Report by Jules Barrett
Cavers: Jules Barrett (EPC), Chris Schofield (EPC)

The original plan for the day wasn't possible as we couldn't get hold of a key to JH. Spent a couple of hours in the morning doing some SRT rigging training above ground with Chris at Pindale Farm. Looked at rigging traverse lines, pitch-heads, rebelays and deviations before the cold finally drove us back to the TSG hut for a brew and a look at the rigging guide. In the afternoon went to Eldon Hole (it was sunny by then and Eldon Hole is great when it's sunny!) and did the North gully route which I'd never done before. Paul Lydon from the Orpheus had suggested it as a good route for SRT practice and it turned out to be perfect for us. The rigging begins from two good stakes and you descend past a couple of rebelays with excellent ledges for feet. Next there's an traverse which is just tricky enough to make you think whilst rigging it and then there's another 35m pitch with a hanging rebelay half way down. Much of the main shaft was in the sunshine today which made it feel very Jurassic Park! Chris rigged the whole thing and did an excellent job of it. After landing at the bottom we didn't fancy crawling through to the main chamber so went back up the ropes and I de-rigged.

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