After a day spent learning the ropes with Nigel Atkins in early December, Kirsty and Jonathan were keen for a chance to use their SRT underground, and Monika was keen for a refresher, so just after Christmas, we made it happen.
Me and Judith met everyone and headed to our favourite Winnats Pass training cave where we practiced going down, and had a play doing laps of Pitch 1.
The morning’s entertainment (besides a brief cameo from Wendy) was getting Kirsty and Jon to try out climbing a ladder for comparison.
After that reminder, we headed to Bagshawe Cavern for some very cold lunch. After discovering that it is freezing above ground, we ventured down The Steps and had a nice chat about what to do if you abseiled down a pothole to discover it was full of water and you had forgotten your pool inflatable.
We had an equally enjoyable chat about what to do if you were ascending up a rope and discover 10,000 sleeping spiders at the top.
I then abseiled down the dungeon pitch, only to discover that it was full of water and I’d forgotten my pool inflatables or sun cream.
Performing a quick, recently revised changeover to avoid a swim, we all then returned to the surface, largely without wet underwear.
Arriving at the third cave of the day, we dropped in and headed down the apparent “maze” (pre-arrows) to Basecamp Chamber whilst I rigged Garlands.
What I knew was that whilst an icy swim had been avoided, a gentle toasty misting of warm water was awaiting everyone who descended. And down they all went – putting the skills they’d practiced into use, and successfully reaching the ground at an appropriate speed.
They then all succeeded in making it back out of Garlands, zipping up the rope like cavers eager to avoid a cleansing face wash – which in fact they were, and which in fact they were getting, whether they wanted it or not.
Successfully scrubbed, we shot to the surface just in time to remember how much colder Outside is than underground.
A pleasant day, with great company where everyone joined in different places, and left having moved further along than they started! Well done everyone!
Originally posted on this post on Instagram
