Does anyone go caving?

[Stringmaker]

The reason I ask is that I just read the obituary of a chap called Bob Leakey.

The story of how he discovered and explored Mossdale Caverns is enough to bring out the claustrophobic in any of us!

Then there was this in 1967:

"It was the world’s worst caving disaster. On 24 June 1967, six young adventurers
set off to explore Yorkshire’s Mossdale Caverns. They never came back."

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/u...-beneath-mossdale-caving-disaster-794268.html

Cavers; mad as a box of frogs...

 

[Zingmo]

That was a good read. I used to do a bit of caving in my younger days. I guess the lesson of Mossdale was drummed into everyone. If rain was forecast then some trips were simply not possible.

Z

 

[Stringmaker]

Bob Leakey actually took up caving to conquer his own claustrophobia; now that demands some respect.

Personally it is one of those activities which will never be on my "to do" list!

 

[EdS]

Yes.

And know good many of those involved in the Mossdale incident - used to work with one of them, that's how I got volunteered into the MRT / CRT

Also, Bob was an acquaintance of my house mate - but from his local politics side. Bod was a really character. He also set up British Subaqua Club


BPC - Gaping Gill winch meet is on next bank holiday if anyone wants a trip underground

http://www.bpc-cave.org.uk/gaping_gill.htm

 

[Stringmaker]

Thanks, I forgot to mention that he set up the British Sub Aqua Club to guess what........conquer his fear of water.

 

[Ivan...]

OH NO WAY!! Not for me pal, i forgot i have permission to explore some shiny ore mines, well adits really, in a wood near me. Been there twice and most are too unsafe to go in, and none are very long, but as soon as i can't see the light over my shoulder, in creeps this awful feeling of impending doom! Lovely spot though, and what a twit am i, he gave me permission to camp in the wood too, i forgot, thanks for raising the thread.

The chap who owns the wood, lives upcountry,and had a vision to reinstate the old rides and extraction routes using heavy horse and othe primitive methods, but was too costly, so after loads of replanting, that was the end of that!

May announce a small meet there this summer, but i for one will not be going in any of them holes, more than about 50 metres.

Ivan...

 

[Dogoak]

Not really done much since I moved up here but I used to frequent the Mendips mainly. It's a sport for nosey bar stewards and you'll find muscles you never knew existed!

 

[John Fenna]

I used to do a bit - I was going for my Local Cave Leader quallie when I lost the use of the left side of my face (martial arts sparring accident) and as I can no longer keep the muck out of my eye I just found caving (and climbing) to hazardous to continue with at the level I was enjoying.
I have not been down a cold, mucky hole in the ground since....

 

[Stringmaker]

Gong back to Bob Leakey again; he was so impervious to cold and discomfort he often used to kip in the mud where he lay!

 

[towim]

I don't cave as much as I mine, I find the industrial history a lot more interesting and to explore as we'll.

 

[Ivan...]

Oh Stringmaker, what have you started? You have reminded me of the place i mentioned earlier, to the point of rounding up the family after dinner and having a nose round. The place is known as Great Rock Mine and was formerly a micaceous haematite, (iron ore) mine.

It's history certainly goes back to the 19th century, but it's main period of production was from 1900 - 1969, when it closed.
The mine produced about 2,500 tons of the mineral a year, and was an important ingredient in rust resistant paint, used on royal navy ships and bridges, including Royal Albert Bridge and Sydney Harbour Bridge.

It's a beautiful spot, and there are remnants of the mining all over the place, i rang the owner and he said due to insurance he has had all but one of the mine entrances closed in (see pics) but said with disclaimer i could obtain the keys and go in at my own risk. The main problem is that the dodgy bits and shafts between the adits were supported by larch poles, which are now very rotten.

Anyway, i won't rattle on anymore, suffice to say there is a book on the place called, Great Rock, Devons Last Metal Mine. It's a good read.

Atb.

Ivan...

 

[21st century pict]

I’ve done a couple round the coast but all very nice and open sort of thing but If you think cavers and spelunkers are nuts what about them sump divers that must be absolutely terrifying totally nuts .AAAaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr. Does anyone here remember the chap who fell down the water fall after viewing the china cabinet? he landed face first on some boulders smashed his teeth and collarbone and as waiting for help wasn’t an option the very first thing he had to do on the way out at the first sump was bite down on his regulator , with his smashed teeth. OUCH ,6 weeks later he was sump diving again if you are the guy and you are reading this sorry but you’re mental.
There’s a good web site called Subterranea Britannica that’s worth a look.

 

[calgarychef]

I've done a bit in Alberta, but we have precious few caves there mostly due to the last ice age filling up the entrances. There are a couple, one called the "ice cave" because it has a permanent mini glacier in it. The other is called "rats nest cave" because its full of pack rats. The interesting thing is the pack rats find bones from dead animals and hide them all over the cave, so one finds bones in the strangest places.

 

[boatman]

Never caved but love the public access underground venues. Commercial and touristy of course but you are still underground whether in the caves of Postojna in Slovenia, a tin mine in Cornwall or a reputedly haunted iron ore mine in the Forest of Dean. Amazing experience to visit the Grimes Graves flint mines in Norfolk especially to crawl round one of the short but tight galleries which I am not sure was allowed but was fun as was the tour of the Bronze Age Copper Mine on The Great Orme, Llandudno where one can only wonder at how children worked in such narrow spaces in the virtual dark.

 

[Everything Mac]

Once yes. But never again. Damn near broke my knee on the decent and coming back up was agony.

I was amazed at how clean the fresh air tasted though. But no not fer me.

Andy

 

[gsfgaz]

I would love ti try it ,,,

 

[CheeseMonster]

Haunting read, I always freak out just watching those army assault courses where they crawl through small tunnels half filled with water even though I don't consider myself to be that claustrophobic. I think it's the combination of tight spaces and water that bothers me.
Thank for sharing!

 

[Mikey P]

I used to cave when I was at University the first time around, with Sheffield Uni club (SUSS). Went on exped to Turkey's Anamas Dalgari (sp?) mountains and was first person ever into a small cavern! It wasn't that impressive but we did find some other really nice stuff. Did most of caving around Derbyshire (Castleton - who knows P8?) and Yorkshire. Also enjoyed a lot of mine exploration round Castleton and Alderley Edge. Kind of left it behind when I finished my degree course and moved on to more overground stuff.

Remember reading about the Mossdale tragedy, and it scared the living hell out of me to imagine the feelings of the people who were trapped. Gave me a healthy respect for the weather...

 

[Firelite]

Thanks for this one guys!...We're going caving for the first time at the end of the month - If my girlfriend sees this thread there's no way on (or in?) earth she'll want to do it, even if it is elementary stuff. sssshhh....!

 

[Riven]

Used to do alot of caving in the late eighties and was a member of Pegasus Caving Club based in Notts but had a hut up in Peak Forest, just a stones throw from P8, Giants, Oxlow etc. Great fun and we always had a good laugh and a drink in Castleton after. Ah nostalgia, its not what it used to be.
Riven.