CALF HOLES/OLD ING – SUNDAY 18TH JULY

2 OUT OF 3 AIN’T BAD!

ATTENDED BY:  Sooty, George & Paul

Everyone collected from home by George’s Executive Tours, driven by George himself.  Long drive to Mongo Gill Hole, next to Stump Cross caverns.

Looking forward to a nice day out at a hole described by someone as an “unjustly neglected cave”.  We found out why!!

It’s got a bloody big padlock on it!  Key held at Stump Cross, but the ladies were not for turning.

Next plan, drive to CALF HOLES.  Once there, no problem with the 13m abseil, and a trip upstream past the impressive waterfall.  Remembered to keep to the edge of the pool, - it’s deep in the middle.  Found ourselves in a nice passage with lots of

small, but highly impressive formations.  Sooty took lots of photos, and us models tried to make it look challenging.  Well worth a look.

Turned around and went downstream, found another waterfall, a handline down some boulders, a contortion which is just challenging, and lots of pretty formations.  Not far, until we emerged with the stream at an impressive cave entrance.

Final verdict, a short cave with lots of little challenges and formations which are impressive, not forgetting the waterfall at the entrance.

Dropped our SRT gear at the car, and walked on to Old ING.  Easy entrance into the cave, with a nice walk down an easy streamway.  Main challenge is jumping the deepish potholes full of water, but only one presents a realistic possibility of being

soaked, and there is a handline to help avoid this “disaster”.  Short cave, but again, worth seeing.  

Sooty & Paul went off to look at the entrance to BIRKWITH, George returned to the car for a well-deserved coffee. All 3 went to the Station pub at the viaduct for several well deserved pints.

Two caves out of three ain’t bad!