Long Drop

Ami, Pete, James, Jasmine, (New) Dave, Paddy

A cave of multiple leaders! With Steve originally leading this trip but unable to make it, Dave agreed to take on the rigging but was then thwarted by a punctured tyre, myself and Ami agreed to co lead it, only because we were the ones with the kit! After meeting on Leck fell and having introduced ourselves to prospective new member Dave we set off in the direction of Rumbling, with the description telling us Long Drop was the next fenced enclosure.

“Long Drop Cave is one of the lesser popular trips on Leck Fell” According to the CNCC description, and that was evident as we picked a way through the trees to the entrance, after foraging bilberries, wild strawberries and sorrel Ami set off to rig the first pitch, with the 20m rope just making the bottom of what should be a 15m rig. After this it was a short squeeze through to the second, awkward pitch. A comment of “Ami, I don’t think I fit” from me and some muffled swearing from others we just about made it. The bottom of the second pitch is not somewhere to hang around, the mud has a definite unpleasant aroma to it, so me and Ami exchanged places and I set off on the 25m kinda side on crawl to pitch 3.

A reachy start to get to the Y hang might be an understatement, but we definitely chose the right way round to rig, Ami on the small stuff, me on the reachy stuff! Nice pitch with two rebelays and a deviation made for a good amount of vertical fun! Once we all congregated at the bottom James, Jasmine and Ami set off to explore the crawl to the sump, while the more sensible folk stayed behind.

Upon their return we started the ascent back to the surface, with James derigging pitch 3 and Jasmine taking on 1 and 2. All surfaced and present we made our way back in the direction of the vehicles, at least we thought so as the classic Leck fell fog had come in and hidden then from view!

A good nights caving, Ami is keen to do the exchange with Deaths Head on the next meets list, I think I might be busy that day…