Also a few more comments below from other participants:
" It was an amazing experience. Scary at times but still lots of fun". (Sam Clark - Cub)"It was great to see the excitement, mixed with a little apprehension, on the Cubs faces when we all arrived. Once everyone was changed into the caving overalls and helmets it was time to set off for the subterranean quarry.
The first obstacle was the vertical ladder down into the cave. This was the first point when I thought "what am I doing!" Once underground we proceeded into the tunnels ably escorted by our expert guides. As we made our way further into the maze of tunnels we learnt about the history of the quarry. Personally I found it very thought provoking to see the marks left by the workers pickaxes as they worked so hard to extract the stone hundreds of years ago. What must it have been like to work in those conditions!
There were a few tighter spots to navigate through. The worst "what am I doing!" moment came at the seemingly endless section constructed from concrete which was poured into a hole discovered whilst constructing the M23.
After retracing our steps back to the entrance we exited the tunnels and there was time to reflect on the 3 hours that we spent underground. What a fantastic experience for the leaders and cubs alike! We were very proud of how the Cubs took it all in their stride. There were plenty of laughs, great team work and encouragement between all of the group when needed. Another fantastic 1st Southwater Sea Scouts event!
Would I do it again? Definitely! Here's to a return visit next year! " (Mike Clark, dad, Beaver Leaders and soon-to-be Cub Leader).
