training: 2010-11
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GUPA runs training sessions at the climbing wall in the Kelvinhall Sports Arena (map here).
train to do this: see below for an explanation of SRT
Details of training dates for 2010-11 will be posted here when we have them.
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SRT (single rope technique) training
Your first trip will not be a rope trip so there are no specific skills you need other than being able to walk, crawl, and lift a drink to the approximate vicinity of your mouth. We will probably use a wire ladder (here are Stu and Andy trying to coil one) but we’ll show you what to do down the cave, and lifeline you in case you unwisely decide to do something else with your arms other than hang on.
Further trips: while all the trips we run can be for beginners you’ll quite soon want to go a bit further – it’s all very well crawling through low passageways or striding about in huge chambers going ‘whoop whoop’ (you will do this, trust us) but there will come a time when you can’t get to anywhere new without descending a long rope.
So, you will need to learn SRT (Single Rope Technique) which is basically abseiling (down) and prusikking (up): it’s a bit different to the prusikking that climbers do, in that we have proper equipment (jammers etc) rather than two ratty old bits of shoelace.
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passing a deviation: do some
training first or you’ll end
up in a tangle… actually you’ll
end up in a tangle anyway
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While it’s possible to learn in the cave we like to give you the chance to get to grips with it on a nice dry climbing wall. Each year we run a few training sessions at the Kelvinhall Sports Arena just for this, and we can go to a few places around Glasgow to do this outdoors too.
If the idea of dangling on ropes terrifies you, don’t worry, we know what it’s like when you start and we’ll be gentle! If SRT really isn’t for you, you can still go caving but then you’re limited to horizontal caves… or lairy ladder trips with Mike.
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Jude doing SRT training at Kelvinhall
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It won’t be long before those who get on well with SRT are rigging too.
