Formations in Honter's Lodge Inn Sink, Mendip. Photo by Simon Payne
Dear fellow cave-dwellers,
We're not sure about you, but we're convinced that "cave" stands for "Constantly Avoiding Very Easy" - because let's be real, every time we go caving, it's like we're actively seeking out the smallest, most convoluted crevices to squeeze ourselves into.
And don't even get us started on the gear - why are helmets always so bulky and headlamps always so finicky? We feel like we need an engineering degree just to properly adjust the darn things.
But you know what they say: "If it's easy, it's not worth doing." And by that logic, caving must be one of the most worthwhile activities out there. After all, we're constantly pushing ourselves to our limits (and sometimes beyond), exploring the unknown, and bonding over the shared experience of being lost in a dark, damp hole in the ground.
So
here's to all of us who willingly choose to spend our weekends
wriggling through muddy tunnels and contorting ourselves into
uncomfortable positions - may we never lose our sense of adventure (or
our sanity).
You can find all the back issues of the monthly newsletter online. So if you're sitting in a dull lecture, take a look at what the club has been up in past months and years.
Worm wishes from ChatGPT, standing in for your overworked editors, Alex and Linda!
HUT WEEKEND
Guy Maalouf showing off his chopping skills on a dead tree in 2022
With exams - and their end - fast approaching, here's a date for your diary for some post exams good cheer and even some caving!
Wood chopping weekend: 3-4th June.
Our hut maintenance weekend will start on Saturday 3rd June, meeting at the stores at 10am. People can drive out for the Friday night if they want, too. We'll do some wood chopping to stock up our stores, some hut maintenance, and make a bonfire in the evening to celebrate the end of exams! There shouldn't be too much to do as the hut's reportedly in pretty good condition and we'll definitely do some fun caving too. Just message me to register interest and I'll sort out a group chat nearer to the time.
Guy Maalouf showing off his chopping skills on a dead tree in 2022
With exams - and their end - fast approaching, here's a date for your diary for some post exams good cheer and even some caving!
Wood chopping weekend: 3-4th June.
Our hut maintenance weekend will start on Saturday 3rd June, meeting at the stores at 10am. People can drive out for the Friday night if they want, too. We'll do some wood chopping to stock up our stores, some hut maintenance, and make a bonfire in the evening to celebrate the end of exams! There shouldn't be too much to do as the hut's reportedly in pretty good condition and we'll definitely do some fun caving too. Just message me to register interest and I'll sort out a group chat nearer to the time.
Mia Jacobs
MEET THE COMMITTEE!
Hi, I’m Mia and I’m staying on for a second year as Student Pres. I’m currently finishing my Modern Languages BA, but still fitting in caves and silliness.
Hi, I'm Jess and I'll be tackle warden and training officer this year. I've been caving all my life and I can't wait to do some more.
Hi I’m Felix and I will be joint social sec this year. I will be making sure there are some fun caving and non caving related activities this year so expect big things.
Hi I'm Michael, one of the 2 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 my scream in every gap we find. See you soon :)
Hi, I’m Ryan this year’s treasurer. Having never caved or known about it before joining Uni it turned out to be so much fun and adventurous, being a new experience that many people don’t get to do I highly recommend trying it out. I will be making sure our budget goes towards great socials and weekends, I’ll be in my second year of studying environmental geoscience.
Hi I’m Alex and I’ll be the student newsletter editor. I’m quite new to UBSS but super enthusiastic about all things caving! As well as caving I do darts society and study dentistry.
Hi, I’m Ben and I’ll be the midweek caving officer this year. I’ve been caving for 2 years now and I’m always keen to get new people involved! Come find me to plan a midweek trip! :)
I’m Stanley the new secretary. My favourite caving activities are getting stuck in questionably large squeezes and forgetting to bring my gloves on long trips. Feel free to shoot me any questions you have!
Editors' note: just for fun, we asked ChatGPT to come up with a bio for a student secretary of a caving club, and this is what it produced ...
Hi, I'm Stanley and I'm student secretary this year. As the student secretary of the caving club, I bring a passion for adventure and a strong organizational skillset to the team. I have a particular interest in outdoor activities and exploration. In addition to managing club communications and organizing meetings, I actively participate in caving trips and work to create a welcoming and inclusive environment for all members. With a positive attitude and a dedication to the club's mission, I am an integral part of the caving community at Bristol.
Hi, I’m Mia and I’m staying on for a second year as Student Pres. I’m currently finishing my Modern Languages BA, but still fitting in caves and silliness.
Hi, I'm Jess and I'll be tackle warden and training officer this year. I've been caving all my life and I can't wait to do some more.
Hi I’m Felix and I will be joint social sec this year. I will be making sure there are some fun caving and non caving related activities this year so expect big things.
Hi I'm Michael, one of the 2 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 my scream in every gap we find. See you soon :)
Hi, I’m Ryan this year’s treasurer. Having never caved or known about it before joining Uni it turned out to be so much fun and adventurous, being a new experience that many people don’t get to do I highly recommend trying it out. I will be making sure our budget goes towards great socials and weekends, I’ll be in my second year of studying environmental geoscience.
Hi I’m Alex and I’ll be the student newsletter editor. I’m quite new to UBSS but super enthusiastic about all things caving! As well as caving I do darts society and study dentistry.
Hi, I’m Ben and I’ll be the midweek caving officer this year. I’ve been caving for 2 years now and I’m always keen to get new people involved! Come find me to plan a midweek trip! :)
I’m Stanley the new secretary. My favourite caving activities are getting stuck in questionably large squeezes and forgetting to bring my gloves on long trips. Feel free to shoot me any questions you have!
Editors' note: just for fun, we asked ChatGPT to come up with a bio for a student secretary of a caving club, and this is what it produced ...
Hi, I'm Stanley and I'm student secretary this year. As the student secretary of the caving club, I bring a passion for adventure and a strong organizational skillset to the team. I have a particular interest in outdoor activities and exploration. In addition to managing club communications and organizing meetings, I actively participate in caving trips and work to create a welcoming and inclusive environment for all members. With a positive attitude and a dedication to the club's mission, I am an integral part of the caving community at Bristol.
SURVEYING, RIGGING AND WILD GARLIC!
Merryn rigging the entrance pitch of Gavel Pot, Yorkshire.
With summer fast approaching, thoughts turn to expedition planning and as part of their preparation, Merryn Matthews headed north to join Ash Gregg and Gabriel Littler on the Cambridge University Caving Club (CUCC) training weekend for the Austria Expo.
We spent the bank holiday weekend brushing up our expedition skills thanks to an excellent selection of workshops, trips and talks about the Austrian expedition.
Day 1: me, Ash, Adam (ULSA) and Kai (Birmingham) did some survey practice/teaching in Cow Pot, my first time entering Easegill. A fun cave to rig.
Day 2: Gabriel and I alternated rigging pitches of Gavel Pot supervised by Nadia (ULSA). Picture is of me rigging the entrance, surrounded by wild garlic we picked for flavouring breakfast mushrooms. RIP Gabe's pantin that disappeared halfway down.
Day 3: Me, Ash, Emma (Cardiff) and Kai did Simpsons through trip. A brilliant series of cascades. Unfortunately one rope did not want to pull through, on Slit pot, a narrow eyelet opening to a 30m pitch that is a bit intimidating to swing out of (if you ever squeeze out). A later rescue mission will be needed to retrieve it. All left feeling stoked for expo, and made a bunch of new friends.
Merryn Matthews
Merryn rigging the entrance pitch of Gavel Pot, Yorkshire.
With summer fast approaching, thoughts turn to expedition planning and as part of their preparation, Merryn Matthews headed north to join Ash Gregg and Gabriel Littler on the Cambridge University Caving Club (CUCC) training weekend for the Austria Expo.
We spent the bank holiday weekend brushing up our expedition skills thanks to an excellent selection of workshops, trips and talks about the Austrian expedition.
Day 1: me, Ash, Adam (ULSA) and Kai (Birmingham) did some survey practice/teaching in Cow Pot, my first time entering Easegill. A fun cave to rig.
Day 2: Gabriel and I alternated rigging pitches of Gavel Pot supervised by Nadia (ULSA). Picture is of me rigging the entrance, surrounded by wild garlic we picked for flavouring breakfast mushrooms. RIP Gabe's pantin that disappeared halfway down.
Day 3: Me, Ash, Emma (Cardiff) and Kai did Simpsons through trip. A brilliant series of cascades. Unfortunately one rope did not want to pull through, on Slit pot, a narrow eyelet opening to a 30m pitch that is a bit intimidating to swing out of (if you ever squeeze out). A later rescue mission will be needed to retrieve it. All left feeling stoked for expo, and made a bunch of new friends.
Merryn Matthews
HUNTER'S LODGE INN SINK
Merryn and Ben in Hunter's Lodge Inn Sink. Photo by Simon Payne.
Getting out of the cave in time for the pub can often be a problem, so why not make life easy for yourself? The closest cave to any pub (probably in the world!) is one of the jewels in Mendip's crown, Hunter's Lodge in Sink, located under the back wall of the pub of the same name in Priddy. This is the story of a recent trip there by Simon Payne, Merryn Matthews and Ben Alterman.
Thursday night saw three cavers embark on their virgin trip to Hunter's Lodge Inn Sink. Right off the bat the entrance welcomed our intrepid explorers with an abyssal maw gaping yonder to the fathomless depths below, one ladder rigging later by Merryn, and we successfully navigated the drop, all two gut wrenching meters of it.
Once below we set off on our jolly pub crawl (this part of the cave is literally called Pub Crawl) featuring the longest worm bullshit I have ever experienced. (at least 30 meters of it) Luckily Ben remembered his knee pads.
As we descended, we came across a junction: straight ahead was a tiny passage (more worm) and on the righthand side relative to ingress was a larger hole whose integrity was reinforced with rusty scaffolding. Being the least experienced caver, it was unanimously decided that I, Simon, of course, should be the one to pioneer the way and explore to check whether it was the right route. Having wormed my way in, to my pleasure I discovered that not only was it a dead end, but, at the bottom of the endeavor was a giant boulder held in place above my head by a metal strut that gave slightly once struck a salacious glancing blow via my left butt cheek.
Stal flow in Hunter's Lodge Inn Sink. Photo by Simon Payne.
We continued worming until finally venturing upon the (slightly more) spacious Cellar Dig, to our pleasant surprise we came face to face with crystals, stalagmites, and an abundance of stalactite formations. Keeping our heads low to avoid the ceiling “carrots” we endeavored to stay inside the path marked out to conserve these rare formations.
Happy Hour Highway. Photo by Simon Payne.
Promptly ignoring the hole leading into Rocking Rudolphs Rift, we sauntered on merrily down Happy Hour Highway, gawking at all the pretty rocks. Between Happy Hour Highway and the Drip Tray Sump we found the metal ladder that was supposed to be at the entrance, it seems someone raided the cave vandalizing the formations and either dragged the ladder into the depths or someone else did to discourage greifers from traversing the system. [The vandalism took place in 2016 and you can read the story of this and the repair work on the caving news website Darkness Below.]
Stal broken in a deliberate act of vandalism. Photo by Simon Payne.
At the lowest point of the cave we found Drip Tray Sump with crystal clear water. Crystal clear water was deemed cool so I photographed that as well.
Drip Tray Sump. Photo by Simon Payne.
Beyond the Sump we scrabbled up Hangover Hall, at the top we took the left turn up towards the Barmaid’s Bedrooms, going right would of meant some gnarly SRT to progress towards Old Fart Aven. At the Maidens terminus we discovered Merryn’s secret non vegan bone pile (mostly reindeer?).
Merryn trying hard to plug a fart. Photo by Simon Payne.
Naturally yours truly would not be so naive to believe a load of deer would wake up one day and decide to go caving and die, clearly this is something sus, no I didn’t photograph the bones you freak.
On the way back Merryn decided to checkout Rocking Rudolph’s Rift, however owing to how wormy it was Ben and I made the executive decision to sack it off.
Ben, Merryn and Simon warm, safe, dry and fed. The best part of any trip!
Exiting the cave was fine until we hit the pub crawl, that was not fine that was long, very long, 30m long worming up an incline long. Cardio. Naturally after our adventure we sacked off to the pub which was a 5-metre hop from the cave entrance.
Merryn and Ben in Hunter's Lodge Inn Sink. Photo by Simon Payne.
Getting out of the cave in time for the pub can often be a problem, so why not make life easy for yourself? The closest cave to any pub (probably in the world!) is one of the jewels in Mendip's crown, Hunter's Lodge in Sink, located under the back wall of the pub of the same name in Priddy. This is the story of a recent trip there by Simon Payne, Merryn Matthews and Ben Alterman.
Thursday night saw three cavers embark on their virgin trip to Hunter's Lodge Inn Sink. Right off the bat the entrance welcomed our intrepid explorers with an abyssal maw gaping yonder to the fathomless depths below, one ladder rigging later by Merryn, and we successfully navigated the drop, all two gut wrenching meters of it.
Once below we set off on our jolly pub crawl (this part of the cave is literally called Pub Crawl) featuring the longest worm bullshit I have ever experienced. (at least 30 meters of it) Luckily Ben remembered his knee pads.
As we descended, we came across a junction: straight ahead was a tiny passage (more worm) and on the righthand side relative to ingress was a larger hole whose integrity was reinforced with rusty scaffolding. Being the least experienced caver, it was unanimously decided that I, Simon, of course, should be the one to pioneer the way and explore to check whether it was the right route. Having wormed my way in, to my pleasure I discovered that not only was it a dead end, but, at the bottom of the endeavor was a giant boulder held in place above my head by a metal strut that gave slightly once struck a salacious glancing blow via my left butt cheek.
Stal flow in Hunter's Lodge Inn Sink. Photo by Simon Payne.
We continued worming until finally venturing upon the (slightly more) spacious Cellar Dig, to our pleasant surprise we came face to face with crystals, stalagmites, and an abundance of stalactite formations. Keeping our heads low to avoid the ceiling “carrots” we endeavored to stay inside the path marked out to conserve these rare formations.
Happy Hour Highway. Photo by Simon Payne.
Promptly ignoring the hole leading into Rocking Rudolphs Rift, we sauntered on merrily down Happy Hour Highway, gawking at all the pretty rocks. Between Happy Hour Highway and the Drip Tray Sump we found the metal ladder that was supposed to be at the entrance, it seems someone raided the cave vandalizing the formations and either dragged the ladder into the depths or someone else did to discourage greifers from traversing the system. [The vandalism took place in 2016 and you can read the story of this and the repair work on the caving news website Darkness Below.]
Stal broken in a deliberate act of vandalism. Photo by Simon Payne.
At the lowest point of the cave we found Drip Tray Sump with crystal clear water. Crystal clear water was deemed cool so I photographed that as well.
Drip Tray Sump. Photo by Simon Payne.
Beyond the Sump we scrabbled up Hangover Hall, at the top we took the left turn up towards the Barmaid’s Bedrooms, going right would of meant some gnarly SRT to progress towards Old Fart Aven. At the Maidens terminus we discovered Merryn’s secret non vegan bone pile (mostly reindeer?).
Merryn trying hard to plug a fart. Photo by Simon Payne.
Naturally yours truly would not be so naive to believe a load of deer would wake up one day and decide to go caving and die, clearly this is something sus, no I didn’t photograph the bones you freak.
On the way back Merryn decided to checkout Rocking Rudolph’s Rift, however owing to how wormy it was Ben and I made the executive decision to sack it off.
Ben, Merryn and Simon warm, safe, dry and fed. The best part of any trip!
Exiting the cave was fine until we hit the pub crawl, that was not fine that was long, very long, 30m long worming up an incline long. Cardio. Naturally after our adventure we sacked off to the pub which was a 5-metre hop from the cave entrance.
Simon Payne
100 MEMORIES - HUNTER'S LODGE INN SINK
Entrance shaft, Hunter's Lodge Inn Sink. Photo by Simon Payne.
For another entry in our 100 Memories project, here are three things you might not know about Hunter's Lodge Inn Sink.
FOOT AND MOUTH
The Foot and Mouth outbreak in 2001 was a grim time. Most farmland was off limits for caving and cave digging, and few people will forget the desperately sad sight of animal corpses burning in fields. On Mendip, caving mostly shut down and we all twiddled our thumbs and took our exercise in other ways. But for Mendip caver Tony Jarrett, there weren't any other ways. J-Rrat, as he was known to everyone, ran a caving shop in Wells, Bat Products. He lived and breathed caving and cave digging and when he wasn't underground, he could be found in a corner of the bar in the Hunter's, happily drinking and smoking. So with no cave digging allowed, J-Rat simply sat in the corner looking bored and miserable, unhappily drinking and smoking, until one day, landlord Roger Dors took pity on him and let J-Rat get his grubby hands on a project that he had long coveted ...
In heavy rain, water had often been seen to sink in a corner of the car park under the pub itself. Naturally, on Mendip, sinking water is red rag to a digger, and when offered the chance to scratch that long held itch, J-Rat's eyes lit up in delight and he immediately embraced the project. It quickly became clear that some chemical persuasion would be needed. Permission was asked and - after consultation with 'her indoors' - equally quickly granted. Those were happier days when the thought of consulting property insurers before letting someone blow up the corner of the pub simply didn't trouble anyone. Besides, the loss of takings if J-Rat pined away from lack of healthy recreation more than outweighed minor matters like structural damage and void insurance.
A BANGING TIME
A year or so later, J-Rat was still digging and the shaft was getting ever deeper.
One fine day on Mendip, a bunch of us had been in the pub for a meeting, probably CSCC or Charterhouse, and J-Rat was getting ready to set up a bang. He'd got the idea of filming himself at work underground, and had placed a small camera on a ledge near the dig face, protected by a perspex screen. This was then rigged up to project to a computer screen in the Long Room at the side. Curious, quite a few people gravitated around there to heckle whilst lounging around drinking.
Roger Dors, coming in occasionally to collect glasses, muttered comments like: "You lot got nothing better to do?" to which the assembled masses chorused, "No." and carried on watching J-Rat do his best to untangle the worst mess of bang wire I've ever had the misfortune to see. Eventually, he clambered back up the shaft and in through the window of the pub, bang wire in hand.
We then proceeded to fetch Roger, who had by then had retired to watch a football match. Roger was proudly informed that as we were about to engage in the world's first televised cave bang, he should be the one to press the button on the exploder.
J-Rat then had a wobble over the likelihood of blowing up the camera, which was quickly satisfied by a whip round in a beer glass for the £20 quid cost, in case his kit ended up splattered in fragments around the dig. The exploder was handed to Roger, who duly pressed the button. Immediately everything on the screen went black as the bang echoed up the shaft and in through the window. We stared at the screen with bated breath. This was all the fun of digging without ever having to leave the pub or even put down your booze! After about a minute, the black turned into wisps of grey smoke and a cheer went up when we worked out that the camera was a) intact and b) still recording.
A few inches of rock had met a timely fate. Roger shook his head indulgently and went back to his living room to watch the football. The whip round was given to J-Rat as a contribution to his bang costs. So in some small way, all of us lolling around that day with nothing better to do can claim to have played a part in the eventual breakthrough. It was certainly a damn sight easier than actual digging!
ASHES TO ASHES
Younger UBSS members will almost certainly know of Rod's Pot, Burrington. What many might not know is that this was named after UBSS member Rodney Pearce, who died in 2001, aged 79. Two years later, his daughter Tessa Pearce (also a caver and UBSS Member whilst at university) took her father - or rather his ashes - on his final journey. Half were scattered down Rod's Pot and the other half were taken away by Tessa and the group going for lunch afterwards at the Hunter's. For those who haven't been involved in this sort of thing, the average human being produces an unexpectedly large amount of ash! It then seemed like a good idea to send the rest of Rodney down Hunter's Lodge Inn Sink.
This was duly accomplished and everyone retired for lunch. Graham Mullan then vividly recalls the appearance, a little while later, of an irate J-Rat who stomped into the pub exclaiming: "Who empted the bloody ashes down the cave?" He meant the ashes from the fire in the bar. He didn't quite expect to be told he'd climbed out covered in Rod Pearce's ashes. Reparations were duly paid in beer. Five years later, some of J-Rat's own ashes went down his beloved cave when he finally succumbed to cancer.
Entrance shaft, Hunter's Lodge Inn Sink. Photo by Simon Payne.
For another entry in our 100 Memories project, here are three things you might not know about Hunter's Lodge Inn Sink.
FOOT AND MOUTH
The Foot and Mouth outbreak in 2001 was a grim time. Most farmland was off limits for caving and cave digging, and few people will forget the desperately sad sight of animal corpses burning in fields. On Mendip, caving mostly shut down and we all twiddled our thumbs and took our exercise in other ways. But for Mendip caver Tony Jarrett, there weren't any other ways. J-Rrat, as he was known to everyone, ran a caving shop in Wells, Bat Products. He lived and breathed caving and cave digging and when he wasn't underground, he could be found in a corner of the bar in the Hunter's, happily drinking and smoking. So with no cave digging allowed, J-Rat simply sat in the corner looking bored and miserable, unhappily drinking and smoking, until one day, landlord Roger Dors took pity on him and let J-Rat get his grubby hands on a project that he had long coveted ...
In heavy rain, water had often been seen to sink in a corner of the car park under the pub itself. Naturally, on Mendip, sinking water is red rag to a digger, and when offered the chance to scratch that long held itch, J-Rat's eyes lit up in delight and he immediately embraced the project. It quickly became clear that some chemical persuasion would be needed. Permission was asked and - after consultation with 'her indoors' - equally quickly granted. Those were happier days when the thought of consulting property insurers before letting someone blow up the corner of the pub simply didn't trouble anyone. Besides, the loss of takings if J-Rat pined away from lack of healthy recreation more than outweighed minor matters like structural damage and void insurance.
A BANGING TIME
A year or so later, J-Rat was still digging and the shaft was getting ever deeper.
One fine day on Mendip, a bunch of us had been in the pub for a meeting, probably CSCC or Charterhouse, and J-Rat was getting ready to set up a bang. He'd got the idea of filming himself at work underground, and had placed a small camera on a ledge near the dig face, protected by a perspex screen. This was then rigged up to project to a computer screen in the Long Room at the side. Curious, quite a few people gravitated around there to heckle whilst lounging around drinking.
Roger Dors, coming in occasionally to collect glasses, muttered comments like: "You lot got nothing better to do?" to which the assembled masses chorused, "No." and carried on watching J-Rat do his best to untangle the worst mess of bang wire I've ever had the misfortune to see. Eventually, he clambered back up the shaft and in through the window of the pub, bang wire in hand.
We then proceeded to fetch Roger, who had by then had retired to watch a football match. Roger was proudly informed that as we were about to engage in the world's first televised cave bang, he should be the one to press the button on the exploder.
J-Rat then had a wobble over the likelihood of blowing up the camera, which was quickly satisfied by a whip round in a beer glass for the £20 quid cost, in case his kit ended up splattered in fragments around the dig. The exploder was handed to Roger, who duly pressed the button. Immediately everything on the screen went black as the bang echoed up the shaft and in through the window. We stared at the screen with bated breath. This was all the fun of digging without ever having to leave the pub or even put down your booze! After about a minute, the black turned into wisps of grey smoke and a cheer went up when we worked out that the camera was a) intact and b) still recording.
A few inches of rock had met a timely fate. Roger shook his head indulgently and went back to his living room to watch the football. The whip round was given to J-Rat as a contribution to his bang costs. So in some small way, all of us lolling around that day with nothing better to do can claim to have played a part in the eventual breakthrough. It was certainly a damn sight easier than actual digging!
ASHES TO ASHES
Younger UBSS members will almost certainly know of Rod's Pot, Burrington. What many might not know is that this was named after UBSS member Rodney Pearce, who died in 2001, aged 79. Two years later, his daughter Tessa Pearce (also a caver and UBSS Member whilst at university) took her father - or rather his ashes - on his final journey. Half were scattered down Rod's Pot and the other half were taken away by Tessa and the group going for lunch afterwards at the Hunter's. For those who haven't been involved in this sort of thing, the average human being produces an unexpectedly large amount of ash! It then seemed like a good idea to send the rest of Rodney down Hunter's Lodge Inn Sink.
This was duly accomplished and everyone retired for lunch. Graham Mullan then vividly recalls the appearance, a little while later, of an irate J-Rat who stomped into the pub exclaiming: "Who empted the bloody ashes down the cave?" He meant the ashes from the fire in the bar. He didn't quite expect to be told he'd climbed out covered in Rod Pearce's ashes. Reparations were duly paid in beer. Five years later, some of J-Rat's own ashes went down his beloved cave when he finally succumbed to cancer.
Linda Wilson
COUNTDOWN TO CAVING ... WITH JESS BROCK
My name is Jess Brock and I'm currently in my second year of Classical Studies at Bristol. I started caving as a child and went into my first cave at a few months old. I have grown up exploring caves mainly in Yorkshire, Mendip and South Wales. My parents both caved for a long time before I was born and helped create The Northern Pennine Club’s family meets which have run for around 20 years. These family meets enabled me to cave with kids my own age which was a really unique experience. I learnt SRT around age 14 and have been a part of a cave rescue. Over the years I've traveled abroad to cave (both wild and show), in France I’ve visited Padirac and the Pech Merle and in Slovenia I got to see Skojanske Jame which has to be one of the most impressive show caves I have ever seen.
Ten words to summarise your caving career ...
Started as a child. Not traumatized enough to stop yet.
Nine cavers (living or dead) you would like to go for a drink with ...
Clive Westlake - Talk about Cave Photography.
Edouard-Alfred Martel- What it was like being one of the first cavers?
Graham Balcombe- One of the first cave divers.
Penelope ‘Mossy’ Powell - First female cave diver. Only woman in the group of Wookey Hole exploration in 1935.
George Henry-Brock - My mum who started caving in 1986. Retired Cave Diver and partook in many cave rescues.
Emily Crossley - A fellow child caver so we can reminisce about growing up caving.
Thomas Brock - My brother who also grew up caving so we can talk about going caving at University.
Rick Stanton
Steve Backshall
Eight things you never want/wanted to hear underground ...
I can’t get out/ I’m stuck
Call cave rescue.
Is it me or is the water rising?
What call out?
And now we free dive the duck.
We're only halfway.
Where are the car keys?
I thought you knew the way out?
Seven public figures you'd least like to go caving with …
Boris Johnson
James Corden
Elon Musk
Donald Trump
Matt Hancock
Alan Carr
Alan Sugar
Six of the weirdest things you've done, seen or heard of in connection with caving …
Naked Caving
Chester going caving with the wrong leg on.
Women being frowned upon staying in a caving hut.
Caving games
Proteus/ Olms
Someone pooing in the hood of their oversuit.
Five of your favourite caves...
Skojanske Jame, Slovenia
Padirac, France
Lancaster Hole, Yorkshire
Pech Merle, France
Little Neath River Cave, South Wales
Four pieces of gear you've fallen in love with ...
Olympus TG-6 Camera
Fenix Light
Wetsuit socks
Dry bag/ Caving rucksack
Three of the best caving books you've read ...
Mendip Underground
Aquanaut by Rick Staunton
The Darkness Beckons by Martyn Farr
Two of your favourite caving regions ...
Slovenia
The Yorkshire Dales
One thing you'd tell yourself as a fresher ...
Just go and do it. Don't overthink it, you're in good hands.
My name is Jess Brock and I'm currently in my second year of Classical Studies at Bristol. I started caving as a child and went into my first cave at a few months old. I have grown up exploring caves mainly in Yorkshire, Mendip and South Wales. My parents both caved for a long time before I was born and helped create The Northern Pennine Club’s family meets which have run for around 20 years. These family meets enabled me to cave with kids my own age which was a really unique experience. I learnt SRT around age 14 and have been a part of a cave rescue. Over the years I've traveled abroad to cave (both wild and show), in France I’ve visited Padirac and the Pech Merle and in Slovenia I got to see Skojanske Jame which has to be one of the most impressive show caves I have ever seen.
Ten words to summarise your caving career ...
Started as a child. Not traumatized enough to stop yet.
Nine cavers (living or dead) you would like to go for a drink with ...
Clive Westlake - Talk about Cave Photography.
Edouard-Alfred Martel- What it was like being one of the first cavers?
Graham Balcombe- One of the first cave divers.
Penelope ‘Mossy’ Powell - First female cave diver. Only woman in the group of Wookey Hole exploration in 1935.
George Henry-Brock - My mum who started caving in 1986. Retired Cave Diver and partook in many cave rescues.
Emily Crossley - A fellow child caver so we can reminisce about growing up caving.
Thomas Brock - My brother who also grew up caving so we can talk about going caving at University.
Rick Stanton
Steve Backshall
Eight things you never want/wanted to hear underground ...
I can’t get out/ I’m stuck
Call cave rescue.
Is it me or is the water rising?
What call out?
And now we free dive the duck.
We're only halfway.
Where are the car keys?
I thought you knew the way out?
Seven public figures you'd least like to go caving with …
Boris Johnson
James Corden
Elon Musk
Donald Trump
Matt Hancock
Alan Carr
Alan Sugar
Six of the weirdest things you've done, seen or heard of in connection with caving …
Naked Caving
Chester going caving with the wrong leg on.
Women being frowned upon staying in a caving hut.
Caving games
Proteus/ Olms
Someone pooing in the hood of their oversuit.
Five of your favourite caves...
Skojanske Jame, Slovenia
Padirac, France
Lancaster Hole, Yorkshire
Pech Merle, France
Little Neath River Cave, South Wales
Four pieces of gear you've fallen in love with ...
Olympus TG-6 Camera
Fenix Light
Wetsuit socks
Dry bag/ Caving rucksack
Three of the best caving books you've read ...
Mendip Underground
Aquanaut by Rick Staunton
The Darkness Beckons by Martyn Farr
Two of your favourite caving regions ...
Slovenia
The Yorkshire Dales
One thing you'd tell yourself as a fresher ...
Just go and do it. Don't overthink it, you're in good hands.
THE TESTING OF HANS FRIEDERICH
Hans Friederich outside the GB blockhouse in 1979/80, demonstrating the comfortingly slow rate of change in cavers and cave infrastructure.
Devotees of Michael Palin's Ripping Yarns will remember Eric Olthwaite's love of the rain gauge on the Town Hall. Here, UBSS member Dr Hans Friederich tells the story of the rain gauge and water sampling that played a part in his PhD research in GB. Cave. With apologies to Messrs Palin and Jones - and Hans - for the title of this piece!
I was looking through old slides, and came across a few pictures from my PhD research in GB Cave. I was carrying out studies on the hydrology and hydrochemistry of water flowing into the cave from September 1978 till May 1980. I apologise for the quality of the digitized slides, but it might be interesting to share some of them.
My research involved recording of the flow of 25 percolation inlets through the installation of continuous measuring equipment and by manual observations during underground trips several times per week. One of the measuring sites asked help from passing cavers, and the record of flow on this particular site is very comprehensive, as many visitors carried out a quick measurement.
In White Passage, I directed the flow into a tube with a triangular outlet, and I measured the level in this tube with a permanent water level recorder. This gave an accurate measurement of the flow and indicated when there were flood pulses in the drainage. The first photo below is the arrangement in Upper White Passage, the second photo below is a multi-channel event recorder that was placed lower down in White Passage.
I also took water samples to analyse the major chemical properties, and occasionally bacterial content and dissolved organics content. In some locations, I constructed sampling structures, with plastic sheeting or cones funneling the water into a rotating sampling arm, which produced a series of water samples that covered a 48-hour period. The photo below on the left shows the set-up in the Entrance Passage, and the photo on the right is the sampling system under the ceiling shaft in White Passage.
Together with a rainwater recording set up, water samples were also collected from the soil above GB Cave, soil moisture was monitored with a neutron probe and soil carbon dioxide was measured with draeger tubes. All of this gave a full picture of the water management of the unsaturated zone above GB Cave, with the aim to work out what happens underground when it rains. Below is a photo of a typical soil monitoring exercise.
The results of my research were that I was able to prove that there is a zone of high permeability and secondary porosity in the upper five metres of the limestone, but below the soil-rock interface. A similar epikarstic zone was described in French speleological literature. This epikarstic zone allows transversal water flows in periods of high rainfall, and during these periods, water will enter the cave in large volumes as waterfalls from shafts in the ceiling. The relevance of this is that such high flows of water are no longer filtered, and could potentially contain higher levels of pollution than slow flowing percolation water.
Tyning's Farm Swallet, the sink for G.B.cavern, during heavy rain.
The different types of flow, ranging from seepage with discharges of less than 4l/hr to shaft flows of 2000l/hr are linked in a hierarchical fashion, forming a drainage system that is in essence controlled by the lateral flow in the epikarstic zone. Potentially, this zone can hold a considerable amount of water, and the storage capacity of the unsaturated zone can amount to 50% of the drainage of a limestone spring.
Me checking some of the measuring devices in Upper Grotto.
Although the soil is the main source of carbon dioxide for soil drainage, organic matter is also oxidized in the epikarstic zone, which creates an additional source of carbon dioxide. The lateral flow of water in this zone, and the mixing with long residence water causes limestone solution to take place preferentially in this part of the limestone ecosystem.
Not surprisingly, I could confirm that arable soils cause higher limestone solution rates and therefore create higher water hardness than soils under grass land or formerly mined “gruffy ground”. We tried to find out the influence of soil activity on the radon content of percolation water, but this required further study.
Gruffy Ground with a rain gauge.
All-in-all, it was an exciting time, and I got to know every nook and cranny in GB Cave. Sadly, I did not take many pictures of the cave itself, but these few images show some of the activity.
Hans Friederich outside the GB blockhouse in 1979/80, demonstrating the comfortingly slow rate of change in cavers and cave infrastructure.
Devotees of Michael Palin's Ripping Yarns will remember Eric Olthwaite's love of the rain gauge on the Town Hall. Here, UBSS member Dr Hans Friederich tells the story of the rain gauge and water sampling that played a part in his PhD research in GB. Cave. With apologies to Messrs Palin and Jones - and Hans - for the title of this piece!
I was looking through old slides, and came across a few pictures from my PhD research in GB Cave. I was carrying out studies on the hydrology and hydrochemistry of water flowing into the cave from September 1978 till May 1980. I apologise for the quality of the digitized slides, but it might be interesting to share some of them.
My research involved recording of the flow of 25 percolation inlets through the installation of continuous measuring equipment and by manual observations during underground trips several times per week. One of the measuring sites asked help from passing cavers, and the record of flow on this particular site is very comprehensive, as many visitors carried out a quick measurement.
In White Passage, I directed the flow into a tube with a triangular outlet, and I measured the level in this tube with a permanent water level recorder. This gave an accurate measurement of the flow and indicated when there were flood pulses in the drainage. The first photo below is the arrangement in Upper White Passage, the second photo below is a multi-channel event recorder that was placed lower down in White Passage.
I also took water samples to analyse the major chemical properties, and occasionally bacterial content and dissolved organics content. In some locations, I constructed sampling structures, with plastic sheeting or cones funneling the water into a rotating sampling arm, which produced a series of water samples that covered a 48-hour period. The photo below on the left shows the set-up in the Entrance Passage, and the photo on the right is the sampling system under the ceiling shaft in White Passage.
Together with a rainwater recording set up, water samples were also collected from the soil above GB Cave, soil moisture was monitored with a neutron probe and soil carbon dioxide was measured with draeger tubes. All of this gave a full picture of the water management of the unsaturated zone above GB Cave, with the aim to work out what happens underground when it rains. Below is a photo of a typical soil monitoring exercise.
The results of my research were that I was able to prove that there is a zone of high permeability and secondary porosity in the upper five metres of the limestone, but below the soil-rock interface. A similar epikarstic zone was described in French speleological literature. This epikarstic zone allows transversal water flows in periods of high rainfall, and during these periods, water will enter the cave in large volumes as waterfalls from shafts in the ceiling. The relevance of this is that such high flows of water are no longer filtered, and could potentially contain higher levels of pollution than slow flowing percolation water.
Tyning's Farm Swallet, the sink for G.B.cavern, during heavy rain.
The different types of flow, ranging from seepage with discharges of less than 4l/hr to shaft flows of 2000l/hr are linked in a hierarchical fashion, forming a drainage system that is in essence controlled by the lateral flow in the epikarstic zone. Potentially, this zone can hold a considerable amount of water, and the storage capacity of the unsaturated zone can amount to 50% of the drainage of a limestone spring.
Me checking some of the measuring devices in Upper Grotto.
Although the soil is the main source of carbon dioxide for soil drainage, organic matter is also oxidized in the epikarstic zone, which creates an additional source of carbon dioxide. The lateral flow of water in this zone, and the mixing with long residence water causes limestone solution to take place preferentially in this part of the limestone ecosystem.
Not surprisingly, I could confirm that arable soils cause higher limestone solution rates and therefore create higher water hardness than soils under grass land or formerly mined “gruffy ground”. We tried to find out the influence of soil activity on the radon content of percolation water, but this required further study.
Gruffy Ground with a rain gauge.
All-in-all, it was an exciting time, and I got to know every nook and cranny in GB Cave. Sadly, I did not take many pictures of the cave itself, but these few images show some of the activity.
Hans Friederich
SAY HELLO TO HERBERT HAMSTER
Meet Herbert. Caving hamsters read a lot, as well as going caving, and they hope you do both, too, so if you've made it down to Herbert's Lair, drop him a line to say hi, as you never know when you might need the services of a caving hamster. He's a sociable little chap and likes to make new friends.
Last week, several of our readers followed their nose to meet Hercule Hound, and when he sees them mext, there will be rewards of biscuits to be had.
- That newsletter took longer than most to read right through! Lovely to see the reminder of the old films. I was the one who spent some hours transferring the old films to a master tape and then to VHS tape in the company of the misnamed Bill Shakespeare (not his real name, but used because we were working overnight in the bowels of what was then the S4C telly centre in Cardiff, where they otherwise made the wonderful Superted animations). [Chris Howes]
- Hi made it to the end another excellent NL. Is there also a prize for spotting the deliberate mistake of the month??? Maybe that could be a new monthly feature. The only trouble is I’m not sure if soremeber is actually a word - if not it bloody well should be. If sojourn can get into the OED then soshould soremember (Seewhat Idid there!!) [David Hardwick] [Sigh. Yes, David, we see what you did there.] (PS - My maths abilities makes 1986, + 36 years ago 2023 as well, so clearly that is not this month's answer to spot the mistake !!) [Nope, it's not. Answers on a postcard, please, to Herbert.]
- Good to know that UBSS competence levels are high. In contrast to a number of people I know, all of whom should have known better, Merryn remembered to tie knots in the end of her ropes, even if they were the wrong ropes. [Dick Willis]
- And my stupid email decided to put this into the “junk email” folder. Luckily, I’m one of those who checks that folder, just in case. *grumbles* Superb newsletter, and very glad you’re on the mend, Linda! On your advice, and the advice of Tony Boycott, I started keeping a log of my caving trips from day one. It’s fun, even with my small number, to go back and remember some of the trips. [Jan Walker]
- Pigeons + cave = dream combo, [Mia Jacobs]
Hello, Herbert, it's nice to meet you! I made it this far!
THE END
Meet Herbert. Caving hamsters read a lot, as well as going caving, and they hope you do both, too, so if you've made it down to Herbert's Lair, drop him a line to say hi, as you never know when you might need the services of a caving hamster. He's a sociable little chap and likes to make new friends.
Last week, several of our readers followed their nose to meet Hercule Hound, and when he sees them mext, there will be rewards of biscuits to be had.
- That newsletter took longer than most to read right through! Lovely to see the reminder of the old films. I was the one who spent some hours transferring the old films to a master tape and then to VHS tape in the company of the misnamed Bill Shakespeare (not his real name, but used because we were working overnight in the bowels of what was then the S4C telly centre in Cardiff, where they otherwise made the wonderful Superted animations). [Chris Howes]
- Hi made it to the end another excellent NL. Is there also a prize for spotting the deliberate mistake of the month??? Maybe that could be a new monthly feature. The only trouble is I’m not sure if soremeber is actually a word - if not it bloody well should be. If sojourn can get into the OED then soshould soremember (Seewhat Idid there!!) [David Hardwick] [Sigh. Yes, David, we see what you did there.] (PS - My maths abilities makes 1986, + 36 years ago 2023 as well, so clearly that is not this month's answer to spot the mistake !!) [Nope, it's not. Answers on a postcard, please, to Herbert.]
- Good to know that UBSS competence levels are high. In contrast to a number of people I know, all of whom should have known better, Merryn remembered to tie knots in the end of her ropes, even if they were the wrong ropes. [Dick Willis]
- And my stupid email decided to put this into the “junk email” folder. Luckily, I’m one of those who checks that folder, just in case. *grumbles* Superb newsletter, and very glad you’re on the mend, Linda! On your advice, and the advice of Tony Boycott, I started keeping a log of my caving trips from day one. It’s fun, even with my small number, to go back and remember some of the trips. [Jan Walker]
- Pigeons + cave = dream combo, [Mia Jacobs]
Hello, Herbert, it's nice to meet you! I made it this far!
THE END