Present: Anthony (Quarter Master), Julia, Al, Adam (independent transport. Spying on my benefit fraud)
Left Durham, collected Al on-route (after worrying about the stability of the car on the motorway). Arrived at Ingleton fairly early, hung around waiting for Adam to meet us in Bernies and bumped into a couple of Martin’s mates from work, whom Anthony knew too. Bumped into Lutty and his entourage of a girlfriend and three kids (but I dunno whose they were, and wouldn’t pass judgement. Lutty’s got internet access and he’s big) (and tactless, apparently). Adam bought a new climbing rope, and Lutty a particularly costly-looking full carbide kit and helmet. Bumped into Les on the way out of Bernies, which just about accounts for the old members.
Arrived at Magnetometer Pot sometime in the early afternoon after not finding a farmer to give money to. Rigged the first pitch – half of which is a great sewer pipe in the ground, and crawled off along a dry bit. Found the well pitch after climbing down a fairly tight rift. Continued along a narrow, low passage into a narrow, low, wet passage, which quickly became wetter and colder. Got worried about camera and keys, and left the bags. Continued to river Styx. Crawled to the sump which was perched. Went the other way along river Styx, found a really pretty photogenic bit (annoying). Got wet again, and got to holes junction (a junction with a hole!) Continued towards Caton Hall, and passed a deep but narrow traverse. Didn’t quite reach Caton Hall, and turned back.
Got very wet again, and I got lost by going down the wrong small hole. Arrived at well pitch with Adam’s carbide being dead. Anthony’s, on the other hand was very alive, and burned Julia’s waterproof trousers. Struggled to entrance pitch and staggered up it to find a river flowing where there wasn’t one there before (well, OK, it was a stream). Derigged and walked back. Adam and I found the farmer/castle owner, and walked back along a lane, discovering copious water in the fields, and a glove that matched Adam’s glove, so he decided it must have been the one he lost on the way there. Got overtaken by a pickup truck with Anthony and Julia sat in the back, but, like the Theakston’s Best, we weren’t bitter. Got changed and went to the pub to drink some beer; Anthony had his in a softy wimpy glass on a stalk. Drove back via kebab shop (Am considering sponsorship deal with them) without problems.
Quotes of the day: Are you trying to get between my legs? Was that stream there before?
Al Cook