Milltown Quarry, Ashover

A last minute, mid week drive out to Milltown Quarry, in Ashover, Derbyshire. Nice place to spend an afternoon...

Some nice BBQ'd sausages too!

Bruntwood Hall

Stained Glass false ceiling in the Main Hall

This was a completely new experience for me- a pre-arranged guided tour around a building with the security guard, who turns out to be one of my friends that shall not be named. We rocked up late at night, expecting Bruntwood to be in darkness but the place was awash wish workers trying to hit their deadline for this new boutique hotel.

Kraków

Chapel of St. Kinga, Wieliczka

Damian has had this trip in mind for years, so many times he told us about the salt mines in Poland; the size and grandeur of them is a must see for underground enthusiasts. The cheapest flights available to us northerners was Doncaster - Katowice, and ten of us ended up on this particular flight. There were also five others going from Luton, and two from Liverpool. This made our group in Krakow eighteen, as Damian's lovely cousin Karolina would also be joining us on our excursions. The weekend started well, with me passing my driving test the day before, I would be driving to Ed's house on Friday afternoon, and leaving my car there for the weekend. Five of us would be going to Doncaster together to meet five more at the airport.

Photobook with Saal Digital

Front

Winnington

Top day out wandering around an old soda works with class lads, cheers guys :)

Belgium - Ropes, Caving, and Brussels

Stephane Fontaine very kindly invited the DCC to a rope event that his caving club run each year in Senzeilles Quarry in Cerfontaine, Belgium. Initially, and for 3 months, I was the only person who took this offer up, until a month before the event Andrew Farrow booked himself a plane ticket too.

The Corsican Crawl - 282 metre Zip Wire

Olly abseiling down the tree for the first time

Enormous thanks to Steve for hosting and organising his tree rigging weekend. Steve worked very hard to organise a brilliantly fun couple of days. I think he deserves some sort of special club stunt award for his "Corsican Crawl". (And maybe his outdoor toilet too). Huge thankyous to Tom Howard, Olly King, Cath, Sophie & Sean, Charlotte Meakin, James, Pete & Heather Johnson, Nigel Dibben, Robert and Louise Stevenson, Geordie & the kids, Paul Richardson, and especially to Scott Bradley of the TSG who we all agreed deserve a proper DCC thank you.

Barton Lift Bridge

Solo Trip to Geneva

So I had a few drinks, went on skyscanner and looked up flights from Manchester airport to anywhere on a weekend in December, with the idea of just booking the cheapest foreign country that came up. This turned out to be Geneva for £41.98 which I booked without hesitation (or clarity it would later transpire).

Paris Catacombs 2015

Another fantastic weekend in and mostly underneath Paris with a some awesome people.

Trafford Park Hotel

Visited with Olly




www.canalarchive.co.uk

Lakeland Motor Museum

People's History Museum, Manchester

The People's History Museum (formerly the National Museum of Labour History), is one of the few museums in and around Manchester that I had not visited before today. The building conversion by Henry Price is fabulous. Situated on the corner of Bridge Street and Water Street, it used to be a hydraulic pumping station.

York Minster

So I went to York for just a couple of days break two weeks ago, I had never visited there before. Had a great time, particularly enjoyed the National Railway Museum, and the sight of York Minster with scaffolding all over it. I love Gothic architecture,  the present cathedral building dates back to around the year 1230. Being face to face with a gargoyle up Chester Cathedral last month was amazing, the Minster is a lot bigger...

Salford ♥ Manchester

A roof at Salford Quays and a crane in the Northern Quarter.

Highs and Lows...

Somewhere I have wanted to see for years



Sunny day in Manchester

A sunny day out in Manchester with Paul.

Barton Arcade

Post Dinner "Caving" Trip in Manchester

The Sunday after the club dinner is traditionally a hung over caving trip to somewhere in Derbyshire. The only takers were Me, Tom and Olly. By midday, after several cups of caffeine we were sat at Olly's house and just about decided on doing Nettle Pot or something. Then I mentioned that Joel was in Manchester. Tom looked at Olly for a minute and so we were off to Manchester...

DCC Annual Dinner Dance

Best View in Manchester

Yesterday I met Joel, Jay and Paul in Manchester...