S'ok, we all do things like that from time to time.

I nearly got killed a few weeks ago by a generator plummeting 30m into a void. Regrettably it was tied to me with a 20m static rope, whilst I myself was dangling above said void on a temporary zip line that wasn't going to be dealing with a big shock load at all well.

As comical an ending as it would have been, the generator did not in the end tip off the edge. But it was close.

Today wasn't a pleasant day either. I was drilling on a 25m high wall, not far off the top, hanging on a rope tied to the top by a knot my friend had just done. Sort of a wrap-it-around-and-half-hitch-it type of knot. Whilst I was drilling, said knot suddenly let go and I fell about 2 feet before it came tight on the next one. I was never in any real danger but it sure is quite scary when that happens!

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Don't be careless with your life Miles! 😢

I have yet to get properly to grips with SRT although plans are afoot for later this year.

I did once sit down on a trip and retrieve my flask of tea only to realise I had forgotten the biscuits, that was pretty distressing!

....I did once sit down on a trip and retrieve my flask of tea only to realise I had forgotten the biscuits, that was pretty distressing!

Nightmare and a totally un-British thing to do....;(

I once brought my lamp but no helmet? Oh and once a tripod but no camera!! Donstuart had 2 left foot wellington boots. SimonRL locked his keys in the car....

Sorry to go off topic :offtopic:


I'll start a new thread :thumbup:

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A loong time ago, 1974, while absailing on hemp rope down a Pant y Wrach stope, the metal work O level project mild steel carabiner began to strain open. The vivid "thought while ascending" (hauling my self up by hand) was... Ducking Hall!

Cwm Ceunant: Mr Sinker, " Don't worry, when you get to the bit at the top (the unpleasant looking boulder winking at you whilst resting nonchelantly on a rotten old bit of timber) Just jolt yourself over and shove the hand jamber over. You'll be fine."
With this thought only in my head I forgot to attach the foot loop to my hand jamber and was bouncing about mid air like a spasticated monkey to the tune of " Oh you silly thing!!"
Oh how "we" laughed!!!!:o;D;D

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In many min es there are conveniently located shot holes into which short old drill steels or wrought iron ladder rungs can be inserted to provide excellent belays. Not all shot holes are perfectly located but usually something can be contrived to make them usable. This was back in the 1980s before battery drills were commonplace and all sorts of ad hoc lash-ups were used for temporary and one-off belays, especially when Exploration Fever was running high.

This contriving reached an extreme in foul old workings behind Taylor's Shaft, Cwmystwyth where on one pitch head the only shot holes at all were two very close together angled almost directly towards the pitch so that any drill steel would tend to slide out. However, being an inventive sort of chap I put a drill steel into both holes and contrived a sort of Spanish windlass with a tape and a third steel to angle and jam the two key steels sufficient to make an imoveable belay. 'Imoveable' by pulling and tugging it might have been but we abseiled very cautiously nevertheless.

Having explored and surveyed the extremely loose workings beyond the pitch (another cautionary tale in itself...) I was first to prussick back up. I prussicked as smoothly and carefully as I dared, a gnawing doubt about those two steels dominating my thoughts.

As my head crept above the loose shaley lip of the pitch I could see the steels slowly easing themselves out of their holes. Two frantic sit-stands and I was able to flop to waist level over the edge of the pitch and scrabble onto the floor of the level just as the steels fell out of their holes.