The hardest cave in the U.K.

[Simon Beck]

With regards to dry caving porth yr ogof isn't even in the same ball park as langcliffe & penyghent pot, statistics is not what we're talking about here. In my eyes the hardest trip in the Uk would be one that is both physically and mentally very very difficult. Now if Daren is the most physically demanding but the effects of flooding would not be too much of a danger then it hardly counts, in my eyes anyway!. Who's done both Daren/penyghent pot(living dead extensions(to long gone))?   

 

[graham]

Then why did you bring the danger thing into it anyway? Porth is dangerous, it kills people.

 

[hell little caver]

oh this thred is fun it took forever tob read! i think that darren is one of the hardest no contest just although i know little aboutthe other one1

i think the hardest thing i have ever done was otter i was mashed when i got out that muds a killer!



ps. i think the tread name should have been changed to hardest cave contest not!!! :tease:

pps as a new post was add during writing this i think that port the resurges is definatly dagerouse if were talking deaths it wins

 

[Simon Beck]

That's just my opinion on what's the hardest trip in the uk, you could classify hard caves into two categorys those which are physically very demanding and those that are just down right dangerous due to flooding, the hardest trip in my eyes is one which as both charateristics.

Isn't it the resurgence pool which as claimed the most lives at porth.

 

[graham]

That's just my opinion on what's the hardest trip in the uk, you could classify hard caves into two categorys those which are physically very demanding and those that are just down right dangerous due to flooding, the hardest trip in my eyes is one which as both charateristics.

Isn't it the resurgence pool which as claimed the most lives at porth.

Yes it is.

It could be argued, of course, that the difficult bit is really quite subjective, as different people would have different ideas of what is hard, whereas the danger thing is completely objective in that the stats are there for all to see.

 

[Simon Beck]

But that's kinda my point langcliffe/mossdale/penyghent extensions are all physically difficult and very dangerous. 

 

[Simon Beck]

I'm gonna get a trip planned for Daren as soon as possible and see for myself, i assum we're talking about a trip to 'the worlds end'?.

 

[cap n chris]

Surely it's not the cave being difficult which is the issue, it's the ability/technique/fitness of the caver attempting the trip?

For example, if you're a super-fit, thin, experienced, capable, lucky, expert caver for whom there is no other comparison living or dead then whatever trip you reckon to be demanding is, by definition, a hard trip.

The hardest caving trips in the world may have yet to be discovered.

Also, perhaps some of the hardest are the ones which no-one has survived.

It could easily be argued that this thread is nonsense, flawed and going nowhere in terms of its intended aim.

A better thread title would have been "What's is the hardest trip you've done so far, and what did you find hard about it?" - I expect most of the replies would boil down to levels of personal fitness and technique leaving room for improvement.

 

[racingsnake]

I'm gonna get a trip planned for Daren as soon as possible and see for myself, i assum we're talking about a trip to 'the worlds end'?.

Let Me know when and I'll try and make it with you simon I never been in there either. I live north of you so could pick you up and share gas etc. Let me know am busy for next few weekends

 

[Simon Beck]

I agree chris, "What's is the hardest trip you've done so far in uk' would have been more appropriate and yes this thread is going nowhere, but the title of the thread wasn't"What's is the hardest trip you've done so far in the uk!.

 

[Simon Beck]

That sounds great snake, anytimes good for me, i'm off work at moment due to been kinda laid off and looking for work elsewhere.

 

[whitelackington]

Apparently if u have a chest size larger than 40" u won't get thorugh the 2-300 of squeezing to the new monster stuff, I have ben told I've got NO CHANCE by one of my friends.
But recently a retiring pensioner made it to the end, mind u he nearly died and certainly was only talked into it at the last minute, probably thinking his last, ever caving trip was going to be to Sump !.
So it is subjective and how big as well as how old & how fit ur both generally and on the actual day.
Even athletes have bad days, remember Paula Radcliffe, the countries darling, miserably collapsing in a heap, no-one could belive it, she had the stamina, talent, ability & the whole country behind her but on the day it all went to badger poo!

 

[whitelackington]

BTW in my last post I was talking about Upper Flood Swallet  ( for all u northerners)

 

[rich]

With regards to dry caving porth yr ogof isn't even in the same ball park as langcliffe & penyghent pot, statistics is not what we're talking about here. In my eyes the hardest trip in the Uk would be one that is both physically and mentally very very difficult. Now if Daren is the most physically demanding but the effects of flooding would not be too much of a danger then it hardly counts, in my eyes anyway!. Who's done both Daren/penyghent pot(living dead extensions(to long gone))?     

Why is danger such a necessary part of a hard caving trip? If it's ultimate danger you're after, why not take up Russian Roulette?

Anyway, another danger factor is the possibility of getting rescued if it all goes pear-shaped. Rescue from Daren would be very very difficult. Deep inside Daren is probably the most remote place in the UK in terms of time taken for anyone to get to you. I think a half-stretcher has been taken through the entrance crawl though which would be impossible in some caves.

 

[Dep]

...
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...
...

Interesting idea - Dover is only an hour away from me - Gatwick 15 minutes!
A tip up North usually burns around £50 worth of diesel.
All I need now is a passport!

 

[andymorgan]

What about Easterwater AKA Beastwater. Dangerous at the bottom and few people have been to the very end. Maybe  things have changed with the opening up of Mortens Pot though. However not as remote as Darren though!

 

[Les W]

and share gas etc.

Are you in America then, or have you had a gas conversion. 

 

[Les W]

What about Easterwater AKA Beastwater. Dangerous at the bottom and few people have been to the very end. Maybe  things have changed with the opening up of Mortens Pot though. However not as remote as Darren though!

I don't believe that the opening of Mortens Pot has done anything to:-

a) make the cave any easier

and

b) make the end any less remote.

 

[Cumbrian Neil]

Surely it's not the cave being difficult which is the issue, it's the ability/technique/fitness of the caver attempting the trip?

Plus the difficulty of the cave.  "Hard" is relative... Long Churn was hard when I first did it... the cheese press was a bitch.  So one caver's "hard" may be very easy to another.  I tend to agree with the contributor who posed the question, "What is the hardest cave you have done and why do you rate it that way?"  Has that thread been started yet?

CN.

 

[AndyF]

...
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...
...

Interesting idea - Dover is only an hour away from me - Gatwick 15 minutes!
A tip up North usually burns around £50 worth of diesel.
All I need now is a passport!

Photodriving licence is enough for France... (or it was pre-terror hype). Flights to Sarndina next May, £3 return on Fly'n'scair

You can bring back enough booze spirits cheap to cover the flight. (Free flights in other words)