Come and help at Freshers’ Fair (14-15 September 2010               in the Stevie) and convince first years that caving is a              really good idea…

Last year was a great success with loads of people signing up.

This year we want to do even better.

The future of the club depends on it so please help man or      woman the stall if you can.

We need people on the stand from 10am to 5pm on the         Tuesday and 10am to 4pm on the Wednesday.

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Charley and Heidi on last year’s stand

Please contact Amy to offer your services!

21 August 2010: GUPA joined the Grampian and members of      Red Rose, Cardiff Uni Caving Club and Brynmawr Caving Club          over the last couple of weeks, to show some of the                      best caving and scenery in the UK to our Croatian friends            from Speleološki klub Samobor and the Planinarsko            društvo Sveucilišta “Velebit”.

Thanks to everyone from all the clubs who helped make the visit        a success!

It’s the weekend of 26-28 November 2010.

The event is always sober and restrained, and if you believe that you’ll believe anything.

Take a look at the CHECC website here for full details.

We meet on Thursday evenings in the Uisge Beatha on      Woodlands Rd in Glasgow: the pub website can be seen here.      We may be in any of the rooms depending on how full it is; if         you can’t find us ask the staff.

We are usually there from 9pm.

Outwith termtime the old lags who are still in Glasgow are        usually there but it’s worth checking with us first.

The nearest subway station to the Uisge Beatha is Kelvinbridge and there’s a map here: View Larger Map

At the end of last year a group of Croatian cavers made contact with the GSG while on a non-caving holiday in Scotland. I met them and they were really keen to come back and do some caving – and of course will show us some of their caves if any Scottish cavers can do a trip over there. They have confirmed and are coming for two weeks in August.

It’s an excellent opportunity to make some new caving friends and I have said that we should be able to round up some Guppies to take them caving as well, so if you fancy making some new caving mates get in touch.

The dates are:

5 August: Croatians arrive

6 – 13 August: Assynt

14 – 17 August: Dales (Farm booked, Lancaster permit on 14th)

17 – 19 August: South Wales (SWCC booked, OFD permit on 18th)

20 August: Croatians leave

A couple of Cardiff cavers have kindly offered their leadership services for the OFD trip so that would be a good chance to do this amazing Welsh cave. See the cave website here.

So, Guppies, come along on some trips and help show the Croatians a good time! Contact Hugh for more details.

“Rowten – Amy, Hugh, Joe – 18/7/2010

After battling our way through nipple-high bracken, we made it to said pot in decent weather. Amy started us off by rigging the first pitch quicker than a sadomasochist, getting us down to the bridge and second pitch. Following a tight rift we came to the waterfall, which was magnificent and somewhat eased the ominous and looming task of prussiking back up the second pitch of 55 metres rigged by our gracious and handsome tour guide Mr Hugh Penney. At the bottom of the big one we were met by a bit of splash and wind, but nothing us three Motherwellian WAGS weren’t used to.

Our last two ropes took us along an airy traverse and down the final shaft – Hugh’s. He rigged it, that is. At the bottom your dearest narrator was chosen to de-rig. Honored by the decision my chest puffed like that of a virile pheasant in the merriest of springtime, only to be humbled like the lowliest of plague cleaners by the dogleg that caught Amy on the way down. After swinging to-and-fro like a blind pianist I made my way up the pitch to the ledge at the bottom of the big cavern.

Only being able to drink in the beautiful and daunting waterfall for a moment due to the fact that I was actually drinking it, I continued on up.

After finding Hugh at the top we proceeded to tap our sacks up the cavern walls before tying off on the final rope, ready for the last push. By that point our voluptuous cohort had made her way to the top and was freezing her metaphorical tits off in the sheets of rain and belting wind. After dragging the tackle up we made our way back to the dryish car.

We were stopped by a woman and her son who were missing some friends down Valley Entrance and Swinsto. We advised them of the VERY wet conditions underground and Hugh explained the procedure for calling CRO if necessary. We hope they have returned safely and in good health.

It is time for me to take my leave – the car smells of carbide and we’ve all used LEDs. With that I shall bid you, faithful reader, a flatulent ‘Good day’.”

Joe Norat

Update: there was a rescue mounted for the (non-GUPA) people trapped in Swinsto but the water levels were too high so CRO had to withdraw. The cavers were located on Monday and escorted out safely. More details on the CRO website here.

Monday 8 April 2010: just back from Ireland where five Guppies attended the caving event of the year – the Irish Student Forum.

There was caving, drinking, banter, drinking…                                 and a Lovely Girl Contest!

But we were robbed -robbed! – of the Lovely Girl title – clearly someone, who’d probably been bribed, wasn’t as impressed by her ‘getting out of a car elegantly’ skill as we were…

However, to make up for it we made off with the Golden               Helmet! (for photos taken during the weekend, the organisers not having any other prize available)

Pictures are now on Hugh’s flickr site here.

Caves done by GUPA were: Pigeon Pot no.2, Dermot and Grainne’s Cave in Co. Sligo, Shannon Cave, Marble Arch and Poll na gColm (Pollnagollum) of the Boats…

Karen, Nikki and Gwen were in the Sarah-mobile. With Karen’s….eh.. observant eye pointing out many wonderful sceneries, a Lady Gaga CD, and lots of silly conversation it was no time before we were rolling into the Barton Inn for a cheeky drink. After Hugh’s very entertaining (children cover your ears) stories and a quick look at our watches we left for the farm. Once there we took it easy, eating nachos and deciding trips for the Saturday.

On Saturday, we were woken gently by the dulcet Mancunian tones of Mike and a tray of tea arriving. After sorting our kit and some speculation as to Ben and Jemma’s whereabouts we were on our way to Bernie’s for the legendary breakfast. With Ben and Jemma located, the trips were finalised. I was on team Hugh making a round trip of Lost John’s with Karen, Gwen and Cory.

We drove to the cave entrance and after some hat confusion and Hugh forgetting to put his helmet on we were on our way! Entering the cave and we were greeted with a nice meandering walk. With a short traverse and stepping around the first pitch (team Nick were taking Dome route) we continued to our first pitch, Hammer Pot. After a slow descent, we were all at the bottom, in good spirits and revelling in the dry conditions of the cave, especially after hearing the wet conditions that team Jules would be experiencing in Swinsto Pot. After descending Mud Pot we finally found ourselves staring into the depths of Centipede, all 30m of it which I was looking forward to descending. After a rather bouncy descent we cracked open the Mars bars and continued towards Battleaxe… to have a look! Before long we were at the traverse where Hugh decided to take a few photos. So off he went along the traverse, camera in tow and our photo-ee Karen(who is not a big fan of heights)  following. After some temporary blindness from the flashgun and a consensus that now was probably not the time to face height fears we decided to turn back. Coming back to Dome route we met team Nick rehydrating themselves. Soon we were on our way again, making for Dome route. A few burnt eyelashes later (damn you carbide lamp!) and a sling aided mini climb over (or under for the fun-size people i.e. me) a boulder and we were on our way to our next pitch. There, greeted by a rebelay, with a loop that resulted in some almost horizontal prussiking, we weren’t so smug anymore. After much readjustment of jammers and some French vocabulary we were finally at the top of the pitch. Cory, with steely determination and unwavering enthusiasm volunteered to de-rig. Triumphant with our victory over the rebelay little did we know of another that lay ahead at Dome. I ascended first, passing over the rebelay to a nice traverse, followed by Gwen and then Hugh.  Karen came next, having a little trouble with her chest jammer, wary of our call out time, myself and Gwen continued on to the top, leaving the manly men to aid the damsel in distress.  With the determination of a group of priests lost in a lingerie section, myself and Gwen powered on to the last pitch and the exit. Reaching the surface we quickly returned to the cars and our warm clothes. An hour, and a cold cross bun(thanks Nick J) the rest of our team resurfaced, tired but content all the same.

We returned to the farm where an excellent if “well-oiled” Mike had chilli waiting for us. We chatted and chowed down, complimenting it with beer, raspberry sambuca and other strange drinks Jules had brought. With the eating out of the way we proceeded to the games, under the loud encouragement of Mike! Table bouldering ensued, followed by contortionist sweeping brush antics and cardboard games. In a true show of manliness Mike proceeded to pass a bucket of coal around his torso whilst balancing himself on two chairs by his neck and feet. Before long however we started to fall away, with sleep winning out over alcohol and the farm became quiet… well, except for the resident snorers!

The next day team Mike (…quite possibly still drunk) headed for Lancs, whilst I decided to take it easy and headed with Jules, Cory, Ben and Jemma for Sunset Hole. After a bit of a trek and a few slippery patches we found the entrance and crawled in. We soon reached the streamway and continued to the first cascade. After an easy climb and a short abseil down the second cascade we meandered further, unsure as to where the so called 10m pitches were supposed to be. We were surprised when we reached the main pitch and as we had not intended to go down it we turned back. After an instruction from Jules to not miss the right turn for the dry cave entrance, myself, Jemma and Cory carried on ahead leaving Ben and Jules to de-rig. Jemma’s vet mode kicked in as she deftly spotted a bat before carrying on to the right turn that led us out to the daylight. Returning to the cars we quickly changed and waited for the two guys. A while later they returned, informing us that they had missed the turn and had to dig themselves out through a metre of snow.

On Ben and Jemma’s advice we, along with the people who had decided to go walking headed to the Marton Arms to get a frenchburger. A burger shortage ensued leading to tension amongst the cavers as those who had managed to secure the coveted frenchburgers territorially guarded their burgers. Rioting was prevented with steak, fish and chips providing a lesser alternative. A muddy-faced team Mike joined us soon after and once they had eaten we said our goodbyes and piled into the cars for the drive back to Glasgow, rounding off what was yet another brilliant GUPA trip!! Thanks to all who starred in this weekend’s trip!!

The end… written by Sarah (token Irish)

A good weekend was had by all!

(except possibly Gwen, who accidentally put Hugh’s pants on her head…)

Sarah sent a trip report which is here – anyone else who can write, please send more!