Joel ... very wise words.
Back on topic, there seems to be a certain consensus developing here that Langcliffe, Daren and Pen-y-Ghent are pretty damn 'ard. I've not been to the grim end of any of them, let alone lugged diving gear, dug or surveyed at the ends ... I dare say very few of us have.
I think it is probably fair to say that more of this sort of trip seemed to occur in the past than seems to happen now. Would people agree that, for whatever reason, there is less "extreme" caving happening in the UK in the 21st Century? Anybody care to hazard a guess at the reasons for this?
Back on topic, there seems to be a certain consensus developing here that Langcliffe, Daren and Pen-y-Ghent are pretty damn 'ard. I've not been to the grim end of any of them, let alone lugged diving gear, dug or surveyed at the ends ... I dare say very few of us have.
I think it is probably fair to say that more of this sort of trip seemed to occur in the past than seems to happen now. Would people agree that, for whatever reason, there is less "extreme" caving happening in the UK in the 21st Century? Anybody care to hazard a guess at the reasons for this?
Peter Burgess
New member
The caving population is older on average. We don't feel we have so much to prove. We find that a more laid back approach to caving provides just as much enjoyment as pushing the boundaries used to. There are exceptions of course.
AndyF
New member
damian said:
Ryanair. Cheap flights to the South of France to wonderous breathtaking caving and stunning scenery.
When I lived in the grim South, I could get to France for less money and in less time than a tank of Petrol and M-way hell that was a trip to Yorkshire. ...and if I went to Yorkshire I could do a fun classic that I'd already done, or a flat crawly wet horror that I didn't fancy. I got to Carcassone once, door to door in 3 hour 12 minutes, vs typical 5/6 hours to Ingleton. and have a beer enroute. Hehe no contest....
So I think everyone is putting effort into the Matienzo's and Vercors and Diving in Dordgogne etc.etc.
Yorkshire has been "done"......
Sid Weighells Dog
Member
Funniest. Thread. EVER.
I'm intrigued by the idea of flushing out the hard cavers by calling us all pussies and then seeing who comes forward. I intend to adopt this approach - henceforth, I shall abandon my old chat-up lines (they haven't worked for years anyway). This Friday evening I shall simply walk into a crowded night club and shout 'all the women in here are f***ing ugly, I wouldn't shag any of you' and then wait for the pretty ones to step forward and demurely point out that they, at least, are relatively attractive.
Risk assessment, anyone?
I'm intrigued by the idea of flushing out the hard cavers by calling us all pussies and then seeing who comes forward. I intend to adopt this approach - henceforth, I shall abandon my old chat-up lines (they haven't worked for years anyway). This Friday evening I shall simply walk into a crowded night club and shout 'all the women in here are f***ing ugly, I wouldn't shag any of you' and then wait for the pretty ones to step forward and demurely point out that they, at least, are relatively attractive.
Risk assessment, anyone?
W
wormster
Guest
I reckon you'll get more than one or two slaps and possibly a shag out of it IF you're Very lucky, or do it just before closing time 
Sid Weighells Dog
Member
An improvement on my former (nonchalant cad) technique then?
Chris J
Active member
danthecavingman said:
Rekon Langcliffe is seriously over rated. - plenty of easy passage (Craven Crawl and Stagger are nothing to worry about). We went to Posideon sump and would have got to the end but we mis-read the guide book. The bitter end was only about 500m away.
In total it took us 11hrs so maybe 12hr round trip to visit the end?
http://www.casj.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=56&Itemid=9
- just had to edit this as I put the above post in before reading the thread - Simon unbelievable!! I really do hope you come out to the Dachstein. If you are as 'ard as you make out you will be a useful team member and if not we can straighten you out.
Best of all we can send you off to cave with Phil and give us all some peace and quiet!!
Cumbrian Neil
Member
Simon Beck said:
Both ULSA Journals are a good read.... both elude to passages in both Penyghent and Langcliffe that just weren't pushed to their limits in their original discovery and exploration. Craven Crawl was never pushed... Langcliffe is only tough beyond Boireau Falls Chamber and that's only because of instability in the chokes. My personal bible is "The Cave Explorers" by Eyre!
I truely believe that UK's toughest cave is Daren because you have to have a good level of fitness if you are to reach the far reaches.
CN.
Simon Beck
Member
Although i've not been there before (i would tomorrow if offered) from what i've read and heard about the place i'd say maybe a trip to 'To long gone' in the living dead extensions of penyghent pot is the hardest trip in the country.
spikey
New member
It's been mentioned before, but circumstances can have a huge bearing on how "difficult" a trip is. There is no doubt that places such as Langcliffe and the very bottom of Penyghent have their own reputations, and that Daren to the bitter end is one of the most physically demanding trips, but my own "hardest trip" was coming out of and de-rigging Stream Passage on my own in high water, after no-one else fancied it on an exchange trip. What compounded it, was that after a 4 hour mini epic, I then contrived to get lost in the dark for a couple of hours after exiting! I've never been so knackered, and was fortunate to make it down to Clapham (via Clapdale Lane) just as my mates were about to get really worried.
Simon Beck
Member
Okay say Daren is the most physically demanding, how about the dangers though?, are the implications of flooding as serious in Daren as penyghent pot and Langcliffe.
