Route revision in Lionels - Entrance, tent, traverse, first duck to second duck [which had sumped] labyrinth and out @RichM: After much deliberation and indecission we decided to do a refresher in Lionels. After a quick drive to log our trip details due to no reception in Coombe, but timely for Jon to recieve breaking news. We entered the cave and dropped down the passage taking the second left into the crawl to the top of the boulder chamber. Turned right dropping down and taking the 4th left past t ...

SRT trip - Good digging session in the bottom of spider - needs more stabilisation, still lots of scope

Goatchurch, safety line tradesmans, safety line coal chute, safety line over the coffin lid, drainpipe, assisted handline up the coffin lid (hauled last few metres), terrace, giants steps, main entrance. @JonnyC: A nice little trip into Goatchurch. Callum had set his sights on attempting the drainpipe, and both Rich and I were pleased to have a subject to practice our leadership and rope skills on (hence the unusual route to the water chamber). Callum was safety lined down the tradesmans entrance, ...

A vigourous digging session @RichM: After a busy weekend the inclination was sit in front of fire and chill however the lure of heavy rain was tempting to explore, having failed to persuade anyone to go speculating it was lime kiln or nothing. As the games increased and my anger grew there was only one thing for it - escape the texts and beat some rocks to death. Good session at dig face [faint glugging sound from bottom of rift] then swapping to mid hauling position at top of railway to clear some s ...

Further chemical reactions created large amounts of spoil. Good hauling team saw all loose material cleared to surface. Rift starting to open up - more space created ready for next session

Rope and rigging practice in Goatchurch with a bonus exploration of orange peel passage. @JonnyC: We started out with an exploration of orange peel passage, I descended as far as the small flowstone channel to see a small but complete straw. Rich took up the challenge of the 45 degree down dip crawl to the dig as he would live to regret when he found no place to turn and had to return feet first up hill. We practiced different methods of rigging the coal chute and the coffin lid and took a few pic ...

Trip to sump 2 via entrance rift, Arete chamber, Wire rift,Waterfall pitch, Mud Hall, Pillar chamber,Plantation Junction, Beehive Chamber,Gour Hall, Duck Bypass,Sump 1, Cuthbert's streamway 2. Returning via the Railway Tunnel & Curtain Chamber for photos @RichM: Very cold wet trip - rescued 4 toads, good to get back down Cuthberts, good team Mad Phil, Henry & Rich hard fast cavers.

Damp trip through Boulder chokes, Gasoline alley, Travertine passage, Hall of the Mountain King, Helictite Passage. @JonnyC: Following a short hunt for parking and a diligently following AV up an innocuous looking hill we arrived at sturdy but petite gate which led into a minor battle with a padlock a short crawl later we logged into the cave and followed the main phreatic passage which is finely decorated with straws, we resisted the urge to ‘draw cameras’ at this stage as we would do so on the retur ...

@RichM: Good ride, with excellent company - 52.5km [32.6 miles], Top speed 31mph ascent & descent 935m @JonnyC: A 5 hour cycle around Mendip as a sponsored event for Kyle raising money for Sports Relief, great fun if a little tough, perfect conditions. Thanks to RM for the route planning (marked you as a participant for your route planning efforts).

@JonnyC: Due to the inability of the participants to unobtainable we stayed above ground and headed to the climbing wall. It was abslutely heaving with us struggling to find ropes to use. A fun but mildly frustrating climbing session followed, mostly frustrating due to being so out of shape and suffering with the forearms and finger grip. Couldn't progress beyond A 5B, but just goes to show I need to get some more practice in. @RichM: Need to come up with a progressive fitness & strength program - none the less also enjoyed the evening