CPF UK Meet 2015

subwoofer

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At this point in time just a placeholder post to start a new thread for 2015.

Probably looking at an early April meet due to a ram-packed February and March.

I'm working on a couple of ideas, so will post more if anything comes of them.
 
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Nyctophiliac

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I'm always up for a little meet up, wherever, Hampstead, Eton, Somewhere near Brighton (Is it illegal to out shine the lighthouse at Beachy Head???).

I'm about to have a toenail avulsion next week (i.e. a removal and then burn out the root! looking forward to it!!!) so I'll not be able to meet until March or mid March ant the earliest.

Not much new to bring along as usual, but I did get a new Fenix Bike light for my birthday, which is superb (Yes, Sub has reviewed this one).


Bring it on.
 

subwoofer

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The ideas I have had so far involve potential visits to one of the following:

Grime's Graves
Chislehurst Caves
Kent's Cavern
Hellfire Caves

I'm waiting for a reply from the manager of all of these to see if we can arrange an special tour for us where we are allowed to use our own lights (the normal tours don't allow this).

The answer might be no from all of them, but this is what I was working on.

All but Grime's Graves are large caverns which are easy to walk about in and hopefully acceptable for all (unlike abandoned, slowly caving in mines).

Might come to nothing, but that is what I had in mind.
 

Nyctophiliac

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I've been to the Hellfire Caves and they are pretty tiny. Not bad, but not very impressive.

Chiselhurst caves are great, I've been there a few times, lots of old WW2 stuff, but we'd need a guide as they are extensive and there are holes!

I really like the look of Kent's Cavern though. It's a long way away, but much closer to Anthony at Flashaholics, so maybe we could finally get him along too?

Grimes Graves looks like a single chamber experience and therefore not to suited to our tastes?
 

mcnair55

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Surely a cpf UK meet would be better in the middle of the country such as Birmingham area,plenty of hotels etc.You could organise spooky canal walks around brum so the lights would get plenty of use.
 

Jay R

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Hello McNair55. We have though about this in the past but we had very little feedback from anyone up North who was interested. As most of us are from the South, ( Apart from Bruce who comes from Paris for them ! ) we tend to arrange meets around this area, particularly non-summer ones that tend not to be sleepovers but just an evening meet in a pub. That's not saying that if anyone arranges a do further away, none of us would attend but I suspect it may not be as many as to make it worth arranging ourselves.
On the other hand... If someone can think of a REALLY good place to go see.....
 

Nyctophiliac

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Surely a cpf UK meet would be better in the middle of the country such as Birmingham area,plenty of hotels etc.You could organise spooky canal walks around brum so the lights would get plenty of use.

To add to Jar R's post.

I'd be up for a meet further towards the top of the planet. I have family in Cheshire, Shropshire and near Harlech so I do get up there from time to time.

Local knowledge would be the key. Find somewhere with something interesting to point our lights at, the current thinking is caves - which are a bit of a phobia for me, so I'm overjoyed. But Bunkers, derelicts, castles, etc all lend themselves to being on our wish list. But if there is anything nearer you, post it here. It would be great to try out new places.

Are you Birmingham based? I've long been planning to cycle from Birmingham to Milton Keynes along the canals. (I've done London to MK, and MK to Northampton, so I need to complete before starting on the Avon/ Kennet canal).
 

Nyctophiliac

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Just found this:

https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/see-and-do/routes/chirk-to-llangollen

Basically, Chirk canal tunnel appears to be the last canal you can walk through on the towpath? (TBA) and is near the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct - both of which are worth seeing.)

The walk would be about 9 miles and we could ferry ourselves with cars at start and finish - how about that ?????

I'm doing more research...

BTW - Pontcysyllte is pronounced pont-ka-sugh-tay, with emphasis on the ugh!
 
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Chicken Drumstick

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On the subject of meet ups. Does anything remotely similar to the Shot show occur in the UK?
 

Nyctophiliac

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On the subject of meet ups. Does anything remotely similar to the Shot show occur in the UK?

I have no idea, but I know the British Blades forum has meet ups that are more popular than ours here on CPF (we only manage around 6-10 people - the most was in the early teens. Devil's Dyke? Hampstead Heath?)

I'm sure there used to be more gun based trade shows here and there (my Father used to go to them loads - a keen shotgun hunter), but with the firearms laws in the UK, they are bound to be more circumspect these days.

Subwoofer and Blueled would know better.
 

subwoofer

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On the subject of meet ups. Does anything remotely similar to the Shot show occur in the UK?

There are some shooting and outdoor shows in the UK, but they are much smaller and not anything like SHOT which has a good mix of exhibitors (and so many you can't see them all). The closest geographically is the IWA show in Germany (in about a month from now).
 

subwoofer

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Surely a cpf UK meet would be better in the middle of the country such as Birmingham area,plenty of hotels etc.You could organise spooky canal walks around brum so the lights would get plenty of use.

Jay_R has already hit the nail on the head. We UK CPFer's who want to meet up seem to be few and far between, and so far only the southern folk have spoken up.
 

Nyctophiliac

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Just noticed the Netherton Canal Tunnel is currently closed, but may re open this year (June-ish?) and is much closer to the South (Near Dudley) and is much longer (1.7 miles).

I will keep an eye out for information.

Anyone fancy the tunnels? (Aquaducts etc?)
 

mcnair55

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When I lived in Berlin they did organised U Bahn (underground system) rides in open carriages.Would be ideal if they did this in GB.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w2GZx8zHzgU

They were always good at stuff like this,old disused fair ground visits,closed down old buildings were opened for tours at the weekends.There is a huge Flak Tower in Berlin which is massive and well frequented as it forms a park and you can go underground on weekends.

These guys do plenty of underground tours as well

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xGGzSehAH-c
 
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Nyctophiliac

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I would find it hard to organise myself to go on a CPF meet up on the continent.

Sorry, too much to juggle with family etc. A couple of days in the UK are the best I can do.
 

remoteneeded

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I'd be well up for something further north. Pontcysyllte Aqueduct would be awesome. Imagine lighting that up at night. Just look at it!

pontcysyllte.jpg


It's a lovely part of the world too. As it happens. I shall be driving trough there next weekend on my way to a caving weekend in North Wales. I can easily organise underground trips, but as some of you know they're not for the feint hearted and I fear it would split any group.
 

Essexman

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The ideas I have had so far involve potential visits to one of the following:

Grime's Graves
Chislehurst Caves
Kent's Cavern
Hellfire Caves

I'm waiting for a reply from the manager of all of these to see if we can arrange an special tour for us where we are allowed to use our own lights (the normal tours don't allow this).

The answer might be no from all of them, but this is what I was working on.

All but Grime's Graves are large caverns which are easy to walk about in and hopefully acceptable for all (unlike abandoned, slowly caving in mines).

Might come to nothing, but that is what I had in mind.

You missed the classics mate

http://shellgrotto.co.uk/

http://www.scotts-grotto.org/

 
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