The original plan for today was to visit The Score in Ogof Draenen and try and force our way through what sounds like a very unpleasant squeeze to see the White Wormery. However, as this trip involves 70m of flat out crawling in Back Passage and the …
The original plan for today was to visit The Score in Ogof Draenen and try and force our way through what sounds like a very unpleasant squeeze to see the White Wormery. However, as this trip involves 70m of flat out crawling in Back Passage and the …
A trip into Draenen to see the Coldfinger had been on my radar for some time, and after a quick message out to the Dudley, three of us (Jonny, Anne and myself) found ourselves squirreling around Draenen’s labyrinthine passages. Having heard that the …
A trip into Draenen to see the Coldfinger had been on my radar for some time, and after a quick message out to the Dudley, three of us (Jonny, Anne and myself) found ourselves squirreling around Draenen’s labyrinthine passages. Having heard that the …
A trip into Draenen to see the Coldfinger had been on my radar for some time, and after a quick message out to the Dudley, three of us (Jonny, Anne and myself) found ourselves squirreling around Draenen’s labyrinthine passages. Having heard that the …
I was very much looking forward to today’s trip, as I had booked onto a CNCC underground workshop on pull-throughs. Despite high water levels, given the improving weather forecast the decision was made that it was safe to proceed and after some initi…
On Saturday 18th November the Dudley met at South Wales Caving Club. One CDG member was taking a trainee around OFD for the weekend, another photography trip was delayed due to a puncture. The rest of us went on a nice amble around the classic touri…
On Saturday 18th November the Dudley met at South Wales Caving Club. One CDG member was taking a trainee around OFD for the weekend, another photography trip was delayed due to a puncture. The rest of us went on a nice amble around the classic touri…
Today’s trip was a classic: a Diccan-Alum exchange trip, with Bartek and myself going into Diccan, while Dino and Paulina went into Alum via the Dollytubs.
Shortly after entering Lower Longchurn, we reached the head of the first pitch. Even with low w…
Today’s trip was a classic: a Diccan-Alum exchange trip, with Bartek and myself going into Diccan, while Dino and Paulina went into Alum via the Dollytubs.
Shortly after entering Lower Longchurn, we reached the head of the first pitch. Even with low w…
A classic sporting wet trip in the Kingsdale valley. At least, not drenchingly wet after 2025’s very dry summer, but we were all significantly soggy by the end of the day.
Before we set off, Johnny and Dino went to rig the Roof Tunnel Pitch. Having …
Today’s trip was originally planned to the White River Series in Peak Cavern, however due to an event taking place in the showcave we opted for a shorter trip to ensure we exited on time. Keen to do an SRT trip, I suggested Victoria Aven to Echo Chambe…
Today’s trip was to be a fairly tough one, involving roughly three miles of varied caving, reported to take 10 hours. This included the infamous Daren Entrance Series, the ladder up into Higher Things and a few “Velcro-mud” belly crawls for good meas…
Due to pregnancy I missed the Dudley’s recent excursions into Draenen. Keen to put this right, I joined Dave and Loz for the Short Round Trip. It’s called “short” but compared to other round trips (e.g. in Aggy) it certainly felt long. I’m not sure…
Anyone who heard that the Dudley were planning a weekend trip to “Parys” might have envisaged us all drinking wine by the Seine. No such luck this time: this was an excursion to “Parys” not “Paris”. But what an amazing trip it was!
A handful of …
Anyone who heard that the Dudley were planning a weekend trip to “Parys” might have envisaged us all drinking wine by the Seine. No such luck this time: this was an excursion to “Parys” not “Paris”. But what an amazing trip it was!
A handful of …
An early start was in order to start the walk up ingleborough to the GG winch meet.
On reaching the makeshift town, we started to form a plan. My mom and dad would be descending the winch at 12:30 so the plan was to meet them in the main chamber fo…
When your son tells you he’s taking you on a “gentle introduction to caving”, you imagine something along the lines of a casual wander underground, perhaps a bit of scrambling, nothing too dramatic. What I didn’t expect was to find myself soaked to t…
Four Dudley members joined forces with Grace and Jenny from Crewe Climbing and Potholing Club for a short, but sporting and fun trip to Moss Chamber. A couple of club members were keen to do a trip that helped them build confidence after not being un…
Monday 21st April 2025.
Lost johns & George.
We decided on an ambitious plan to do the centipede route and try and make it to the final pitch and having a crack at battle axe traverse.
We started by sorting the ropes this was a task in itself wit…
A quick jaunt down Aquamole by George and Jonny, after diving Joint Hole.
Cavers: George T. and Jonny B.
Photo: Jonny B.
Friday’s Eldon Hole trip started with an uphill walk (including a short detour). Once we found the cave, Dave and George rigged two of the four pitches, North and South Gully. The descent was quite enjoyable as the weather was fair. Once we reached t…
After finding myself with a free day, I sent out a message to The Dudley to see if anyone was available for a caving trip. Loz “the machine” Appleby replied that she was, and after discounting the Far North in DYO (for reasons of time and less familia…
Today’s trip needed to be a quick, short trip, partly because I was sleep and energy-deprived and partly because George needed to be back for work at 3.30pm. We settled on P8 (Jackpot) which was new to both of us, and which has the reputation of bein…
Saturday.
The club weekend started with me and Jonny heading up to Bakewell Saturday afternoon for a dive in Holme bank chert mine.
The drive was lovely until I reached the Peak District which is where the rain started, at the entrance of the min…
The club’s February trip was arranged for the Peaks, and specifically a trip to Derbyshire Hall in Nettle Pot was the objective. Much has been said about the entrance pitches and how difficult they are due to being so tight. In reality, though, they …
One of the downsides of getting older, is that it really doesn’t take much to get confused. This is probably why I like things to be simple, but I’m fast realising that OFD isn’t simple in any way!
Take OFD1.5, for example. I thought this was the…
One of the downsides of getting older, is that it really doesn’t take much to get confused. This is probably why I like things to be simple, but I’m fast realising that OFD isn’t simple in any way!
Take OFD1.5, for example. I thought this was the…
For The Dudley’s first official meet of 2025, we decided on a trip that was not too taxing and which took us to a beautiful section of OFD: the Upper Oxbow Series, via the Skyhook Pitch. Bartek, Paulina, Mark, Jess, Jonny, Phoebe, Anne and myself all…
For the first trip of 2025, we thought we’d take advantage of Column Hall in OFD being open and make a quick trip there. Anne and myself had never been to this part of the cave before, and while Keith had, he wanted to take the opportunity to abseil …
For the first trip of 2025, we thought we’d take advantage of Column Hall in OFD being open and make a quick trip there. Anne and myself had never been to this part of the cave before, and while Keith had, he wanted to take the opportunity to abseil …
The second day of DCC Yorkshire weekend started in inglesport cafe where we had a bite to eat to ready ourselves. We decided on small mammal pot. Once we located the entrance covered with botched together bits of wood, a short crawl leads to the first…
The Dudley’s last official trips this year were planned to take place in Yorkshire. On the first day we put right some unfinished business, when we completed an exchange trip between Cow Pot and Lancaster Hole. (We had attempted this earlier in the ye…
Here are some snaps of the Dudley’s Christmas trip from one of our afficionafo cave photographers:
Cavers: Bartek, Paulina, Firas, Jas, Keith, Phoebe, Anne & Dave plus Steve, Stephan and Alan
Photos: Bartek
In days of old, when knights were bold
And monsters didst abound;
One spirited squire, to glory aspired
And thought to seek it underground.
Though eager, tis true, the squire he knew
To rush in upon dangers beneath
Would swiftly wend to a most stick…
The plan for today was to do the OFD1 Round Trip, with the Waterfall Series tacked on for good measure. Having done most of her caving in Yorkshire, this was to be Phoebe’s second trip to South Wales. As a classic introduction to OFD, this trip seemed…
The original plan for today was to go down Nettle Pot in Derbyshire. Unfortunately, Dave J (who was due to collect the tackle from the mill) had come down with the lurgy, and as I didn’t have the time to get it myself a rethink was in order.
In the…
This was my third attempt at reaching the Time Machine in Daren Cilau. The first attempt was aborted at the bottom of the ladder up into Higher Things (when Anne got very cold) and the second was a non-starter, as George did his back in a week before…
This was my third attempt at reaching the Time Machine in Daren Cilau. The first attempt was aborted at the bottom of the ladder up into Higher Things (when Anne got very cold) and the second was a non-starter, as George did his back in a week before…
The Dudley chose Ogof Draenen for their September trip, with Mel, Loz, George, Paulina, Bartek and Dave on the roster. The Geryon was our proposed destination, however after route-finding problems, slower than anticipated progress, and losing Bartek …
