December means winter tour, 'winter' being the key word: the NPC's central heating had broken, so we suffered for two bitterly cold days until the weather warmed up. Still we hit a grand array of caves with a grand number of new cavers, plumbing the depths of Leck Fell (Notts, Death's Head), Easegill (Lancaster, County) and Kingsdale (Jingling, Bull). There was also a day of SRT rescue training - and of course, a most excellent Christmas dinner.

This year we celebrated life with the student caving community in the Mendips, swarming upon the unsuspecting town of Priddy to wreak well-meaning havoc. Highlights included a classic Swildon's trip, aerial squeeze machine, and large quantities of baby oil.

For the first SRT weekend of the year we spent most of our time either in Kingsdale or driving to Kingsdale, becoming intimately acquainted with ropes in the depths of Bull, Simpson, and Aquamole. Small teams went to Yordas Pot and Sell Gill Holes on Sunday; the wiser members went to the cheese shop instead.

Bonfire weekend in the wet wet Mendip hills. As well as parties at the Belfry, we went to Burrington Combe, Swildon's Hole, and St Cuthbert's.

The classic Halloween fresher's weekend at the SWCC featuring the OFDII round, Cwm Dwr, and the only SRT cave around. Of course inappropriate pumpkins and unnececssary crushing also made it a memorable trip.

The first trip of the year saw us wading through Craig a Ffynnon's viscous mud, stomping through Aggy's cavernous halls, and sliding head-first down Pen Eryr's tight squeezes.

A small team of lags gathered at Penwyllt to dip into the delights of the Ogof Ffynnon Ddu main streamway.

Imperial members past and present descended on and into Gaping Ghyll from all directions to celebrate 60 years of caving together.

Bullpot farm offered the perfect opportunity to do a rare Easegill traverse, but we couldn't help visiting Leck Fell for at least one day. Others made the most of the sunshine by canyoning and climbing instead, discovering new prime locations for outdoorsy types.

Who knew you can do SRT in the Mendips? We knew! Thrupe Lane and Hunter's Hole for the SRT crew; Swildon's and Sludge for the Dubz.