EDITOR JACK NADIN
WELCOME TO THE FIRST NEWSLETTER OF 2005
Club News
FORMATIONS IN GAVEL POT 19th February 2005, photo, Jack Nadin
The club has an active meets list for this coming
year—with trips to suit all abilities. If you are able to make it to any of the
meets please do so—and why not bring the kids along on easier trips, or even
your mate or partners. The ‘to be confirmed’ meets published in the newsletter
before Christmas have now been confirmed—see below for the amendments.
Sometime in May this year (you will be notified of the
date) we hope to have an open day for the club at the clubrooms and the area
around it. The main objective being to attract new members. Activities and
events planned include a barbeque, slide shows, stalls, a rope slide, and
access to the climbing wall and ladder/SRT tower. Any potential members we
might attract will be taken out on a trip the following weekend. But this will
also be an event, which you the member can attend and show support for the
club, making it a social event in the clubs calendar—so please come along and
show support. This is after all our fifty fifth-anniversary year.
OTHER NEWS: Garth has asked me to point out the following. A number of the clubs periodicals and books are still missing from the library—in particular the whole of our video collection is still missing. If you have any of the above items PLEASE return as soon as possible. He (Garth) continues to catalogue and update the library holdings, and a full list of these can be seen on the Website, or as a printed document in the clubrooms. From my own point of view as an historian, I can tell you that Burnley Caving Club has one of the finest library collection of caving literature available anywhere, with archive material going back to the 1830s to the present day. This is available to all paid up members to use—but don’t forget to bring it back! A new publication ‘The White Rose Pothole Club 1954-2004’ has been added to the library, along with George Perfect’s book. The usual ‘Descent’ and ‘Caves and Caving’ have also been received.
CONGRATULATIONS:
To Wayne and Tina on their forthcoming marriage in August
after some eight years of courting. The main reception will be held in Gaping
Ghyll main chamber on the same day (Only joking, for those of you who were
going to make the trek up there!)
Secretary’s report
14 February 2005
The British Caving Association club membership and P.L.
insurance has now been paid for current paid up members. Members of 2004 who
have not paid their subs are not current members and should pay their subs now
if they wish to continue caving with the Burnley Caving Club. The BCA is now
the controlling body for all caving organisations, such as CNCC and BCRA. If we
are not a paid up member club to the BCA we are not able to obtain caving
permits from the regional access councils. Cavers who are not covered by
the insurance scheme are at risk when caving with other uninsured cavers. It is
not fair on paid up members when other cavers who are not member’s are using
our permits, our insurance and our caving tackle. This year the insurance is
£18.00 for cavers, £6.00 for non-cavers. The clubs subs are £25.00 for caver
and £10.00 for non-caver. This includes the insurance cost. The club this year is
able to keep subs down. We are not able to continue our tradition of honorary
members, as they would be at risk under any public liability claim, the cost of
the P.I. insurance makes this impractical. The honorary President is covered by
the scheme. We will continue to keep our contacts with early members,
ex-members and friends of the club who receive the club newsletter and who
sometimes attend the club dinner as guests. This is the legal situation these
days every member has to be named and insured with such schemes as the British
Caving Association.
Peter Wilson
Club Secretary
WANTED:
Articles for the newsletter: You can email them to me at
or post them to me.
We now have the facilities for copying photos
as well as negatives and slides. To this end a number of negatives from the
‘Roy Swindlehurst Collection’ have been copied and included in the library
catalogue on CD ROMs. If you have any old photos or negatives and slides that
we could copy for the archives please let us know—once copied they will all be
returned and all preserved for future generations. We are particularly
interested in early images of BCCs activities—but any good quality photos will
be considered. Did you get your copy of ‘Review 2004’? If not a few copies are
still available, contact Peter Wilson for details.
AMENDED MEETS LIST:
March 12th, Lancaster Hole—permit received.
March 26th Lost John’s Cave—permit received.
April 10th Mongo Ghyll Hole and Great Expectations,permit received,Alan Weight of CPC will be the leader taking us into Great Expectations, where there are apparently some great formations (camera?)
May 14th Penyghent Pot—permit received, Duncan
Smith Co-ordinator
June 4th Gingling Hole—permit received, Duncan
Smith Co-ordinator
August 14th Notts Pot-- permit received
September 1st Box Head Pot/Lost John’s Cave,
Dave Farnworth
October 8th County Pot/Wretched Rabbit, Jack
Nadin
The Alderley Copper Mines venue in November is being
arranged through Derbyshire Caving Club—watch this space.
Don’t forget the Dentdale Camp to mark the club’s 55th
anniversary June 18th and 19th.
A full-amended meets list can be seen on the notice board
in the clubrooms.
NORTHERN NEWS FROM DESCENT MAGAZINE:
The original entrance to Cherry Tree Hole on the east side
of Fountains Fell at Darnbrook, explored by Craven in the 1960s had become
unstable. A new entrance has now been excavated and shored up with scaffold
tubes by the club. Cherry Tree is on the meets list for May 28th,
but please not that the new scaffolding does not extend all the way down. Two
eight metre ladders are required to rig the pot from the top of the scaffolding
to the bottom of the old first pitch. The original entrance is now blocked by
several boulders, and should be avoided. The Malham Cove Rising exploration
continued through the winter months through a very loose area which is being
shored up with scaffold poles (thank God for scaffolding poles) At God’s Bridge
Rising in Chapel-le-Dale, John Cordingley and Adrian Hall have been making
progress which allows a further 4 metres of passageway, bringing the total
length to 50 metres. Wet weather in the winter months thwarted the efforts of
Bradford Potholing Club’s efforts in the Klondyke Pot dig—but the challenge is
not over yet. The summer months should be more fruitful. The Yorkshire Dales
Society will be holding a lecture on the Mines and Miners’ of Hebden at the
Octagon Room at Grassington town hall on 9th April 2005 at 2.15pm.
RECENT RESCUES
On Thursday December 30th
just before 1 am. the CRO were called out to Ease Ghyll Caverns, where three
cavers were reported overdue on a trip from Top Sink thro’ to Wretched Rabbit.
The group were located at Holbeck Junction having been held back by flooding.
They were assisted out through Wretched Rabbit. Overall, 2004 was a quiet year
for the CRO, although there were 48 call-outs. Two of these were climbing
incidents, ten were animal rescues, and 24 of these were on the surface. The latter
included two cavers who walked the wrong way back to the car after a trip in
Ireby Fell Caverns. They wandered 8 km in poor visibility and ended up in the
neighbouring valley, Deepdale. All told there were eight call-outs for
underground incidents by the CRO in 2004, ranging from a dislocated shoulder in
Ease Ghyll, a lost caver in Mistral, a search of Ireby Fell Caverns for two
cavers who had taken the wrong turn (a difficult achievement) two cavers
trapped by flooding in Kingsdale Master Cave (sorry it has to be reported,
Chris) a search of Sell Ghyll Holes, and the sad fatality in Notts Pit.
SOME RECENT TRIPS
Manchester Hole/Goyden Pot
16/1/2005
Weather:
Present: Chris Bosomworth, Peter Wilson,
Dave Farnsworth, Liz (?) Jessica Reynolds, (Jack’s granddaughter) and Corry
(Jessica’s classmate/boyfriend, well, for that particular week anyway)
After an expensive breakfast at the show cave, Stump Cross
Caverns, the aforementioned made their way down to Pateley Bridge (for petrol)
before heading off up the road to Lofthouse. A few miles up the reservoir road
here, brought us to the bricked up arch of the former mineral railway used for
the construction of the reservoir many years ago—and the place to park.
Down in the river valley we could see a gaping hole
besides the river, which by deduction and consultation with various guide books
we finally arrived at the conclusion that this was Manchester Hole. Goyden Pot
therefore must be further downstream. After a quick change and an inspection of
Manchester Hole we followed the river downstream where the River Nidd plunged
into a hole under a cliff. The first obstacles proved to be two large tree
trunks lodged in the entrance—but these were soon overcome. Once inside, the
keen explorers first investigated an oxbow on the left—others followed the
stream, which soon disappeared over the edge of a pitch of about twenty five
feet. The first oxbow proved fruitless being blocked by flood debris. A low
crawl was then investigated also on the left hand side taking a small amount of
water. This led to a six foot drop into a muddy fossil passage—turning right
here led to a stance overlooking the main streamway far below, with the water
coming in from the pitch already mentioned. (A dry alternative for those who
want to mess about with ladders!) Left was an ascending muddy passage with
various climbs, which led to nowhere in particular, possibly the link with
Manchester Hole, see details at the end—but it was investigated anyway.
Frustration was now setting in, and Pete Wilson and others
looked to me for inspiration for the way on—as if I was the only one who’d ever
been in the cave!. We knew that there was a way around the pitch to gain the
mainstream passage—but I explained that it was about ten years since I was last
in Goyden! Undeterred, we returned back to the main entrance passage, where
Chris soon found a sandy crawl and the way on. For future reference, this is a
short distance from the entrance on the right hand side going in. The crawl
soon opened up and led us downwards to the main stream passage just below the
pitch. A couple of fierce watery cascades were negotiated—but, because of the
large amount of water here, and the fact that we had two youngsters with us, it
was decided it would be more prudent to retreat. No! we are not softies—better
to be safe than sorry, and the two kids were only eleven years old!. Both
Manchester Hole and Goyden Pot are extremely flood prone. Back outside at the
entrance to Goyden, flood debris was noticed fifteen foot up the rock face!.
Logs of wood were also noticed strewn about well away from the main stream
passage—even stuck up in the roof! Chris, Liz and Dave investigated Manchester
Hole on the way back, even though it was now raining. Here too, flood debris
littered the banks of the river high above the entrance to Manchester
Hole—meaning that in times of flood, the River Nidd would plunge straight into
the hole. The River Nidd in normal weather sinks several yards up stream of
Manchester Hole—not like the day we went when it continued to flow on into
Goyden Pot a couple of fields below. Otherwise, a good trip—and the kids
rounded off the day by going through the little cave near How Stean Gorge on
their own, while Will and me enjoyed another expensive cup of coffee at the
café there. I could tell that the kids had enjoyed the day out—because once
they’d eaten their sandwiches, they slept all the way home—and I had a peaceful
journey back!.
I found the following on the Internet ( www.braemoor.co.uk by John Gardner used with thanks) which should provide inspiration for another trip to Manchester Hole and Goyden in the near future and better weather. It can be a good trip, and what’s more, it appears that it can be a through trip!.
Jack Nadin
“The three main caves of the Upper Nidderdale Valley provide an excellent day's
caving. At the upstream end, Manchester Hole is a classic river cave, which
leads directly into the complex and sometimes intimidating Goyden Pot. New
Goyden Pot is the downstream continuation of Goyden Pot, entered via a couple
of pitches, and includes a set of worthwhile inlet passages.The
caving potential of the systems has changed dramatically in the last ten years.
Before the Black Sheep Diggers arrived on the scene, Manchester Hole had a
single upstream entrance, and Goyden had a main entrance and a small subsidiary
entrance. As a result of their efforts, the two caves are now connected,
Manchester Hole now has a downstream entrance, and Goyden has an additional
four entrances, all at the extremities of the system. The route described here
is only possible as the direct result of their hard work and dedication. It
traverses the best sections of Manchester Hole and Goyden Pot, and provides
three hours of exhilarating caving which includes river passages, large
chambers, several rope pitches, crawling, boulder chokes, labyrinths, and best
of all, a through trip. This is one of the most fun and varied caving trips to
be had in the Dales. It does, however, require that water levels are average or
below, and that water is not flowing down the entrance of Goyden.
The system floods drastically, and the route in places follows the River Nidd
through some confined passages. It is also not unknown for flood debris to
block passages, so be prepared to encounter the odd tree trunk in unexpected
places. It's also worth taking a copy of the
Goyden Pot Survey
with you, which has been
adapted (with permission) from that found in Northern Caves.The trip
starts at the upstream entrance of Manchester Hole, which is located a few
metres below where the river sinks. Most of Manchester Hole is very straight
forward. At one stage you need to either thread your way with the water through
some boulders, or follow a high level route through the higher-level Main
Chamber.
Once past Main Chamber, the river passage continues in fine style before lowering
into a smaller section, which requires a short length of crawling. The roof
then rises, and another fine section of river passage is traversed until the
roof dips uncompromisingly into the water. However, the river doesn't actually
sump straight ahead as it seems, but does an almost 180° turn into a small
concealed passage to the right. Follow this through into the sump chamber
proper. Next to the diving line, a muddy passage (Swinton Bypass) makes its way
in an uphill direction, soon breaking out in the roof of Diver's Chamber. By
traversing round and stepping up onto a ledge, a rift may be found that ascends
to the Bax Pot entrance. We, however, must slither back down to the river to
find the connection with Goyden Pot. Once back in the water make awkward
progress downstream for a few metres. The route first negotiates a fallen slab,
and then along a bedding plane to where a higher bedding rises up on the right
hand side of the stream. Enter this, and a muddy-looking hole will be seen in
the right hand wall a couple of metres ‘downstream’.
Squeeze through the hole into an ascending rift, which was dug out by the Black Sheep
Diggers. This leads up into Eternal Optimist, the connection passage originally
entered from the Goyden end. A few metres further on, roots may be seen hanging
down a rift on the left. These mark the entrance to the now-blocked Lesser
Stream Pot. Continue down the passage to a descent into a rift, which leads
back to the river. This initially cascades through a slot, which can be very
wet. The next 20 m are the crux as far as water levels are concerned. If
the slot doesn’t look too silly, then the rest of Lesser Stream Passage will be
accessible. However, do be prepared to retreat from this point. You can exit
out of Bax Pot and re-enter the system through the Goyden Pot main entrance.
Accompany the water down the slot to where some of it turns right through a
boulder-filled bedding. The water disappears down holes in the boulders, but
our route is straight across to the far side, where an obvious hole marks an
easy descent back to the water.
The water flows down a slab, and through a small rift, to where a hidden crawl on
the left leads into a larger section. The river may now be followed easily down
Lesser Stream Passage into the expanses of Goyden's main passage. We now make
our way down the impressive River Passage. A chain hanging down the right wall
marks the climb up to Gaskell's Passage and the Church Pot entrance, which will
be our exit. The passage then lowers before arriving at a T-Junction. To the
right, the river disappears into a sump after a few metres - to the left leads
into the Labyrinth Passage. Follow Labyrinth Passage past two junctions on the
left, and then a low one on the right (you will soon emerge from the latter).
Keeping left at the next obvious junction leads to Five Ways Chamber - a low
chamber with a number of passages leading off. Take the second on the left (it
normally has a small stream), and follow it uphill to the Ten Foot Climb -
equipped with a smart aluminium ladder. This immediately leads into the very
impressive Cap Tunnel Have a quick look upstream to the left - it divides into
two, with the small passage on the right being Cap Left Crawl leading back to
the entrance.
Returning,the way on can be found by ducking under the rock arch from which the stream
emerges. This passage passes an inlet on the left (the source of the water at
Five Ways), and continues in impressive style, before it also splits into two.
Take the right hand passage, and follow the bored tube downhill. After a minute
or so, it deteriorates into a crawl through a pool, which can be more interestingly
bypassed by a high-level rift on the right. The next feature is the descent of
the Twenty Foot Pitch, which is well rigged with a knotted rope. At the bottom
of the rope climb, there is a chute into a lower level bedding plane.
We now want to make our way back via the New Stream Passage. This most aesthetically
pleasing route back-tracks a few metres, to a constricted T-shaped rift in the
right wall, through which can be heard the sound of water. Enter this, and
after a few metres a knotted rope drops past a flake down towards the 11
metre-deep sump pool of New Stream Passage. Slide easily down to land on a
prominent ledge system, about three metres below the flake. Traverse along the
ledge over the pool for a metre or so towards the far end of the rift. You can
then turn round, and enter a bedding ledge crawl into the roof of New Stream
Passage. Take care! Now follow New Stream Passage upstream ignoring the various
inlets to the right, most of which link back into other parts of the system,
including routes back to Mud Pot, and the 20' Pitch. Eventually, the
alternating rift / bedding passage steps up into a wide cobble-strewn bedding
area. Follow the low bedrock crawl to the left for two or three metres, and
follow it round to the right. You will then find yourself at a T-junction. This
is Labyrinth Passage again.
Go left back towards the river, and after a few metres, a passage goes off to the
right. You can't miss it - it has a thin calcite flow spilling over the
entrance. Follow this uphill ignoring a junction to the right, until you meet
Pyridine Passage at a T-junction (Ten Foot Climb, encountered earlier, is a
couple of minutes off to the right), with a prominent false floor on the left.
Clamber over this, and follow the passage through a short canal to a rope climb
up a rift. Ascend this, and follow the rift across a traverse above a pool, and
through a window. Don't fall into the second pool! Follow the passage down, and
then up to the right. This leads into the top of the impressive Mud Hall, with
the entrances to both Limley Pot and Zanussi Pots at the base of the slope, as
well as another connection back into Labyrinth Passage.
Don't go down the slope, but locate a passage immediately on your right, and follow this
along a rift, and down a boulder slope. This enters a large fragment of passage
overlooking the main river, with a large tree impressively wedged across the
roof. The way on is up into a crawl, which starts a metre or so up the right
hand wall. This is a comfortable-sized crawl leading to a Y-junction. Follow
the smaller left passage to a cross-roads. Left goes to another window
overlooking the river, straight across leads you back into the entrance series.If you
have any energy left, a good exit from the system is through Church Pot. This
will also allow you to explore the section of the Goyden's main passage between
the entrance and Lesser Stream Passage.
To find Church Pot, instead of turning right when you can see daylight, carry straight
on over a short boulder slope into the massive main chamber, with the sound of
the river roaring beneath you. Make your way down the chaos of boulders past
where the river emerges from Lesser Stream Passage, to the climb up into
Gaskell's Passage (marked by a chain hanging down the right hand wall). Enter
this, and head "downstream" until a major passage enters from the
right. Follow this until it divides into two, and take the right branch. This
leads to a series of climbs facilitated by aluminium ladders and fixed ropes.
You'll then find yourself at the bottom of a high rift where a couple of
scaffold poles have been cemented into place. Looking up, you'll see daylight.
A series of vertical wriggles reach the entrance lid, which can be easily
lifted from the inside. An absolutely cracking trip, taking about three hours”.
John Gardner
From www.braemoor.co.uk/cavingtrip/route17.shtml by John Gardner used with thanks.
Gavel Pot
February 19th 2004
Present: Jack Nadin, Chris Bosomworth, Pete Wilson,
Nanook, Keith Taylor (?) Liz (?) and Colin (?)
Car park full! A number of those present had to park on the moor beyond the car park—which caused a few problems afterwards. A stiff breeze meant a rapid change of clothes—although there were some fine views over the Lune Valley. The pathway down to Gavel was icy with a fine covering of snow and care was needed. We laddered from the opposite side, which caused a few problems due to the mossy sides, overhangs and icy fingers—but soon all were down. The second pitch can be done with just a lifeline according to the book, but the last section is a ten-foot drop—so we laddered it to save any trouble on the way out.
The finely engineered dig through the boulder choke at the bottom gave us access to the streamway. There are some really nice formations here—a fact sometimes forgotten, and an opportunity for some snapshots by Keith and myself with new digital cameras.
Following a low section through the streamway brought us to a ten foot high climb on the right hand side, where a number of contortions and ‘thin’ bits revealed more formations in Gaskell’s Chamber. The straw chamber at the very far end however was inaccessible due to water levels blocking progress. Nevertheless several ‘interesting’ tight crawls were negotiated before progress was blocked there. More snaps of the excellent curtains and other formations were taken, before a quick exit was made. Although there was still a bitter wind blowing across the fells, the temperature must have dropped enough to unfreeze the ground. My car and Liz’s car were sinking slowing into the ground. We therefore took the opportunity to splatter Will and Chris with icy mud as they obligingly tried to push us out of the quagmire. Keith and Jack took some excellent photos on this trip, and these will be combined and copied onto a CD to provide a unique record for the club archives.
Left, the entrance pitch to Gavel Pot. Photo, Jack Nadin
CALL OUT LIST 1964
The following is a transcript of a document we found while
looking through Roy Swindlehurst’s slides and negatives—it is a Cave Rescue
Organisation Call out list for the year 1964, it might bring back a few
memories. The original has been deposited in the club library.
CAVE RESCUE ORGANISATION—BURNLEY AND REEDLEY TEAM
CALL OUT LIST 12.2.1964
Police Liaison Officer
Chief Inspector McKay, Burnley Borough Police Burnley 5161
Area Organisers
| T+ 3 | B. Boardman | 2 Grange Street, Burnley |
| (first aid) | ||
| T+ 3 | R.Morris | 287 Kings Causway, Brierfield, Nelson 64610 |
| T+ 3 | R. Haffner | 1 Park View Brierfield, Nelson 62623 |
| Haffners, 4 Keirby Walk, Burnley 4069 |
| T+ 2 | B. Clegg | 258 Accrington Road, Burnley |
| J & W Kearns, Cowpe Mills, Waterfoot, Rossendale 1791 | ||
| B.Dewhurst | 25 Harling Street,Burnley | |
| M. Joyce | 34 St Matthew Street, Burnley 7140 | |
| G.Turner | 58 Kyan Street,Burnley | |
| N.C.B. Bank Hall Colliery Burnley 5031 | ||
| English Electric, Clayton-le-Moors, Accrington 33241 | ||
| T+2 | S.M.E. Smalley | 390 Colne Road, Burnley |
| Lomax Ltd, St Anne’s Square, Manchester 2 tel. 7516 | ||
| K. Williams | 23 Ightenhill Park Lane, Burnley | |
| Trafalgar Design, Wood Street Burnley 7421 |
Brierfield and Nelson District
| D. Metcalf | 70 Regent Street, Nelson | |
| Rolls Royce, Bankfield, Barnoldwick 3271 | ||
| T+3 | S. Johnston | 8, Swaledale Ave.,Reedley |
| J. Lucas, Northbridge Works, Burnley 5251 |
N.B. T = transport, i.e. T+3 transport for person and three passengers.
Colne District
| T+1 | R. Crosby | 28 Windsor Street,Colne |
| E.A. Foulds, Albert Works, Colne 126 & 127 | ||
| T | P. Croasdale | 27, Albert Road, Colne 1549 |
| (T+2) | R. Gillibrand | c/o 27 Albert Road Colne 1549 |
| Bristol Tractors Ltd,(sheet metal dept.) South Bridge Works, Earby 2311 | ||
| J. Morgan | 23 Rimington Avenue, Colne | |
| T+2 | P. Morgan | 23 Rimington Avenue Colne. |
| Hindley Brothers Ltd., Holmfield Mill Barrowford, Nelson 62424 (Permanent night shift—difficult to contact at night by phone, better thro’ police. |
Padiham District
| T+3 | A. Clegg | 4 Wilkinson Street, Higham |
| (team leader) | Burnley Corporation (Borough Engineer’s Office) Burnley 2102 (or via Burnley 3055, ext., 263 | |
| Mrs Clegg | 4 Wilkinson Street, Higham | |
| Burnley Technical School, Burnley 2110, ext., 244 | ||
| B. Elliot | 33 Beech Street,Padiham | |
| N.C.B. Thorneybank Pit (Electrical Dept) Padiham 71501 | ||
| T+5 | J. Lonsdale | 59 Whalley Road, Reed |
| Main Morley, Gothic Works, Wyre Street, Padiham 71161 ext., 60 | ||
| N. Parker | 65 Thompson Street, Padiham (Contact tel., Padiham 715 | |
| Mullards, Simonstone, Padiham 72511 ext., 100 | ||
| R. Swindlehurst | 8 Shakespeare Street, Padiham | |
| (team leader) | Brockhall Hospital (General main. Staff) Lango, Blackburn 48045 and 48179 |
Clitheroe District
| T | A. Musgrove | 42 Hayhurst Street, Clitheroe |
| (At Padgate College, near Warrington—available when necessary. Warrington 32671/2 | ||
| T+1 | K. Purnell | Heys Farm, West Bradford (Contact tel., Chatburn 401( |
| Clitheroe Shirtings, Ltd Grindleton Mills, Chatburn |
Additional Name
Willing to turn out, especially to local incident.
| T+2 | J. Kennerley | 6, Norwich Avenue, Lowton near Warrington |
END
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