04/05/25 Out Sleets Beck

It had been a particularly dry spring so Ade and Becca decided to do Out Sleets Beck, with Clive and I tagging along. A pleasant walk down the track (although Becca did run back to the car for her helmet) followed by a short hunt for the entrance in the beck before getting underground. It's a varied cave with lots of interesting bits in relatively short distances.  Whist not a soaking wet cave, I could understand why it's usually done in dry spells. Becca rigged the pitches; easily traversed without incident. Soon I realised we were at the canal/duck - Clive was first through the without any hesitation or any wait for the others, wading in and into a full swim. I felt obliged to follow promptly, although the rather cool water in full swim mode made me think. It's a little thrutch to get through to the squeeze at the end of the canal; glad to have removed SRT kit earlier. A bit of delayed onset cold followed the dunking, but fortunately not too chilling whilst waiting for Becca and Ade to join us. After the lovely active streamway the character changed in Shatter Passage, then again in deep mud in the last few meters before the end -  worth plugging through to see lights shining through the final duck / sump pool from the end of the glutinous mud.

A quick turnaround and exit before back to the cottage for a good cup of tea and catch up with others staying over the weekend (and a few more working weekend jobs). 

TUG about 4 hrs.  Clive, Ade, Becca, Gareth