Present: Al C, Ian W, Leon W (in eyeliner), John R
This was a trip of minimum phaff. We had fun.
Oh, okay I’ll write more! Al and Ian arranged a trip to Ease Gill with such deft use of electronic messaging techniques as hasn’t been seen in DUSA for a good long while, resulting in a silky smooth day out. A respectably early start from Durham for three meant the connecting train at Ribblehead was met with only 5 minutes waiting! The obligatory stop at Ingleton meant that we didn’t get underground until 1.15, but so what?! The tramp across the moor was rather fun and a further traipse up the stream was required to reach the entrance (though the stream was dry so it was easy). Ian went in first and rigged and derigged the majority of the cave with advice from Al. The ‘Z’ bend was an utter let down in that it was so disgracefully easy as not to deserve a mention! On the way to the bottom, not one of the three ropes we rigged touched the floor of its pitch! Once at the bottom (after a long look at the astonishingly formed formations in the rift passages to the right at the bottom of the 1st pitch) we explored the main drain and sat in the dark in a large chamber upstream. Downstream became wriggly and wet very quickly – Ian submerged his head to refresh himself. The journey out was notable for its ease (except, perhaps, for John who had his SRT kit assembled incorrectly; “D’oh!”). Another stomp across the moors got us back to BPF and we were changed and back in Durham in seemingly no time at all.
Ian