Lease Rigg Whinstone Mine and Christmas meal at Hutton-le-Hole

Note that members above were those on the mine trip.

The Christmas meal itself was attended by 20 people from our club and the North York Moors Caving Club.

A quick and easy trip around Lease Rigg Whinstone Mine provided just enough exercise to work up a thirst - and it was a good job too as we arrived at the pub nice and early, around 5pm, with most people having arrived by 6pm. After some quick elections we tucked into a superb meal, and for the first time in four years of being regulars at The Crown in Hutton-le-Hole, we were clean enough to be able to use the proper dining room! Once suitably filled we retired to the bar.

Hours of drinking then followed, then a chilly night (not quite a chilly as the -14 of last year, it was a blistering -10 this year). Deciding not to bother putting tents up, some of us slept in cars (remember for next time to leave the window slightly down or risk waking up breathing very deeply due to partial oxygen depravation). Most people however bedded down in a static caravan behind the pub which they had very kindly agreed to let us use, which was luxurious compared to a tent.

A greasy fry-up in Pickering on Sunday morning finished the event of nicely.

A great Christmas meal!