Present: John R, Ian W, Chris M, Stacey A, (Al C)
Stacey and Al went to Durham for 10am. Chris was running late but we got to Collingwood and picked up Ian at about 11am. Picked up John and went to Tesco for breakfast. They’d sold out of the best stuff but we got sausages. We then found we had no ladder for Cherry Tree Hole. Al went home. We went to get some gear, then some petrol then the engine overheated. At 1pm the trip was officially abandoned! We let the van cool down then took it back to Chris’. Had tea and played with scourers for a while and a large vice we found in the cupboard. Eventually Stacey, Ian and John went up to the Gilesgate bridge to practice some SRT rigging. After an hour of playing around, we were told by a large, grumpy man that the bridge was dangerous and was built in 1926 and that we were risking our lives and he wouldn’t come to our funerals. We decided we didn’t want him to come anyway and carried on! Later a lady said that the bridge was new so at least we were safe! After abseiling down, Ian prussicked back up with an abandoned shopping trolley and toyed with the idea of maybe throwing it back down. After being praised for this good deed by a nice elderlyish couple – who then took it away to be disposed of correctly – we felt our efforts had not been in vain. John said his goodbyes and Ian and I had a pleasant walk back into the setting sun.
After being destined not to go caving, we had a highly successful and enjoyable day.
Stacey xx