I decided to take John on a trip, on what the book describes as one of the best. Its quite a hard trip and wet (at times) trip but I decided he was ready for it. I advertised it on the forum and Don decided he was up for it too.
It was a cloudy day a “perfect day to be underground” John said, where we met Don in a local caf in Kettlewell. Don got what he thought was a bargain breakfast for £4.95, only he read the menu wrong and found out it was £8.95. Still it was better than the Inglesport breakfast he said, so you get what you pay for.
Well sated off we went. Political conversation was the topic of the day, but thankfully finding the cave entrance put an end to this nonsense. Down we went, having been here many times before, I led the way. The breakthrough point is always wet and despite our best efforts a good soaking is un-avoidable.
On we pressed reaching the main stream. From here it was an easy trip for a while. I was revelling at my 500% improvement in traversing since I was last here due to me binning my lethal wellies. No embarrassing falls into the stream for me this time.
Eventually we reached 800 yds chamber and decided to stay low through the false narrows. No one had any severe issue here, and this boosted Don’s confidence at doing the true narrows further on.
At the descent to the true narrows down Don insisted we try the Narrows, despite it being bloody difficult to get back up once we have climbed down, if we failed. I went first to “ahem” show them how its done and preceded to get stuck. I thought going in feet first was the way to go but I got wedged and not seeing where I was going I did not have the confidence to push through, I had attempted too high up. I eventually managed to reverse out of the squeeze after locating a foothold and tried again, this time at floor level. (A bit easier). I then shimmied along the narrow rift beyond for John to try.
Despite my warning, John decided the way I tried originally was best and he also got stuck. But unlike me, this did not deter him, after what sounded like immense straining, but never loosing his rag, John dropped through to the bottom of the squeeze where he was meant to be and slithered though.
For Don, he approached it correctly at the bottom and feet first too (it is slightly easier head first, but you end up with your face almost in the water a slip could drown you if you are stuck in the squeeze too). Don did not have much confidence and almost immediately said it was “not happening”. However, we encouraged him to give a go and wriggle. Wriggle he did, more like a beached whale more than jellied eel but he still made progress. For something so tight he did well and eventually made his way though and into the water. Well done, not many make it through the true narrows Don! Once in the water, where it is still quite tight Don was not happy and shouted “help me” a few times, which where he was now was completely impossible unless he wanted pushing back through, plus John was eating a brownie at the time. We have our priorities Don!
He calmed down and emerged proud having survived and completed the true narrows.
The rest of the trip was a fun jaunt down the main stream in waste deep water. The only points of note, where the fact Don decided to avoid the climb up to Gypsum and do a much harder route in or near the water. He also decided that climbing down was too tame for him and instead skydived off a rock into deep water.
Once out of the cave, the weather had improved, thought this did not deter us from going underground again. Dove caves was our place of choice. A short cave/mine that ends at some nice calcite decorations.
We finished the day at the pub on the other-side of the street of the Blue bell as that was packed. Good food, its a pity the pub’s name is so forgettable.
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