Bucket on the Head

Dark Lord, Bill Sherrington Friday 19th October. The luminous green dial of the dash board at night lit up Dark Lords consumptive grin as he drove maniacally along the Barbon Back roads towards Bucket on the Head. Sheep somehow barely avoided death by Renault and the journey was swift. I was changing into Bling’s spare oversuit Dark lord pondered the back of his car and announced that Bling’s spare drill had been left behind back at his Bentham Lair. An … Read More

Hi Bill, Jim Newton here, regarding Bucket on the Head dig. When Neil & Pete were digging it earlier, Andy & I were higher up the valley, at the foot of Dry waterfall is a deepush rift full of bracken & heather. It was so deep in foliage we couldn’t clear it.If you get fed up with flying boulders, it might be worth a look. Cheers Jim

DarkLord, Andy walsh , Bill Sherrington .23rd October 2007 Filled with Sudafed ,it was gas, ass or grass, no free rides as Dark lord wisked me into his vehicle and pointed it in the direction of the Ingleton garage . That will be gas then I thought and soon his wallet was lighter and less cumbersome. Then onwards to BOH. We were halfway between Barbon and the Dent fault when the drugs started to take effect.Things were getting wreckless,nothing is … Read More

Pete Hall, Dark Lord Tuesday’s enticing draught prompted immediate action – somehow managed to wrest Pete from the arms of his babes for the evening, thus reuniting him with one of his old flames…. Although the evening was much warmer than Tuesday, a healthy draught was still being sucked into the sharp end, tested this time with Vanilla scented joss sticks (we tried Bergamot on Tuesday). Pete reacquainted himself with his old haunt, admired Mr.Walsh’s creative cementing, and then proceeded … Read More

Sunday 28th October Mr. Andrew Pringle, Dark Lord , Bill Sherrington Pleased with the success of his domestic chores Dark lord watched his newly sharpened pencil roll off the Kitchen table and onto the bare wooden kitchen floor, bending down to pick it up then twang!, something stirred in the Dark Lords lower back and a twinge of pain shot through him like a fiery thread. “Theres nothing better than a spot of digging to sort that out” mused Dark … Read More

Bill Sherrington ,Dark Lord 1st November , Meanwhile far ,far away in a neighbouring universe ,other mistakes were being made. Mine was to go and pick Darklord up from his roost. I arrived to find him cape fettling amidst the inflammable glue fumes in his kitchen. “Gaffa Tape, damn good stuff” wheezed Dark Lord, “I shall buy a shed load of it from ebay when the price is right.” Soon I realised the consequences of my mistake .In Barbondale the … Read More

Having foolishly left the ‘light of truth’ in the cave on Thursday, a return was required on Saturday to retrieve it, as it was needed for Majorca. A couple of hours was found between domestics and packing and I was soon in Barbondale. If I was recovering the torch I might as well put a few holes in while I was at it. Kit was duly carted to the face and five holes placed and fired, and the rubble stacked … Read More

Tuesday 6th November 2007.On the previous Saturday I heard the flutter of velvet wings upon my window, Dark Lord had called . He was in good fettle with the allure of Spain and his descent upon Majorca imminent , he gave me the news of his solo exploits and near misses amongst the black cobbles .Buoyed by our recent visits to Bucket on the Head and the promise of a breakthrough ,myself and Andy Walsh agreed to continue progressing the … Read More

Tues 13th November Simon Jobling,Pete Hall, Andy Walsh, Hugh St Lawrence,Bill Sherrington.. ” That lad needs a check up from the neck up” I burbled, referring to our chocolate soldiers recent “ambassadors ball” in Notts 2. Dark Lord felt that more idiots just like him are needed in British caving. Behold your wish is our command, we pulled into a temporary Barbon carpark to be greeted by Bling, Mr Walsh, and Pete Hall intent on increasing our carbon footprint ,creating … Read More

Bill Sherrington, Dark Lord ,Andy Walsh 15th November 2007. It was Antipodean in Bucket on the Head, as an out break of impersonating Steve Irwin ,Crocodile Hunter had infected Bird Flue. This was the first annniversary of Mr Irwins demise and some of the rest of this posting may be best read in “Strine” {Australian}_. Tonight the cave was dryer than a dead dingo’s donger and Dark lord was fossicking about in the tight rift heading out of the small … Read More

Sunday 18 Nov, Hugh St.L, Simon Jobling Arriving in Barbondale I feared the worst on recognising various white vans on the roadside, but maybe they were just emptying a nearby sump in a parallel universe. Packed Bling off to get started while I placed detectors in several risings and dropped 1/2 litre of OBA in the sink. Down at the sharp end the staff were complaining of feeling sick and weak, which looked like a classic case of digging layoff … Read More

Speaking as purely a dig supervisor I believe that digging in a stream sink is wholly unwise in precipitous conditions. Speaking as a reborn digger BOH has a lot going for it, a tight streamway in which to roll around in and feel the water creep up your back, dragging back debris from successful caps (even if only 3!) in a tight, pinched tube of misery and perching in a dribbling aven in support of your digging colleague ( who … Read More

Simon Jobling and Bill sherrington 19th November 2007 I have recieved customer complaints that my reports are absent of fact . This week is fact week in Bucket on the head and this report a bonanza of facts that should be best read in anoraktic ie. a slow monotone voice. Here are the facts 1 Dark Lord has bat flue so he did not go to bird flue. I bought him a bottle of lemon juice and a bar of … Read More

Tonight we seek the truth about Blings view of Blackness in Bucket on the head.Goodluck fact hunters

seems a shame to eat an eight legged deer…..

Hi Johnny , Jim here, what have we done to be deserted in such a scurrilous manner. Is it the lure of cheap venison & free Makitas. However Javelin will not desert you.Please come back to a cleaned-out,dry & outwardly draughting cave. Cheers Jim & Li.

Friday 23rd November Bling, Bill, Dark Lord Freezing cold night met at 6.30 for an evenings entertainment. Made our way down a frozen entrance and down Bird Flue. I drilled 3 holes to make access to sharp end easier and fired successfully. Bill followed up with 3 more and progress looked good. Chiseling drills helped clear debris off walls and a squeezy drag soon cleared floor. Dark Lord entered the fray and began chiselling whilst Bill and I shivered in … Read More

Dear Drs. Hugh ,Bill,and Bling I have a serious problem and I think I need your expert opinions. It seems to me that I have been caving with the Red Rose for far too long as I am now unable to talk too girls. I get all shy I just thinking about them and I dont have any social skills to speak of.. Also digging seems to be really pointless and futile right now , I never seem to find … Read More

Dear Mr F Hunt, Your note touched a raw nerve with me. I too have had such feelings recently. Aswell as this, both my wife and close friends have noticed that I tend to talk to myself continuously, often getting quite irate and irrational. Just recently whilst clearing out my cellar and chundering to myself I saw a really shiny object in the corner. Thinking it was a secret pressie from my wife( I have asked for a new caravan … Read More

These Dear Jokes are “BEYOND THE PAIL” in Bucket on the head Sunday 25th November 2007. S. Jobling, A .Latimer, J. Latimer, D.Lord , B. Sherrington. A mid afternoon start for the Bling and Bill. Bling was still kettled from his previous nights beertricks in Carnforth. He was in full giggle mode and in a most relaxed and happy fashion we entered Bucket on the Head for an afternnoons capping session in the not so tight rift that exits Bird … Read More

Tuesday 27th Nov. Sherrington, St.L, Jobling, Walsh. After Sunday’s unexpected breakthrough into sizeable passage, and having restrained Bill from grabbing everything in sight, it was time for the other team members to get a looksee and payback for their efforts. Unfortunately, although invited, Mr.Hall was on a train somewhere between Beijing and Tibet, so he made his apologies. In the event Andy Walsh and Bling joined Hugh and Bill for a further foray ‘beyond the pail’. Hugh led Andy on … Read More

28-11-07 Bill Bling Andy W Hugh St Since I had departed early on Sunday and was promised a good trip, I arrived early to be greeted by another no show on Sunday – Mr Walsh. He shot off up the hill with a saw ready to cut something or other. I waited for the two original pushers and off we went. I was stuck at the back with a bag full of harness, drill, capping box and a climbing rope … Read More

Hugh st Lawrence, Simon Latimer, Bill Sherrington. 29th November. Dark Lord stood still and looked bemused at the neoprene idiots who gathered around him .Its was a sight to behold, Mr. Latimer struggling into a pink wet suit that nearly,doesn’t fit him. A quick fettle of his dark light and behold a new bucket mate was ship shape,ready to swab the decks and take on the bilges and ducks of further exploration. Tonights purpose was to re enter the Pail … Read More

29 Nov, Hugh, Bill, Simon Latimer Plan to push upstream was nearly aborted due to high water levels. However Bill went through the first duck leaving an apprehensive Simon and ambivalent Hugh on the nearside…with only one wet suit hood between us. It seemed churlish to spoil the guest’s night out, so Hugh ever so graciously (and with great relief) donated his hood and listened to the gloops and poops of the departing neopreners. Some climbs above the streamway were … Read More

Its wet and easy report as water levels are too great for the bucketeers.

Dark Lord, Bill Sherrington, Tim Allen Tuesday 4th Decemeber 2007. Let’s get right to the heart of this thing . There’s no point in hiding from the brutish realities of our situaton , we had found ourselves at the head of a pitch. Terrible things had been before us and now we stood raving and jabbering at each other. I remember saying something like “where the hell’s he gone” and Dark lord yelling ” well ! he’s either fallen off … Read More

Tuesday 4th Dec, Bill Sherrington, Hugh St.Lawrence, Tim Allen, Andy Walsh Bill was not keen to play. “It’s been pissing down all day in Kendal” he moaned by text. “Oh well, me and Tim will have a look then” I replied, confident that it had dried considerably since Sunday. The threat of a grabber on the scene did the trick and the next thing I was picking Bill up in a veritable downpour. All aboard Mr. Allen’s chara and we … Read More

Dark Lord, Bill, Andy, Tim. A memorable tuesday night in December. I think this was the best Tuesday night digging trip I?ve ever had. It started with a phone call from Dark Lord, ?we?re going down Bucket, Pete Hall can?t make it, you can be him, bring your survey gear and by the way you?re driving?. Great, I wanted a look round the new find after all I?d read and heard, but fully expected a cold wet trip lying in … Read More

Andy Walsh, Simon Jobling, Hugh St Lawrence, Bill Sherrington. 6/12/07. It came from beneath the boulder choke, a muffled cry, soft at first then rising into a crescendo of seething malevolence. It was the Dark Lord caught in the full ravages of a hissing fit. ” Bags! F***ing bags!, how many filthy F***ing bags are needed!, for F*** sake Bling, It’s only a F***ing drill! “. This was enjoyment; the struggle of packing away Bling’s expensive and pampered drill in … Read More

Despite a bag fit and an acute shortage of karabiners on Friday, the team had achieved ground zero at a sump…or what looked suspiciously like a sump with froth, mud and twigs aplenty. Furthermore, Dark Lord and Bling had been shamed by a near pensioner who never hesitated at ploughing through a full duck in woolies. Bag fits, a karabiner shortage, naming and shameing? It had been an excellent night. Now came the hard work of putting together a map. … Read More

Tuesday 11th December. Dark Lord, Pete Hall, Andy Walsh, Bill Sherrington. Like many of us I have caved with Andy for some years now, he is always even tempered ,never shirking the hard work, calm, enthusiastic and a gentleman. I have never, ever, never heard him curse. Until tonight when approaching the second duck in the upstream passage. I think it went something like: “you have got to be F***ing joking!” I was gob smacked and Andy’s comment sum up … Read More

Bucket on the Head, Thursday 13th Dec, Hugh St.L, Bill Sherrington I?d heard much about upstream but it was all rather conflicting. 400 metres, 300 metres, ?well, 200 metres?, inlets, going leads, bargain buckets, walking size, flat out, ducks, more ducks, ?it?s fantastic?, ?it?s going south?, ?it?s going north? and ?I?ve no eye deer where it?s going?. Then Andy Walsh went up on Tuesday with Bill and came back hypothermic and saying there was only about 100m all in. Oh, … Read More

**INVITE** MINCE PIES, SHERRY & MULLED WINE Date: Friday 21st Dec, 7pm Location: Main chamber (The Spanish Inquisition) in Bucket on the Head, Barbondale Join the bucketeers for a Xmas noggin in the cave everyone’s talking about! Mudminers and partners welcome, have a trip downstream to see the pretties, or mooch in the dry stuff. Upstream out of bounds (for your health & safety you understand!) Access available to most, it’s Bill gauge! – 20metres of narrow capped crawls and … Read More

Bucket -on-the-Head, Sat 15th Dec, Hugh St.L, Bill Sherrington Hordes of Earby helpers had been promised by Bill but failed to materialise, so it was left to the two of us to get on with the job of surveying the nasty part of the cave. Andy Walsh had obviously visited the area recently as a new Hoover Dam was still warm to the touch and diverting the main sink downstream. Unfortunately, this had little noticeable effect on the ducks which … Read More

Thanks to everyone who turned out for the merry xmas party in Bucket on Friday. A very crisp -6º night didn’t deter a hardy crew of visitors. There were victuals aplenty, much due to Roger’s amazing instant picnic which just kind of unfolded from his tacklebag, complete with singing santa, crackers, party hats and fine cheeses! Amontillado, tawny port and singed mince pies were also offered to the visitors, most of whom had a tour of the nearby sights and … Read More

Sat 22nd Dec – Hugh St.L, Bill Sherrington, Tim Allen, Pete Hall, Robbie Shone, Jane Allen, Jane ? A very wet, cold day after the delightful frost of the previous night. Bill huddled in his van while Pete and Hugh began the surface survey from the rising to the entrance. After surveying bitterly to the entrance we went and GPSd the ends of the cave on the surface. At this juncture the photographic team arrived and all descended to the … Read More

Sat 5th Jan, Dark Lord and Bling Unusually I’d missed something in the aven chamber, and Bling was raving about black space again. So off we went for another digging caper. Entry to the Rose Garden was easier having been capped to Bill gauge the day before. And indeed there was space at the top of the aven – one hole removed an offending nose of rock and I chimneyed up into a tight rift which went about 2 metres … Read More

Friday 11th – Bill, Hugh Quick evening trip to have a look at the dry alcove in the inlet above the pitch. Made access to rubble chamber Bill gauge and then capped block at base of rift. Able to get upright then and confirm Pete’s assessment that it doesn’t look great or easy. Only interesting feature was small hole going down; stones thrown through this seemed to go down further and land in something bigger. Hard labour dig, though, better … Read More

team Simon J Paul W continued along westmerland gold. first squeese encounted was capped and dug this led to crawling passage and a second squeeze followed by a ben this was dug generating lots nice liquid mud. a further 4 meters to a chamber situp in is followed by another section that will require capping. Stream can be heard ahead about 20 metres gained Paul