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Present: Pete H, Andy S, Ane A

Got an early start – left Durham around 8am. The Yorkshire Dales are amazingly beautiful with the sun slowly rising, frost on the grass and traces of mist left between the hills. Breakfast was fast, which meant we reached the cave at 10:30 and were ready to go down less than half an hour later.

With only three people in the group, we moved forward pretty fast and got down the pitch without problems. Followed stream, and played in mud. Continued up the East Entrance Passage to Swinsto Great Aven. Climbed up the cascade and got soaked. Followed stream as far as we could through rift. Turned back and climbed back down cascade. All very fun as well as quite wet – we could as well have gone swimming somewhere. Followed a narrow muddy and wet passage a bit longer than planned (a result of a couple of wrong turns), before we were back at the main stream. At that point we began to notice the leftovers of the fun earlier – the mud and the water – which, combined with the cold of the cave, made us quite eager to get out.

Got out into a nice and sunny day – pleasant weather for changing. Ended up at the Marton Arms Inn, where we met James and George, who had stayed at the farm overnight. A slight detour through Ingleton, and we were back in Durham for dinner.