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@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ re-written. This is prevent spurious re-orderings and spurious git commit lines
Sorry about all the crap that surrounds the image tags which has been imported along with the content
when UK Caving blogs have been parsed.
Exported on 2025-08-01 12:08 using either the control panel webpage or when editing a logbook entry online
Exported on 2025-08-03 09:08 using either the control panel webpage or when editing a logbook entry online
See troggle/code/views/other.py and core.models/logbooks.py writelogbook(year, filename)
-->
<body>
@@ -58,7 +58,13 @@ Thankfully, all worked out, with us arriving in two groups after 18hrs and 19hrs
<div class="triptitle">Topcamp - The most efficient topcamp setup you ever did see</div>
[Written about a week later as the original version of this report was lost to the depths of the website]
<p>
At the ungodly hour of about 7:15am, we set off from basecamp, yawning and tollroad-bound. The weather was absolutely sweltering, and we made sure to lather ourselves with suncream and stock up on water. Chris, Harry, and Hannah were first on the trail to the col, whilst the rest of us faffed a bit. And then up the hill we went! We soon reached Stoneybridge, having made sure to reflector the plateau monster on the way (red eyes to instil appropriate levels of deference). Due to an incredibly efficient chain of hands, the storage cave was emptied within an hour of our arrival, and focus shifted to setup beneath the bridge. Chris oversaw rigging of the first water tarp, and the tarp support was set up during a lengthy process which consisted of many dismissed ideas and scrutinisation of several old topcamp photos, before the decision was made to just wing it and lattice stuff to death. This resulted in a lovely, 'novel' setup which we decided would be sufficient, partially because it looked super cool and partially because it was getting late and we were craving basecamp chips. After setting up the second water tarp, we headed down the hill, partially reflectoring the route on the way. I say partially because it turns out the reflectors left at basecamp (which we'd assumed were the reflectors taken off the col-topcamp walk at the end of last expo, and had taken up with us) did not in fact exist in sufficient quantity to reflector the route, and also a fair chunk of them were white on both sides. It's likely these were spares, rather than ones taken off the plateau last year.
At the ungodly hour of about 7:15am, we set off from basecamp, yawning and tollroad-bound. The weather was absolutely sweltering, and we made sure to lather ourselves with suncream and stock up on water. Chris, Harry, and Hannah were first on the trail to the col, whilst the rest of us faffed a bit. And then up the hill we went! We soon reached Stoneybridge, having made sure to reflector the plateau monster on the way (red eyes to instil appropriate levels of deference).
<p>
Due to an incredibly efficient chain of hands, the storage cave was emptied within an hour of our arrival, and focus shifted to setup beneath the bridge. Chris oversaw rigging of the first water tarp, and the tarp support was set up during a lengthy process which consisted of many dismissed ideas and scrutinisation of several old topcamp photos, before the decision was made to just wing it and lattice stuff to death. This resulted in a lovely, 'novel' setup which we decided would be sufficient, partially because it looked super cool and partially because it was getting late and we were craving basecamp chips. <br />
<img src="topcamp-rigging.jpg width=40%><br />
<em>Novel tarp rigging</em>
<p>
After setting up the second water tarp, we headed down the hill, partially reflectoring the route on the way. I say partially because it turns out the reflectors left at basecamp (which we'd assumed were the reflectors taken off the col-topcamp walk at the end of last expo, and had taken up with us) did not in fact exist in sufficient quantity to reflector the route, and also a fair chunk of them were white on both sides. It's likely these were spares, rather than ones taken off the plateau last year.
<div class="timeug">T/U: 0.0 hours</div>
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<hr />
@@ -319,27 +325,6 @@ Squeezing back out, which is surprisingly scrapy in a tshirt we ascend the entra
<div class="timeug">T/U: 5.0 hours</div>
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<hr />
<div class="tripdate" id="2025-07-02e">2025-07-02</div>
<div class="trippeople"><u>Becka</u></div>
<div class="triptitle">basecamp - A cracking start</div>
On Wed, 2 Jul 2025, 10:25 Rebecca Lawson, wrote: Expo has had a cracking start, I can't remember such efficiency.
<p>
Since the first 2 cars arrived on Sat - base camp has been set up, complete with a fine and huge single tarp - all the gear has come out of Traungold - Top Camp has been set up with a novel cargo net tarp design - Garlic Camp has been stripped down to minimal kit suitable for a lightweight prospecting team and everything else has been moved to Top Camp - over 1km rope has been taken out of Homecoming and walked to Top Camp leaving just the Daren Drum of Doom there - Balkon entrance is rigged and the Mongol Rally rope has been taken to the pitch head - Kaninchenhoehle 161G entrance has been rebolted - all routes have been reflectors
<p>
There has even been time for prospecting and today we're returning to a good looking 2025 find, the Reflectorist.
<p>
The 8am deadline to get through the toll road barrier may be a blessing in disguise ... by 6.30 Base Camp is abuzz, cars leave at 7.15 and we can be walking at 8. Given temperatures have been getting to well into the 30s an early start really helps.
<p>
The only fly in the ointment has been the lack of rain so far and almost complete lack of snow, so we've been walking up with 4+ litres of water. This drought should, though, soon be sorted
<p>
It's all been a fine team effort with everyone pitching in, so it feels wrong to name any individual but I'm going to anyway - here's a shout out to Hamish Weir for singlehandedly running a bread production line. At 6 this morning there were 2 full loaves ready for the hungry hordes.
<p>
Time to go caving!
<p>
Cheers Becka
<div class="timeug">T/U: 0.0 hours</div>
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<hr />
<div class="tripdate" id="2025-07-03a">2025-07-03</div>
<div class="trippeople"><u>balister</u></div>
<div class="triptitle">plateau - My Day 1</div>
@@ -1138,89 +1123,6 @@ Jonty and Joel continued to the bottom of Jaberwocky to find two horizontal lead
<div class="timeug">T/U: 5.0 hours</div>
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<hr />
<div class="tripdate" id="2025-07-16e">2025-07-16</div>
<div class="trippeople"><u>Becka</u></div>
<div class="triptitle">basecamp - We're now about halfway through</div>
On Wed, 16 Jul 2025, 10:55 Rebecca Lawson, <beckalawson@gmail.com> wrote:
We're now about halfway through the Expo and we had the Expo dinner last night.
<p>
Since my initial week 1 email we have endured a relentless series of storms, downpours and cold weather whilst apparently Blighty has been baking. Surprisingly, caving, and even prospecting, has continued despite the repeated dousings.
<p>
A KH camping trip at the base of 161g entrance (which gets very wet, but luckily can be avoided using the nearby and horizontal 161h entrance) managed to rerig as far as the Runnelstone area. The leads we checked here weren't especially stellar, but we've only been once so far. Also in KH, persistence and an awful lot of rebolting, driven by Charlotte and Russell, reached the A lead at the end of Natural Way. Sadly, this wasn't as inspiring as hoped. There's not been time to actually push that area yet. Finally in KH, Ash has been eyeing up a pitch in Country for Old Men before Crack of Doom but, again, this area hasn't had a pushing trip yet. So lots of effort in KH for very little gain to date, but hopefully it'll pay off in time.
<p>
A camping trip into Balkon completed the rerig of Mongol Rally but it was too wet to descend Tartarus. The next camping trip had to be aborted after a rock fell from the walls of Honeycomb onto an unfortunate's leg. Harry and Hannah C subsequently went in to rig Tartarus and Charon as far as the pushing front in Grendel's Mother. They returned, most impressed with the vertical lead beyond, so all it needs is better weather and keen cavers to push this.
<p>
Finally, many days of prospecting has come up with 2 fine, new caves. Dan and Dylan have pushed Anfanger Gluck Hohle to over 100m deep. It's in a fine position, fairly near Natural Way in KH and is continuing. Meanwhile, Joel has been focused on Gruffalo, which blows out an icy gale and they're there today to rig a 3s drop. Sadly the Reflectorist died, possibly due to over-enthusiastic gardening.
<p>
Cheers Becka
<div class="timeug">T/U: 0.0 hours</div>
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<hr />
<div class="tripdate" id="2025-07-16f">2025-07-16</div>
<div class="trippeople"><u>Hannah C</u></div>
<div class="triptitle">Balcony - Balcony inventory</div>
Balcony inventory
<p>
At camp: <br />
4x 4 season sleeping bags <br />
5x roll mat inc 1 new roll mat<br />
2x gas bottles<br />
2x roll of compost bags, 1x toilet roll, 1x hand sanitiser + things left from previous camp<br />
<p>
13x noodles<br />
2x expedition breakfasts <br />
6x underground camp meals inc 1 vegan<br />
11x soup<br />
3x custard sachets<br />
1.5 small ziplock muesli<br />
1x packet oatso <br />
1x bag sultanas<br />
Teabags, milk, sugar<br />
6x packet sweets<br />
2x bars dark chocolate<br />
Flapjack: 5 foil wrapped, 4 small ziplocks, 1 large ziplock <br />
<p>
At camp water point: <br />
8m rope<br />
2x 5m ish rope<br />
11m rope<br />
8m rope<br />
2m rope<br />
17m rope<br />
3m deviation cord<br />
Hammer<br />
23x thru bolt, hanger, maillons (some at camp, some at water point)<br />
6x thru bolts<br />
10x spit, hanger, maillons<br />
2x spit, hanger<br />
11x hanger, maillons <br />
5x snap gates<br />
2x screw gates<br />
Pot of spare nuts<br />
<p>
At entrance:<br />
70m rope<br />
5x thru bolt, hanger, maillons<br />
22ltr yellow petzl tackle sack<br />
<div class="timeug">T/U: 0.0 hours</div>
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<hr />
<div class="tripdate" id="2025-07-16g">2025-07-16</div>
<div class="trippeople"><u>dan gorst</u></div>
<div class="triptitle">Anfanger Gluck Höhle - Replace the pulses</div>
whoever next goes into Popper Höhle/Anfanger Gluck Höhle will have to replace the pulses with through bolts. Should hopefully be able to keep the same holes and knots I did so shouldn't be too tricky! They're only down to the end of the first pitch series (should be 9 in there in total, and @Ella Marcovitch should have one I believe) :)
<div class="timeug">T/U: 0.0 hours</div>
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<hr />
<div class="tripdate" id="2025-07-16h">2025-07-16</div>
<div class="trippeople"><u>Becka</u></div>
<div class="triptitle">269 - Olly and Jennys old camp</div>
I corralled Ella, Buck and Alice into coming with me to find Olly and Jennys old camp at 1623/269. There's likely at least 4 person loads of stuff there which can hopefully be shifted this Expo. It's less than 10 min from the Top Camp path, gpx attached (some cairns, only 2 short bits of bunde). Stuff needs sorting between useful to Top Camp and rubbish to Base Camp.<p>
<img src="/years/2025/signal-2025-07-16-195817_002.jpeg" width=30%>&nbsp;
<img src="/years/2025/signal-2025-07-16-195817_003.jpeg" width=30%>&nbsp;<img src="/years/2025/signal-2025-07-16-195817_004.jpeg" width=30%>&nbsp;<p>
<div class="timeug">T/U: 0.0 hours</div>
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<hr />
<div class="tripdate" id="2025-07-17a">2025-07-17</div>
<div class="trippeople"><u>Frank Tully</u>, Chris Densham</div>
<div class="triptitle">Balcony - Gorgons Lair SW A Lead</div>
@@ -1942,13 +1844,6 @@ By just after half two, we found ourselves at the top of the entrance series. Al
<div class="timeug">T/U: 15.5 hours</div>
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<hr />
<div class="tripdate" id="2025-07-23f">2025-07-23</div>
<div class="trippeople"><u>Lara</u></div>
<div class="triptitle">basecamp - How much bread is too much bread ?</div>
<img src="/years/2025/signal-2025-07-23-220516.jpeg" width=40%>
<div class="timeug">T/U: 0.0 hours</div>
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<hr />
<div class="tripdate" id="2025-07-24a">2025-07-24</div>
<div class="trippeople"><u>philip s</u>, alice, ash, buck, frank, hamish, musky, james h, james w., janis, lara, luke, ned, bigtom, wookey</div>
<div class="triptitle">basecamp - rainy day</div>
@@ -2045,7 +1940,14 @@ The .csv file does work :) <a download href="expofiles/documents/Temperature-log
<div class="timeug">T/U: 0.0 hours</div>
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<hr />
<div class="tripdate" id="2025-07-26c">2025-07-26</div>
<div class="tripdate" id="2025-07-26c">2025-07-27</div>
<div class="trippeople"><u>Becka</u>, Luke, Wookey</div>
<div class="triptitle">Kaninchenhoehle - Natural Way to leads in Enniskill</div>
The 6am start failed to materialise as the rain kept going. Eventually we hauled ourselves up and tried to muster some stoke. Becka fashioned a survival bag over-kagoule cape which was quite effective, whilst Lara went for a bin bag over-trousers skirt which, with an indecent slit, also kept the worst off. We fought over less drippy patches in the changing area then descended the entrance pitch with kags, double hoods and no gloves (to keep them dry for the rest of the trip). Entrance shaft was wet but safe. 3.5 hours to the start of this year's finds. Luke gave me a tour of the chamber - both impressive in scale and some lovely features. Then off to a series of leads that we rapidly dispatched. The first ended in 3 legs, the next, up a 3m free climb, in about a dozen legs down phreatic crawling. Wookey was keen to be completist and descend the small, wet, modern pitch there but Luke and I vetoed him given its low prospects and our paltry 5 thru bolts (50% of the available supply at Top Camp ... though many more turned up the next day during the massive sort out). We then went to the leads that Lara and Ash had taken and found them just starting one. We set off on the other lead, past Loch Gosser. This led down a steep, muddy phreatic ramp and was looking promising until, in a few short legs I spotted a flash of light ahead. Darn, we'd connected in to the others. We backtracked on our lead to tick off a QMB and QMC we'd left, neither went. We then caught up with the others and caused mayhem as we milled around them in crawly passage. This shortly led to a canyon and, next to it, a short pitch. We went back to fetch our drill etc. On returning Lara and Ash, cold from draughty surveying, headed out, having not taken up Luke's offer of slithering down the pitch then having him bolt their exit. Wookey rigged the muddy p4 down to larger, attractive walking phreas. By now we were also cold and it was gone 6pm but it did look good so we fired off a few legs until we got to another short pitch, under 10m. We still had 2 thru bolts but our remaining rope was too short. We headed home in 4.5 hours including derigging the disgustingly muddy Strange Downfall rope. Out up a dryish entrance pitch at 23.30 to a dry night, hoorah.
<div class="timeug">T/U: 13.0 hours</div>
<div class="editentry"><br /><a href="/logbookedit/2025-07-26c">Edit this entry</a><br /></div>
<hr />
<div class="tripdate" id="2025-07-26d">2025-07-26</div>
<div class="trippeople"><u>Lara</u>, Ash</div>
<div class="triptitle">161 - Outrageous Behaviour</div>
I had sworn to myself that a) I wouldn’t go down KH again b) I was done with pushing this expo and yet here I found myself back in Triassic Park, regretting my decisions.
@@ -2080,16 +1982,9 @@ Traverses in Hobsons Conduit: Derigged </br>
MEAT SOFA traverse: Left in </br>
Ropes to and in Are We Nearly There Yet (up pitch, handline, e.t.c): Left in </br>
<div class="timeug">T/U: 11.0 hours</div>
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<hr />
<div class="tripdate" id="2025-07-27a">2025-07-27</div>
<div class="trippeople"><u>Becka</u>, Luke, Wookey</div>
<div class="triptitle">Kaninchenhoehle - Natural Way to leads in Enniskill</div>
The 6am start failed to materialise as the rain kept going. Eventually we hauled ourselves up and tried to muster some stoke. Becka fashioned a survival bag over-kagoule cape which was quite effective, whilst Lara went for a bin bag over-trousers skirt which, with an indecent slit, also kept the worst off. We fought over less drippy patches in the changing area then descended the entrance pitch with kags, double hoods and no gloves (to keep them dry for the rest of the trip). Entrance shaft was wet but safe. 3.5 hours to the start of this year's finds. Luke gave me a tour of the chamber - both impressive in scale and some lovely features. Then off to a series of leads that we rapidly dispatched. The first ended in 3 legs, the next, up a 3m free climb, in about a dozen legs down phreatic crawling. Wookey was keen to be completist and descend the small, wet, modern pitch there but Luke and I vetoed him given its low prospects and our paltry 5 thru bolts (50% of the available supply at Top Camp ... though many more turned up the next day during the massive sort out). We then went to the leads that Lara and Ash had taken and found them just starting one. We set off on the other lead, past Loch Gosser. This led down a steep, muddy phreatic ramp and was looking promising until, in a few short legs I spotted a flash of light ahead. Darn, we'd connected in to the others. We backtracked on our lead to tick off a QMB and QMC we'd left, neither went. We then caught up with the others and caused mayhem as we milled around them in crawly passage. This shortly led to a canyon and, next to it, a short pitch. We went back to fetch our drill etc. On returning Lara and Ash, cold from draughty surveying, headed out, having not taken up Luke's offer of slithering down the pitch then having him bolt their exit. Wookey rigged the muddy p4 down to larger, attractive walking phreas. By now we were also cold and it was gone 6pm but it did look good so we fired off a few legs until we got to another short pitch, under 10m. We still had 2 thru bolts but our remaining rope was too short. We headed home in 4.5 hours including derigging the disgustingly muddy Strange Downfall rope. Out up a dryish entrance pitch at 23.30 to a dry night, hoorah.
<div class="timeug">T/U: 13.0 hours</div>
<div class="editentry"><br /><a href="/logbookedit/2025-07-27a">Edit this entry</a><br /></div>
<hr />
<div class="tripdate" id="2025-07-27b">2025-07-27</div>
<div class="trippeople"><u>Philip S.</u>, frank, james w, janis, ned, tom beech</div>
<div class="triptitle">basecamp - Is this heavy drizzle or light rain?</div>
Probably 'medium rain'.
@@ -2101,7 +1996,7 @@ Nat and Sarah had some horrid coffee and are leaving expo. They arrived a day or
<p>[much later]
<br>Frank drove nearly everyone up for a mid-afternoon break in the rain, leaving just Ned and Philip S. at base for the evening. Ned cooked a fine peppery pasta meal. Philip troggled.
<div class="timeug">T/U: 0.0 hours</div>
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<hr />
<div class="tripdate" id="2025-07-28a">2025-07-28</div>
<div class="trippeople"><u>james w</u>, frank t</div>
@@ -2216,18 +2111,35 @@ we soon arrived at the entrance and found buck and wook who had almost been left
<div class="timeug">T/U: 5.0 hours</div>
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<hr />
<div class="tripdate" id="2025-07-30b">2025-07-30</div>
<div class="tripdate" id="2025-07-30b">2025-07-31</div>
<div class="trippeople"><u>Alice</u></div>
<div class="triptitle">Base - Base Camp - Food Inventory - End of Expo</div>
134 underground camp meals (DO NOT BUY MORE FOR NEXT YEAR)
<p>
187 curries (use blue drum first!)
<p>
55 small soup packets, all tomato - no one likes tomato, buy mushroom instead
<p>
4 massive bags of tea
<p>
10 x small oatso packets
<p>
3.5kg of smash in large unmarked silver bags - taste it to check its the right one
<p>
150 noodles
<div class="timeug">T/U: 0.0 hours</div>
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<hr />
<div class="tripdate" id="2025-07-30c">2025-07-30</div>
<div class="trippeople"><u>Becka</u>, Ash, Luke</div>
<div class="triptitle">Balkonhöhle 264 - Final Balkon derig team</div>
A 6am base camp start had Ash and I walking up the hill far too few hours after we'd walked down. After a swift top camp noodles we headed to the entrance and were underground by 11am. Luke, having slept at Top Camp, was well ahead of us. We met 2 bag Alice at the top of Hangman's, 2 bag Buck on the traverse below, and 2 bag Wookey at the top of Mongol Rally. Luke was just powering up the final Mongol Rally rebelays with 2 ridiculously heavy bags, saving James and Ned from needing to head any further down. Ash and I found our burdens at the bottom of Mongol Rally - one beast each. We started out, jammers slipping and foot jammer mostly useless. Everyone had gone by the time I reached the entrance at 5. I emptied the tacklesack that had been left with emergency gear at the bottom of the entrance and took it down to pack the entrance rope. Ash had derigged the bottom. I let him past and finished the derig at 6. Fortuitously, James H and Hannah UG turned up as we were changing to help carry our three tacklebags back.
<div class="timeug">T/U: 7.0 hours</div>
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<hr />
<div class="tripdate" id="2025-07-30d">2025-07-30</div>
<div class="trippeople"><u>Frank</u></div>
<div class="trippeople"><u>Frank</u>, The Anthill mob</div>
<div class="triptitle">Topcamp - 2025 List of kit in Traungold</div>
[+ The Anthill mob]
<p>
Once upon a time there was caving expedition to Austria.
At the end of the 2025 expedition there was loads of kit at top camp which needed counting.
The precious things are listed below.
@@ -2421,38 +2333,19 @@ Underground camping
<p>
And everyone lived happily ever after.
<div class="timeug">T/U: 1.0 hours</div>
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<hr />
<div class="tripdate" id="2025-07-31a">2025-07-31</div>
<div class="trippeople"><u>Alice</u></div>
<div class="triptitle">Base - Base Camp - Food Inventory - End of Expo</div>
134 underground camp meals (DO NOT BUY MORE FOR NEXT YEAR)
<p>
187 curries (use blue drum first!)
<p>
55 small soup packets, all tomato - no one likes tomato, buy mushroom instead
<p>
4 massive bags of tea
<p>
10 x small oatso packets
<p>
3.5kg of smash in large unmarked silver bags - taste it to check its the right one
<p>
150 noodles
<div class="timeug">T/U: 0.0 hours</div>
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<hr />
<div class="tripdate" id="2025-07-31b">2025-07-31</div>
<div class="trippeople"><u>Becka</u></div>
<div class="triptitle">Email - Final Expo update - email</div>
<div class="triptitle">Email updates about Expo - Three email updates as Expo progressed</div>
By popular request, here are the three email updates that I wrote for the Expo email list in 2025:
<p>
From: Rebecca Lawson <beckalawson@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, 31 Jul 2025, 15:51
Subject: Final Expo update Re: Update after the Expo Dinner Re: Start of Expo update - Wed week 1
Subject: Final Expo uodate Re: Update after the Expo Dinner Re: Start of Expo update - Wed week 1
To: Expo List <expo@lists.wookware.org>
<p>
<p>
Here’s my final Expo update after yesterday’s mammoth derig.
<p>
After my last, post-Expo dinner update the KH leads all - finally - started paying out. Charlotte and Russell had a well-deserved bonanza of a trip with Lara, pushing the uninspiring QM at the end of Natural Way. This led down a grotty, muddy pitch then into ~500m of fine, walking horizontal passage, Enniskillen Toad, including a lovely chamber (with an awful name), Meat Sofa. Subsequent trips extended this area substantially, with more walking, stooping and crawling passage and some good QMs remaining. Meanwhile, Ash explored over 400m in one of the 19 leads in Country for Old Men (Country for Young Men) leaving much left to do there. Finally, Shrinking Prospects in the Runnelstone area turned into a substantial and ongoing pitch. This, Knossos and the entrance were derigged.
@@ -2469,9 +2362,46 @@ It’s been a grand Expo – thanks to Harry and Charlotte for leading, for an u
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Cheers, Becka
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[Two other email missives moved to the appropriate dates in the logbook as separate entries.]
On Wed, 16 Jul 2025, 10:55 Rebecca Lawson, <beckalawson@gmail.com> wrote:
We're now about halfway through the Expo and we had the Expo dinner last night.
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Since my initial week 1 email we have endured a relentless series of storms, downpours and cold weather whilst apparently Blighty has been baking. Surprisingly, caving, and even prospecting, has continued despite the repeated dousings.
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A KH camping trip at the base of 161g entrance (which gets very wet, but luckily can be avoided using the nearby and horizontal 161h entrance) managed to rerig as far as the Runnelstone area. The leads we checked here weren't especially stellar, but we've only been once so far. Also in KH, persistence and an awful lot of rebolting, driven by Charlotte and Russell, reached the A lead at the end of Natural Way. Sadly, this wasn't as inspiring as hoped. There's not been time to actually push that area yet. Finally in KH, Ash has been eyeing up a pitch in Country for Old Men before Crack of Doom but, again, this area hasn't had a pushing trip yet. So lots of effort in KH for very little gain to date, but hopefully it'll pay off in time.
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A camping trip into Balkon completed the rerig of Mongol Rally but it was too wet to descend Tartarus. The next camping trip had to be aborted after a rock fell from the walls of Honeycomb onto an unfortunate's leg. Harry and Hannah C subsequently went in to rig Tartarus and Charon as far as the pushing front in Grendel's Mother. They returned, most impressed with the vertical lead beyond, so all it needs is better weather and keen cavers to push this.
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Finally, many days of prospecting has come up with 2 fine, new caves. Dan and Dylan have pushed Anfanger Gluck Hohle to over 100m deep. It's in a fine position, fairly near Natural Way in KH and is continuing. Meanwhile, Joel has been focused on Gruffalo, which blows out an icy gale and they're there today to rig a 3s drop. Sadly the Reflectorist died, possibly due to over-enthusiastic gardening.
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Cheers Becka
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On Wed, 2 Jul 2025, 10:25 Rebecca Lawson, <beckalawson@gmail.com> wrote:
Expo has had a cracking start, I can't remember such efficiency.
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Since the first 2 cars arrived on Sat
- base camp has been set up, complete with a fine and huge single tarp
- all the gear has come out of Traungold
- Top Camp has been set up with a novel cargo net tarp design
- Garlic Camp has been stripped down to minimal kit suitable for a lightweight prospecting team and everything else has been moved to Top Camp
- over 1km rope has been taken out of Homecoming and walked to Top Camp leaving just the Daren Drum of Doom there
- Balkon entrance is rigged and the Mongol Rally rope has been taken to the pitch head
- Kaninchenhoehle 161G entrance has been rebolted
- all routes have been reflectors
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There has even been time for prospecting and today we're returning to a good looking 2025 find, the Reflectorist.
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The 8am deadline to get through the toll road barrier may be a blessing in disguise ... by 6.30 Base Camp is abuzz, cars leave at 7.15 and we can be walking at 8. Given temperatures have been getting to well into the 30s an early start really helps.
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The only fly in the ointment has been the lack of rain so far and almost complete lack of snow, so we've been walking up with 4+ litres of water. This drought should, though, soon be sorted
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It's all been a fine team effort with everyone pitching in, so it feels wrong to name any individual but I'm going to anyway - here's a shout out to Hamish Weir for singlehandedly running a bread production line. At 6 this morning there were 2 full loaves ready for the hungry hordes.
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Time to go caving!
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Cheers Becka
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