Technical Training is matched to the skills, knowledge and capabilities of the group. As much time as possible is spent underground with hands on experience of the techniques. Sometimes it is useful to spend some part of the day on an indoor training venue.

 

Caves tend to make better venues for training purposes than mines as the environment is generally more predictable and solid, though there is an excellent SRT skills training venue in Smallcleugh Mine at Nenthead.

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Maximum four people for each day. £40 per person.

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Ropework Skills fall generally into four categories.

 

• Simple Skills for Negotiating Small Drops 

 

This is aimed at those who have little or no experience in the use of ropes in caves and mines and wish to learn some simple rope techniques for short vertical obstacles.

 

Topics covered to include equipment choice, maintenance, storage, and transport, an introduction to suitable knots, protecting a climb with a top rope, use of cows tails, abseiling using a descender, use of flexible ladders, simple techniques to assist a tired caver etc.

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• Introductory SRT Skills for Straightforward Pitches 

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For those with a little underground experience who are interested in learning the use of Single Rope Technique (SRT) to negotiate vertical drops in the underground environment.

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Topics to include choice and configuration of SRT Kit, care and maintenance, basic rigging and pitch head negotiation, abseiling and ascending a variety of different pitches.

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                                                                                        SRT Skills Training in Alum Pot

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• More Advanced SRT Skills - Deviations, Rebelays, Changeovers, Rigging

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Ideally this is for those who have some basic experience of SRT and wish to extend their knowledge to all the usual manoeuvres required to descend deeper more complicated pitches and make a successful return to surface.

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More time to be taken on rope rigging considerations plus rebelays, deviations and changeovers up to down and down to up.

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• SRT Rescue Skills - Self Help, Hauls and Lowers 

 

For those competent and confident in their own SRT Skills and who wish to be able to have the knowledge to assist themselves and others should everything not go entirely to plan.

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Improvisation in case of forgetting or losing a vital piece of equipment, mechanical advantage ascending, pitch head hauling (Spanish Pendulum), Snatch rescues, Pitch Head Lowers etc.

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