14/06/2026
⭐ From First Trip at 15 to Eldon Hole at 18 — A Youth Development Success Story
A huge congratulations to Dom and Alex, who have just turned 18 and celebrated by completing a full SRT descent of Eldon Hole… an approx. 60 metre deep, multi pitch classic of the Peak District.
An incredible achievement for any caver, let alone two who only discovered the underground world three years ago.
What makes their story even more special is this: their parents aren’t cavers. They didn’t grow up around the sport. They didn’t have family or friends already involved. They found caving because their parents signed them up to one of our Under 18 Yorkshire Dales Caving Weekends in Ingleton back when we were linked with the Scout Association.
They caught the caving bug that weekend… and they’ve never looked back.
In just three years they’ve:
🕳️ Completed 29 trips with the club,
🧗♂️ Taken part in 4 official club SRT training days,
🔦 Done their first SRT trip in Goyden only a year after joining,
📈 Progressed their SRT skills through Giants, Oxlow, Knotlow, Sunset and Snelslow,
🌍 Explored major systems across the Peak District, Yorkshire Dales, and South Wales.
Their journey shows exactly why our youth section matters.
Across the UK, most people start caving through Scouts, university clubs, or family connections. But with the Scout Association losing five caving last year alone, including Lincolnshire, many young people simply don’t get the chance to try this incredible sport.
By maintaining a dedicated youth section (14+), Lincoln Caving Club is keeping that door open, giving young people the opportunity to learn real skills, build confidence, and experience adventures they’ll remember for life.
Dom and Alex are proof of what’s possible when young people are given the chance.
If you know someone aged 14+ who loves challenge, teamwork, and muddy smiles, we’d love to help them start their own journey underground.
