Welcome to our first news letter of 2004, and what we hope will be a regular insight in to the news and activities of the club. As always contributions to the content of the news letter will be greatly received, as will donations to aid in the publication and distribution.
Membership.
Subs are now due for 2004. Membership is £20.00 a year and can be paid to Pete Wilson or Shaun Purser.
New Cavers!
This year we are holding a program of novice/ beginner trips, to introduce new people into caving. These will take place at least once a month, so if you know of anybody who may be interested, ask them to get in touch with
Our Friend Fritz
At the recent AGM it was discussed on how the club could thank Fritz for his connections to past and present members. His friendship with the club extends back to 1949 and the clubs visits to Horton in Ribblesdale, the Selside barn, the bungalow at Selside and to Gearstones.
Fritz sometime ago remarked "I have known you all for all these years but never became a member" So at the AGM it was decided to go one better and as a delayed 80th birthday present we would like to make him an honorary member of B.C.C.
People on the Move.
The Tacklemaster has moved house together with Liz Wordsworth and they have agreed to continue looking after the club tackle. For borrowing tackle or arranging caving tips contact
The club lamps are currently not reliable and it is proposed to obtain new cells in the near future. These will be under the control of Keith Taylor at the clubroom Burnley.
Wayne Brown our editor has moved house down to Derbyshire. The BCC website will continue as before in Wayne's expert hands. Simon Mitchell, Chris Bosomworth and Bernard Bond will take over the production of the club newsletter.
Wayne can be contacted at
I would like to thank Wayne for all his efforts over the years on both the newsletter and the web site.
Richard and Ann Smith of Railway cottages Selside, have long cared for the garden surrounding the Trevor Rambadt memorial seat, at the Pinfold in Horton in Ribblesdale. They have now moved to High Bentham and are unable to tend to the garden. The Club would like to thank them for all their efforts and wish them well in their new home.
Not to leave us without, and by great chance one of past 70's members Dave Woods moved in next door but one to the Smiths, and is only too pleased to help, and says its good to be back in touch with the club again.
The seat has again been wintered, and put in to hibernation in Peter Bayes Garage (Penygent Cafe H in R). Thanks again Pete.
Meets List for 2004.
Listed below are the trips organised so far this year. More are bound to be added if anybody has any suggestions for trips, they would like to do please get in contact with Pete Wilson to arrange permits if necessary.
Members however are out most weekends so contact
or
to see who's out and where.
February 15th Nott's Pot.
February 28th Novice trip Alum Pot, Long Churn Cave.
March 14th Lost Johns Cave.
March 27th Novice trip Birkwith area.
April 17th Novice trip County Pot.
May To be announced.
June To be announced.
July SPLASH trips.
August 21st Short Drop \ Gavel Pot.
September 18th Lancaster Hole.
October 16th Lost Johns Cave.
November 20th Novice trip Mongo Gill, to be confirmed.
November 13th Annual Dinner, to be confirmed.
November 18th Annual General Meeting at club room.
December To be announced.
Club Contact.
Carole Millington has contacted BCC via the website with the following message: Hi all, I am from Burnley, used to be a member of Clapham Cave Rescue and cave with BCC members' etc. We moved to Skye in 95 and are extremely happy here. Les and I do a lot of walking and have our own boat now for fishing. I do miss everyone and of course the caving. There are caves on Skye but I have been spoiled by the one's in Yorkshire. Would love to hear from anyone. I have thoroughly enjoyed the site. Take care and enjoy the caving. Carole.
Library.
Library cataloguing is still under way with more and more missing items being noted. If anyone has any BCC Library items lying around at home or knows of the whereabouts of any BCC Library items, please contact the or any BCC Committee member. Barnoldswick Library has donated a Yorkshire Dales Lead mining book. BCRA & Descent publications have been received. Anybody with unwanted caving magazines or books will be gratefully received please contact the
Treasurers News.
Shaun the BCC Treasurer has opened a new account for Burnley Caving Club at the HSBC plc. He can be contacted at
The signatories for the account are Simon Mitchell, Shaun Purser, Peter Wilson and Wayne Brown. The Yorkshire Bank current account and saving account together with the Abbey National saving account are in the process of being closed by the former Treasurer Trevor Howarth. So there will be only one account with HSBC eventually.
Trip Reports.
Splash Caving Trips.Three trips organised and lead by Burnley Caving Club were held this summer at the Alum Pot area in the Long Churn Caves. Thirty-six children from the Burnley & Pendle area over three weekends in July and August were taken down the classic beginners caving trip. Thanks to all who helped namely: - Alex Holden, Chris Bosomworth, Chris Holden, Colin Simpson, David Wilkinson, Kieron Dobson, Liz Wordsworth, Pete Chattle, Peter Wilson, Shaun Purser, Simon Mitchell, Hannah Wordsworth and David Green. The trips were blessed with warm sunny weather and the kids had great time.
Robinson's Pot.Peter Wilson managed to get a permit for the pot at the C.N.C.C. A.G.M. Only two permits are issued each year. The entrance is located in the farmyard adjacent the building wall of Darnbrook farm. The pot was originally discovered in 1862. In 1975 Craven Potholing Club and Harry Long ex B.S.A. rediscovered the pot. Renovation work at the farm revealed the pothole. David Hodgson C.P.C. member and National Park Warden who was on the 1975 discovery made contact with me and asked if it would be OK if he could accompany us. David is very much involved in the study of the Fauna & Flora of the Darnbrook area. The visit to the cave was thus involved with the collection of samples of water, sediment and specimens of insects and worms. The cave is relatively unspoilt by the passage of caver's, we observed interesting mud and flowstone formations, and Simon saw a small fish in the canals near the upstream sump. David got his worm specimens from the wormery in the Glup inlet, worm series. The cave is very interesting and David's anecdotes added to this excellent trip. Best muddy face was awarded to Beverly. This was one of David Farnworths last trips before his departure to Australia. Our best wishes go with him.
The B.C.C. team was David Farnworth, Janet Roberts, Simon Michell, Beverly Bolton, Shaun Purser, Peter Wilson, David Hodgson C.P.C. & National Park Warden.
Peter Wilson
Calf Holes Browgill
21st September, both myself and Dave Farnworth (Nanook) escorted around twenty people through Calf Holes to Browgill.
The event was organised in conjunction with Fell and Mountain in Accrington and Vango manufacturers of outdoor apparel.
The day was organised by Keith at Fell and Mountain to raise money for schools in Nepal.
The day was a great success, and should hopefully attract us some new members. Vango provided the event with the loan of a monster tent, to keep us out of the elements and to change in and some interesting self-heating meals to sustain us.
Keith has kindly offered any BCC members a discount on production of a valid membership card. Fell and Mountain stock a wide range of climbing, walking and mountaineering clothing and equipment.
They can be found on Water Street in Accrington or contacted on 01254 390986
Simon Mitchell
News from the Dales
Honour to cave rescue members
Fifty four members of the CRO were awarded the Queens Silver Jubilee Medal last year including our Bernie. They were awarded to recognise the service carried out the Armed Forces and emergency services and issued to commemorate the Silver Jubilee in 2002.
Some Sad News
Cave rescue member William E.G. (Eddie) Hunt of Ingleton, passed away suddenly at the Royal Lancaster Infirmary on Tuesday 12th August 03 aged 69 years.
Eric Dent a friend and past member of the CRO remembers Eddies active days. He was always in Reg Hainsworth's first team, good natured, reliable, and incredibly strong. He was a quarry "shot firer" by trade and was always called upon. A close friend of Eddies was Duncan Glasfurd. Eddie was asked to return to the surface at the beginning of a rescue at Lancaster hole. Unknown to Eddie his friend Duncan was the fatality of the rescue.
The old black and white rescue film "Sunday at Sunset hole" shows both Eric and Eddie assisting in the rescue. I only met Eddie briefly through my work but didn't his nature shine through.
C.N.C.C Meeting 16th Jan 04
Leck Fell.
Complaint from farmer of over parking on the fell and speeding on the lane. Permit/ agreement states a maximum of 3 cars only.
Casterton Fell.
Path down slope to County Pot is a cause for concern and care is needed when using it.
Stump Cross Caverns.
Meets Secretary received revised access agreement from the new owners. Permits are now available.
Valley Entrance Kingsdale.
The drum entrance is dangerously feathered, and should hopefully soon be replaced.
Bernard Bond
Black Rose and the Happy Wanderer's.
A Reminiscence by Mike Myers.
It all began with five lads exploring around Castelton in Derbishire. We bumped into each other once or twice and formed a lasting friendship.
We visited Peak cavern, Winnets Pass, Giants Hole and Peveral Castle. Malcolm (Tiger) Culshaw from Southport, Pete Mateley from Salford, Frank Shuttleworth (Bazz of Bolton) and Phillip Wallace from Bolton and myself from Barrow.
It was summer 1955, we decided to meet up again the following Easter in Ingleton. So in 1956 after exploring a few caves around Ingelton and Clapham, we decide to form ourselves in to a proper group. It was Aug/Sept 1956 we held a meeting in the wheatsheaf hotel Ingleton. My sister Jenifer and I attended this meeting and the other four friends. What should we call ourselves?
We all liked wandering around, three of our members came from Bolton and followed Bolton Wanderers F.C., and the German folksong was doing the rounds "The Happy Wanderers".
So there we had our name "The Happy Wanderers". Pete Mateley was our President.
The first place we stayed was in Ned Coultherd's barn opposite the new inn, at Clapham and sometimes under the viaduct at Ingleton! Then Jack Holland, Landlord of the New Inn, let us stay in the old cottage behind the pub, which is now the car park.
Now a few others were coming to join us, Johnny Seaton, Ged Dodd, Keith Robinson, Jack Pearce, Ian & Hughie Gilmoor, Jeff Fitters, Alan Edmonds and others. We used the cottage till the end of 57 in 58 we occasionally stayed in the building that is now the CRO headquarters in Clapham. We also stayed in the old shippon Adjoining Ned's Barn, home to a group of cavers from Manchester.
Next we moved to the Flying Horseshoes at Clapham Station and shared Kendal Caving Club's cottage. We then moved to the Craven Heifer, Ingleton. The licensee's then, Mary and Tom let us stay in the outbuilding at the back. That would be the end 58, 59 up to 1960.
While we were there the Black Rose Potholing Club was formed, some of the Happy Wanderers being founder members. Dennis Moorhouse, Jack Procter, Ged Dodd, Maureen Dryden being some of the main ones.
Jack Proctor managed to acquire Scar End farm for us at Twislton, from Mr & Mrs Dawson. Jack was our President. The Black Rose did a lot of surveying of caves under the leadership of Ged Dodd. One of their main achievements was the extension of Spectacle Pot in Kingsdale. After Jack went abroad in 1964, Scar End finished, when Don New took over (Cas as everyone knew him) he didn't want anyone staying there except himself. Eventually this poor chap finished up as cat meat!
After Scar End we had a converted shippon behind the Marton Arms, when Les Waite was Landlord. We had that up to 1966. By this time several of us were driftingaway, abroad to work, following careers, getting married, and our "hostels" were being needed for development by their owners.
The next move was to Braida Garth in Kingsdale. Jim Batty was the farmer. We had a 12ft by 24ft wooden chicken shed, which we did out in bunks, sink and outside toilet. We were up there till nearly 1980. In the 80's the club was mainly made up of Leeds University Members and they acquired a cottage on the Hawes road above Gearstones which as far as I know they still have.
Mike Myers.
Don't forget we meet every Thursday at eight, at the clubhouse on Bank Hall where you can come and have a swing on the ropes or a scramble up the climbing wall. Then from nine thirty on we can then be found down the road, in the Sparrow Hawk Hotel (Smithies Bar) for a pint. All are welcome.
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