4th December 2004 – Smallcleugh Mine
A pleasant stroll around, including a visit to the Incline Flats – found a shaft but no means of descent – no idea where it goes.. A return trip maybe!? Dragged stove underground to make a Pot Noodle.. Explored plenty of other flats, some
by climbing ore chutes.. Understand the main part a bit better now.
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22nd November 2004 – Cow Pot
A joint trip with DDU. After the pleasant entrance shaft we explored Shale Chamber and a pitch and blasted dig leading off from it and also had a look in the passages leading to Aardvark Country in Lancaster Hole. A nice change from the usual route.
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20th November 2004 – Hagg Gill Pot
A chilly day with snow lying on the ground, getting underground was welcome warmth! A pleasant trip was had in this very nice cave – plenty of nice formations and a bit of nice streamway too.. Coming out was made more entertaining due to the fact your hands stuck to the metal rungs of the ladder as it was that cold!
Not the nicest of exits but it was certainly different and amusing!
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13th November 2004 – Notts Pot, BT Route
An easy start to 3ways chamber soon changes into flat out crawling then hands and knees in the BT passage. First pitch is impressive and leads to more narrow passage. Turned back at head of 2nd pitch due to time and spit trouble.
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3rd-8th October 2004 – Ireland, County Clare
Our plan of doing two Clare classics was dashed by dodgy weather so we ended up only doing Cullaun2! Although we did also pay a visit to Aillwee Cave too.
Non caving activities were – the impressive Cliffs of Moher, Dolhin Watching (we did see some!), drinking, cooking (how nasty to force me into doing that!), the Burren Centre, a look at the Poulnabrone Dolmen, taking a look at the Burren and some of the nearby coastal scenery. All in all a good holiday.
Dunc
4th September 2004 – Valley Entrance Photo Trip
A short trip to the master cave and back but with plenty of flashing going on so it took us a few hours!
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21st August 2004 – Mistral Hole
We went to Peterson Pot with the intent of doing a through trip but our source of information didn’t tell us the 2nd pitch wasn’t rigged! So we nipped in Mistral to Hall of the Mountain King and then down the the stream. We then headed up Cigalere – a very fine piece of stream passage ending in the equally impressive Grand Cascade.
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14th August 2004 – Dead Rabbit Rift
Dunc and Ged found ourselves on Storrs, with a kind loan of rope from Steve at Bernies for the slope traverse we set off. Dunc was shoved into Dead Rabbit Rift, a quick wander on Storrs was had before a drink called!
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3rd July 2004 – Swildons Hole
The classic round trip. Easy going along the streamway and other passages through the dry mud-sump, but much time had to be spent bailing/waiting for siphon to drain the first trouble (it was full, with no airspace!) Sump one was also freedived to complete the round trip. A fine trip.
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26th June 2004 – Long Churn & Borrins Moor Cave
A “simple novice” trip! Standard wander in Long Churn and then onto Borrins Moor Cave, in which we did the damper through trip.
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19th June 2004 – Sleets Gill Cave
A late in the day visit to this impressive cave, we only went part way along the main gallery (well, it was a tad damp outside).
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12th June 2004 – Ingleton Climbing Wall
We hit the wall (had place to ourselves for a while!) did a bit of SRT practice before attempting numerous obscure climbs and traverses, eventually time got the better of us (well actually is more like tired arms but anyway!) See a couple of pics in misc gallery.
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5th June 2004 – Washfold Pot
Unfortunately time was not on our side so we only did the big pitch and bit of passage at bottom.. A return visit will be made!
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29th May 2004 – Aquamole Pot
Dunc, Pete and Dom decided to try out this recent addition to Kingsdale. A well made entrance leads down reasonable pitches to a pleasant abseil down the last section of the entrance. This is followed by a short passage and short pitch before reaching the impressive Aquamole Aven, a fine shaft indeed and credit to those that dived the sumps and bolted up it!
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22nd May 2004 – Bull Pot
Pleasant SRT trip to top of 5th pitch (which isn’t exciting so didn’t bother with it), nobody else about, pot was dry apart from a dribble of water!
Dunc
15th May 2004 – Gaze Gill Caves and Yordas Cave
A visit was made to Gaze Gill Cave (which despite its small length was quite nice) other caves in the gill were looked at before a quick SRT trip in and out of Yordas Pot/Cave was had.
Dunc
8th May 2004 – Isle of Skye
Dom had arrived a few days before others and bagged a few Cuillin peaks, Sunday saw two (plus Dom on the second visit) bagging Sgurr Alasdair – fine views were had from the top and our route up there via Coire Ghrunnda provided some great scrambling on good rock! Our route down the Great Stone Shoot was somewhat entertaining and quick.
The Old Man of Storr was also visited on Monday as was a whiskey distillery Tuesday saw a stroll in Glen Sligachan, with 4 returning via that route and Dunc and Al taking in the summit of Beinn Dearg Mheadhonach. Wednesday was a pleasant coastal stroll and to finish the holiday off we took in a concert by Capercaillie in Portree.
Dunc
1st May 2004 – Calf Holes – Browgill Cave
An introduction to caving for Paul.. A pleasant trip through and then back again!
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17th April 2004 – Christmas Pot (Grange Rigg)
A full report and a few pictures can be found in Trip Reports section..
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6th March 2004 – Flood Entrance Pot
A small mix of UNCC and BRCC went in Wades Entrance, at the bottom we followed New Henslers to Henslers Master Cave before heading along the pleasurable Mud Henslers. After a visit to Main Chamber, North Passage and Pool Traverse we headed out.
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28th February 2004 – Swan Dike Pot
Six of us headed underground and into the warmth and enjoying a trip in a minor Penyghent Gill classic.. We stopped at the bottom of the 8m pitch due to the continuation being somewhat dimensionaly challenged (you could say it was somewhat small and rather committing). All in all a pleasant cave and it makes a nice change from the usual. Check out the partial trip report with pics.
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22nd February 2004 – Long Churn
A pleasant novice trip in the Churns, in Diccan across to Long Churn, laddered down Dollytubs and then back via the Cheesepress and Upper Long Churn – And nobody fell in the pools – must try harder next time!!
Dunc
21st February 2004 – Nenthead, dancing to the Ballroom
An easy novice trip around Smallcleugh mine at Nenthead, Pete showed two of them around to Ballroom Flats. The nenthead visitor complex seems to be improving all the time with more and more sections being completed..
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31st January 2004 – Floodin Hell it was wet!
A very wet day in the Dales so we stayed above ground.. drove up Kingsdale (which was in full flow) stopped at Yordas which was more or less sumped, drove over the top which was more like a river than a road, down past Gastack Becks waterfall (nice) on to Ibbeth Peril which was most impressive, before heading over to Ribblehead and Horton to complete the tour..
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17th January 2004 – Pikedaw Calamine Caverns
After having to hide in the car for a passing snow shower we trudged up the hill to Pikedaw, cold hands were encountered at the entrance getting srt kit on and rigging.. It was welcome relief (warm!) to get in the shaft, at the bottom we strolled around down numerous large passages before heading back out and encountering another snow shower on the way back to the car!
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10th January 2004 – Pillar Holes
After a later than normal start we toiled up the hill and found Pillar Holes, we opted to descend number 2 hole. At the bottom we climbed down the dig and along the crawl to Breakdown Chamber. A short detour was had to the 6m climb leading to the new extensions before heading for the surface, where it was rather dark and misty.. A quick change and a visit to the Marton was had to lighten the evening!
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