Author: Tom C

James, Ami, Scott, Jason, Chris G, Maz, Tom

After our last club trip here where we’d planned to do Short Drop then onwards into Gavel was cut short due to a soggy and sad looking team appearing at the Gavel traverse, there was some hesitation that tonight might end up the same after the rain we’d had.

But arriving at Leck Fell we talked ourselves into at least popping down for a look at the low section in the Gavel streamway for peace of mind. A chilly walk deposited us in the shakehole and Ami was quickly on the rigging, then on to the next pitch to show us how it was done. Maz, on the other hand, launched enthusiastically onto the in-situ line down the alternative pitch, and while we all quietly slipped past his curses he thought better and came back up for the conventional descent.

Onwards we headed and were surprised at how tame the streamway was once we reached it, and we chimp-walked along to the lovely chamber that we always forget is really nice. We were soon through the low dunk in the stream and wriggling through into Glasfurd’s. We marvelled at the earth-moving that had recently taken place to open the mud sumps of upstream and definitely didn’t poke our heads up into the new chamber.

While James went for a wee we pressed on through the various squeezes and the series of chambers, some more surprised at getting through than others, while some opted to sack them off altogether and enjoy a chat in the pretty first chamber. 

DID THE EARTH TREMBLE FOR YOU IN LOST JOHNS?
Scott, Tom, Ami, Ray, James, Maz (Report by Maz)

This was cave option number three for me. The original plan; on the list anyway, had been to go to Red Moss Pot. However, drier weather earlier in November had necessitated a switch from the original (Calf Holes) which made  snorkel and fins no longer necessary in RMP. I had planned to go to Calf Holes to reccee it, but well, just hadn’t.

So I asked Tom if he had any suggestions and for some reason he came up with Lost Johns.
Now its been a while since I’d done this and perhaps the terror of the traverse had receded, so off went the emails.

A few souls braver and more skilled than I signed up, and a Dome/ Centipede exchange was suggested.  Scott, Ami, James, Ray, and new father Tom turned up. Sporting a sleek post partum Dad bod, he got in his excuses early, saying he hadn’t caved in the last 3 weeks. A lie no-one believed.

The team split with Ami and James going down Dome, and myself, Ray, Tom and Scott took Centipede; the uneven split being my displeasure at doing anything other than straightforward SRT. A few paces in, and I remembered the traverse. I needn’t have worried however, as I (ahem) breezed effortlessly and silently ahead. 

After a short period, Team efficient peeled off and we descended the pitches. Kind words of encouragement  were offered to our returning caver, but he soon got the hang of it! Soon we were at the bottom of the big pitch. After waiting a bit for the other two, Tom decided Daddy duties superseded the needs of his mates and up he went. How selfish. 

Ray had informed me we’d probably have a bit of a wait, but it was not to be. Speedy 1 and Speedy 2 aka James and Ami soon appeared and a ceremonial hand over of baggage (myself) ensued as I chose to go back the same way.

James confidently predicted we would be out long before the other two. But he hadn’t taken into account my SRT skills. With Ami derigging, we moved back up the ropes and on to the traverse. Again I demonstrated the utmost calm, composure and ethereal movement along this section. I could tell the others were so pleased to be caving with me again. 

Back at the vehicles, James’ prediction proved untrue with Ray and Scott waiting patiently for our return. 

An hour or so later, there were strange things going on 3km beneath Lancashire. Maybe it was tectonic movement, maybe it was isostatic rebound, or maybe it was the thud of boots at the bottom of the big pitch. Whatever it was that triggered it, an earthquake measuring 3.4 was felt across the region.
Personally, I blame the cavers of KCC. We await the call from the British Geological Survey….

Dave (big), Dave (regular), James, Jason, Ray, Tom

The logistical difficulties of rigging a Leck Fell through-trip makes them less common on our meets list, but with the Two Daves bravely coming forward to enjoy an SRT-only bounce trip while de-rigging out it didn’t seem so hard this time round. Boxhead and LJ were potential entrances on the list, but in the end we decided on a less usual option – It’s A Cracker.

After Inglesport breakfast for some we met up on the fell, the through-trippers parking at Notts II for an easy walk out, and we reached Cracker to find the Daves already busy at work at the head of the first pitch. It was good to see Regular Dave back out again, and reassuring to hear him checking whether his Simple was on the right way while dangling over the 50 metre drop. 

Down Big Dave’s beautiful rigging of Paparazzi we headed, and on to Regular Dave’s equally beautiful ropework on Park Bench pitch. What’s not to love about these pitches? Our diligent riggers headed off to the final pitch while the rest of us regrouped and followed them down. In a matter of minutes Big Dave had an elegant rig across to the Kendal Flyover including a tyrolean guide line, we were truly spoilt.

At this point it was time to part ways, with Daves heading back north to the sunny fell above. The rest of us de-kitted and packed ourselves in tight for the gruelling crossing that lay ahead. Into the Cresta Run, we quickly reached the climbs down to the lower level. Ray took on the first downclimb, but at the first sound of difficulties James and I scrambled over the top of him to head for the larger gentleman’s rope 30 seconds further on. This proved to be horrible, with the combo of muddy gloves and muddy rope making it a bit of a hope and prayers situation. We somehow got down unscathed but were unhappy. If I do this trip again I’m either taking a bit of tat to rig as an in-situ mini pitch, or at least leaving my SRT kit on a little longer and down-prussiking the knotted handline. The other two headed down their choice of climb, Jason of course taking it head-first apparently.

Next follows 45 mins or so of general wriggling, muddying, ducking and routefinding through the complex of the Tate Galleries. Luckily we had a Ray with us who unerringly led us through from memory. Eventually we reached the bottom of the fearsome climb upwards into the Lyle Cavern High Level series where our KCC forefathers had lifted a boulder and discovered all this nonsense 40 years ago. This involves a well-polished near vertical gully heading up just over 10 metres, which was strenuous. Some found a jammer was a good reassurance on this (they just about fit on the current in-situ handline).

All up and well, now we could enjoy the 10 minutes of pleasant well-decorated walking in the middle of the trip. It was nice to match this up with where I’d been a couple of months ago with Scott when trying the 3 Counties connection out for size, and before long the pretties ran out and we were at the muddy scrabble up to the ‘vestibule of pain’ which affords a quick break before starting the connection. We slid through mostly solemnly, cursing every bag-catching rock as the connection drank our energy, and dreaded to think what might happen if we met a party heading the other way.

A final dunk through Bruno Kranski’s and we were back in the welcoming lap of Notts II, and made a speedy exit through comfortable and familiar territory, to emerge to the two Daves waiting for us. I assumed they were after their free pints for derigging, but it seems they just didn’t want to take the ropes back for cleaning. We made our way to the Pheasant at Casterton for a well-earned pint by the log fire. Cheers all!