Pegasus Caving Club
aka Pegasus Club Nottingham
January 14th
The first entry of the new year.
I shall hereby attempt to recreate the lost wonders of the underworld which have been denied to this hut of late (courtesy of the Stags)
Mick Durdy, Paul Foster, Paul Thompson, Dave Muir, Keith Johnson, Cheg, Big Al etc. etc.
Descended Middleton Top incline, Youlgrave and discovered many wondrous sites and hairy situations. Must return for further nightmares. Also (2 trips in one day) descended depths of Long Rake Mine, Youlgrave and encounted further incredibility’s.
January 15th Peak Cavern
The second entry of the new year instead of the usual boozing at the Quiet Woman.
PB Smith (leader), DIC, Cheg, Bill, Gary Wright, Mike Smith? ?, Dave
Usual complete trip, sump, ducking and sliding and gelignite recovery from Pickering’s Passage.
February 25th Ireby Fell Cavern
Al Steans, Vic, Dave Epton
Very wet and hence sporting trip. Entrance pitch can be done on one ladder and long belay. Lifeline preferable on last pitch in wet weather. Remarkably pretty trip by Yorkshire standards. Good trip.
March 24th Easter South Wales
Bill, Mick, Paul Deakin, Clive Westlake, Whipping boy and Pete from Eldon
Walk around Brecon Beacons from firing range around the ridge, ‘U’ shape, back to car. Very nice.
March 25th Aggie
Bill, Mick, Pete, Dave Muir
Trip to boulder choke, couldn’t find way through to complete grand circle. Back up main stream and out. Another enjoyable trip.
March 27th Bridge Cave & White Lady Cave
Vic, Gobmike, Janet, Trev, Buster, Andy Broadbent and Ang
The late arrivals (Vic, Gobmike, Janet and Trev) and myself (Ang) not forgetting Buster and Andy resisted the temptation to stay in the boozer, (It was open all day and needless to say Torchie, Mick and Dave did not) and went caving Aggghh again. We started out to do Little Neath and Pant Mawr. These we didn’t do and went down Bridge Cave next to the bridge near Neath Cave. This is a relatively short cave with an obvious entrance, muddy and turd infested. On the right is a small phreatic tube leading into a boulder choke, which continues for 2 – 300ft entering a large stream passage. Down stream a sump leads into the Neath system. Up stream an inlet leads to an impressive waterfall a way on couldn’t be found visibility was less than zero. There was various upper passages, after playing we came out.
After this we went to find White Lady Cave down stream from Bridge Cave. This is a very large stream way, which is only a few hundred feet long where the river sinks and emerges. Where the river sinks is a waterfall and the water flows down a large passage that soon sumps. Down valley the water emerges out of a large passage, which when followed leads to the sump. This large passage is good fun with water shoots and small passages going off to the main river. There are also some good gour pools. After all this caving we followed the river downstream. ‘Like caving in daylight, an adventure playground for cavers’ (its called Canyoning now). A really good day out, better than staying in the pub all day.
PS Vic’s map reading hasn’t improved.
April 16th Masson Mine, through trip to Youds Level
Big Al, Cheg, Al Steans, Trev, Gob Mike, Dave Gough, Vic, Dave Epton, Phil the Miner
Cavers listed by approximate arrival at the pub after a 2hr trip.
April 22nd OFD
Icarus, Gobmike, Al Steans, Keith, John Smith, Bill McG, and Icarus’s boys, Mike and Richard
Through trip from Quarry to top entrance via Maypole inlet.
Addendum – The real cavers explored the inner reaches of OFD inlet but couldn’t find a way through. (which f**king inlet)
April 23rd Aggie
Icarus, Gobmike, Al Steans, Keith, John Smith, Bill McG, and Icarus’s boys, Mike and Richard Whites Trips of Dover. Leisurely trip in, looked at watch, 12.10, panic stations, ran out, in pub by 1 o’clock.
April 29th P8
Trev, Al Steans, J Smith
Same as last time!
April 30th
At 11 o’clock, one hour before opening time, Bill McG suggested going caving. No backers whatsoever.
April 30th Uamh an Tartair
J Rat and Richard Gough
Looked for fine shit-hole (Elphin Hole) but couldn’t find it. Went to Uamh an Tartair and did a 10 minute trip to the 2nd pitch and back. Did not get rescued. Richard fell in a bog on the way to the cave.
April sometime The dreaded Doubergill Pasage
Training meet, chaos, death, marital discord. For further details consult no one.
No Date Bannerdale nr Mungrisdale (Blencathra) Cumbria
Paul ‘the fun’ White and Terry Wright
Old Lead Mines.
Lower level about 60yds long with deep red mud.
Upper level about 50yds open rake leading to 30yds level. Thin barites vein in the roof.
May 19th Knotlow Mine
Big Al, Cheg, Trev and 4 others
Quick trip down waterfall pitch, through Crimbo Swallett, back through Crimbo Pipe. Water low, shitty mud.
No Date Fingals Cave, Staffa, Hebrides (Beat you to it, J.Rat)
MacAnus, Gob Mike, Al Steans, J.Cobbett, Ratarse, Little Steve, Batsass, Roger Day
An epic trip only made possible after 400 miles by car, 2 days by ship, 3 days drinking, and an inflatable journey in a fog storm.
May 28th Otter Hole
Al Steans, Fish, Icarus, Vic, Dave Gough, Dave Epton
At last! The Pegasus descend the wondrous depths of Otter. An over tide trip (12hrs) Bad news for geriatric cavers, totally knackering but a trip to be remembered.
June 24th Novice trip P8
Trev, Al Harrison, Dave Gough, Al Steans, Gob Mike, Steve, Richard and Jenny Gough and 5 novices
A quick trip to the sump to return to the Wanted Inn before closing time. Jugholes visited en route to the Miners at Brassington so we could say goodbye to Cheg.
September 4th P8
Phil Nutthall, Bill
Nice Sunday trip down P8, would you believe we got lost, well only for a few minutes? Not much water. Approx 1½ hrs
September 25th Alum Pot
Al Steans, Trev, Bill, Gobmike, John? And 5 others
We eventually met the other party and then got changed. It was pissing it down with rain. The original plan of attack was one party down Diccan (not Liz Fish’s dogs arsehole) and the other party down Lower Long Churn. There was too much water going down Diccan that we chickened out and all descended Long Churn. It was like Tideswell Wakes with free beer down there, loads of people. Eventually we descended the first pitch, approx 50ft, we then continued to the bottom of Alum Pot. There was a further 25ft and then 65ft with a f**king big waterfall, we weren’t in the water. After the 65ft pitch was a free climb, 8ft, which led to the final 25ft pitch. At this point we got bored and retreated. Time down 4hrs but there was quite some time lost so 2hrs in and out would be not much problem.
P.S. It must have been near flood condition when we descended.
P.P.S. Can’t remember the name of the entrance we went in, so have a guess (Lower Long Churn from a Mendipite)
September 28th OFDII
Dave Gill,Al Steans, M Durdy, D Muir, John, John the wall, Trev, Gobmike
Usual Cwm Dwr to top entrance. Trip allegedly a training meet. Very quick trip considering everything, 3½ - 4hrs. Original intention of examining Column Hall thwarted by making of generalities when top entrance and opening time was within striking distance. Super severe and sporting trip (for the landlord) at Beaufort Arms in Crick that night. Durdey in fine form.
September 29th Eglis Fawnr
Dave Gill, Al Steans, M Durdy, D Muir, John, John the wall, Trev, Gobmike
More interesting than it looks and almost as interesting as it sounds. 1½hr trip. Out for Bridge Hotel and Beaufort Arms early Saturday night, easy trip in Old Ford (pub)
December 9th Giants Hole (35p/person)
Big Al, Richard and Jenny Gough, Gobmike, Barrie Wilton, Martin Bishop, Colin Dooley.
Good trip after 7 pints of pollard!! What cave was it again?