A classic Yorkshire weekend feat. Lost Johns before term starts.

The Scottish highlands gifted us with wonderful weather for a week of multi-sport activity. There was caving, hiking, cycling, and swimming, along with organ playing, midge dodging, seal spotting, and hair cutting with the longest pair of scissors known to humankind. Truly glorious.

Deprived of Migovec for the second year and trapped in the UK to avoid quarantine hotels, we searched for some way to emulate our beloved expo. Where could we find a farflung location, lots of rope dangling, and lovely mountains? The answer: spend a week caving in the Dales, then trundle north into the far reaches of Scotland.

We make the best of the CPC's "winch without a winch" Gaping Gill meet and visit the main chamber via many pre-rigged entrances.

The weather for this weekend was forecast to be pretty bad. As we were camping most sensible people decided to stay at home. We actually had a very nice time, it barely rained at all.

Cavers new and not-so-new converged at a campsite in Llangattock to launch assaults on Agen Allwedd, Cwm Dwr & OFD 1, Eglwys Faen, and Craig a Ffynnon. It's always good to see everyone underground, but especially so after the year we've all had.

An excessively sunny weekend was spent in the Mendips featuring Burrington Combe, failed Swildons round trips and the cider barn.

The first trip in 2021, where a select few (thanks COVID) stay at the NPC and tackle a whopping three caves over the course of a rainy weekend.

Despite the tragically caveless year, the annual AGM featured elaborate speeches from high-spirited candidates, promising to single-handedly eliminate the pandemic to allow us to return to the underground once more. Distant oases were discussed such as actual club trips, new minibuses and double-decker chocolate bars. The voting saw some very close deciders – both President and Treasurer were decided by one vote only, however RON was denied a place on the committee once again.

It was feared that there would be few nominees for the ‘Herman Herz’ and ‘For Evan’s Sake’ awards, but surprisingly there were many candidates; Claims for near misses included Rhys for abseiling onto a supposed murder scene and Lucie and her boyfriend for climbing down a section of cave without rope, but ultimately the winner of Herman Herz was the whole club for surviving a whole year without going on a single trip. Bodily fluids that were creatively used included Sasha the dog’s vomit sprayed onto the floor of cave house and the entire human race’s mucus sprayed onto each other, but it was decided that For Evan’s Sake would be awarded to Dave’s gallbladder for turning against him halfway through the year.

And thus ends the most eventful uneventful year in club history, our eyes set on a future caked with mud once again.

Congratulations to the new committee:

Dear all prospective and existing members of ICCC,

This is the obligatory COVID-19 declaration. It’s been (and still is) a rotten year, and things aren’t going to be business as usual for a long time. Deepest commiserations to this year’s freshers for their unacceptably sober start to university life. As things stand, with a 6 person cap on social activities, and a suspension of face-to-face-activities, minibus hire and overnight stays by the union, the club won’t be going caving again until spring term.

When the union rules allow, we will run our usual SRT (single rope techniques) training sessions in Princes’ Gardens using a booking system. New members are strongly encouraged to attend - it’s a great way to get to know each other and to gain skills that you’ll need when we go underground again. In the meantime, join us for virtual pub nights every tuesday from 6pm via the link which is sent out to our mailing list at 5:30 the same day (sign up to our mailing list here). Between pub nights we can spend all that free time our lecturers/ supervisors/ bosses seem to think we have getting misty-eyed browsing past trip reports and planning our glorious return.

Wishing everyone well,

ICCC committee