March 19th P8
John, Dave, Paul, Martin, Trev.
To sober up after the dinner time AGM and before the evening stomp. Fairly wet trip - So wet that John couldn't find the last two rungs on the first pitch, so came back up for a lifeline perhaps it was something to do with his bowel regulator?
April 5th Jug Holes
Dave, Malc, Paul x 2.
Just a trip to show both systems to three members who hadn't really been in before. Adit exit now through an oil drum.
April 24th P8
John, Malc, Dave
Although Little Hull Pot booked, conditions too wet. Very wet trip.
May 2nd Jug Holes
Dave, Malc, Paul x 2
Dig at bottom of Canyon - hopes of breaking through into caverns measureless etc still hoping.
May 15th Jug Holes
Two Pauls took Pete, to show him the delights of caving - muddy!
May 28th Upper/Lower Long Churn & Alum Pot
Spring B. H. Meet at Ingleton
Dave, Malc
Very fine trip - had the system to ourselves apart from a party of army cadets coming out when we were in the entrance ( shuffle pool ) all had carbide cap lamps that weren't working! - Looked a cold & miserable bunch!
May 30th Tatham Wife Hole
Dave, Malc, John, Martin, Pete (from Airedale)
Pleasant uneventful trip to sump and back.
May 31st Ireby Cavern
Dave, Malc, John, Martin, Pete (from Airedale)
Trip down to Dale St sump.
John had a festering wound that needed dressing before & after trips.
June 12th P8
Pauls x 2, Pete
Pete put off caving this time due to falling off the ladder & lights that suddenly dim & go out - came out on a flickering Pifco.
June 19th Jug Holes
Dave, Malc, Paul x 2, Laurence
To have another go at the dig. Laurence did some filming whilst the others grovelled in the muddy dig - still hoping. No bats seen this time.
July 16th Giants
Dave, Malc, John, Trev, Al (S)
Finally saved enough to be able to afford the entrance fee. Unfortunately one ladder left on surface so unable to get down Geology Pot - came back via upper streamway, after looking at Oxlow connection passage.
July 31st P8
Russel, Gavin, Paul (W), Stuart
Russels trip to introduce Gavin to caving - they came back at top of fixed ladder. Paul & Stuart went to sump.
August, first two weeks Expedition 83 France
Alan Steans, Trev, John A., Martin B.
A good holiday mixture of caving, sun and cheap booze.
Trips included.
Trou Qui Souffle
"Hole that Blows" (Arse hole?)
Good sporting trip, managed to bottom after a good attempt previous year. Easy entrance at side of road with very strong draught. 6000m. long approx. Nine pitches with fairly difficult traverses.
Good sump best I have seen.
8 hour trip.
Gratre de Gournier
Excellent trip with fine formations. - 11,400m long.
Again second visit to upper series after exploring lower streamway in 82.
Best formations are near the entrance for first 3000m. after which is rock hopping. Size of passages dwarfs St. Paul's cathedral.
Entrance lake caused problem - 3 on one air bed! - Al swam back on return while Trev drowned.
Gour Fumant
163m. deep - 1883m. long
Good sporting trip. 6 pitches, of 17m, 9m, 11m, 9m, 12m and 9m. Again very big Passages, but closes down at the end at the Chinese Dragon, Hear route finding is difficult and water in the rift very deep. Managed to push so far but water very cold with little to hang on to. Turned Round at long duck as was sumped.
Malatewe
Depth 160m
Martin Solo
Cannot really say too much about this one as Martin soloed it. He was overdue however and Alan Trev and me formed a drunken Rescue Party.
Ended up at 21st birthday Party held by the French. Left after the Pegasus finished the booze. I little remember the drive back to the camp site but next day the car was covered with pine needles.
2nd week
Dent de Crolles
Martin, Trev, John A.
This without doubt is the finest Cave System I have seen! Though due to lack of numbers it was not possible for all of us to undergo one of the large through trips. The parts of the system we saw were impressive and a return in 1984 is a must with a strong team!
So come on lads! - how about it!
Reseaû - de Grotte du Guiers Mort
Martin, John, Trev
Arrived Sunday and spent most of the afternoon trying to find chelsea - some hope!
Eventually pitched camp for an early start next day to try and find one of the entrances to this large 28 Km System.
On way up to forest car park we found some bods from Salford university who were attempting similar trip and as we were only 3 in number we joined forces for the rest of the week. Most of our time being spent in Guiers Mort and surrounding system, though Martin managed one through trip (Trou de Glaz to Guiers Mort) with two Salford lads.
Grotte du Guiers Mort
From Perquelin leave car in Gravel Park area and well marked forest track leads past the capped fontaine noir and ascend to resurgence platform (45 min walk)
The water resurges inside the entrance but can rise up to 12 m inside the cave at the Spring Thaw. All pitches are tackled but are in a deteriorated state - as I found out.
East very large entrance to Climbers Gallery and 8 m climb to sump one by pass. However sump was dry so we followed more obvious route through Hurricane (very noisy windy small passage) via sump pool and crawls to Grand Canyon. Here 10 m fixed ladder broke as I descended forcing a difficult climb down a chimney to a impressive Yorkshire style streamway. Eventually Elizabeth Cascade is reach, a fine 4 m wet climb leading to Coup de Nod. Here route finding is a little more tricky to Sump 2 by pass and Bivouac Gallery, heading into the Metro and Trou de Glaz system.
Trou de Glaz
Trou de Glaz - Guiers Mort (13 hours approx trip)
French allow 24
Total descent to 'U' tube in Guiers Mort - 365 m
[2 x 60 m ropes needed + expandable slings and rope protectors]
Entrance via easy gallery on West Face of plateau. Very strong draught in descending tube leads to low passage on left wall well marked. This leads to Lantern Pitches of 12m, 12 m, 16 m.
John Addison 12/12/83
July 29th Giants Hole
Bishop + 4 R.N.
Quick trip to the bottom, cave very dry 3½ hrs.
August 14th Jug Holes
Paul + Mick
The couple picnicing outside thought they were about to be attacked by the two creatures from the swamp.
August 28th B.H. Yorkshire Meet Lancaster Hole
County Pot
Dave, John, Paul (W)
As only 3 of us we tagged onto a small Red Rose party and had a conducted trip of Lancaster (including Graveyard, Collanades) - out by County - already laddered.
August 29th Swinstowe
Valley Entrance
Dave, John, Paul (W)
Uneventful through trip, out just in time for a pint at the Marten Arms - tho' were still eating our Mars Bars at 1.30 at the Junction of S. with Master Cave.
September 24th Bar Pot
Dave, John, Malc, Paul (W), Mick
Booked trip was Long Kin East - Rift Pot, but cancelled by farmer; and few days before date.
Down Bar and into G.G. Main chamber and then to Mud Hall - followed by a good singsong in Craven Heiffer.
September 24th Swinstowe Valley Entrance
Dave, John, Malc, Paul (W), Mick
Slow trip through, as we had to show Malc & Mick how to abseil.
October 8th Carlwalk Caverns
John, Trev, Dave Malc, Paul (W)
John & Trev came up to Nottm to prune Malc's fruit trees but got priorities right. Most of party hadn't seen all the cave before. Went in bottom entrance up rift along Eyam Passage & down sump - out via Gin entrance - were waylaid on the way home by Royal Oak & chipshop in Stoney.
October15th Alston
October 22nd Heron Pot
Dave, John, Malc, Paul x 2
Grange Rigg booked on Chelsea permit - but some Chelsea members complained about Pegasus doing their trips and said we wern't wanted! so
After spending a lot of money in Inglesport we set off on a through trip - unfortunately rope became jammed on 2nd pitch & couldn't be pulled through - exited and comiserated in Craven Heiffer & 3 Horse Shoes.
October 23rd Yordas
Returned to Heron and retrieved rope - this entailed cutting 10" off rope - as time was getting on - we did
fine 80' entrance pitch - plenty of water on the cascades made this an exilerating trip (tho' too short) John had bought a new posh helmet for these trips as his light & helmet hadn't been seen since Carlswalk trip.
November 6th P8
Dave, John, Malc, Paul x 2
On sorting out gear, getting ready for trip, Trev found Johns (old) lamp & helmet in his gear sack! - the language was not printable
Typical Sunday trip - met a few people we knew - the spoil from Christmas Aven dig nicely blocks the streamway & makes the water about neck deep!
December 18th Swinstowe Valley Entrance
Dave, Malc, Mick, Paul W. John & Bob (Mansfield)
Day trip - the excuse was this was the last chance in 1983! After a sought of breakfast in Bernies & customary call in to Inglesport, found ourselves at Kingsdale - alone!
Pleasant through trip - in order to make the day Dave, Malc, & John also did:
Heron Pot
Uneventful (thank goodness) through trip, with wet exit - quickly changed, and warmed up in the Marten Arms in front of their fire eating soup etc.
December 28th P8
Dave, Malc
A quickly arranged trip - on getting into the cave Dave tried his light & found it didn't work! Back to the car & tool kit we eventually found that the battery was flat! - We were deciding what to do, as we didn't fancy a trip on one light, when another club arrived to go down, so we quickly took a chance, fortunately Malc's lamp was O.K. quite a wet trip.