Looking out over Alum Pot, from a photo by Jess Brock.
The past month has seen a huge amount of caving, both close to home and further away, with Yorkshire being a popular destination, highlights being joint weekends with MUSC (Manchester University Speleology Club) and UBMC (University of Bristol Mountaineering Club) as well as Northern CHECC (Council of Higher Education Caving Clubs). We've also had our AGM and a well attended Annual Dinner, bringing a wide spread of members from the last five decades of UBSS back to our old haunt, the Square Club. Special thanks to Joshitha for all her hard work in organising this, and a very big thank you to the trustees of the Oliver Lloyd Memorial Fund for making this an affordable event for students and recent graduates! For those who missed it, we have a selection of photos below, and a list of the awards handed out can be found on our website.
As ever, we're open to articles, trip write ups, photos .... you name it, we'll be pleased to get it!
If you would like to check out previous issues, you can find them all here, including the scanned archive of all our paper issues.
Linda and Billy
As ever, we're open to articles, trip write ups, photos .... you name it, we'll be pleased to get it!
If you would like to check out previous issues, you can find them all here, including the scanned archive of all our paper issues.
Linda and Billy
PS As ever, if the text is in blue and underlined, it's a clickable link, so go on, venture in, you know it makes sense. We had a record number of people click links in the last issue, with 71 people venturing out into the big wide world.
Thanks to Jess Brock for the posters!
And here's the full list ...
Student President - Daniel Rose
Secretary - Joshitha Shivkumar
Student Treasurer - Emily Wormleighton
Equality Officer & Wellbeing - Grace Smith
Tackle Warden - Kenneth Mclver
Hut Warden - Kenneth Mclver
Training Officer - Ben Morgan
Safety Officer - Ben Morgan
Social Media - Jess Brock
Assistant Training officer - Grace Smith
Social Secretary - Billy Evans
Student Newsletter Editor - Billy Evans
Mid week Caving & Dig Sec - Mowgli Palmer
CSCC & South Wales Caving Rep - James Hallihan
Charterhouse Rep - Graham Mullan
CHECC rep - Daniel Rose
PDCMG Rep - Clive Owen
Librarian - Billy Evans
Volunteer Co-Ordinator - Jess Brock
Student Museum Curators - Mowgli Palmer & Moon Devendra
TREASURER'S NOTE
Our Hon Treasurer, Graham Mullan has provided the following note from his report to the AGM. The full report will appear in our next Proceedings, but in the meantime, any member who would like to see a copy of our accounts should email Graham who will happily provide them.
Our insurance bill has gone up yet again. This time it’s mainly due to the increase in BCA membership fees which have risen considerably. However, the decision to move Proceedings essentially online will, of course, affect our printing and postage bills in the coming year. The printing bill won’t reduce to zero, as we will still be producing a very small number of printed copies mainly for members who have expressed a wish to continue to receive paper copies. I am still exploring how this can be done without compromising production values. With the last issue, we saw another large rise in postage costs and we also had exchange copies returned from Europe owing to the need to pay import taxes on them!
Regarding funding, a couple of years ago, the student subscription was raised from £8 to £10 as the Committee decided that the student membership should generate some income over and above their BCA membership fee to help fund their social activities. That has largely been overtaken by the BCA’s fee increase, so the Committee will need to decide how to address this. This shows the importance of everyone paying their Hut fees and Tackle fees promptly as these two areas are meant to be self-funding. However, the reality is that they are as often left unpaid and like every other aspect of our activities they are heavily subsidised by the non-student membership – and I have had several conversations with non-students this past year who have stated that their main reason for continued membership is simply to support the Society and its younger members. We have also been helped by incredibly generous donations to the Oliver Lloyd Memorial Fund (OCLF) allowing the Trustees to grant-aid many things including overseas travel, a first aid course, major works at the Hut, additional tackle and equipment and the revamp of the website. Since our centenary in 2019, The OCLF has provided in the region of £24,000 in grants. This is a significant proportion of our overall turnover and an even more significant part of our disposable income.
Finally, after over thirty years of keeping me on the straight and narrow, our auditor, Derek Allen, is standing down. Derek has been of enormous help to me over the years and will be very much missed. We do need to find a successor so if anyone knows someone with a background in accounting or book-keeping – or understanding spreadsheets – who is Bristol-based and might be willing to offer to take this on in the future, please let me know.
Our Hon Treasurer, Graham Mullan has provided the following note from his report to the AGM. The full report will appear in our next Proceedings, but in the meantime, any member who would like to see a copy of our accounts should email Graham who will happily provide them.
Our insurance bill has gone up yet again. This time it’s mainly due to the increase in BCA membership fees which have risen considerably. However, the decision to move Proceedings essentially online will, of course, affect our printing and postage bills in the coming year. The printing bill won’t reduce to zero, as we will still be producing a very small number of printed copies mainly for members who have expressed a wish to continue to receive paper copies. I am still exploring how this can be done without compromising production values. With the last issue, we saw another large rise in postage costs and we also had exchange copies returned from Europe owing to the need to pay import taxes on them!
Regarding funding, a couple of years ago, the student subscription was raised from £8 to £10 as the Committee decided that the student membership should generate some income over and above their BCA membership fee to help fund their social activities. That has largely been overtaken by the BCA’s fee increase, so the Committee will need to decide how to address this. This shows the importance of everyone paying their Hut fees and Tackle fees promptly as these two areas are meant to be self-funding. However, the reality is that they are as often left unpaid and like every other aspect of our activities they are heavily subsidised by the non-student membership – and I have had several conversations with non-students this past year who have stated that their main reason for continued membership is simply to support the Society and its younger members. We have also been helped by incredibly generous donations to the Oliver Lloyd Memorial Fund (OCLF) allowing the Trustees to grant-aid many things including overseas travel, a first aid course, major works at the Hut, additional tackle and equipment and the revamp of the website. Since our centenary in 2019, The OCLF has provided in the region of £24,000 in grants. This is a significant proportion of our overall turnover and an even more significant part of our disposable income.
Finally, after over thirty years of keeping me on the straight and narrow, our auditor, Derek Allen, is standing down. Derek has been of enormous help to me over the years and will be very much missed. We do need to find a successor so if anyone knows someone with a background in accounting or book-keeping – or understanding spreadsheets – who is Bristol-based and might be willing to offer to take this on in the future, please let me know.
Graham Mullan
THERE IN THE SQUARE!
The annual dinner saw a great turnout of members of all ages, including guest appearances from Kenneth McIver's Mum and Dad, who engaged in improving conversation with Wanda and Linda about the merits of Russell Crowe's bum, which is probably a first on several levels for a UBSS dinner. This was followed by the traditional after party, hosted by Joshitha.
The Mistresses of Ceremonies (left to right) Emily Wornleighton, Joshitha Shivkumar, Grace Smith.
Thank you to Joshitha and everyone for making this such an excellent evening!
The annual dinner saw a great turnout of members of all ages, including guest appearances from Kenneth McIver's Mum and Dad, who engaged in improving conversation with Wanda and Linda about the merits of Russell Crowe's bum, which is probably a first on several levels for a UBSS dinner. This was followed by the traditional after party, hosted by Joshitha.
The Mistresses of Ceremonies (left to right) Emily Wornleighton, Joshitha Shivkumar, Grace Smith.
Thank you to Joshitha and everyone for making this such an excellent evening!
UPDATE - LIONEL'S HOLE
The boulder movement in Lionel's Hole was inspected on the evening of the 25th February 2025.
At the top of the Second Duck Bypass, where there is a T-Junction with Left leading to the Sandwich Boulder and Right being the return leg of the round trip, two large boulders have moved. The attached photo shows these. There is a large triangular flake stood upright (in the background of the photo) and a large squarer boulder on the floor in front of it (mid-left in the photo). It appears that the “flake” has moved downward and has come to rest leaning against the wall of the rift behind. This has allowed the large square boulder to fall to the floor (you can make out the strike marks it has made on the “flake” boulder). For scale the “flake” is about 2m high and the square boulder is about 0.75m x 0.75m x 0.5m. Formerly, these boulders created a low roof in this area but it is now possible to stand up.
The “flake” boulder is securely wedged in its new position. It is possible, with care, to pass it to both the left and the right and, as such, it does not present any problem. The squarer boulder is less stable and a was likely to slip down the bypass passage, blocking it and potentially injuring anyone below. To help prevent this, the boulder has been “chocked” in place and is now much more stable.
Council of Southern Caving Clubs
The boulder movement in Lionel's Hole was inspected on the evening of the 25th February 2025.
At the top of the Second Duck Bypass, where there is a T-Junction with Left leading to the Sandwich Boulder and Right being the return leg of the round trip, two large boulders have moved. The attached photo shows these. There is a large triangular flake stood upright (in the background of the photo) and a large squarer boulder on the floor in front of it (mid-left in the photo). It appears that the “flake” has moved downward and has come to rest leaning against the wall of the rift behind. This has allowed the large square boulder to fall to the floor (you can make out the strike marks it has made on the “flake” boulder). For scale the “flake” is about 2m high and the square boulder is about 0.75m x 0.75m x 0.5m. Formerly, these boulders created a low roof in this area but it is now possible to stand up.
The “flake” boulder is securely wedged in its new position. It is possible, with care, to pass it to both the left and the right and, as such, it does not present any problem. The squarer boulder is less stable and a was likely to slip down the bypass passage, blocking it and potentially injuring anyone below. To help prevent this, the boulder has been “chocked” in place and is now much more stable.
Council of Southern Caving Clubs
Uliana Zybina recently chose caving as the focus of an assigment on the effects of an activity on mental health and wellbeing and has kindly shared the results of their research in the above poster, demonstrating why caving is good for us!
WORKS IN BURRINGTON COMBE
Following contact with officers from the Mendip Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, Graham Mullan would like to draw everyone's attention to the following works that will be taking place in Burrington Combe during the week commencing 14th April 2025.
Both Flange Swallet and East Twin Swallet (below the cave entrance) are being re-excavated by JCB to ensure that the water continues to sink underground rather than flood down the valley to damage the road. This is a continuation of work first done in 2001 and my account of what happened and why can be found on page 4 of the Spring 2001 Newsletter. At the same time, some footpath repairs will be carried out to the bottom of the path which goes up Blackdown from opposite the Hut. Work isn't being done on the lane itself (pity!) but there will be heavy equipment on site so there may be parking issues. It's probably best avoid the hut during that week.
Following contact with officers from the Mendip Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, Graham Mullan would like to draw everyone's attention to the following works that will be taking place in Burrington Combe during the week commencing 14th April 2025.
Both Flange Swallet and East Twin Swallet (below the cave entrance) are being re-excavated by JCB to ensure that the water continues to sink underground rather than flood down the valley to damage the road. This is a continuation of work first done in 2001 and my account of what happened and why can be found on page 4 of the Spring 2001 Newsletter. At the same time, some footpath repairs will be carried out to the bottom of the path which goes up Blackdown from opposite the Hut. Work isn't being done on the lane itself (pity!) but there will be heavy equipment on site so there may be parking issues. It's probably best avoid the hut during that week.
MUSEUM NEWS
Owen Gilmore-Noble at work in the Museum, projecting images to his screen.
March has been a busy month, with the return of researchers to the museum following our long closure due to building works and their aftermath. We've also welcomed home the material from Fishmonger's Swallet from it's long holiday in Cardiff!
Owen Gilmore-Noble visited from the University of Durham to look in detail at some of our flints in the search for adhesive residue, as he explains:
"Examples of Upper Palaeolithic adhesives - the glues used by late Ice Age peoples to fix tools to their hafts - are frustratingly few in number. Many have been noted by mere chance. However, these findings are intriguing - in the Upper Palaeolithic, conifer tars, resins and waxes seem to have been more commonly used, whereas later Mesolithic and Neolithic peoples heavily utilised birch tars. In Britain, our only two known examples (from Gransmoor in East Yorkshire and Hinxton in Cambridgeshire) are conifer tars, not birch. Does this reflect an actual difference in adhesive technologies, or is it simply a product of limited data?
"As part of my PhD research at Durham University, I have been visiting museum collections to examine Upper Palaeolithic tools and gather new data to help answer this question.
Flint from Aveline's Hole, Burrington. Photo by Owen Gilmore-Noble.
"During my visit to the UBSS Museum on March 12th, I observed greyish-black spotting on a flint blade fragment (catalogued as AH 21) from Aveline’s Hole, a cave in the Mendip Hills occupied during both the Late Upper Palaeolithic and Early Mesolithic periods.
"Under a microscope (see above), these residues appeared uniform in both colour and texture, extending either side of fissures in the blade surface – cracking caused by fire damage in November 1940 during the Bristol Blitz. Interestingly, none of the other artefacts from Aveline’s Hole bore similar residues. They could potentially be the remains of a prehistoric adhesive, such as a resin, used to fix the blade to a handle. Alternatively, they could result from exposure to fire, either in the distant past or during the Blitz. Further chemical investigation will help determine their origin."
Owen will submit a sampling request as his research continues. Jess and I were so impressed by the nifty microscope he had connected to his laptop that I bought one so we can stare in fascination at our grubby fingertips again (and take a closer look at our objects!).
Rhiannon Stevens, looking through a box of material from King Arthur's Cave.
On the same day, UBSS's old friend and colleague Professor Rhiannon Stevens from UCL made a welcome return to hunt for more specimens from the bone scrap of King Arthur's Cave in the Wye Valley for use in ZooMS analysis (Zooarchaeology by Mass Spectrometry), whereby the animal species behind a bone fragment or bone artifact can be determined even when no morphological traits survive. (She hasn't yet turned up a Neanderthal for us, but we're assured that the hunt continues!)
And after a quick lunch break in Senate House, we return to the equally welcome sight of our very own Professor Danielle Shreve now here in Bristol in the School of Geographical Sciences showing one of her post docs around! Danielle also came back a couple of days later for a longer chat, after which Jess, Graham and I joined Danielle for coffee in the Department and were privileged to meet the enormous woolly rhino skull that Danielle is currently working on.
As part of our journey towards a future-proofed museum working to modern standards, Jess, Graham and myself spent time in the Archaeology Department where Alex Birkett kindly gave us an introduction to the cataloguing system eHive which we will be using for both the museum and library. It'll take a while to become familiar with this, so we intend to use Fishmonger's Swallet as a test site and we aim to catalogue that down to object level. By the time that's finished, we hope to be able to roll this out across our collection. Please contact Jess as our Volunteer Co-ordinator if you would like to be involved. YOUR MUSEUM AND LIBRARY NEEDS YOU! (Imagine a skeleton with a bony finger pointing at you as you read those words.)
Obligatory shot of Adelle in the dig. The poster bum for cave archaeology!
The following week, Graham and I went over to Cardiff to meet Dr Adelle Bricking, who worked on the Fishmonger's Swallet material for her PhD. Adelle and colleagues also did the post-excavation work on the material from the 2022 dig. The various boxes were duly signed out of the museum, for return to the Stables, with the exception of the pottery, which remains on loan to Adelle pending a report for our next Proceedings. I'm delighted to say that we have another archaeological dig planned at Fishmonger's for Sunday 11th May 2025! Please contact me if you're interested in joining us. We'll need plenty of cavers for underground work as all material from the dig will need to be hauled to the surface for wet sieving. Surface help will also be welcome.
Many thanks to Jess Brock for her help with the research visits and to Mowgli Palmer for his assistance rearranging things to accommodate the Fishmonger's material. Shifting boxes is a very important museum skill, and one that will be increasingly important in the coming weeks and months. That's how I started on the long road to curating the collection!
Owen Gilmore-Noble at work in the Museum, projecting images to his screen.
March has been a busy month, with the return of researchers to the museum following our long closure due to building works and their aftermath. We've also welcomed home the material from Fishmonger's Swallet from it's long holiday in Cardiff!
Owen Gilmore-Noble visited from the University of Durham to look in detail at some of our flints in the search for adhesive residue, as he explains:
"Examples of Upper Palaeolithic adhesives - the glues used by late Ice Age peoples to fix tools to their hafts - are frustratingly few in number. Many have been noted by mere chance. However, these findings are intriguing - in the Upper Palaeolithic, conifer tars, resins and waxes seem to have been more commonly used, whereas later Mesolithic and Neolithic peoples heavily utilised birch tars. In Britain, our only two known examples (from Gransmoor in East Yorkshire and Hinxton in Cambridgeshire) are conifer tars, not birch. Does this reflect an actual difference in adhesive technologies, or is it simply a product of limited data?
"As part of my PhD research at Durham University, I have been visiting museum collections to examine Upper Palaeolithic tools and gather new data to help answer this question.
Flint from Aveline's Hole, Burrington. Photo by Owen Gilmore-Noble.
"During my visit to the UBSS Museum on March 12th, I observed greyish-black spotting on a flint blade fragment (catalogued as AH 21) from Aveline’s Hole, a cave in the Mendip Hills occupied during both the Late Upper Palaeolithic and Early Mesolithic periods.
"Under a microscope (see above), these residues appeared uniform in both colour and texture, extending either side of fissures in the blade surface – cracking caused by fire damage in November 1940 during the Bristol Blitz. Interestingly, none of the other artefacts from Aveline’s Hole bore similar residues. They could potentially be the remains of a prehistoric adhesive, such as a resin, used to fix the blade to a handle. Alternatively, they could result from exposure to fire, either in the distant past or during the Blitz. Further chemical investigation will help determine their origin."
Owen will submit a sampling request as his research continues. Jess and I were so impressed by the nifty microscope he had connected to his laptop that I bought one so we can stare in fascination at our grubby fingertips again (and take a closer look at our objects!).
Rhiannon Stevens, looking through a box of material from King Arthur's Cave.
On the same day, UBSS's old friend and colleague Professor Rhiannon Stevens from UCL made a welcome return to hunt for more specimens from the bone scrap of King Arthur's Cave in the Wye Valley for use in ZooMS analysis (Zooarchaeology by Mass Spectrometry), whereby the animal species behind a bone fragment or bone artifact can be determined even when no morphological traits survive. (She hasn't yet turned up a Neanderthal for us, but we're assured that the hunt continues!)
And after a quick lunch break in Senate House, we return to the equally welcome sight of our very own Professor Danielle Shreve now here in Bristol in the School of Geographical Sciences showing one of her post docs around! Danielle also came back a couple of days later for a longer chat, after which Jess, Graham and I joined Danielle for coffee in the Department and were privileged to meet the enormous woolly rhino skull that Danielle is currently working on.
As part of our journey towards a future-proofed museum working to modern standards, Jess, Graham and myself spent time in the Archaeology Department where Alex Birkett kindly gave us an introduction to the cataloguing system eHive which we will be using for both the museum and library. It'll take a while to become familiar with this, so we intend to use Fishmonger's Swallet as a test site and we aim to catalogue that down to object level. By the time that's finished, we hope to be able to roll this out across our collection. Please contact Jess as our Volunteer Co-ordinator if you would like to be involved. YOUR MUSEUM AND LIBRARY NEEDS YOU! (Imagine a skeleton with a bony finger pointing at you as you read those words.)
Obligatory shot of Adelle in the dig. The poster bum for cave archaeology!
The following week, Graham and I went over to Cardiff to meet Dr Adelle Bricking, who worked on the Fishmonger's Swallet material for her PhD. Adelle and colleagues also did the post-excavation work on the material from the 2022 dig. The various boxes were duly signed out of the museum, for return to the Stables, with the exception of the pottery, which remains on loan to Adelle pending a report for our next Proceedings. I'm delighted to say that we have another archaeological dig planned at Fishmonger's for Sunday 11th May 2025! Please contact me if you're interested in joining us. We'll need plenty of cavers for underground work as all material from the dig will need to be hauled to the surface for wet sieving. Surface help will also be welcome.
Many thanks to Jess Brock for her help with the research visits and to Mowgli Palmer for his assistance rearranging things to accommodate the Fishmonger's material. Shifting boxes is a very important museum skill, and one that will be increasingly important in the coming weeks and months. That's how I started on the long road to curating the collection!
Linda Wilson
CHARTERHOUSE CAVE
On 20th March, Stuart Alldred recently made his first trip into one of Mendip's longest and finest caves, Charterhouse Cave, in company with Andrew Atkinson, Simon Hadfield and Haydon Saunders. Stu's provided a selection of photos to whet everyone's appetite. If you'd like a trip, the UBSS conservation wardens are Andrew Atkinson and Clive Owen.
The squeeze through the old gate.
Left to right: Andrew Atkinson, Simon Hadfield, Stuart Alldred, Haydon Saunders.
On 20th March, Stuart Alldred recently made his first trip into one of Mendip's longest and finest caves, Charterhouse Cave, in company with Andrew Atkinson, Simon Hadfield and Haydon Saunders. Stu's provided a selection of photos to whet everyone's appetite. If you'd like a trip, the UBSS conservation wardens are Andrew Atkinson and Clive Owen.
The squeeze through the old gate.
Left to right: Andrew Atkinson, Simon Hadfield, Stuart Alldred, Haydon Saunders.
All photos by Stuart Alldred
MUD, MUD, AND MORE MUD!
This is just to lull everyone into a false sense of security. Left to right: Andy (Hades CC) David Hardwick, Jess Brock, Joshitha Shivkumar.
Digging season got off to a fine start at Fishmonger's Swallet, with Jess Brock and Joshitha Sivkumar joining Linda Wilson, David Hardwick and Andy (from the Hades CC) for a trip into one of the area's little known but utterly fascinating mud mines where Jess and Joshitha formed a very close realtionship with mud, as Jess relates ...
Joshitha at the bottom of the shaft about to enter Bone Idle Chamber. Photo by Jess.
You wouldn’t expect to find a muddy little archaeology-rich cave behind a house so proudly called the Manor House (equipped with its own outhouses, guest toilet and all). But, there it was! An unassuming hole in a ivy-clad swallet. Dave took off the lid and we all squeezed inside and down a climb until we were met with tons of scaffolding. After we popped out into a low chamber we were told about the archaeological dig and some of the history of the cave.
The bucket marks the spot. Here be bones. The site of the current archaeological dig.
This first chamber, Bone Idle, was filled with rubble and a spattering of concretions. Unfortunately we didn't find any exciting bones. I suspect those pesky archaeologists (aka Bone Thieves) heard we were coming and hid them in a precious alcove devoid of the thick clay we were there for. But bones from this cave can be found in our very own Museum!
Moving on from the introductory chamber, and leaving our overseer Linda behind to take photos and snooze at the top of the shaft, we wiggled through a squeeze quickly gaining mud, though it was no trouble for Joshitha and I and our buckets and tools. Before slithering into Chamber 2 which boasted a ceiling so high our heads were in no danger of bashing stalactites off it.
By now, you're thinking that it's not too muddy ...
Joshitha and I were having a whale of a time - laughing at every chance. We briefly explored the other dig. Though It was almost absurd how we were worming about in slippy mud, quickly losing the colours of our oversuits and turning into mud creatures, all whilst carrying buckets and tools and heading into the unknown of the ‘promising’ dig.
Joshitha begs to differ.
When Linda said "It’ll be muddy", I thought "Okay, yeah, I know mud". Boy, was I wrong. I wasn't shocked by the thick, cloying, slippery, chocolate pudding we crawled through, it was more that with every inch of progress, an inch of mud covered us, weighing us down. As we feverishly dug, the mud pulled at our arms and stuck to the sides of the buckets and tools. As I watched in horror and joy Joshitha and I camouflaged ourselves. It was hard to tell what was mud and what was us!
Joshitha jumped into the hole and dug like a fiend. My job was to put the spoil in a bucket, carry it up a small climb and send it on to the next person. A nifty contraption to help pull the bucket through a small tunnel was a small sled with a knotted rope on either end. When I got to the top of the dig with my bucket full of mud and, if we were lucky, a rock, I would pull the muddy rope and chuck my bucket into the sled and Andy would pull it away.
That might even be a rock in the bucket.
I tried to take pictures but everytime I brought my camera out of its safe neoprene sleeve I coated it in mud. It got so covered it turned into a brick of mud. Every side of it was covered - I had to feel for the buttons and hope it was in focus. Relentlessly I scraped the screen only for more mud to replace it.
Spot the pickaxe.We had to be careful not to lose them in the chocolate mousse!
Barely stopping for breath Joshitha and I clawed at the earth, widening the passage from a hole with only space to lie down, into an airy crouching passage with a solid hard clay floor.
Jositha (left) Jess (right)
After a job well done we were released from our occupation and slithered out, finally at one with the mud.
This is just to lull everyone into a false sense of security. Left to right: Andy (Hades CC) David Hardwick, Jess Brock, Joshitha Shivkumar.
Digging season got off to a fine start at Fishmonger's Swallet, with Jess Brock and Joshitha Sivkumar joining Linda Wilson, David Hardwick and Andy (from the Hades CC) for a trip into one of the area's little known but utterly fascinating mud mines where Jess and Joshitha formed a very close realtionship with mud, as Jess relates ...
Joshitha at the bottom of the shaft about to enter Bone Idle Chamber. Photo by Jess.
You wouldn’t expect to find a muddy little archaeology-rich cave behind a house so proudly called the Manor House (equipped with its own outhouses, guest toilet and all). But, there it was! An unassuming hole in a ivy-clad swallet. Dave took off the lid and we all squeezed inside and down a climb until we were met with tons of scaffolding. After we popped out into a low chamber we were told about the archaeological dig and some of the history of the cave.
The bucket marks the spot. Here be bones. The site of the current archaeological dig.
This first chamber, Bone Idle, was filled with rubble and a spattering of concretions. Unfortunately we didn't find any exciting bones. I suspect those pesky archaeologists (aka Bone Thieves) heard we were coming and hid them in a precious alcove devoid of the thick clay we were there for. But bones from this cave can be found in our very own Museum!
Moving on from the introductory chamber, and leaving our overseer Linda behind to take photos and snooze at the top of the shaft, we wiggled through a squeeze quickly gaining mud, though it was no trouble for Joshitha and I and our buckets and tools. Before slithering into Chamber 2 which boasted a ceiling so high our heads were in no danger of bashing stalactites off it.
By now, you're thinking that it's not too muddy ...
Joshitha and I were having a whale of a time - laughing at every chance. We briefly explored the other dig. Though It was almost absurd how we were worming about in slippy mud, quickly losing the colours of our oversuits and turning into mud creatures, all whilst carrying buckets and tools and heading into the unknown of the ‘promising’ dig.
Joshitha begs to differ.
When Linda said "It’ll be muddy", I thought "Okay, yeah, I know mud". Boy, was I wrong. I wasn't shocked by the thick, cloying, slippery, chocolate pudding we crawled through, it was more that with every inch of progress, an inch of mud covered us, weighing us down. As we feverishly dug, the mud pulled at our arms and stuck to the sides of the buckets and tools. As I watched in horror and joy Joshitha and I camouflaged ourselves. It was hard to tell what was mud and what was us!
Joshitha jumped into the hole and dug like a fiend. My job was to put the spoil in a bucket, carry it up a small climb and send it on to the next person. A nifty contraption to help pull the bucket through a small tunnel was a small sled with a knotted rope on either end. When I got to the top of the dig with my bucket full of mud and, if we were lucky, a rock, I would pull the muddy rope and chuck my bucket into the sled and Andy would pull it away.
That might even be a rock in the bucket.
I tried to take pictures but everytime I brought my camera out of its safe neoprene sleeve I coated it in mud. It got so covered it turned into a brick of mud. Every side of it was covered - I had to feel for the buttons and hope it was in focus. Relentlessly I scraped the screen only for more mud to replace it.
Spot the pickaxe.We had to be careful not to lose them in the chocolate mousse!
Barely stopping for breath Joshitha and I clawed at the earth, widening the passage from a hole with only space to lie down, into an airy crouching passage with a solid hard clay floor.
Jositha (left) Jess (right)
After a job well done we were released from our occupation and slithered out, finally at one with the mud.
Jess Brock
CACTUS SKIN AND CANDLE WAX
Main chamber. Photograph copyright Steve Sharp and used with his kind permission.
The day after the AGM and dinner, Moon Devendra took an impromptu underground dip and shares her experience of one of Bristol's most unusual places.
Caves are typically tiny, enclosed spaces, but Pen Park Hole truly dwarfed me in size. As we walked over to the cave, Clive pointed out the difference between the old and new cave entrances, and mentioned to us that the City Council had blocked the entrance due to the risk it posted to people and animals. As we listened to the story of the clergyman who fell to his death, and having no concept of its gargantuan depth, I wondered how large the cave we were about to go into would actually be, and how far a fall would have to be to kill a man - I associated caves with tight squeezes and slippery climbs, but not huge caverns (something that I hope will change with time, as my SRT skills improve).
The way we got into the cave was fascinating - Clive used the key to open a little hatch inside the incredibly heavy iron door, and mentioned that we’d have to lock the door behind us, to avoid people following us inside (something I’ve personally never had to do before, so I found this an interesting detail). The thickness of the mud, comparable almost to toffee or fudge, coated us as we passed through the entrance, thankful for the plastic crates preventing us from sinking further into it.
As we ventured deeper through the cave, I noticed the texture of the walls was nothing like I’d seen before - it was comparable to cactus skin, jagged and rough, with tiny, discordant nodules of rock and calcite jutting out asymmetrically. Wisps of white, milky stone ran across the walls like waning clouds of smoke, and dog tooth crystals hung threateningly from the ceiling, huge and sharp, while stalactites forlornly dripped, each smooth vein travelling down like wax from a gently burning candle.
I had to remind myself not to hold up the trip by stopping every five minutes to observe the natural beauty of the cave spreading out and revealing itself to me. The ground was littered with calcite crystals - piles and piles of them could be observed around us, a pretty kind of gravel, exacerbating the crunching of our footsteps. As Dan and Clive began to set up the ladders and the pulley system for the pitch, I was truly able to appreciate the sheer scale of the cave unfolding in front of me - it must have been about 50 metres to the ceiling - I felt like an ant. We hadn’t brought a tacklesack, and the consequences of this action quickly caught up to me as I climbed down the 25 metre ladder, grateful for the rudimentary harness (made from slings) and the rope I was attached to. Clouded by intense focus, after exploring the traverse and clinging onto the rope following it for dear life, in all my muddy glory, I didn’t realise that I had hit the large lake at the bottom so soon, and kept climbing down until my waist was submerged in water - at which point the ladder ended and I was flailing around, confused and desperately trying to stay afloat, wondering what was happening to me.
I love outdoor swimming, so it was an oddly enjoyable experience, even in the dark, illuminated only by a headtorch. I managed to gain control of the ladder once more and make my way up, sopping wet, hoping that I didn’t disturb the blind shrimps in the water too much.
This experience was truly amazing - Pen Park Hole is perhaps the most beautiful cave I’ve visited, though my repertoire is short, and I’m grateful to Clive and Dan for letting me come along, and also for Jan Walker, the lovely caver who lives right near it, who sacrificed her bathroom to let us change and wash away the copious layers of mud.
Main chamber. Photograph copyright Steve Sharp and used with his kind permission.
The day after the AGM and dinner, Moon Devendra took an impromptu underground dip and shares her experience of one of Bristol's most unusual places.
Caves are typically tiny, enclosed spaces, but Pen Park Hole truly dwarfed me in size. As we walked over to the cave, Clive pointed out the difference between the old and new cave entrances, and mentioned to us that the City Council had blocked the entrance due to the risk it posted to people and animals. As we listened to the story of the clergyman who fell to his death, and having no concept of its gargantuan depth, I wondered how large the cave we were about to go into would actually be, and how far a fall would have to be to kill a man - I associated caves with tight squeezes and slippery climbs, but not huge caverns (something that I hope will change with time, as my SRT skills improve).
The way we got into the cave was fascinating - Clive used the key to open a little hatch inside the incredibly heavy iron door, and mentioned that we’d have to lock the door behind us, to avoid people following us inside (something I’ve personally never had to do before, so I found this an interesting detail). The thickness of the mud, comparable almost to toffee or fudge, coated us as we passed through the entrance, thankful for the plastic crates preventing us from sinking further into it.
As we ventured deeper through the cave, I noticed the texture of the walls was nothing like I’d seen before - it was comparable to cactus skin, jagged and rough, with tiny, discordant nodules of rock and calcite jutting out asymmetrically. Wisps of white, milky stone ran across the walls like waning clouds of smoke, and dog tooth crystals hung threateningly from the ceiling, huge and sharp, while stalactites forlornly dripped, each smooth vein travelling down like wax from a gently burning candle.
I had to remind myself not to hold up the trip by stopping every five minutes to observe the natural beauty of the cave spreading out and revealing itself to me. The ground was littered with calcite crystals - piles and piles of them could be observed around us, a pretty kind of gravel, exacerbating the crunching of our footsteps. As Dan and Clive began to set up the ladders and the pulley system for the pitch, I was truly able to appreciate the sheer scale of the cave unfolding in front of me - it must have been about 50 metres to the ceiling - I felt like an ant. We hadn’t brought a tacklesack, and the consequences of this action quickly caught up to me as I climbed down the 25 metre ladder, grateful for the rudimentary harness (made from slings) and the rope I was attached to. Clouded by intense focus, after exploring the traverse and clinging onto the rope following it for dear life, in all my muddy glory, I didn’t realise that I had hit the large lake at the bottom so soon, and kept climbing down until my waist was submerged in water - at which point the ladder ended and I was flailing around, confused and desperately trying to stay afloat, wondering what was happening to me.
I love outdoor swimming, so it was an oddly enjoyable experience, even in the dark, illuminated only by a headtorch. I managed to gain control of the ladder once more and make my way up, sopping wet, hoping that I didn’t disturb the blind shrimps in the water too much.
This experience was truly amazing - Pen Park Hole is perhaps the most beautiful cave I’ve visited, though my repertoire is short, and I’m grateful to Clive and Dan for letting me come along, and also for Jan Walker, the lovely caver who lives right near it, who sacrificed her bathroom to let us change and wash away the copious layers of mud.
Moon Devendra
LUCKY FOR SOME
A combined UBSS/BEC crew has proved it is possible to do a decent caving trip on Mendip and still make it to the pub. Stuart Alldred takes up the tale ...
I recently received a text from Joshitha asking if I could lead a trip to the 13 Pots in Eastwater, so at a caving-pancake evening at Hellie and Rob’s house, a trip was quickly organised. On the following Tuesday evening, our hardy crew of BEC veterans and UBSS youngsters, myself, Mike, Rob, Oli and Sioned with Joshitha, Billy and Kenneth, headed off to explore this famed Eastwater classic. Despite UBSS's best efforts to delay leaving Bristol, we met on time at the luxurious (compared to a lay-by) Belfry to get changed, even if it meant a slightly longer walk to the cave.
Following Rob, our route led us in through the infamous Woggle Press and straight down into Dolphin Pot. One of our ropes, meant for a handline on the climb, turned out to be a bit too short, stopping just before the section where it would actually provide any benefit. Thankfully we all managed the climb up and down without any issue. After heading down Muddy Oxbow, we emerged from the depths of the 13 Pots, splitting into smaller groups to get out as quickly as possible.
Left to right: Oli, Mike (BEC), Joshitha, Kenneth, Billy, Rob, Stuart and Sioned (UBSS).
As soon as we were changed we made a beeline to the Hunters' Lodge, and for the first time I’ve been on a caving trip with Billy… we made it before the pub closed!
A combined UBSS/BEC crew has proved it is possible to do a decent caving trip on Mendip and still make it to the pub. Stuart Alldred takes up the tale ...
I recently received a text from Joshitha asking if I could lead a trip to the 13 Pots in Eastwater, so at a caving-pancake evening at Hellie and Rob’s house, a trip was quickly organised. On the following Tuesday evening, our hardy crew of BEC veterans and UBSS youngsters, myself, Mike, Rob, Oli and Sioned with Joshitha, Billy and Kenneth, headed off to explore this famed Eastwater classic. Despite UBSS's best efforts to delay leaving Bristol, we met on time at the luxurious (compared to a lay-by) Belfry to get changed, even if it meant a slightly longer walk to the cave.
Following Rob, our route led us in through the infamous Woggle Press and straight down into Dolphin Pot. One of our ropes, meant for a handline on the climb, turned out to be a bit too short, stopping just before the section where it would actually provide any benefit. Thankfully we all managed the climb up and down without any issue. After heading down Muddy Oxbow, we emerged from the depths of the 13 Pots, splitting into smaller groups to get out as quickly as possible.
Left to right: Oli, Mike (BEC), Joshitha, Kenneth, Billy, Rob, Stuart and Sioned (UBSS).
As soon as we were changed we made a beeline to the Hunters' Lodge, and for the first time I’ve been on a caving trip with Billy… we made it before the pub closed!
Stuart Alldred
JUST HANGIN' AROUND
The 2025 joint trip with UBMC surely necessitated bringing as many recent SRT training graduates down one of Yorkshire's most impressive potholes, right? Climber Joe Bidie tells the tale, with photos by Jess Brock.
After much faff due to dropping people off at Notts 2 and trying to fit 11 people into ten SRT kits, we make it to the Alum parking by 3pm (to Jess’s great amusement). There is brief deliberation on the short walk to the entrance whether we actually have any ropes with us, but we soon realise that with a strong enough desire to be cold and wet, and a creative application of Newton’s law of gravitation, we’re getting to the bottom of Alum’s main hang whether we want to use our Stops or not.
Jess’s group advances to make their way down the Dolly Tubs route, leaving us in the hands of Ben Morgan to find the correct trees that will bring us safely to the bottom. The plan is simple: the groups will meet at the bottom and swap round, ascending the pitches that the other team had rigged. With faith in our great leader, I find myself leaning over the edge of a seemingly endless chasm and soon enough the green fields of the Dales slip away, and the great Jurassic pit consumes me.
A window on the world...
During the descent I see that our considerable faff has kindly allowed the Dolly Tubs team to reach the bottom of their second pitch, where they stare excitedly at the 80-metre rope they are soon to ascend (fun!). I continue past, and join Dylan, Kieran and Shayaan at the bottom of the main hang. It becomes apparent that there were no board games waiting for us in Alum, and even worse - I’ve forgotten my electric blanket. We huddle in the wet where no frivolous touching occurs (promise…), and we solemnly realise it is going to be a while until the other team are all able to descend the remaining pitches and the rope becomes free.
There’s a spark. An idea flickers, and hatches into a plan. Soon enough our brave leader gives me my orders: I am to half ascend the main hang and then be swung across the pot, securing myself onto the traverse line of the other route – effectively overtaking the other group and allowing them to keep descending uninterrupted. Dylan, Shayaan and Kieran follow, and whilst we each try our best, none of us can kick off a rock big enough to kill Ben. The sun starts to set and the other group is yet to all reach the bottom, so some of them abandon the main hang and return up Dolly Tubs with us.
Joshitha and Kenneth are left to ascend the main hang Ben and I leave them, but Joshitha rightly decides that the walk back to the car with only Kenneth for company would be much more dangerous than the trip itself, and decides to join us instead (despite Kenneth’s desperate attempt to stop her). We speedily find our way out of the tubs (which for some reason includes swimming…) bypassing the Cheese Press, and are eventually graced by sweet moonlight and a well-deserved (though uninvited) strip-show from Shayaan. All in all a great time was had with some of UBSS’s newest members, and I’m sure we’ll be back for more soon ;).
The 2025 joint trip with UBMC surely necessitated bringing as many recent SRT training graduates down one of Yorkshire's most impressive potholes, right? Climber Joe Bidie tells the tale, with photos by Jess Brock.
After much faff due to dropping people off at Notts 2 and trying to fit 11 people into ten SRT kits, we make it to the Alum parking by 3pm (to Jess’s great amusement). There is brief deliberation on the short walk to the entrance whether we actually have any ropes with us, but we soon realise that with a strong enough desire to be cold and wet, and a creative application of Newton’s law of gravitation, we’re getting to the bottom of Alum’s main hang whether we want to use our Stops or not.
Jess’s group advances to make their way down the Dolly Tubs route, leaving us in the hands of Ben Morgan to find the correct trees that will bring us safely to the bottom. The plan is simple: the groups will meet at the bottom and swap round, ascending the pitches that the other team had rigged. With faith in our great leader, I find myself leaning over the edge of a seemingly endless chasm and soon enough the green fields of the Dales slip away, and the great Jurassic pit consumes me.
A window on the world...
During the descent I see that our considerable faff has kindly allowed the Dolly Tubs team to reach the bottom of their second pitch, where they stare excitedly at the 80-metre rope they are soon to ascend (fun!). I continue past, and join Dylan, Kieran and Shayaan at the bottom of the main hang. It becomes apparent that there were no board games waiting for us in Alum, and even worse - I’ve forgotten my electric blanket. We huddle in the wet where no frivolous touching occurs (promise…), and we solemnly realise it is going to be a while until the other team are all able to descend the remaining pitches and the rope becomes free.
There’s a spark. An idea flickers, and hatches into a plan. Soon enough our brave leader gives me my orders: I am to half ascend the main hang and then be swung across the pot, securing myself onto the traverse line of the other route – effectively overtaking the other group and allowing them to keep descending uninterrupted. Dylan, Shayaan and Kieran follow, and whilst we each try our best, none of us can kick off a rock big enough to kill Ben. The sun starts to set and the other group is yet to all reach the bottom, so some of them abandon the main hang and return up Dolly Tubs with us.
Joshitha and Kenneth are left to ascend the main hang Ben and I leave them, but Joshitha rightly decides that the walk back to the car with only Kenneth for company would be much more dangerous than the trip itself, and decides to join us instead (despite Kenneth’s desperate attempt to stop her). We speedily find our way out of the tubs (which for some reason includes swimming…) bypassing the Cheese Press, and are eventually graced by sweet moonlight and a well-deserved (though uninvited) strip-show from Shayaan. All in all a great time was had with some of UBSS’s newest members, and I’m sure we’ll be back for more soon ;).
Joe Bidie
CAVING WITH KIDS
Back (left to right): Cara and Ste Hulse, Stuart and Cayley Alldred, Adam and Cat Henry. Front (left to right): Finley, Theo, Jasper, Sammy, Rupert and Eddie.
Start 'em young is a good motto, as our current generation of 'cave babies' will testify. Stuart Alldred would like to confirm that three UBSS familes are now doing exactly that!
Under the grand banner of Eddie and Sammy’s joint birthday weekend at Cat and Adam's, an intrepid band of three families—six fearless youngsters and their equally daring chaperones (Cat and Adam Henry, Cara and Ste Hulse and myself and Cayley) set out on an expedition in Derbyshire destined for legend. With the kids clad in their adventure best, we marched across vast fields where noble horses grazed as if blessing our path, all the while inching closer to the mysterious Marshfeld Mine. There, amidst relics of ancient mining equipment standing as silent sentinels of forgotten times, the stage was set for a journey that defied the mundane.
UBSS, the Next Generation: (left to right) Eddie, Rupert, Jasper, Theo, Sammy and Finley.
Deep in the mine’s shadowy heart, we arrived at the fabled “toilet,” a simple hole in the chamber floor which led to a nearby passage that transformed into a portal of unbridled hilarity. For a glorious half hour, our young heroes engaged in a heroic ballet of daring dives and uproarious, echoing fart noises - a symphony of mischief that will be sung of in family lore for years to come. As if that weren’t enough, the ingenious Cat and Jasper orchestrated a treasure hunt in a nearby chamber, hiding chocolate coins and packets of Haribo like enchanted relics for our brave adventurers to find. Even the dramatic return - accompanied by wind and rain - could not dampen the spirit of our wildly memorable odyssey.
Not long after, back at home in Bristol, upon collecting Jasper from school on Friday, we discovered that he had been entrusted with the noble duty of looking after the class teddy bear, Mr Prickles (so named as he was adopted last year by Year 1 Hedgehogs class). With the echoes of his previous escapade with us during a Father’s Day camping trip with Cat and Adam still fresh in our memories, we knew we needed another adventure of epic proportions! So where better to take him than the mysterious realm of Goatchurch!
Jasper and Mr Prickles followed by Rupert, having fun in Goatchurch.
Despite the cave teeming with scouts, we didn’t find ourselves queueing at any point. Every moment was captured in photos to report back to class, and our impromptu sliding sessions proved to be highly entertaining. Much to Jasper, Rupert and Mr Prickle’s delight, we spotted many sleeping bats nestled in various crevices throughout the underground labyrinth. The boys (and bear) were especially careful, treading softly and with utmost care so as not to disturb them. After emerging from the cave we also spotted several goats high up in the gorge enjoying the sunshine and climbing rocks.
Mr Prickles thoroughly enjoyed his trip and thankfully didn’t get too muddy. He has since helped Jasper build a Lego dinosaur, and is considering a trip to the zoo tomorrow to see his fellow bears.
Stuart Alldred (and Mr Pickles)
Back (left to right): Cara and Ste Hulse, Stuart and Cayley Alldred, Adam and Cat Henry. Front (left to right): Finley, Theo, Jasper, Sammy, Rupert and Eddie.
Start 'em young is a good motto, as our current generation of 'cave babies' will testify. Stuart Alldred would like to confirm that three UBSS familes are now doing exactly that!
Under the grand banner of Eddie and Sammy’s joint birthday weekend at Cat and Adam's, an intrepid band of three families—six fearless youngsters and their equally daring chaperones (Cat and Adam Henry, Cara and Ste Hulse and myself and Cayley) set out on an expedition in Derbyshire destined for legend. With the kids clad in their adventure best, we marched across vast fields where noble horses grazed as if blessing our path, all the while inching closer to the mysterious Marshfeld Mine. There, amidst relics of ancient mining equipment standing as silent sentinels of forgotten times, the stage was set for a journey that defied the mundane.
UBSS, the Next Generation: (left to right) Eddie, Rupert, Jasper, Theo, Sammy and Finley.
Deep in the mine’s shadowy heart, we arrived at the fabled “toilet,” a simple hole in the chamber floor which led to a nearby passage that transformed into a portal of unbridled hilarity. For a glorious half hour, our young heroes engaged in a heroic ballet of daring dives and uproarious, echoing fart noises - a symphony of mischief that will be sung of in family lore for years to come. As if that weren’t enough, the ingenious Cat and Jasper orchestrated a treasure hunt in a nearby chamber, hiding chocolate coins and packets of Haribo like enchanted relics for our brave adventurers to find. Even the dramatic return - accompanied by wind and rain - could not dampen the spirit of our wildly memorable odyssey.
Not long after, back at home in Bristol, upon collecting Jasper from school on Friday, we discovered that he had been entrusted with the noble duty of looking after the class teddy bear, Mr Prickles (so named as he was adopted last year by Year 1 Hedgehogs class). With the echoes of his previous escapade with us during a Father’s Day camping trip with Cat and Adam still fresh in our memories, we knew we needed another adventure of epic proportions! So where better to take him than the mysterious realm of Goatchurch!
Jasper and Mr Prickles followed by Rupert, having fun in Goatchurch.
Despite the cave teeming with scouts, we didn’t find ourselves queueing at any point. Every moment was captured in photos to report back to class, and our impromptu sliding sessions proved to be highly entertaining. Much to Jasper, Rupert and Mr Prickle’s delight, we spotted many sleeping bats nestled in various crevices throughout the underground labyrinth. The boys (and bear) were especially careful, treading softly and with utmost care so as not to disturb them. After emerging from the cave we also spotted several goats high up in the gorge enjoying the sunshine and climbing rocks.
Mr Prickles thoroughly enjoyed his trip and thankfully didn’t get too muddy. He has since helped Jasper build a Lego dinosaur, and is considering a trip to the zoo tomorrow to see his fellow bears.
Stuart Alldred (and Mr Pickles)
MR PRICKLES READ TO THE END, DID YOU?
Thank you as ever to all the wonderful people who make it to the end of our collective ramblings and those who take the time to use the clickable link to let you know you got there! We're once again offering a prize to the first student caver to scamper here and drop us a line! We're also happy to include WhatsApp comments and likes in this round-up. If you want to get in touch with us you can either use the link at the end or alternative reply direct to the newsletter itself and that will come through to us. As ever, it's been a pleasure, and thank you al for the contributions!
- Well done indeed to both Peter Burgess and Graham Mullan for some excellent research ... [Chris Howes]
- Super newsletter, as always. The trips sounded fab (if a bit too squeezy for me on a couple!), and the historical notes were fascinating. [Jan Walker]
- :) [Dan Runcan]
- *Eyes you very beadily* Got to have standards - and inverted sentences are spawn of the devil! Cracking range of pieces this month. Good luck with the poem, Billy. And very interesting to read about the newsletter's history. [An ailing Sharon Wheeler and the saintly FT Bear]
- Good read as always. I particularly liked Graham's newsletter history. [Bob Churcher]
- Hello Frederica. Another nice one (as usual). Keep it going! [Hans Friederich]
- Great article by Dan on the trip to Swildon’s 9. Chris Smart and I did it several times. I have no memory of a squeeze in 6 but I was slimmer then. I was one of the first through S4 after the water chamber had a big collapse and the sump was a shock, full of washed down debris. I had to burrow through it. Not nice. Full of cowsh too. Dan, your next challenge is Bridge Cave, it’s big, roomy, pretty pink tubifex on the walls and fish wondering what you are doing. Prep well so you are confident you can do the distance plus a good margin and take a diver in attendance in case you do need to buddy breathe. Chris took Richard Baldock and I took Tony. After going through accompanying Chris, Richard came back, dumped his gear and did the free dive. Happy days. [Dick Willis]
- Great newsletter [Ben Morgan]
Hello, Mr Prickles, great to meet you!
THE END
Thank you as ever to all the wonderful people who make it to the end of our collective ramblings and those who take the time to use the clickable link to let you know you got there! We're once again offering a prize to the first student caver to scamper here and drop us a line! We're also happy to include WhatsApp comments and likes in this round-up. If you want to get in touch with us you can either use the link at the end or alternative reply direct to the newsletter itself and that will come through to us. As ever, it's been a pleasure, and thank you al for the contributions!
- Well done indeed to both Peter Burgess and Graham Mullan for some excellent research ... [Chris Howes]
- Super newsletter, as always. The trips sounded fab (if a bit too squeezy for me on a couple!), and the historical notes were fascinating. [Jan Walker]
- :) [Dan Runcan]
- *Eyes you very beadily* Got to have standards - and inverted sentences are spawn of the devil! Cracking range of pieces this month. Good luck with the poem, Billy. And very interesting to read about the newsletter's history. [An ailing Sharon Wheeler and the saintly FT Bear]
- Good read as always. I particularly liked Graham's newsletter history. [Bob Churcher]
- Hello Frederica. Another nice one (as usual). Keep it going! [Hans Friederich]
- Great article by Dan on the trip to Swildon’s 9. Chris Smart and I did it several times. I have no memory of a squeeze in 6 but I was slimmer then. I was one of the first through S4 after the water chamber had a big collapse and the sump was a shock, full of washed down debris. I had to burrow through it. Not nice. Full of cowsh too. Dan, your next challenge is Bridge Cave, it’s big, roomy, pretty pink tubifex on the walls and fish wondering what you are doing. Prep well so you are confident you can do the distance plus a good margin and take a diver in attendance in case you do need to buddy breathe. Chris took Richard Baldock and I took Tony. After going through accompanying Chris, Richard came back, dumped his gear and did the free dive. Happy days. [Dick Willis]
- Great newsletter [Ben Morgan]
Hello, Mr Prickles, great to meet you!
THE END