A Yorkshire Weekend

Saturday - Lancaster Hole 
Present: Mike Clayton - DCC/Craven PC, Emma Porter - DCC/Craven PC, Andrew Cross - DCC, Dave Williams - DCC, Neville Lucus - Craven PC, John Allonby - Craven PC, Hadi Kaassamani - Speleo Club du Liban, Firas Fayad - Speleo Club du Liban 
The projected route was into Lancaster Hole through to the main drain and exiting from Wretched Rabbit. The trip took longer underground than expected as Wilf Taylor's Passage was carrying a significant stream. At one waterfall, it was decided to turn back. On the return journey, Neville lost a wellie (never to be seen again) due to the force of the stream. We exited from Lancaster Hole. 

Sunday - Bar Pot 
Present: Mike Clayton - DCC/Craven PC, Emma Porter - DCC/Craven PC, Andrew Cross - DCC, Joanna Campbell - ex-DCC, Shepton Mallet CC, Graham Salmon - Yorkshire Ramblers Club, Hadi Kaassamani - Speleo Club du Liban, Firas Fayad - Speleo Club du Liban 
The intended pot was Swinsto Hole, but this was abandoned due to the high water levels in the Dales. Bar Pot was a suitable trip with the main chamber very impressive as Fell Beck was carrying a significant stream. After the main chamber we visited Sand Chambers, Stream Passage streamway on the way to the start of the South East Extension. After Saturday, this constituted an uneventful trip.

Ogof Ffynnon Ddu II, Penwyllt, South Wales

The route: Top Entrance --> Big Chamber --> Bagpipe Chamber (for Del) --> Arete Chamber Top (for Andy) --> Birthday Cake --> The Clay Figures (for Andy) --> Chasm Passage --> Poached Egg Climb --> Straw Gallery (Photo stop) --> The Crevasse --> Bhowani Junction (to look at the pretty) --> Chasm Passage --> Timo's Table (short break for Brendan and Keith to explore the route to the Prokofiev Series - we'll do this next year and need a back-up team of the thinnest members in the Club) --> Arete Chamber Bottom --> Salubrious Stream --> Trident --> Judge --> Out by the normal route except Keith decided to take the crawl past White Arch. A good time was had by all.

Straw Gallery in Ogof Ffynnon Ddu II.

The Team: Brendan, Keith, Del, Carol, Chris, Mel & Andy G

Limestone Mines, Olwyn Gogh Shaft, North Wales

Keith with the assistance of Brendan navigating found the mine this time. (Last time we failed to find it - both believing that the other one knew where it was!) A 400 foot ladder climb led us down into the tunnel, to breath in the diesel and smoke fumes from the recently departed train. (An audible sob was heard to escape from Keith.) We then headed to the limestone working where we spent about 4 hours taking photos in some of the larger galleries. We then headed out via the upper limestone workings.

Limestone workings in the Milwr Tunnel.

Limestone workings in the Milwr Tunnel.

Present: MCl, KEd, BMa, EPo, DRo & DeWi