6th August 2026 - How cold?

4th August 2026 - Another not trip report

Spending a currently rare, wet day catching up with blog writing it's quickly become apparent that there's been a bit of a dearth of photos recently. While some might get away with a solely text based blog, wity and erudite writing being enough to hold the reader's attention, writing is not my forte and so I hope the odd pretty piccie makes up for this.

While I may get lucky (more often when I'm able to get my helmet off and move its lamp to the side), on the whole the pictures I take with my wife's Olympus Tough (TG-5?) and just helmet lamps often feel a little disappointing and recently I've stopped carrying it.

My (long suffering?) wife's (long suffering?) Olympus TG-5/6?

Does disapointment come from trying to take pictures in far from ideal conditions? I'm also not sure if I bothered to hold my helmet and its lamp out to the side

Away from spray and humidity though things are much better

Give the Olympus lots of light eg subject close up, or here by shooting where daylight still reaches and I'm pleased with the results

I'd certainly not dream of taking out a non waterproof camera here

Of course though I'm able to take pictures extremely quickly, just pull the camera out of my chest pocket and in places I wouldn't dream of exposing a non waterproof camera. Fitting in a chest pocket also means my hands are free for dragging tackle sacks around. While I know It's far from fair to expect sharp, well lit images in many of these places where spray and high humidity abound, sifting through lots of hazy and grainy images for the odd 'keeper' can be a bit soul destroying. 

At the other end of the spectrum is the kit that I take only on 'photo trips'. I still like to think this is fairly compact: a mirrorless camera, flash controller and 3 flashes all in one Peli (1300) case, but it can still feel like a major inconvenience, especially on top of tackle sacks filled with rope. It's not just the physical bulk of the gear that has an impact on trips though. Setting up a shot with just 2 flashes, let alone 3 can feel like time is moving at a geological pace with friends feeling like they're entering a new ice age. Spending the time though, I'm often pleased with the results.

My much loved Canon RP

The case I carry it in. Not entirely a fair comparison as this Peli case will also hold 3 flashes and their controller

Some of my favourite pictures have been taken with a 2 flash set up

For a 3 flash setup your models have to be very understanding

Even just with a helmet lamp I'm pleased with results from the RP though of course these are 'ideal' conditions, no spray or humidity

So, is there a compromise solution? Even with just helmet lighting mirrorless cameras can produce much nicer results than those from a compact, so what about trying leaving the flashes at home and just taking a small mirrorless camera? When I upgraded to my Canon RP I tried to part exchange my trusty old Canon EOS-M. While it's definitely not all about the gear, the purchase of this camera resulted in a huge increase in image quality from the compact camera I'd used previously. 

With my EOS-M I felt like I was taking 'proper' photos for the first time (3 flash setup)

The camera shop 'expert' though said it wasn't worth anything as it looked like it'd been dragged through mud. What did they know!? My plan then is to try taking this camera as my 'default' camera on trips in the hope its case is still something I'm happy to take on longer trips or those when also burdened with lots of tackle.

My trusty EOS-M

My very smart new Inglesport case

Not a completely fair comparison, the Peli case on the left also holding 3 flash guns

Of course for wet and grim trips it'll be the Olympus everytime but I'm hoping that my new, light weight setup will see me taking a camera along on trips more often. As someone once said, "The best camera is the one you have with you."

2nd August 2026 - Through trip

Putting a date in the diary weeks in advance for a trip in August that requires dry settled weather is often a futile act but, as the day approached, the dry weather held and a return to Dowbergill passage was on. Looking in my copy of NFTFH I found that ever since my first traverse in 2022 with Mike, I've returned every couple of years. Once you've sampled its delights it will definitely keep drawing you back. For Julie though this was to be her first acquaintance.

Turning off the Skipton road and heading up into the Dales the scenery just gets better and better and I'm always amazed that there aren't more collisions as drivers are distracted by the awesome overhang of Kilnsey crag. While the continuing valley may be less vertigious, it's no less impressive and the village of Kettlewell is surely the archetypal Dales village.

Parking a little way up the Park Rash to make the return walk a little shorter we wandered into town and then back out, past the busy campsite and into the quiet valley leading up to Providence. The bracken was high and I felt like a lead rider on a Tour climb as I pushed my way through it. It also seems to have its own microclimate, holding heat under its canopy, already with wet and over suits pulled down to my waist there was little to do except enjoy the brief respite of vegetation free sections of path.

Pausing at the heavily lided entrance to dry off briefly 

[In progress...]

1st August 2026 - A morning's adventure

Needing a morning's adventure for eldest and his friend, a return to Middle Scar seemed to fit the bill. Donning wetsuits we were glad it was just a short walk from the van to the entrance, the relentless Yorkshire sun beating down as it has for weeks now. The extended dry spell even ensuring that you can leave the Ribblehead road and not immediately sink at least knee deep in bog.

With buoyancy aids on we negotiated the first couple of metres of dry passage and then slipped into the cool dark waters of the canal, the fixed lines allowing us to keep our upper bodies mainly out of the water and letting us pull our way swiftly through the deepest section.

This aqueous obstacle overcome the boys took the lead and we regrouped at the bottom of the short pitch up the waterfall. Despite the warming effects of the more rapid movement to this point, the boys had opted to keep their buoyancy on, the thick foam providing welcome insulation. It's worth noting that even after weeks of warm weather the deep, slow moving water remains stubbornly cold. As swiftly as I could I gained the top of the pitch and lowered a ladder and life line. I'd been wondering why the tackle sack was so heavy but then remembered I'd brought my Petzl Rig rather than my usual Stop. While it's undoubtedly a great device for belaying others, I do question that they've seemingly constructed it from osmium, not the best choice in terms of either price or mass.

Before the boys set off again I briefed them on the delicacy of the upcoming chert formations and how they needed to be treated like the jelly fish that they'd once been. I'd love to have a friendly geologist on hand to explain how these 'walls' had formed in such a multitude of directions.

The 'final' waterfall chamber reached we quickly about turned, needing to keep moving. Only the pitch caused a brief hiatus in our outward journey and we were soon back in the water by the entrance. I thought the shrieks from the boys were due to the temperature, but no, they were due to a drowned shrew bobbing by at face height. My shrieks though were due to the cold as I realised too late that I hadn't zipped up my wetsuit.

Emerging at lunchtime and with the modal age of the group being considerably lower than usual, Seasons bakery in Ingleton provided a more than adequate substitute to The Barn for apres cave activities. When asked whether they wanted to sit in the shade or sun to devour our sausage rolls the response was both instantaneous and unanimous.