Other Sites and Blogs – Darkness Below

We can’t hope to bring you every story, but there are plenty of caving and mining blogs out there you can browse at your leisure – so have a read through some of the best! If you know of a blog you’d like us to add to this page please let us know.

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8th November

Vince, Nick, Brockers, Jake, Jon Early at the cave to replace 10mm jute rope on the haul up out of the ‘pot’ with a 14mm hemp rope. These twisted natural fibre ropes are easier to grip with muddy gloves. The knots tied only last week were already tight. I was just about done as the … Continue reading ...
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INCIDENT 91/2025. NOVEMBER 8th THU. 14.12 hrs ALUM POT, SELSIDE, NORTH YORKSHIRE.

The team were called by North Yorkshire Police for a party of cavers at the bottom of the 90m shaft of Alum Pot due to concerns over a damaged rope. As the team were assembling at the RV point, they received a further call confirming that the party wer ...
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Nearly given the Cold Shoulder by the Coldfinger

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 ...
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Nearly given the Cold Shoulder by the Coldfinger

INCIDENT 90/2025. NOVEMBER 6th THU. 17.55 hrs WATERFALLS TRAIL, INGLETON, NORTH YORKSHIRE.

The team were called by North Yorkshire Police to assist with a lone walker (f,24) who was lost and benighted. Her location was quickly established and two team members in CRO 3 were able to drive to the location and return her to the nature trail car ...
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Simpson Pot Pull Through Training

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 ...
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INCIDENT 89/2025. NOVEMBER 1st SATURDAY. 13.47hrs. FOXUP MOOR, PLOVER HILL, LITTONDALE, NORTH YORKSHIRE

Our colleagues at Upper Wharfedale Fell Rescue Association (UWFRA) asked the team to assist with an injured walker with a suspected fracture to his lower leg on the bridleway above Foxup, which is close to the border of our respective areas. Due to the ...
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1st November

Vince, Nick, Mike, Jake, Jon, and Tav Early to the cave to install new pulley on the haul out of the pot, new jute rope too (but this will be replaced as it was too thin, 10mm. Have ordered a 14mm hemp rope). Also replaced the worn-out skip on the haul from ledge/entrance. The rest … Continue reading ...
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INCIDENT 88/2025. OCTOBER 31st FRI. 1201hrs. CRINA BOTTOM, INGLEBOROUGH, INGLETON, NORTH YORKSHIRE

The Team were alerted by North Yorkshire Police to a walker (F, 23yrs) who had fallen whilst descending from Ingleborough. She had sustained a painful ankle injury and was unable to continue unaided. As the Team responded, other passing walkers helped ...
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INCIDENT 87/2025. OCTOBER 25th SAT. 16.18 hrs INGLEBOROUGH, INGLETON, NORTH YORKSHIRE

Yorkshire Ambulance Service asked the team to assist with a walker (f,61) who had taken a tumbling fall coming off the summit of Ingleborough and sustained arm and facial injuries. As team members headed up toward the casualty’s location from the ...
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25th October

Vince, Jake, Mike, Jon, and Nick I got to the cave ahead of the team to collect some sediment samples from An Unexpected Development (AUD) area for a local artist who wants to experiment with natural pigments (I have already collected samples from the Polden Hills, Dolebury Warren, and Wookey Hole). While I was there, … Continue reading ...
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25th October

18th October

Vince, Brockers, Jake, Nick, Jon, Tav, and Mike An earlier start for me, drill/plugs and feathers packed. Arrived at the farm, chatted briefly with the farmer, got the key from the shed, changed and walked across fields to the cave. Once underground set off to Can of Worms and got to work removing a calcite … Continue reading ...
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OFD: Return to the Tourist Trail

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 ...
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OFD: Return to the Tourist Trail

12th October

Vince, Nick, Jon, and Tav Due to a variety of circumstances, a suggestion was put forward “shall we have a Sunday session?” There were some minor glitches but, eventually, it came to pass. A suitable team gathered at the farm on Sunday morning. Underground, Jon and Tav were dispatched to Can of Worms to continue … Continue reading ...
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INCIDENT 86/2025. OCTOBER 11th SAT. 15.39 hrs Nr JANET’S FOSS, MALHAM, NORTH YORKSHIRE.

A walker (f, 24) slipped and injured an ankle not far from Janet’s Foss on the path towards Malham village. When she had been assessed by the YAS paramedic, team members helped her to the road ambulance which took her to Settle Railway Station fo ...
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