CCHC Newsletter No. 43 MARCH 1995, Hi, yes it’s your friendly News Editor here, Coddy, the old one not Terry the new one as anyone who attended the AGM were expecting. Don't bother to ask me how, because I have no idea how at one short meeting I resign and Terry volunteers with vast support, yet I leave the meeting with more material than l arrived with and the job of compiling the Newsletter still. Any how its been three months (sorry been very busy) since the last newsletter, so I hope this one makes up for lost time In brief the main results of the AGM as I remember them. Chairman Brian Edmonds Secretary Mark Lovat Treasurer John Shenton Tackle Officer Ralph Johnson Mark Lovatt Kevin Mount ford Training Officer Sharon Brandwood Meets Secretary Darren Conde News Editor Tracy Conde (Coddy) Oh, and of course as every member will already Know, Subs have increased. If you didn’t ask Tony Renolds 1 think been is idea, or was it. it may of FOREIGN TRIPS If you are interested in either a PSM (Tete Sauvage - Salle de Verna) trip July 29th 1995 onwards or a Berger trip starting 10th July 1996 contact Ralph. The PSM trip is with the Belgians so speaking a little french helps but is no essential. ORD 2 (OR Di TWICE! By now you will have read elsewhere in this issue how an intrepid group of explorers from CCPC whose navigational skills are about ex much use as a chocolete tea pet set off to do Humel Moss. ended up spending most of the day visiting GG etc. several times , well you're net goingto believe this !! This time the booking was for White Scar and as usual the day began badly, suffice to say that all four of our little band had spent the previous evening (night!) at Brian's house (cellar) warming purty, it had been tonkting down all might (according to the custodian at White Scer) there was thick mist on the moor and after a GREASY breakfasts at Inglespert everyone felt Now two of the group ,who must remain anonymous, (but I cen say that one of them is well known for plunging not just groups of cavers, but whole townships into dariziess) had visited this system only two weeks previcus!y knew exactly where the cave was situated .......TWo hours and several miles later they had to admit to being completely lost and unable to find anything even remotely like HM. ‘The second member of the aforementioned duo (wito for reasons of modesty must also remain anonymous) decided to take charge and organize's sweep search , you know the drill: fan - out, keep in line, keep in touch ete.ete.....everyone except "yoirknow who” ‘Withan minutes the group had located HM... but lost * YKW" Now comes the real crunch..." YNW" had not only fost the cave AND the group. .he was carrying the only rope long enough to rig the big pitch in ninotes the group was out of rope and still within sight of daylight. seewwee was heartbroken because she would have preferred to have spent the day inbed! = heartbroken because he had hired a lamp for a pound! ‘There was happy ending to the story, Our man from Crewe (oops!) was eventually Found walking the moors and was able to negotiete ¢ substantial discount on his one pound lamp hire fee. was MORAL sfyou DONT want to go widerground, go cong With evoo!ll MEETS for 1995 MARCH Sat 4th Rowter Hole. Castleton, Derbyshire. NGR 133823. Grade 3-4 Depth 82m Length 122m. Sat 11th Mongo Gill. Stump Cross, Yorkshire. NGR SE 092635. Grade 2 Depth 37m Length 2.6km. Sat 25th Rumbling Hole. Leck Fell, Yorkshire. NGR SD 671791 Grade 4 Depth 119m Length 213m. APRIL Sat 8th Penyghent. Yorkshire. NGR sD 829733 Grade 5 Depth 160m Length 5.2km Sat 15th Easter Weekend, Any ideas contact darren. sun 16th Sun 22nd Oxlow cavern. Castleton, Derbyshire, NGR 124822 Grade 3-4 Depth 145m Length 1,4km MAY Sat 6th Hurnall Moss Pot. Yorkshire. NGR SD 745724 Grade 3 Depth 110m Length 140m. Sat 13th Ogof Ffynnon Odu. Black Mountain, South Wales. Grade 3-5 Depth 305m Length 40km. Sun 21st Magnetommeter Pot. Fountains Fell, Yorkshire. NGR SD 849687 Grade 3-4 Depth 9im Length 4.6km 2 NETTLE POT You will have heard on the grapevine that the gully at the head of Elizabeth has collaspsed. Paul and Ralph have been to have a look and they have spoken to Ivan Wooley who was standing in it at the time!!! Elizabeth is now open again but the gully is still in danger of further collapse and there is likely to be a fair amount of rubble perched on the ledges overhanging Elizabeth. There advice is to leave well alone for a while. PEAK RIGGING GUIDE No doubt you have heard on “News at Ten” or read in the better quality national dalies that the new rigging guide to Derbyshire is now available. The authors have remained anonymous but the logo bears a remarkable similarity to that used by an internationally famous caving club and their equipment advisor recomends this publication highly. All profits are being donated towards the installation of Eco Hangers in the caves of derbyshire and North Staffordshire, so don’t expect a copy at a discount price! The cost of this indispensable masterpiece and proberbly the best rigging guide of this area is a gift at the give away orice of only £3.00. FOR SALE The usual highly desirable designer sweat shirts and rugby tops bearing an internationally famous logo guaranteed to set you apart from the crowd. Costs..... a mere £7.00.. a snip at half the price... see your friendly dealer at the next meeting. He will aiso give you the chance to purchase a pair of fleece trousers at a bargain price of £7.00. concerned about safety? Cows tails wearing a little thin? Then why not treat yuorself to a new set at a knock down price of £2.50, any colour of your choice as long as its purple. JUNE Sun 4th Little Hull Pot. Penyghent, Yorkshire. NGR SD 821744 Grade 4 Depth $m Length 1.1km Sat 10th Birks Fell Cave. Upper Wharfdale, Yorkshire. NGR SD 931789 Grade 4 Depth 142m Length 4.6km Sat 17th Dan Y Ogof. Brecon Beacons, South Wales Grade 3-4 | Depth ? Length 15km JULY Sat ist Washfold Pot. Alum Pot Area, Yorkshire NGR SD 774765 Grade 5 Depth 112m Length 312m Sun 9th Pippikin Pot / Link Pot. Casterton, Yorkshire. Pippikin. NGR SD 667800 Grade 4 0 142m L 7Km Link Pot. NGR SO 668803 Grade 3 D e6m L 3.2Km Sat 15th Slaughter Stream Cave. Forest of Dean, Gloucester. NGR SO 582137 Grade 3-5 Depth ? Length 11km 3 In the Christmas issue of the Newsletter I compiled a quiz purely for fun, but it as come to my attention that not every member received a copy of the December issue. So instead of printing the answers here I have repeated the quiz so any member who missed it can join in the fun. Good luck and if you do get stuck the answers are on the back page. If a member who did not receive the December issue, would like a copy, if they get in touch with me (Coddy) I will happily send them one in the post. IN QUIZ Tiss What Barbondale sink is at an altitude of 800ft, is 200ft long and 40ft in depth. It is listed as a grade III, and as the NGR, SD 666840 ? 2a The longest and deepest Salt Cave in the world is, Malham Cave in Isreal, which as 3,100m of passages and is 130m deep. It is found 45 miles south of what city ? 3. In Mendip underground three Caves at Stoke St Michael are listed together, Hilliers Cave, Hillwithy Cave and what 7 4. Almost 90% of the Caves of this country are found in the southern mountain range or TOROS DAGLARI.What is the country ? 5. A large meandering passage leads on, past two holes in the floor, to a short drop into a large unstable chamber, the Assembly Hall. Almost opposite the point of entry into this chamber is the short climb up which leads into a beautiful chamber. Name the chamber ? 6. You should now have five answers, what is the conection? BALL EYE MINE; Access reverts to what it was, except that some entrances remain fitted with grilles which the owner is unlikely to remove. ASHFORD SLACK MARBLE and HOLME BANK CHERT MINE: Access will S00n be available at both these sites as the access licence is organised and a keyholder has come forward. Some work on gates etc has still to be done, and in the interim you are requested HOT to pester at SNITHS RUNNERS as they DO NOT have a key. Also, please do not attempt to gain access without permission or you may upset all the work done by patient negotiation. ROBINS SHAFT MINE; The owner now requires a £1.00 trespass fee. The old auchors and bolts have been replaced by new Sum anchors so take your own bolts. LONG RAKE MINE, YOULGREAVE; Ve have received reports that the cavers’ way into part of this mine has been obliterated by dumping. Part of the rake is still being worked and so far this report has not been checked. Can anyone confirm the situation to the Conservation & Access Officers’ please’? IS THIS THE BEGINNING OF THE END ? FOR MANY YEARS NOW ONE OF OUR MORE SENIOR MEMBERS (WHO MUST REMADY ANONYMOUS) HAS THREATENED TO RESIGN ONCE HE HAD TICKED ALL THE CAVES INELLIOTS BOOK! WELL, ON SATURDAY 19 NOV. THE DAY FINALLY ARRIVED... THE PLAN HAD BEEN TO ‘OT (MNO SURE WHY SINCE THE PERMIT Wa FOR JUNIPER GULF!) BUTIT HAD CHUCKED IT DOWN ALL WEEK, THE GROUND WA3 WATERLOGGED, THE STREAMS WERE FULL TO OVERFLOWING ,YOU KNOW THE OLD STORY 30 OUR MISERABLE LITTLE BAND SAT IN INGLESPORTS CONTEMPLATING THE ALTERNATIVES: GO HOME; WAIT FOR THE PUB TO OPEN, SUP SOME ALE THEN GO HOME ETC. THE CHEAPEST ALTERNATIVE HAVING DRIVEN ALL THAT WAY SEEMED TO BE TO GO CAVING EASY CAVES WERE CONSIDERED; ALLEY ENTRANCE (NO WET SUITS) LANCASTER HOLE (WO PERMIT, BOOKED NEXT WEEKEND) ETC. ETC EVENTUALLY OUR INTREPID VET (KAN NOT ERINARY) PERSUADED THE GROUP TO LOOK AT NEWBY MOSS (LONG KIN WEST) OR SOMETHING NEARBY ‘THIS LATER TURNED OUT 7 ANCEN AT THIS P ¥ FAMOUS FOR HIS NAVIGATIONAL ‘TRIP TO CHERRY TREE HISTRUMP CARD. ” THAT'S NOTIT” BEFORE” .." MUCH SMALLER SHAKE HOLE” .ETC,,, ETC. THE WHOLE GR« THIS CHARADE SPENDING THE NEXT TWO (YES 2) HOURS PRETENDING ENTRANCE THEY HAD ALREADY FOUND)! IT WAS ONLY WHEN OUR VET GOING TO BE DISCOURAGED BY THIS PROCRASTINATION THAT WE EVENTU: CORRECT HOLE HAVING PASSED GG STREAM PASSAGE ETC, SEVERAL TIMES. NOW HUF: CAN BE RIGGED WET OF. DRY AND A3 PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED, IT HAD BEEN TONKING DC ‘MONTHS!!! NEEDLESS TO SAY WE 2! IN A CERTAIN MEMBERS OVERSUIT (AND HIDING HIS GLOVES) DESPITE ALL THESE ATTEMPTS TO ABORT THE TRIP, IT WAS SUCCESSFUL LEAVING US WITH A NUMBER OF ALTER ).ALLOW HIM TO RETIRE. (2) TIPEX OUT SOME OF THE CAVES TICKED HOPING HE WONT NOTICE, SO HE HAS TO START AGAIN. UME SOON AND BUY HIM & COPY FOR XMAS, ALL THE ROUTES IN ALL THE CAVES COVERED. GGESTION SEEMS TO BE THE BEST AND HAS THE DISTINCT ADVANTAGE OF COSTING NOWT!! ereor) by Fae Are you sure ? | heard that radon levels Were pretty high around here Sat SEPTEMBER Sat Sun Sun Sun DECEMBER Sun Mon stn 13th sth sth 17th 23rd 2ist teth 26th Grange Rigg Pot / Christmas Pot. Yorkshire. Grange Rigg. NGR SD 755727 Grade 4 D 87m L 560m Christmas Pot. NGR SD 787727 grade 3D 75m L 137m Whitescar Cave. Yorkshire. NGR SD 712745 Grade 3 Depth ? Length 6.5Km (Show Cave) Lost Johns. Leck fell, Yorkshire. NGR SD 670786 Grade 3-4 Depth 141m Length 6km Gapping Gill. yorkshire, NGR SD 751727 Grade 3-5 Depth 155m Length 11.6Km Little Neath River Cave. South Wales. Grade 3 Depth ?— Length 7.6km Swildons Hole. Piddy Green, Somerset. NGR ST 531513 Depth 548ft Length 30,000ft Lancaster Hole. Casterton Fell, Yorkshire. NGR SD 664807 Grade 3-4 Depth 112m Length 52km Aygill Cavern. Casterton Fell, Yorkshire NGR SO 663818 Grade 3 Depth 55m Length 2.4Kkm Long Kin East / Rift Pot. Allotment, Yorkshire Long Kin, NGR SO 762729 Gr 4 D.113m L,317m Rift Pot, NGR SD 761729 Gr 4 O,111m L, 937m Ogof Draenen South Wales (sorry no info) Cherrytree Hole. Darnbrook & Cows'de Area, Yorkshire. NGR SD 881704 Gr 4 D,4im L,1.2km Nettle Pot. Castleton, Derbyshire. NGR 126819 Grade 3-5 Depth 180m Length 640m Ireby fell Cavern. Leck Fell, Yorkshire. NGR SD 673773 Grade 3-4 Depth 128m Length 4.9Km Bull Pot. West Kingsdale, Yorkshire NGR SD 702787 Grade 3-4 Depth 79m Length 216m Santa’s Grotto. Lapland, Somewhere Cold NGR XMAS 1995 Grade.5 Depth Flat Length 1 Day 6 CAVING STYLE By John Martin It was 4 pm Friday afternoon. The end of another hectic week and J was day dreaming about the pint of beer which T was going to force down my throat on the way home that night. {The phone rang, why did all the awkward clients leave it ‘till last thing to phone! Relief, a familiar voice said "Stuart here, I have just been out to Gawsworth Hall for a client of mine. The puilders have lifted a manhole cover in the front patio and the drain disappears into an old brick lined passage." I woke up. Stuart went on. "The passage is about 4 feet high fully lined and is heading off towards the lake. Chris (the owner of the hall) wonders whether it is the secret passage which is reputed to connect the Hall with the Church on he other side of the lake. The builders have had a quick look but have bottled out and Chris asked me whether I knew anyone who could have a lock for him. Are you interested?" A few moments later I had obtained the access phone number and was thinking which other idiots would be daft enough to want to come with me. Now let me think, oh yes, I know. I picked up the phone 0625 51.... "Hi Mark, are you doing anything tomorrow? How would you like to go caving in Gawsworth?" "GAWSWORTH?!" came the reply. I quickly explained the situation. With the sound of someone having multiple orgasms ringing in my ears down the telephone arrangements were made to meet at 10.30 am next morning (a time not normally in Mark‘s vocabulary). A phone call to Colin later that night produced a similarly enthusiastic response but Christmas was coming and Colin was working (the extra money was to buy his missus an expensive present of course, not for more beer when out with the lads). "Look" said Colin, "Ill take my gear down to the site and when you call for me I will see how the land lies with the Boss". Saturday came; B....y H. ! Mark was up and ready, this must be a first! A few bits of gear were thrown into the back of the Land Rover and we set off. Colin was grafting hard (one hand on the shovel, one in his pocket). By gum - he must be strong to be able to shovel with just one hand. A quick whisper in the Boss’s ear and Colin ran over, grabbed his gear and jumped in the back seat. "Glad you could make it" I said. "So am I" said Colin. “Quick look worried, only I told him we had been put on rescue alert overnight and that if my mates arrived we had been called out!" What a salesman, he should have been in double glazing. We drove off to Gawsworth, I had been before because of my work but imagine the scene. Chris has bought Gawsworth New Hall (a Grade II Listed early Georgian building which he is at the final 7 stage of renovating, wrought iron entrance gates, very expensive cars in the parking area, lawns that sweep down the private lake, and 2 bed Apartments for sale at prices from £270,000 to £365,000. WE jump out of the car in our furry suits. "Hello Chris I’m John, we spoke on the phone last night. These are my friends from the caving club, Colin and Mark". Did T detect a look of disbelief on his face. "Right" he said "cone and have a look". We trotted round to the front and lifted the manhole cover in the patio. The disused surfacewater pipe disappeared about 8 feet down into the top of a brick lined passage. "Right" I said "lets get the gear". "Are those special caving suits?" said Chris, pointing to the hole in the rear of Mark’s suit from which his backside was protruding. "Is that for natural ventilation?" he queried. So much for my attempts to impress! Back to the car and we don oversuits that look like they have just spent a week writhing round Lay-By pot. More looks of disbelief from chris. We dropped down the shaft to find ourselves in a passage about 4 feet high. It was fully lined with hand made bricks with an arched roof, reminiscent of a Derbyshire coffin level and probably of a similar age. To the left the passage stopped at a blank wall with a small gap at the top through which Colin could see into a cellar under the house which had been filled in. To the right the passage set off towards the lake. Off went our intrepid heros with thoughts of buried treasures and ghosts but after about 25 yards we came to a collapse. After a quick discussion it was back to the surface for a spade and a few bits of wood, By this time some of the residents had appeared, no doubt curious as to the large moles with lights on their heads which had appeared on the front lawn. With words like ‘jolly good show’ ringing in our ears it was back to the tunnel. Colin was like a dog on heat as he flailed into the pile of earth. Mark and I kept our distance, so as not to get in the way of course, nothing to do with the fact that we did no want to get caught if the roof collapsed again. With determination Colin dug on and was soon over the top but to our disappointment a fect further on, the passage again ended at a brick wall, only this time it had been laid from the other side. A few measurements and then back up top and we found that the passage ended just by the lake shore. We speculated that the tunnel was a secret way between the house and the lake shore with the entrance at some stage having been hidden or disguised in some way. A slight anticlimax after the hype of Friday night but nonetheless quite an exciting saturday morning. After that it was back to the Hall for tea out of china cups and biscuits off silver plates courtesy of the residents. On the way back to Macclesfield to drop Colin off, he remarked, “you can tell we’ve been somewhere posh because the chocolate biscuits had chocolate on all over, not like the digestive ones we have at home". We knew then we really had been caving in style at Gawsworth! PEAK RIGGING GUIDE Sadly, the price of the Guide has now had o rise as it's proved more expensive to produce than first thought If you weren't quick off the mark and didn’t get yours with the original offer, from 2st. January 1995 the special offer price to DCA members is £4.20, including postage. Purchasers will receive free updates if they return a stamped self-addressed envelope once they have bought their copy. The Guide has been produced by Crewe C.P.C. and all proceeds from sales will go to DCA’s "Bolt Fund", which pays for the installation of the DMM hangers. As it's being produced by Crewe and the binding takes time, we will deal with orders in strict rotation of the date on which they are received. (Note that the Guide is now on sale from various caving shops in Derbyshire and Yorkshire at £3.95 over the counter.) Please send me copies of PEAK RIGGING GUIDE at £4.20 (incl. postage) each. Total enclosed £ Address to send them to. (Please print legibly!) Hon. Sec/Treas., Jenny Potts, ‘Cheques payable to Derbyshire Caving Association. Orders to:- Answers to the Fun Quiz Hollytree Sink Bethlehem Fairy Cave Turkey Easter Grotto Christmas Ouawee QO.c.R.0. REPORTS Incident 240, GIANTS HOLE. CASTLETON = EREpAY 25 Mar 1994 4 party of two experienced and five novice cavers were in the Base Camp Chamber area when one of them slipped whilst climbing out of the Vet Inlet, landed avkwardly and injured his ankle. His companions started to evacuate him but sent for help when they had reached Pillar Crawl (or where Pillar Crawl used to be). 4 small group of Central Team was called out and met the party at the entrance. Incident 241 GIANTS HOLE CASTLETON = = er pAY 1 apr isy4 Two inexperienced and ill equipped cavers had descended Garlands Pot hand over hand on a single rape and had continued some way down the Crabwalk before turning back. When they returned to Garlands Pot one of them was unable to climb the rope, His companion went ta the surface and raised the alarm. A DGRO controller was contacted at 29.40 and part of Central Team wan called out (many of those contacted were at an April Fool's Day party and took come convincing that the callout was genuine!). By 00.30 the first team members reached Garlands and by 01.00 the cold and mildly hypothermic subject was at the top of the pitch. He was able to move slowly vuder his own steam and with support and encouragement he was at the entrance by 01.30 where it was snowing hard and blowing a gale. We was put into a stretcher at the entrance for insulation and @ pore rapid journey up the valley to the ambulance on the farm track. He was then taken to hospital in Stockport. Incident 242 WATER ICICLE CLOSE CAVERN, mONYASH IWESDAY 28 uct J554 A party of three cavers abseiled inta Water Icicle. One of them, a seventeen year old girl from Surrey got into difficulties whilst ascending the rope again and fell about ten feet sustaining ankle and hip injuries. The call tor assistance reached DCRO just after 16.31 and about fifteen members of Central team attended. After attention the injured girl was hauled to the suriace in a harness and was out of the cave by about 17.45. She was taken to hospital by ambulance. Incident 243 CULVERT UNDER €6 AT TA@0DINGTON Date SAME DATE A terrier dog went missing while being taken for a walk in Great Shacklow Yood on Saturday afternoon. Its owner carried out an extensive search without succests and suspected that the animal might have entered a culvert under the AG uear to the White Lodge picnic site at the botton of Taddington Dale. He asked if DOKO could search the culvert and see if the dog was in there., Two team members Searched the culvert from both ends whilst on their way home trom the Water Felele rescue (incident 242) but without finding any trace of the missing dog. “10°