CLUB MEETING – SUNDAY 14THMAY 8.00 PM at Jill’s (address above)

DOW CAVE – Sunday 14thMay – Meet at ‘Lucy Fold Tea Rooms’! in Grassington at 9.30 am. Arrangements have been made with the proprietors to do breakfasts and the like but they will need to know approximate numbers so can anyone wishing to eat PLEASE LET DAVE KNOW BEFORE SATURDAY (539007). Anyone not eating please meet in the car park at Kettlewell (next to river) between 10.30 am and 10.45 am.  Please let us know if you need lamps or other equipment AS A MATTER OR URGENCY as some gear may need to be hire.  If you don’t book it you may end up without it!

Meets Report

SATURDAY 8THAPRIL, BULL POT of the WITCHES

After meeting in Settle at the café we decided to get off, as some B.P.C members were going over for 11 0’clock.  We arrived at Bull Pot farm finding absolutely no one there.  On getting changed quickly we made tracks to the pot (only 200 yds from the farm)

The pot can be descended down a 50ft pitch landing in the open shaft.  But we by-passed this by going down a small passage to an easy chimney decent leading to south chamber, at the side of the open shaft.

On following down the stream which came to a junction, we turned left along a muddy low crawling passage, on which we took a right instead of a left and ended going down a rift passage and ending up in a large chamber.

Remembering where I went wrong, we went back and went down the right hand turning which lead to the first pitch.  It is about 15ft and awkward at the top and is very wet.  On landing at the bottom of the ditch you are directly on the top of the second pitch.  When Steve Barker came down the pitch Steve Richardson tough it was good fun damning up water and then letting it go.  The second pitch was rigged clear of the water and was about the same height.

From the bottom of the second pitch you bridge over into the Long Gallery, downstream leads to the sump where water comes in from Aygill Caverns.  This is the point where we met 11 members of the B.P.C.  They went to the other end of Long Gallery to drop down an awkward chimney which joins the water and eventually sumps to join with Lancaster Hole.

We now decided to make our way back towards Gour Chambers.  At this point my light decided to run out of power.  Between the pitches we met Chris Davenport and John Elliot (B.P.C) and told them of the masses of people down below.

We made our way towards Gour Chambers down some tightish slanting rifts, then having to descend 20ft up a steeper and tighter rift to pop up one by one in Gour Chamber,  About 30ft long from one end to another where beautiful crystal clear Gour pools, and everyone agreed they were worth seeing.

There was another nearly vertical squeeze which must have been 8 inches wide and only John and I could get through.  This was another smaller continuation of the other Gour Chamber.

On our way we met the rest of the B.P.C and to our delights they had derigged the pitches.

Chris Speight was the only wet suited spelo in our party and we couldn’t find any ducks to send him through.  We’ll get you next time.  A quick change saw us to the Bridge hotel for a drink or two, (doesn’t caving have its drawbacks)

Those present:  Steve Barker, Steve Richardson, Chris Speight and me (Andy Jackson)

P.S. Nearly forgot, half the B.P.C.