The Cliffs of Moher and O'Brien's Tower. A familiar sight for anyone who's caved in Co. Clare. Photo by Jake Reich.
Here we go again at the start of a new term!
Hello to everyone who's found their way here from the Welcome Fair! There's lots planned for this term and you can also read about what other members have been up to over the summer, with trips to France and Ireland featuring heavily. We're always open to trip write ups, and there are even prizes on offer to student members eg for anyone who lets us have a piece on any of the organised weekends or mid-week trips. We'd love to know what you think of caving!
If you're receiving this newsletter because you expressed an interest last year but didn't get around to joining, then head over to the UBU sign up page so you can carry on hearing from us. And if you've met us for the first time this year, remember you need to join the club before we can take you caving.
You can keep up to date with all things UBSS by joining our Facebook page and following our UBBStagram! You'll find details of our weekly pub nights and other socials on Facebook. If you'd like to know more about caving, take a look at our handbook.
On a sad note, UBSS lost one of its longest standing members in August with the death of Angus Watkins. Angus joined as a student in September 1953 and remained a member for 70 years. We've included a short tribute to Angus here and a full obituary will appear in the next issue of Proceedings.
Thank you to everyone who has sent us write ups of your trips. If yours hasn't appeared yet, we haven't forgotten you, we just wanted to give our new members a sporting chance of reaching the end. We'll test their endurance more in forthcoming issues, we promise ...
You can find all the back issues of the monthly newsletter online.
Hello to everyone who's found their way here from the Welcome Fair! There's lots planned for this term and you can also read about what other members have been up to over the summer, with trips to France and Ireland featuring heavily. We're always open to trip write ups, and there are even prizes on offer to student members eg for anyone who lets us have a piece on any of the organised weekends or mid-week trips. We'd love to know what you think of caving!
If you're receiving this newsletter because you expressed an interest last year but didn't get around to joining, then head over to the UBU sign up page so you can carry on hearing from us. And if you've met us for the first time this year, remember you need to join the club before we can take you caving.
You can keep up to date with all things UBSS by joining our Facebook page and following our UBBStagram! You'll find details of our weekly pub nights and other socials on Facebook. If you'd like to know more about caving, take a look at our handbook.
On a sad note, UBSS lost one of its longest standing members in August with the death of Angus Watkins. Angus joined as a student in September 1953 and remained a member for 70 years. We've included a short tribute to Angus here and a full obituary will appear in the next issue of Proceedings.
Thank you to everyone who has sent us write ups of your trips. If yours hasn't appeared yet, we haven't forgotten you, we just wanted to give our new members a sporting chance of reaching the end. We'll test their endurance more in forthcoming issues, we promise ...
You can find all the back issues of the monthly newsletter online.
Zac and Linda
MEET KEY COMMITTEE MEMBERS
🦇 Hi, I’m Mia (student pres) & I’m in the final year of my Modern Languages BA (French, Spanish and German). I also like diving, swimming, and pole but most of all I love wiggling like a worm. I can’t wait to get you all underground this term. Feel free to get in touch!
🦇 Good day, I'm Zac. I'm the secretary/student newsletter editor/mid-week caving officer/training officer. But if that's too much to remember then just think of me as the guy who organises stuff. What little time I have outside of caving is spent studying computer science. If you want to do any caving at any time contact me and I'll get you underground.
🦇 Hi my name is Sam and I am the UBSS student treasurer for this year. I'll be making sure that the club doesn't spend all of our budget on beer and leaves money for some amazing weekends away over the course of the year. I also study chemistry and am in my fourth year at Bristol. 😁
🦇 Hello, I'm Henry and I'm the tackle warden this year. I'll be looking after all the kit and tackle store making sure everything is ready for underground adventures! Talk to me about outdoor gear, SRT, anything caving related 🙂 In my spare time I do Engineering Design, going into my 5th year.
🦇 Hey! I’m Ben and I’ll be one of your social secs this year along with Michael. Although I’ve only been a part of caving one year, my passion for the underground is certainly over the top. I’m looking forward to planning some awesome social this year, from roped together pub crawls to cave raves!! Let me know if you have any outstanding social ideas 🙂
🦇 Hi I'm Michael, one of the 2 new social secs. I'm doing a maths PhD, so it will be easy to tell me apart as I'll be the speccy twat. I'm majorly claustrophobic, so if you want a fun time underground, come watch me scream in every gap we find. See you soon:)
🦇 Hi all - I’m Megan, and I’m the Equality Officer. I’ll be keeping an eye on club activity to make sure everyone feels included and welcome. I’m a Physics and Philosophy fourth year student, and have somehow ended up on committee for three of those four years. If you see me around campus, please come up and say hi. I love any reason to not do my degree.
🦇 Hi, I’m Mia (student pres) & I’m in the final year of my Modern Languages BA (French, Spanish and German). I also like diving, swimming, and pole but most of all I love wiggling like a worm. I can’t wait to get you all underground this term. Feel free to get in touch!
🦇 Good day, I'm Zac. I'm the secretary/student newsletter editor/mid-week caving officer/training officer. But if that's too much to remember then just think of me as the guy who organises stuff. What little time I have outside of caving is spent studying computer science. If you want to do any caving at any time contact me and I'll get you underground.
🦇 Hi my name is Sam and I am the UBSS student treasurer for this year. I'll be making sure that the club doesn't spend all of our budget on beer and leaves money for some amazing weekends away over the course of the year. I also study chemistry and am in my fourth year at Bristol. 😁
🦇 Hello, I'm Henry and I'm the tackle warden this year. I'll be looking after all the kit and tackle store making sure everything is ready for underground adventures! Talk to me about outdoor gear, SRT, anything caving related 🙂 In my spare time I do Engineering Design, going into my 5th year.
🦇 Hey! I’m Ben and I’ll be one of your social secs this year along with Michael. Although I’ve only been a part of caving one year, my passion for the underground is certainly over the top. I’m looking forward to planning some awesome social this year, from roped together pub crawls to cave raves!! Let me know if you have any outstanding social ideas 🙂
🦇 Hi I'm Michael, one of the 2 new social secs. I'm doing a maths PhD, so it will be easy to tell me apart as I'll be the speccy twat. I'm majorly claustrophobic, so if you want a fun time underground, come watch me scream in every gap we find. See you soon:)
🦇 Hi all - I’m Megan, and I’m the Equality Officer. I’ll be keeping an eye on club activity to make sure everyone feels included and welcome. I’m a Physics and Philosophy fourth year student, and have somehow ended up on committee for three of those four years. If you see me around campus, please come up and say hi. I love any reason to not do my degree.
HELLO AND WELCOME, NEW WORMS!
Graphic by Zac Woodford.
Student Prezz Mia Jacobs, has a few words to say about the new term.
We signed up many curious future worms at the Welcome Fair - unfortunately my laptop with 1/4 of the sign ups broke so we’re currently trying to salvage those emails.
Mia at the UBSS stall at Welcome Fair.
Our first social of the year, the welcome talk & chilli night, was a great success. Freshlings spilled out of Sam & Megan’s living room into the hallway and garden while Zac and I held the talk and Merryn, Sam, Ben (and probably more people who I’ve forgotten) made heroic efforts to cook a delicious chilli with enough for us all to have not only seconds, but thirds!
Our next social is the cowstails pub crawl this Tuesday 4th September, meeting at the Apple at 8pm. It’s not one to miss!
Our Mendip Weekend is now full but you can contact me to get on the waiting list, and there are just a couple of spaces left for South Wales. Later on in the term we will have Bonfire Weekend, CHECC, and our Christmas weekend in Yorkshire (as well as midweek trips, of course), so don’t worry if you didn’t get a space on these first two weekends! If you've got any questions, please contact me!
4th September, Cowstails Pub Crawl, meeting at the Apple at 8pm
15th - 16th October, Mendip Weekend
28th - 30th October, South Wales Weekend
5th - 6th November Bonfire Weekend on Mendip
25th - 27th November Council of Higher Education Caving Clubs 25th Anniversary Weekend on Mendip. The biggest student caving social of the year!
2nd - 4th December Yorkshire Weekend, including an Xmas roast!
Graphic by Zac Woodford.
Student Prezz Mia Jacobs, has a few words to say about the new term.
We signed up many curious future worms at the Welcome Fair - unfortunately my laptop with 1/4 of the sign ups broke so we’re currently trying to salvage those emails.
Mia at the UBSS stall at Welcome Fair.
Our first social of the year, the welcome talk & chilli night, was a great success. Freshlings spilled out of Sam & Megan’s living room into the hallway and garden while Zac and I held the talk and Merryn, Sam, Ben (and probably more people who I’ve forgotten) made heroic efforts to cook a delicious chilli with enough for us all to have not only seconds, but thirds!
Our next social is the cowstails pub crawl this Tuesday 4th September, meeting at the Apple at 8pm. It’s not one to miss!
Our Mendip Weekend is now full but you can contact me to get on the waiting list, and there are just a couple of spaces left for South Wales. Later on in the term we will have Bonfire Weekend, CHECC, and our Christmas weekend in Yorkshire (as well as midweek trips, of course), so don’t worry if you didn’t get a space on these first two weekends! If you've got any questions, please contact me!
4th September, Cowstails Pub Crawl, meeting at the Apple at 8pm
15th - 16th October, Mendip Weekend
28th - 30th October, South Wales Weekend
5th - 6th November Bonfire Weekend on Mendip
25th - 27th November Council of Higher Education Caving Clubs 25th Anniversary Weekend on Mendip. The biggest student caving social of the year!
2nd - 4th December Yorkshire Weekend, including an Xmas roast!
Mia Jacobs
UBSS COMIC STRIP PROUDLY PRESENTS .... WOT WE DID ON R 'OLIDAYS, PT 1
Look, everyone, we're on the ferry! Photo by Jake Reich.
Every good story starts at the beginning, and this one is no exception. Zac Woodford starts the story of the UBSS trip to Co Clare 2022, and then we'll move to the logbook itself for some scientific information recounted in true UBSS fashion ...
We all congregated (all as in the initial party of Dan Runcan, Ash Gregg, Jake Reich and Zac Woodford) at the SU stores around 8.30pm on Friday 26 August. Gear was collected with a minimum of faff and we were soon on our way to Fishguard. Traffic was bad from Newport to Cardiff, it being a bank holiday weekend, what can you do?
We stopped at a service station at the end of the M4, just before Carmarthen for some McDonalds. We were soon under way again and didn’t stop till Fishguard. I tried to get a radio shout out on the way but never found out if it was read or not. We had enough time to peruse duty free where we were shocked to find slabs of 24 cans of cider going for £4. The shop staff gave us the hard sell, telling us that the alcohol tax in Ireland had gone up. After checking the car space available we brought 2 slabs. Near 50 cans of cider for £8! Turns out they were going off soon and that was the reason for the extraordinary low price.
Once on the ferry we sequestered away to a corner of the restaurant. I spent my life saving on a disappointing curry while Ash ran away to the premium lounge.
We all had as much sleep as we could until we were suddenly told to return to our cars. After driving off the ferry, all of us took the opportunity of the long drive to have a nap, except Ash of course.
We stopped for a break at the Bansha forest, a familiar spot from two years ago. It was here Ash joined us for a quick nap before we continued on to the Burren national park (giants playground). There we went for a two and a half hour hike up one of the hills. A the top we met a herd of goats who provided a few moments' entertainment.
Typical Burren scenery in Co. Clare. Photo by Jake Reich.
After our hike we stopped in Corofin for an hour before me and Ash went shopping at Aldi in Ennis. Coming back we tried to get into the house early but failed so returned to the lakeside where we’d left Jakob and Dan. At 4pm Ash and I got into the cottage where I was left to unpack the food while he went back for the other two. Rob soon arrived from Dublin to help sort the food and kit.
And so the rest of the story will be told in instalments over the course of several newsletters. We did numerous survey trips down Coolagh River Cave (more of that to come), but did find time for other caves.
Zac Woodford
Look, everyone, we're on the ferry! Photo by Jake Reich.
Every good story starts at the beginning, and this one is no exception. Zac Woodford starts the story of the UBSS trip to Co Clare 2022, and then we'll move to the logbook itself for some scientific information recounted in true UBSS fashion ...
We all congregated (all as in the initial party of Dan Runcan, Ash Gregg, Jake Reich and Zac Woodford) at the SU stores around 8.30pm on Friday 26 August. Gear was collected with a minimum of faff and we were soon on our way to Fishguard. Traffic was bad from Newport to Cardiff, it being a bank holiday weekend, what can you do?
We stopped at a service station at the end of the M4, just before Carmarthen for some McDonalds. We were soon under way again and didn’t stop till Fishguard. I tried to get a radio shout out on the way but never found out if it was read or not. We had enough time to peruse duty free where we were shocked to find slabs of 24 cans of cider going for £4. The shop staff gave us the hard sell, telling us that the alcohol tax in Ireland had gone up. After checking the car space available we brought 2 slabs. Near 50 cans of cider for £8! Turns out they were going off soon and that was the reason for the extraordinary low price.
Once on the ferry we sequestered away to a corner of the restaurant. I spent my life saving on a disappointing curry while Ash ran away to the premium lounge.
We all had as much sleep as we could until we were suddenly told to return to our cars. After driving off the ferry, all of us took the opportunity of the long drive to have a nap, except Ash of course.
We stopped for a break at the Bansha forest, a familiar spot from two years ago. It was here Ash joined us for a quick nap before we continued on to the Burren national park (giants playground). There we went for a two and a half hour hike up one of the hills. A the top we met a herd of goats who provided a few moments' entertainment.
Typical Burren scenery in Co. Clare. Photo by Jake Reich.
After our hike we stopped in Corofin for an hour before me and Ash went shopping at Aldi in Ennis. Coming back we tried to get into the house early but failed so returned to the lakeside where we’d left Jakob and Dan. At 4pm Ash and I got into the cottage where I was left to unpack the food while he went back for the other two. Rob soon arrived from Dublin to help sort the food and kit.
And so the rest of the story will be told in instalments over the course of several newsletters. We did numerous survey trips down Coolagh River Cave (more of that to come), but did find time for other caves.
Zac Woodford
WORMING AROUND IN CULLAUN 1
CAVES OF SOUTHERN IRELAND NOW AVAILABLE!
The companion volume to our award-winning Caves of Mid-West Ireland has now arrived! The new book covers the southern part of Ireland: counties Kerry, Cork, Limerick, Tipperary, Waterford, Kilkenny, Laois and Offaly (there are no known caves in Wexford or Carlow - a challenge!!).
The book is in the same format as the previous one but is softbound rather than hardbound. As with that tome it has been produced in association with the Speleological Union of Ireland (SUI). The new book will be formally launched in Ireland at the SUI annual conference at the end of October, but copies are available now via the UBSS website. Price: members £10 + £5 P&P, non-members £15 + £5 P&P.
The companion volume to our award-winning Caves of Mid-West Ireland has now arrived! The new book covers the southern part of Ireland: counties Kerry, Cork, Limerick, Tipperary, Waterford, Kilkenny, Laois and Offaly (there are no known caves in Wexford or Carlow - a challenge!!).
The book is in the same format as the previous one but is softbound rather than hardbound. As with that tome it has been produced in association with the Speleological Union of Ireland (SUI). The new book will be formally launched in Ireland at the SUI annual conference at the end of October, but copies are available now via the UBSS website. Price: members £10 + £5 P&P, non-members £15 + £5 P&P.
FAREWELL TO ANGUS WATKINS
Angus Watkins was one of our longest-standing members, having joined UBSS in September 1953. He was interviewed as part of our centenary oral history project, and this short tribute by Linda Wilson draws on that material and the eulogy at his recent funeral given by his son Brychan.
When Angus joined UBSS, he only had respectable clothing with him, so he waited until he had some older clothes sent to him before venturing underground a few weeks later. Interviewed for the oral history project, he recalls doing standard freshers' trips such as Swildon's to Sump 1 and Eastwater, along with a memorable trip to Stoke Lane when the person doing the route-finding took a wrong turn down a tiny dead end and had to be hauled out, his face a mix of white and green, which brought that trip to an early end. Equally memorable was a snowy trip to Derbyshire, Angus' first experience of camping, and he recalled being so cold that his ear froze to the groundsheet!
As part of the interview, Angus was asked what he thought of his fellow cavers. From his answer, it's clear that not much has changed over the years, as Angus said he was: ".... tempted to say they’re all a bunch of mad bastards, but they weren’t. They were very level headed in many ways."
Angus did recall one caving trip that left him rather rattled, after he'd left University and was caving with the British Nylon Spinners, and using inflatable boats to push a stream passage: "There was one point where there was a very high rift, deepish water, and the rift was slightly narrower than the boat. So we had to stand up, put our feet one in front of the other to make the boat fold. It was one man dinghies. And push ourselves along on the wall. Then we got to a point where it widens out and we were able to lie on the dinghies and paddle our way along.
"And there was a sandbank, with a low roof above it, where we had to shove the boats over this little sandbank. And then we were in this final canal. And we were going along this, and the roof got lower, and we stopped sitting up and we started lying down. And I was in front, I don’t know why I was in front, lying on this boat with my face hanging over the front, padding. And I suddenly realised the water was there, about an inch from my nose, and my hat was brushing the roof. And I turned round and I said to Angel [a member of the Chelsea SS], ‘I’ve got the absolutely willies. I must say this isn’t on, I’m turning around.’ He said, ‘Oh thank god, I’ve been waiting for you to say that for five minutes.’
"We’d abandoned the third bloke because he’d torn his dinghy on this narrow section, and we’d left him on the sandbank. We got back to the sandbank and he said, ‘I’m glad to see you’. And we said, Why? He said, ‘The water’s going up.’ He said, ‘This sandbank’s got much smaller since you left me.’ So he got the hell out. He was sometimes in Angel’s boat, and sometimes holding on and swimming behind him." Angus said their companions from the Gloucester SS had made a little cairn and they were noting the rising water by where it is on this cairn. He continued: "And they’d decided if it got to that stone, then the hell with it they were going. And Angel was all for letting the boats down, folding them up and packing them away. And I said, ‘You haven’t got time for that.’
"And we started back up this big passage, and it was very embarrassing because the three of us were more experienced and a sight faster than the Gloucester lads. And even pulling dinghies behind us we could go faster than them. So we went bobbing up this passage and realised their lights were behind. And the hardest thing I’ve done it my life was stopping and waiting for them to catch up. And eventually we said to Angel, 'Look, we’re not taking these damn boats out, we can’t go fast enough'. And we shoved them up on a high bank at the side of this, and got out as fast as we can. And again we were terrified what we were going to find at Turkey Junction. And we got back to Turkey Junction and although the pool had grown, there was again nothing coming in from the Turkey Series. So we knew we could get out. And at that point we’d relaxed.
"And we got out okay, no problem. And that’s the only time I’ve been really scared."
In the eulogy he gave at Angus' funeral, his son Brychan, recalled many evenings in his childhood where he sat on the mat, trying not to be noticed, as his father and mother Sheila, also a UBSS member who Angus met at university, and their friends reminisced about caving and Bristol, late into the night. Brychan said: "I developed a very clear view of what university was about – You did an action sport or two, you had the time of your life, you met the person you were going to spend the rest of your life with and made friends, and, in between all of that, somehow you got a degree.
"One such story was of surveying the caves in County Clare, Ireland, in the summers of 1954 and 55. They used fluorescein, a bright green dye, to trace cave rivers from one cavern to the next. A few grams were enough. One day they accidentally dropped about a hundred weight into an underground river. Emerging that evening, and on their way to the pub, they discovered they had dyed Galway Bay green."
Angus will be much missed by his family and many friends. I'm proud to have known him
Angus Watkins was one of our longest-standing members, having joined UBSS in September 1953. He was interviewed as part of our centenary oral history project, and this short tribute by Linda Wilson draws on that material and the eulogy at his recent funeral given by his son Brychan.
When Angus joined UBSS, he only had respectable clothing with him, so he waited until he had some older clothes sent to him before venturing underground a few weeks later. Interviewed for the oral history project, he recalls doing standard freshers' trips such as Swildon's to Sump 1 and Eastwater, along with a memorable trip to Stoke Lane when the person doing the route-finding took a wrong turn down a tiny dead end and had to be hauled out, his face a mix of white and green, which brought that trip to an early end. Equally memorable was a snowy trip to Derbyshire, Angus' first experience of camping, and he recalled being so cold that his ear froze to the groundsheet!
As part of the interview, Angus was asked what he thought of his fellow cavers. From his answer, it's clear that not much has changed over the years, as Angus said he was: ".... tempted to say they’re all a bunch of mad bastards, but they weren’t. They were very level headed in many ways."
Angus did recall one caving trip that left him rather rattled, after he'd left University and was caving with the British Nylon Spinners, and using inflatable boats to push a stream passage: "There was one point where there was a very high rift, deepish water, and the rift was slightly narrower than the boat. So we had to stand up, put our feet one in front of the other to make the boat fold. It was one man dinghies. And push ourselves along on the wall. Then we got to a point where it widens out and we were able to lie on the dinghies and paddle our way along.
"And there was a sandbank, with a low roof above it, where we had to shove the boats over this little sandbank. And then we were in this final canal. And we were going along this, and the roof got lower, and we stopped sitting up and we started lying down. And I was in front, I don’t know why I was in front, lying on this boat with my face hanging over the front, padding. And I suddenly realised the water was there, about an inch from my nose, and my hat was brushing the roof. And I turned round and I said to Angel [a member of the Chelsea SS], ‘I’ve got the absolutely willies. I must say this isn’t on, I’m turning around.’ He said, ‘Oh thank god, I’ve been waiting for you to say that for five minutes.’
"We’d abandoned the third bloke because he’d torn his dinghy on this narrow section, and we’d left him on the sandbank. We got back to the sandbank and he said, ‘I’m glad to see you’. And we said, Why? He said, ‘The water’s going up.’ He said, ‘This sandbank’s got much smaller since you left me.’ So he got the hell out. He was sometimes in Angel’s boat, and sometimes holding on and swimming behind him." Angus said their companions from the Gloucester SS had made a little cairn and they were noting the rising water by where it is on this cairn. He continued: "And they’d decided if it got to that stone, then the hell with it they were going. And Angel was all for letting the boats down, folding them up and packing them away. And I said, ‘You haven’t got time for that.’
"And we started back up this big passage, and it was very embarrassing because the three of us were more experienced and a sight faster than the Gloucester lads. And even pulling dinghies behind us we could go faster than them. So we went bobbing up this passage and realised their lights were behind. And the hardest thing I’ve done it my life was stopping and waiting for them to catch up. And eventually we said to Angel, 'Look, we’re not taking these damn boats out, we can’t go fast enough'. And we shoved them up on a high bank at the side of this, and got out as fast as we can. And again we were terrified what we were going to find at Turkey Junction. And we got back to Turkey Junction and although the pool had grown, there was again nothing coming in from the Turkey Series. So we knew we could get out. And at that point we’d relaxed.
"And we got out okay, no problem. And that’s the only time I’ve been really scared."
In the eulogy he gave at Angus' funeral, his son Brychan, recalled many evenings in his childhood where he sat on the mat, trying not to be noticed, as his father and mother Sheila, also a UBSS member who Angus met at university, and their friends reminisced about caving and Bristol, late into the night. Brychan said: "I developed a very clear view of what university was about – You did an action sport or two, you had the time of your life, you met the person you were going to spend the rest of your life with and made friends, and, in between all of that, somehow you got a degree.
"One such story was of surveying the caves in County Clare, Ireland, in the summers of 1954 and 55. They used fluorescein, a bright green dye, to trace cave rivers from one cavern to the next. A few grams were enough. One day they accidentally dropped about a hundred weight into an underground river. Emerging that evening, and on their way to the pub, they discovered they had dyed Galway Bay green."
Angus will be much missed by his family and many friends. I'm proud to have known him
Linda Wilson
PARTY TIME!
Digging in Fishmonger's Swallet. Obligatory photo of Adelle Bricking's bum! Photo by Linda Wilson.
The latest edition of our Proceedings has now been printed and distribution to members & subscribers will happen soon. It includes the usual annual report from the secretaries and an obituary of Steve Trudgill, but the remainder is dedicated to telling the story of Fishmonger’s Swallet.
In this issue, you'll find the following papers ...
Fishmonger's Swallet, near Aveston, Gloucestershire: Description and History by David Hardwick
Geological Setting of Fishmonger's Swallet by Mark Tringham
Archaeology and Televsion at Fishmonger's Swallet by Mark Horton
Fishmonger's Swallet, Alveston, Gloucestershire, Radiocarbon Dating by Adelle Bricking, Jessica Peto, Mark Horton and Graham Mullan
The Human Skeletal Reamins from Fishmonger's Swallet, Alveston, Gloucestershire: Evidence for Anthropogenic Modification by Margaret Cox and Louise Loe
An Interim Report on Histological Analysis of Human Bones from Fishmonger's Swallet, Gloucestershire by Adelle Bricking, Anthony J. Hayes and Richard Madgwick
Canid Caves: The Fauna of Fishmonger's Swallet by Jessica Peto, Julia Best and Jacqui Mulville
Copies will be posted to members and subscribers as soon as possible, but if you would like to help cut the postage bill, you are welcome to pick your copy up from Tony Boycott, 14 Walton Rise, Westbury on Trym, Bristol but please telephone first on 0117 9507336 to check he is at home. Paid up student members are entitled to a free copy.
To celebrate 25 years since the first breakthrough at Fishmongers Swallet in Alveston (at the bottom of the entrance shaft), Hades Caving Club are hoping to gather as many people as possible for an evening social event with a buffet rather than a formal series of speeches. During the evening there will be an illustrated talk about the discovery and investigations at the cave and probably a video/slide show running the rest of the time
The focus of the evening, apart from the above, is to thank the past and current owners of the site for allowing exploration, digging and filming there and to acknowledge the efforts of all who have helped out in the project, including many current and former Hades and UBSS members as well as individuals from further afield.
It will also be an opportunity to get your copy of this year’s UBSS proceedings which will be officially launched at the event.
The evening will be held at THE ALVESTON SHIP HOTEL on Friday 21st October 2022 from 7:00 pm.
The cost (to cover room hire and food) will be £15 per person. If any student members of UBSS would like to come along, please contact Linda Wilson, as a discounted price of £10 is available. It's a great opportunity to meet other cavers and learn about this fascinating site. Work in the cave is ongoing, and there will even be in the future for some further cave archaeology. And you then you too can get a muddy bum, like Adelle! If you need help with transport or can offer space in your car, please let Linda know.
Digging in Fishmonger's Swallet. Obligatory photo of Adelle Bricking's bum! Photo by Linda Wilson.
The latest edition of our Proceedings has now been printed and distribution to members & subscribers will happen soon. It includes the usual annual report from the secretaries and an obituary of Steve Trudgill, but the remainder is dedicated to telling the story of Fishmonger’s Swallet.
In this issue, you'll find the following papers ...
Fishmonger's Swallet, near Aveston, Gloucestershire: Description and History by David Hardwick
Geological Setting of Fishmonger's Swallet by Mark Tringham
Archaeology and Televsion at Fishmonger's Swallet by Mark Horton
Fishmonger's Swallet, Alveston, Gloucestershire, Radiocarbon Dating by Adelle Bricking, Jessica Peto, Mark Horton and Graham Mullan
The Human Skeletal Reamins from Fishmonger's Swallet, Alveston, Gloucestershire: Evidence for Anthropogenic Modification by Margaret Cox and Louise Loe
An Interim Report on Histological Analysis of Human Bones from Fishmonger's Swallet, Gloucestershire by Adelle Bricking, Anthony J. Hayes and Richard Madgwick
Canid Caves: The Fauna of Fishmonger's Swallet by Jessica Peto, Julia Best and Jacqui Mulville
Copies will be posted to members and subscribers as soon as possible, but if you would like to help cut the postage bill, you are welcome to pick your copy up from Tony Boycott, 14 Walton Rise, Westbury on Trym, Bristol but please telephone first on 0117 9507336 to check he is at home. Paid up student members are entitled to a free copy.
To celebrate 25 years since the first breakthrough at Fishmongers Swallet in Alveston (at the bottom of the entrance shaft), Hades Caving Club are hoping to gather as many people as possible for an evening social event with a buffet rather than a formal series of speeches. During the evening there will be an illustrated talk about the discovery and investigations at the cave and probably a video/slide show running the rest of the time
The focus of the evening, apart from the above, is to thank the past and current owners of the site for allowing exploration, digging and filming there and to acknowledge the efforts of all who have helped out in the project, including many current and former Hades and UBSS members as well as individuals from further afield.
It will also be an opportunity to get your copy of this year’s UBSS proceedings which will be officially launched at the event.
The evening will be held at THE ALVESTON SHIP HOTEL on Friday 21st October 2022 from 7:00 pm.
The cost (to cover room hire and food) will be £15 per person. If any student members of UBSS would like to come along, please contact Linda Wilson, as a discounted price of £10 is available. It's a great opportunity to meet other cavers and learn about this fascinating site. Work in the cave is ongoing, and there will even be in the future for some further cave archaeology. And you then you too can get a muddy bum, like Adelle! If you need help with transport or can offer space in your car, please let Linda know.
ALL ABOARD THE FITOJA EXPRESS!
The photo that inspired the trip!
Elliott McCall, Merryn Matthews, Elaine Oliver, Zac Woodford, and a couple of others they met at the 18th International Congress of Speleology in Haute Savoie, France, (Rich, Jonno, and Danya) decided to go to the cave on the front cover of the UIS booklet to see the room pictured. This is their story ...
A drive which confused the satnavs of both vehicles led us to a shaded car park, a welcome respite from the scorching French sun. Much faff later we were on our way, the start of the descent was like being in a sandstorm, with a very strong draft of wind blowing sand directly into your face as you tried to get onto the pitch.
Photo by Jono Lester. Used with his kind permission.
The first portion of the cave was rather unremarkable, much of it had been dug or blasted out, and there was a section that was reminiscent of via ferratas with all the stencils drilled into the wall. We encountered heavy traffic going in both directions, some overtaking us, some we were overtaking, and some on their way out.
Due to the large international conference, many of the groups spoke different languages which made negotiating who was going up or down which rope ever so slightly difficult.
Photo by Jono Lester. used with his kind permission.
We eventually made our way to the Medusa Chamber which was stunningly decorated and we all assumed was the main, or one of the main attractions of the cave. Having lost my underground glasses earlier in the week, I now donned my above ground glasses which had been safely transported down in my Tupperware – I was very glad to have brought them on this trip.
Photo by Jono Lester. Used with his kind permission.
Continuing on the cave remained decorated with some exceptionally long straws and we made our way towards Fitoja Chamber. This was the most impressive section of cave I had been in. We came out on a large shelf in a huge cavern - the ceiling was crowded with magnificent stalactites, a river meandered through the sand below, people and their headlights little specks even with me wearing my glasses.
Photo by Jono Lester. Used with his kind permission.
After enjoying the gorgeous vista, we soon descended down to the river, noting where the through-trip connected – from what I am told is an excellent trip in its own right. From here on the decoration did not stop. Through the veritable sea of stal as far as the torch could touch we continued to the back of the cave; we saw huge dried crystal pools, precarious formation after formation, what looked like a frozen waterfall in perfect white.
Photo by Jono Lester. Used with his kind permission.
At the very back of the cave there was a large metal bracket affixed high on the wall. In it the 90 year time capsule for the conference will now have been installed. UBSS has an entry in the book within.
Yes, everyone did have helmets, they were just in use providing lighting for the piccie. Photo by Jono Lester. Used with his kind permission.
We stopped for a civilized lunch on the way out, but then realized that with all the traffic we might be in peril of missing our call out as we were now well behind schedule. Merryn ‘ze rocket’ and Elaine volunteered to sprint up the pitches and to negotiate and weave through the traffic to get out in time.
As the rest of us came up out of the cave, Merryn and Elaine had kindly trekked back from the car park to meet us with bottles of water. Overall this was an excellent trip, made all the better for its being pre-rigged by the conference. A description of the cave and a topo can be found in the conference booklet.
The photo that inspired the trip!
Elliott McCall, Merryn Matthews, Elaine Oliver, Zac Woodford, and a couple of others they met at the 18th International Congress of Speleology in Haute Savoie, France, (Rich, Jonno, and Danya) decided to go to the cave on the front cover of the UIS booklet to see the room pictured. This is their story ...
A drive which confused the satnavs of both vehicles led us to a shaded car park, a welcome respite from the scorching French sun. Much faff later we were on our way, the start of the descent was like being in a sandstorm, with a very strong draft of wind blowing sand directly into your face as you tried to get onto the pitch.
Photo by Jono Lester. Used with his kind permission.
The first portion of the cave was rather unremarkable, much of it had been dug or blasted out, and there was a section that was reminiscent of via ferratas with all the stencils drilled into the wall. We encountered heavy traffic going in both directions, some overtaking us, some we were overtaking, and some on their way out.
Due to the large international conference, many of the groups spoke different languages which made negotiating who was going up or down which rope ever so slightly difficult.
Photo by Jono Lester. used with his kind permission.
We eventually made our way to the Medusa Chamber which was stunningly decorated and we all assumed was the main, or one of the main attractions of the cave. Having lost my underground glasses earlier in the week, I now donned my above ground glasses which had been safely transported down in my Tupperware – I was very glad to have brought them on this trip.
Photo by Jono Lester. Used with his kind permission.
Continuing on the cave remained decorated with some exceptionally long straws and we made our way towards Fitoja Chamber. This was the most impressive section of cave I had been in. We came out on a large shelf in a huge cavern - the ceiling was crowded with magnificent stalactites, a river meandered through the sand below, people and their headlights little specks even with me wearing my glasses.
Photo by Jono Lester. Used with his kind permission.
After enjoying the gorgeous vista, we soon descended down to the river, noting where the through-trip connected – from what I am told is an excellent trip in its own right. From here on the decoration did not stop. Through the veritable sea of stal as far as the torch could touch we continued to the back of the cave; we saw huge dried crystal pools, precarious formation after formation, what looked like a frozen waterfall in perfect white.
Photo by Jono Lester. Used with his kind permission.
At the very back of the cave there was a large metal bracket affixed high on the wall. In it the 90 year time capsule for the conference will now have been installed. UBSS has an entry in the book within.
Yes, everyone did have helmets, they were just in use providing lighting for the piccie. Photo by Jono Lester. Used with his kind permission.
We stopped for a civilized lunch on the way out, but then realized that with all the traffic we might be in peril of missing our call out as we were now well behind schedule. Merryn ‘ze rocket’ and Elaine volunteered to sprint up the pitches and to negotiate and weave through the traffic to get out in time.
As the rest of us came up out of the cave, Merryn and Elaine had kindly trekked back from the car park to meet us with bottles of water. Overall this was an excellent trip, made all the better for its being pre-rigged by the conference. A description of the cave and a topo can be found in the conference booklet.
Elliott McCall
REDHOUSE SWALLET, FOREST OF DEAN
Entrance and Parking location for Redhouse Swallet.
09/08/2022, Dave Hardwick (UBSS/Hades CC), Andy Brander & Natalie Field (Hades CC), Report by Dave Hardwick, Time: 2 ½ hrs, Tackle: None
This was my third trip into Redhouse Swallet (or Redhouse Lane Swallet as it probably should be called). This is a cave in the Forest of Dean not far from the Slaughter Streamway System which you can enter through Wet Sink. The water in Redhouse has been dye tested to join the Slaughter Stream so could potentially be a through trip one day (hence why it is suggested that calling Slaughter Stream Cave by the name “Wet Sink” could be confusing). Redhouse is supposed to have similar large passages an active stream.
At approx. 1.6 km in length it is about the same size as Longwood (1.65 km) and a little bigger than Goatchurch but smaller than GB. It would therefore be logical to assume it is suitable for an evening trip and being, for me, about the same distance from Mendip it should be a good alternative – at least that’s what I thought.
However my previous attempts to visit the promised large stuff hadn’t got further than the initial entrance series which consist of some fairly tight wet crawls and squeezes. The furthest we reached was some deep puddles at the start of the larger stuff but on both occasions the party was sufficiently tired and thoroughly fed up so we aborted.
On this trip we again managed to miss the entrance to the slightly easier 299 Series and ended up thrutching in the streamway although due to the dry weather it was just a gravelly crawl. The bypass to this goes off “about halfway down the entrance shaft” although this is actually at the start of the section immediately after you finish the concrete rings. i.e from the first platform (or more accurately the rotting remains of the first platform) i.e not halfway down the scaffolded natural section as I had believed.
We steadily made our way through the crawls to the point where taking a crawl up through gravel just before yet another squeeze in the streamway but one that leads to a too tight passage that Jack Randell (Hades CC) had previously tried to kill himself in having been told it was the way on – he hasn’t been back
The bit we did. Thanks to Paul Taylor for permission to reproduce this part of the survey.
We soon found the puddles which had been a limit of my previous trip and continued on through marginally larger passage until we reached a much deeper pool with rope leading into it. AS this was clearly a divers line and we had reached the sump this bought our trip to an end other than taking in some even more squalid wet crawls on our way back. It had taken us an hour and a half to reach what we believe the “sump” so we were doomed to miss last orders.
I really must get used to this post Covid society where people go for meals at pubs earlier in the evening and the last minute dashes after caving trips to get a beer are frequently unsuccessful. At least it meant we had finished the cave and would never need to return. So much for those tales of large passages though.
Full survey, with the bit we did highlighted. Thanks to Paul Taylor for permission to use the survey.
It was only when I checked the survey after the trip that I realise that our “sump” was in fact Farr Duck (which I had assumed to be the deep puddles we had already passed) and the rope was merely a guideline for assistance through it rather than it being an actual sump. We had in fact done approximately a quarter of the total system meaning the elusive large passages will have to be on a trip for another day. The prospect of persuading somebody to go through the squalor again even with the water levels as low as they currently are may be even more tricky than the cave itself.
We weren’t travelling particular quickly but I would suggest anybody fancy a trip into this cave does not do it as an evening trip, at least not if you want to see something worthwhile.
Dave Hardwick
Entrance and Parking location for Redhouse Swallet.
09/08/2022, Dave Hardwick (UBSS/Hades CC), Andy Brander & Natalie Field (Hades CC), Report by Dave Hardwick, Time: 2 ½ hrs, Tackle: None
This was my third trip into Redhouse Swallet (or Redhouse Lane Swallet as it probably should be called). This is a cave in the Forest of Dean not far from the Slaughter Streamway System which you can enter through Wet Sink. The water in Redhouse has been dye tested to join the Slaughter Stream so could potentially be a through trip one day (hence why it is suggested that calling Slaughter Stream Cave by the name “Wet Sink” could be confusing). Redhouse is supposed to have similar large passages an active stream.
At approx. 1.6 km in length it is about the same size as Longwood (1.65 km) and a little bigger than Goatchurch but smaller than GB. It would therefore be logical to assume it is suitable for an evening trip and being, for me, about the same distance from Mendip it should be a good alternative – at least that’s what I thought.
However my previous attempts to visit the promised large stuff hadn’t got further than the initial entrance series which consist of some fairly tight wet crawls and squeezes. The furthest we reached was some deep puddles at the start of the larger stuff but on both occasions the party was sufficiently tired and thoroughly fed up so we aborted.
On this trip we again managed to miss the entrance to the slightly easier 299 Series and ended up thrutching in the streamway although due to the dry weather it was just a gravelly crawl. The bypass to this goes off “about halfway down the entrance shaft” although this is actually at the start of the section immediately after you finish the concrete rings. i.e from the first platform (or more accurately the rotting remains of the first platform) i.e not halfway down the scaffolded natural section as I had believed.
We steadily made our way through the crawls to the point where taking a crawl up through gravel just before yet another squeeze in the streamway but one that leads to a too tight passage that Jack Randell (Hades CC) had previously tried to kill himself in having been told it was the way on – he hasn’t been back
The bit we did. Thanks to Paul Taylor for permission to reproduce this part of the survey.
We soon found the puddles which had been a limit of my previous trip and continued on through marginally larger passage until we reached a much deeper pool with rope leading into it. AS this was clearly a divers line and we had reached the sump this bought our trip to an end other than taking in some even more squalid wet crawls on our way back. It had taken us an hour and a half to reach what we believe the “sump” so we were doomed to miss last orders.
I really must get used to this post Covid society where people go for meals at pubs earlier in the evening and the last minute dashes after caving trips to get a beer are frequently unsuccessful. At least it meant we had finished the cave and would never need to return. So much for those tales of large passages though.
Full survey, with the bit we did highlighted. Thanks to Paul Taylor for permission to use the survey.
It was only when I checked the survey after the trip that I realise that our “sump” was in fact Farr Duck (which I had assumed to be the deep puddles we had already passed) and the rope was merely a guideline for assistance through it rather than it being an actual sump. We had in fact done approximately a quarter of the total system meaning the elusive large passages will have to be on a trip for another day. The prospect of persuading somebody to go through the squalor again even with the water levels as low as they currently are may be even more tricky than the cave itself.
We weren’t travelling particular quickly but I would suggest anybody fancy a trip into this cave does not do it as an evening trip, at least not if you want to see something worthwhile.
Dave Hardwick
FOR SALE
If you've just joined UBSS, one of our members has an oversuit for sale. For the avoidance of doubt, the toes aren't included.
If you've just joined UBSS, one of our members has an oversuit for sale. For the avoidance of doubt, the toes aren't included.
The suit is a size small, chest width 45cm from side-to-side, body length about 66cm neckline to crotch.
Jan Walker says it suit is in very good condition. She's looking for about £50 (originally cost £96). If you're interested, or would like to try the suit on, drop Jan a line.
COLIN THE CAVING CAMEL READ TO THE END, DID YOU?
Colin the Caving Camel appears courtesy of his agent, Dave Hardwick.
Welcome to the first Read to the End of the new term! For new members who have got this far, if you click the link below and send you hard-working editors a message, you might be in line for a prize! For those quick off the mark new folks there are prizes to be won! On offer this week are a choice of a back-up head-torch for your caving adventures or a UBSS buff to keep your neck warm underground. Runners up might well find that some small goodies come their way!
So now for the Hall of Fame for those avid readers who dropped us a line last month ...
- I read halfway to the end as soon as the email arrived, but ran out of time and had to go hill-walking instead! I'm guessing that halfway wins no prizes. [Carol Walford] [Editors: Correct guess!]
- I have to put in a vote for Linda Wilson to write the 100-word drabbles! Dick Willis’ comment about Hobbit contortionists made me burst out laughing. Great newsletter, and terrific caving adventures. [Jan Walker]
- What absolutely fabulous photography! [Tim Hill]
- Indeed, brilliant it was and a great read. Raccoons are cute until they circle your campsite at night just beyond firelight because you have food and they don’t :) [Caving Raccoon: A gross calumny on raccoonkind! We demand satisfaction, sirrah!] [Editors: Fight, fight, fight!]
- Great stuff as usual! About to make my 7th Coolagh trip of the week! [Zac Woodford] [Linda: He's allowed, this time, as I put the last one together while he was underground.]
- Must go back to France and Clare. Spending far to much time In grotty holes. [David Hardwick]
- Excellent reports that FT Bear and I have enjoyed from our sofa … [Sharon Wheeler and the Blessed FT Bear]
- Awesome newsletter as ever. Great to hear all the exploits, and it brings back great memories of caving in Clare (and scrotting around in Burrington!). [Andy Farrant]
- Read it. Disappointed to note that the editor didn’t annotate the account of St Catherine’s to Fisherstreet to point out that the Aran View inlet drains the local graveyard. That’s if my memory serves me well, which it often doesn’t. [Dick Willis] [Editors: Yup, we think this is right!]
- Finally finished. Your latest Newsletter is excellent (isn’t it always) with some great reads. Happy memories of French caving trips we did with you and Graham in the dim and distant. [Carol Walford]
- Oddly (not really odd, weather this morning is pants so turning on the laptop won over going outside) for me I did get to the end of this one even though I have not finished (truth be told, not started) the previous three. Great to see lots of club activity, especially photos of muddy gear which just goes to reinforce why I don't go caving any more. I did of course unintentionally find several caves when wandering in the Alps in the summer, even going so far as entering one, solely of course to cool down on the snow plug and via the howling gale. Once established it was a cave, I of course I destroyed the map to ensure that I could not find it again just to avoid the temptation of returning with a carbide lamp and custard filled wellies. Keep up the good work eds. [Yours humbly, the Reluctant Caver] [Editors: the identity of the Reluctant Caver, an occasional newsletter contributor) is a closely guarded secret! But we are open to bribes...]
- I usually read till the end, but don't send an email to caving Raccoon. Today I did, because Zac told me too. [Jake Reich]
- Oh sorry to bother you, can you please help me get £100 amazon E-gift card then. I’ll reimburse you back once I get the bank issues sorted. [Fay] [Editors; Caving Raccoon has doubts that this person really read to the end.]
- I got to the end. Thoroughly confused about the many (small) caves in Burrington. Glad that I focused on GB Cave when I was in Bristol! [Hans Friederich]
I did it, Colin the Caving Camel, I read to the end! May I have a cool drink?
THE END
Colin the Caving Camel appears courtesy of his agent, Dave Hardwick.
Welcome to the first Read to the End of the new term! For new members who have got this far, if you click the link below and send you hard-working editors a message, you might be in line for a prize! For those quick off the mark new folks there are prizes to be won! On offer this week are a choice of a back-up head-torch for your caving adventures or a UBSS buff to keep your neck warm underground. Runners up might well find that some small goodies come their way!
So now for the Hall of Fame for those avid readers who dropped us a line last month ...
- I read halfway to the end as soon as the email arrived, but ran out of time and had to go hill-walking instead! I'm guessing that halfway wins no prizes. [Carol Walford] [Editors: Correct guess!]
- I have to put in a vote for Linda Wilson to write the 100-word drabbles! Dick Willis’ comment about Hobbit contortionists made me burst out laughing. Great newsletter, and terrific caving adventures. [Jan Walker]
- What absolutely fabulous photography! [Tim Hill]
- Indeed, brilliant it was and a great read. Raccoons are cute until they circle your campsite at night just beyond firelight because you have food and they don’t :) [Caving Raccoon: A gross calumny on raccoonkind! We demand satisfaction, sirrah!] [Editors: Fight, fight, fight!]
- Great stuff as usual! About to make my 7th Coolagh trip of the week! [Zac Woodford] [Linda: He's allowed, this time, as I put the last one together while he was underground.]
- Must go back to France and Clare. Spending far to much time In grotty holes. [David Hardwick]
- Excellent reports that FT Bear and I have enjoyed from our sofa … [Sharon Wheeler and the Blessed FT Bear]
- Awesome newsletter as ever. Great to hear all the exploits, and it brings back great memories of caving in Clare (and scrotting around in Burrington!). [Andy Farrant]
- Read it. Disappointed to note that the editor didn’t annotate the account of St Catherine’s to Fisherstreet to point out that the Aran View inlet drains the local graveyard. That’s if my memory serves me well, which it often doesn’t. [Dick Willis] [Editors: Yup, we think this is right!]
- Finally finished. Your latest Newsletter is excellent (isn’t it always) with some great reads. Happy memories of French caving trips we did with you and Graham in the dim and distant. [Carol Walford]
- Oddly (not really odd, weather this morning is pants so turning on the laptop won over going outside) for me I did get to the end of this one even though I have not finished (truth be told, not started) the previous three. Great to see lots of club activity, especially photos of muddy gear which just goes to reinforce why I don't go caving any more. I did of course unintentionally find several caves when wandering in the Alps in the summer, even going so far as entering one, solely of course to cool down on the snow plug and via the howling gale. Once established it was a cave, I of course I destroyed the map to ensure that I could not find it again just to avoid the temptation of returning with a carbide lamp and custard filled wellies. Keep up the good work eds. [Yours humbly, the Reluctant Caver] [Editors: the identity of the Reluctant Caver, an occasional newsletter contributor) is a closely guarded secret! But we are open to bribes...]
- I usually read till the end, but don't send an email to caving Raccoon. Today I did, because Zac told me too. [Jake Reich]
- Oh sorry to bother you, can you please help me get £100 amazon E-gift card then. I’ll reimburse you back once I get the bank issues sorted. [Fay] [Editors; Caving Raccoon has doubts that this person really read to the end.]
- I got to the end. Thoroughly confused about the many (small) caves in Burrington. Glad that I focused on GB Cave when I was in Bristol! [Hans Friederich]
I did it, Colin the Caving Camel, I read to the end! May I have a cool drink?
THE END