Yorkshire

Weekend Trip 22/23 June 2002

Saturday - Not Juniper Gulf

Jan E, Colm C, Andy J

Disclaimer: We did not pirate JG & we were nowhere near the allotment - we weren't even in Yorkshire!

Jan writes: Parked in Clapham after off-roading up Long-Lane, slogged upto JG (1hr) easy rigging, Colm minimalist riggin (traverse further on 2nd pitch), big pitch v. impressive, sump v. frothy, traverse between P3->P2 is a serious shag with a tackle bag. Good trip!

PS: walking back via Ingleborough cave is stronly discouraged!! due to being long and painful.

PPS: I saw a little worm at top P3 + it was alive

Colm writes:
I'd imagine this cave is a very satisfactory rigging trip - though I wouldn't know, as we didn't do it. Many P bolts, but you only need to use half of them. Bottom pitch is a fine 45m free hang, though with the p-hangers it might be a bit longer. Sump was absolutely disgusting - I pity the poor guy who dived it. Despite forecast, weather was good, so, on exit I re-rigged the pitches to the 'wet-route' to make them easier.

Sunday - Diccan Alum exchange

Diccan - Colm, Andy Alum SE - Jan, Hugh Colm writes: Hugh turns up at 10:30 just on time to scrounge the last sausage. He regales us with stories of mattress rugby and other drunken games from the wedding he was at, before disappearing to Bernies for a proper breakfast.

The rest of us ponder what trip to do before finally settling on Diccan-Alum exchange. Ropes quickly packed, we join Hugh in Bernies for a brief cuppa before hitting Selside. Much debate over who does what cave, but as Andy and I are ready first, we get Diccan. Over-rig the first pitch (3 Y-hangs) and completely miss the deviation, so try to get Andy to sort it. Much confusing shouting & faffing (and getting sprayed on) end up with us not bothering with deviation. Good rigging turned into minamilist rigging as we ran out of maillons, but soon at bottom as others appear from Alum. Brief chat before uneventful exit - Prussiking the main pitch in glorious sunshine with an audience of dolly-tubbers. I head back to Diccan to rig deviation in top pitch so prussikers avoid spray. It's a bit of a swing, but easy enough 'cause of loads of handholds.

Back to NPC for tea and medals before leaving for London at 6:30

Sunday/Monday - The Journey Home

Jan writes:
Back tyre shreds itself 60 miles out of London. Doing 70 in the inside lane, Colm's rally driving skills save us from taking a roll and parks expertly half way up the bank on the hard shoulder.

Andy writes:
I think it's my 22nd birthday, but because I didn't at all climb up to the allotment with a gurt monging tackle sack, then do Diccan, and now it's 2:30AM, I'm too tired to know.

Colm writes:
10:30PM: Zooming along the inside lane at about 70 when there's a noise from the back and the van starts weaving all over the shop. Manage to steer towards the hard shoulder - though I don't think I had much influence on where we were going. Back of the van hits a tree, before we bounce back into the inside lane before planting the van firmly in the embankment. Hop out quickly to find a shredded back tyre. Serious case of the shakes, so I take a quick jog to the emergency phone to sort myself out.

11:30 No sign of AA, so I phone them on Andy's mobile. They claim to know about our case, but they still ask where I am, the reg no. of the van, details of the accident again!!.

12:15 Truck eventually shows up, replaces the tyre, says the brakes are damaged, so can't drive to London. I pick up our warning triangle and view the evidence - ripped off branches from the tree everywhere.

It's 4AM, totally light again and the AA promised to be here 2 hours ago. Some garage towed us to some shitty services near oxford where we've watched their video go through three whole circuits. I moaned to the AA, but the woman just but me on hold for 10 minutes. Then, I was just getting to sleep in the van when the wankers phone me back saying they'd forgotten about us, and would be along at 5.

Now it's 5:30 and we've arrived in SK - Mr AA turned up at 4:30. We've dumped the shit in stores, and am on way home - scary thing is, people are on their way to work already!