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Written by: Jon Pemberton

Published: 14 May 2016

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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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Written by: Jon Pemberton

Published: 23 April 2016

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Miriam Arrulo and I

So...

We decided on a road trip for an Easter break which we were trying to do on the cheap so looking for accomodation around places in England it didn't take me long to start pointing out various Caving huts, alas how we ended up stopping in Mendip for a couple of days on the way home from Cornwall - It was an obvious decision. I bagged some basic caving gear (2x wetsuits, 1x SRT kit, 2x crabs & a 10m rope) a rammed it in to the boot of the motor. 

Dawned the Fool of Aprils day we ventured on over to said Hole after a hearty breakfast leaving the warmth of the Wessex caving hut which was now fairly stuffed with guests and hating people I just wanted to get away.

We were soon underground and working out long and wet and short and dry bypasses thinking we eventually managed the short dry route to the roomy Streamway. Lots and lots of fantastic little climbs and cascades which I was really taken away by, infact the whole Cavern massively impressed me! We took a few minutes to take a couple of snaps and made our way down to Swildons Twenty. No problems here we carried on further in roomy passage to Sump 1. This is when I turned in to a massive raving Hobo and couldn't catch my breathe trying to submerge my head and shoulders. Miriam laughed at me and called me a "Pansy" so I "Manned up" and put my wetsuit hood on ready to dive through. Laying in the waters of sump 1 I quickly shot straight back up and walked straight past Mim stressing the fact of how much I despised caving and how I was never going to participate in this past-time ever again and how that once I was to leave the cave how I was going to lob my wellies and helmet over the fence never to be retrieved!

After calming down and a quick piss break we exited the cave rather cold and miserable but still WOWWWED!! by the cavern. I soon realised I was pretty damn cold when we reached the bottom of the pitch and only having one SRT and a sling I didn't hesitate to climb the pitch with aid of the sling rather than stand about at the bottom. At the top I quickly bagged the gear and told Miriam how cold I was getting. I was shivering voilently and starting to not thunk wonky. I thought to myself that this could quite easily become an epic but knowing that we'd been through the worse and all that was left was streamway and the entrance series I cracked on with a certain speed and was glad to exit!

I Learnt a few things about myself on this trip and also confirmed my "Neshness"! (warm layers essential)

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Written by: Jon Pemberton

Published: 23 April 2016

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Keith Mason, Lee Langdon, Colum Walsh, Gary Bertola, Sarah Traveller & I

I tagged on a last minture trip for a jaunt down JH with the above mentioned characters. Was fairly pleasant for a change as I just had to top up with no ropes or rigging equipment and just cave. After a brief navigation error on the Cartgate I met Keith and Lee in the Miner's Workshop and headed down whilst Lee rigged Leviathan - This place still impresses me now! At the bottom of Leviathan we decided to split in to smaller groups and to exit the cave slightly quicker I joined Keith and Lee as thy ploughed on towards the Speedwell streamway. Here I have to make the point that Keith and Lee were both wearing Neo-fleeces which I thought was ever so slightly a bit muchos - but hey, they are YSS afterall!

An enjoyable soaking through the bung and a rancid crawl through Colostomy and we we soon talking rubbish and making our way through Five Arches. The temp outside was pretty cold and I was extremely glad to be putting warm kit on back in the TSG. One lad had left his dry gear up at Rowter with a thanks to their mates instructions.

Underground just under 2 hours and the other party were a smidge longer...

Thanks Keith and the YSS for me tagging on to their trip.