Trying my best to recruit new club members I took it upon myself to lead a novice trip down Carlswark accompanied by Mim. We laddered Eyam Dale Shaft & after a brief chat with Simon Gant and his Mate who were also embarking on an enjoyable trip down this cave we descended into darkness!

We headed to the junction where Big Dig goes off admiring the Cockle Passage en route. A quick detour to have a look at the first squeeze in the Dynamite series which had Young Alex (novice) questioning his size and whether he'd fit through? I did kindly mention, "that fat pushes to the side lad!" The squeeze also put off the other two cavers in the system, whether because of the water level in said squeeze or the squeeze itself im unsure. It's the squeezes beyond that are the ones to be afraid of...

 

We then headed down through Aladin's Cavel to Rift Sump where the nice clean trip had turned squality! Did the small circular round trip with the grovel under the roof fall in water and headed back out through the Gin entrance. Safe to say Alex rather enjoyed it and wants to go again but he was pretty stumped on how physically demanding caving is on the body.

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