The final trip of the term meant we wanted to do something challenging, and it had been a while since the club had tackled Gaping Gill so we trudged up the long walk up the fell only to descend back down again. A cheeky trip to Hensler's Master Cave was also undertaken, and the Main Chamber was spectacular as ever. Crickets were eaten, Bar was derigged, and everyone made it home safely, only to be assaulted by some intensely flavoured burritos. Many people decided to go caveless on Sunday, so just one group took on Shuttleworth to admire the dizzying array of pretties.

For the first time in club memory we trekked to the faraway lands of Snowdonia to visit the gargantuan labyrinths that had been hollowed out beneath the barren lands. Highlights included a perilous zipline, a slightly leaky canoe, and hundreds of titanic caverns carved into the slate, rivaling Moria in majesty.

Saturday and Sunday caving in't Yorkshire Dales; what could be better? King, Rowten, Rumbling, Gavel, Death's Head - all visited, all enjoyed - then home in time for life as usual on Monday.

Another weekend in Derbyshire involving getting up early to go to Peak (spoiler: we don't get to Peak) and dangling alongside deviations in JH, Oxlow and Eldon.

OFD round and round - as excellent a cave as ever. Meanwhile another group defied tradition by descending the 'unique in Wales' Pwll Dwfn pothole on the other side of the valley.

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.