Red Rose
Cave and Pothole Club - Newsletter Vol 6 No 4 -
Aug/Sept 1969
Aug. 17th - Diccan Pot and Alum Pot
Party:- Jim Newton, Dave, Pete Llewellyn, Chris Hadwin, D. Hodgson, John Frankland.
(Diccan.)
Sandra Wilkinson, Geoff Marsland,
Roger Calvert, Tom Sykes, Chris Bargh, Herbert Headech, Stewart Blincoe, Roger
Bowman, Brian Ogden, Jack, Grant, Lol German and two
guests. (Alum Pot via Long Churn).
Nineteen fierce potholers walked up the Selside lane their tough expressions being due to having
recently each parted with sixpence . The water was low and a quick
reconnaissance showed that Diccan Pot was feasible
without diverting the stream. The party split up as above. For our new members
meticulous technique was observed throughout and the fine rock views of this
massive chasm were enjoyed by all. The high tone of the descent was only jarred
by the odours of a sheep carcass in advance
decomposition in the lower reaches. From the sump the reward of seeing the Diccan party descend in spluttering haste down the final
waterfall proved light entertainment. Some sadists were soon to hold
one member of this party (the writer) in an impossibe
moist and delicate situation whilst cameras were focused and flashbulbs
laboriously unpacked.
The Diccan trip was
sporting and moist. The first fine pitch of 150 feet gave one a quick wetting and after
that the water was never far away and often pounding on the helmet in
friendly torrents. The next two Pitches (25 and 20 feet) are consistently
wet. One then has a breather for a few feet before the final 100
feet descent down a rift again following the same
affectionate all embracing water down to the Alum Pot Sump. Once here
three members pleading scientific curiosity, malingerers cramp etc. etc.
returned via Alum Pot and Long Churn leaving the three hard men, Jim,
Hodge and Dave to make their exit via Diccan.
A quick trip through upper Long Church to
Doctor Bannisters Hand basin concluded the
day apart from a brief diversion to search for one errant member. The
Red Rose were out in force on this day.
J.
Frankland.