UBSS Monthly Newsletter

Header photo by Mark Tringham taken in Ogof Dydd Byraf, North Wales. Many thanks to Mark for supplying a selection of his excellent photos for us!

Welcome to the first newsletter of 2021!

This is the start of our third year running a monthly online newsletter and we're proud to say that we've not missed and issue and we've not run short of content thanks to the collective efforts of members young and old! We've gathered numerous contributions to our 100 Memories project, which is a reminder that we must do a count to see how far we've got with this. We also still need to go through past issues and do a contents list for each issue. Any volunteers to help with this would be welcomed with open (socially distanced) arms. Please keep your contributions coming, long or short, and we're very grateful for any photos as well!

Ian Wheeler, who provided an excellent tale of his student days, has also told us that his contemporary in the club, former student committee member Rupert Hay-Campbell, was awarded an MBE in the New Year's Honours List. Congratulations to Rupert!

We're still in lockdown and that doesn't look like changing any time soon, so we're now planning a Zoom AGM on 13th March, see below for more details, and sadly our annual dinner will need to be postponed until we can gather in person again. In the meantime, we hope all our members will stay healthy and safe in 2021.

The Tuesday evening quiz and pub nights has taken an increasingly inventive and interactive turn, with the use of Jamboard. Contestants cottoned on quickly to how to use it, after some initial faff, and you can see some of the results below. Warning, one of the entries in the Draw Your Own Cave round took a somewhat surreal and not entirely safe for work turn, so those of a sensitive disposition might want to avert their eyes. Thanks to Megan Malpas and her minions for keeping this going for so long! Keep an eye on Facebook for details but if you're not on there and would like to come along, let us know and we'll get the links for the Zoom calls sent over to you.

Everyone is going through difficult times and if any member - new or old - is struggling with anything and wants a listening ear, remember that UBSS is a supportive community that is always here to help. So drop us a line if you'd ever like to chat!

Back issues of the newsletter can be found here.

Linda and Mia

CAVE HUNTING IN THE AVON GORGE

Linda in the cave formerly known as Observatory Cave. It's bigger inside than it looks, honest, guv.
With caving opportunities limited in lockdown, members have been doing some exploring within the city limits, as Zac Woodford relates.

On Friday the 22^nd January, Merryn and I went for a proper mid-exam stomp through the Avon Gorge for a good bit of cave hunting. That morning, I had sat one of the worst exams of my life and so was happy for an outdoor break. After a hurried lunch, I scurried over to the Observatory. It was a beautiful day, the views from the observatory were incredible, with clear blue skies atop grey-green woods overlooking a swollen brown river.

Meeting Merryn at 2pm, we began our list of caves with a peep in Linda’s Raccoon Hole before descending into the gorge, passing the Clifton Rocks Railway on the way. We then passed the bridge tunnel, crossed the Portway and jumped the gate to gain access to the wilderness outside Bridge Cave (also known as Lower Cave). Of all the caves we visited that day, it was the best being deep, dark and full of stal. We then scrambled the natural rock steps to get to upper cave before fruitlessly searching for the purported “Bin Laden’s Cave”.

Merryn pointing at Upper Cave, unsurprisingly located above Lower Cave (aka Bridge Cave).
We then moved along the Portway to the former quarry in the hunt for Mercavity and Percavity. We swiftly identified their position on the cliff face but had second thoughts about being able to reach them until we found the natural ramp that made the path up to them less of a desperate scramble and more of a strenuous hike. We quickly reached Percavity but it took some creative maneuvering and maybe more idiocy than bravery to climb into the mouth of Mercavity. We then looked for Mouse Cave but didn’t find it.

Interior of Mercavity Cave.
We both intend to return to the gorge but the west side to explore the potential of Leigh Woods guided by Somerset Underground.

Zac Woodford

THINGS TO DO IN LOCKDOWN VOLUME 53

Yep, still locked down, still going crazy over lack of caving, so over to Kat Osei-Mensah for some tree-talk ...

SRTreeing

Note the arty angle!
Guilty about leaving our local area to cave, too scared to attempt the 20m climb up Avon Gorge to access our local caves (Kat), and awash with shiny new Christmas caving gear (Jakob), we’ve resorted to scratching the speleological itch the only way left to us. SRTree.

Jakob found us a suitable tree on the Downs, I blew the dust of my old climbing rope (once I figured out I could wiggle under rocks, climbing up them got a bit dull), and we set off in wellies and helmets to get some ropework practice in.

Once the rope was set up it was a fairly simple activity; one person used ascenders to climb up the rope, reach the top, switch gear, and come down, while the other tried to ignore the stares from passers by and petted any dog who came close. Then we swapped. Over and over, ad infinitum. Frankly, we don’t have much else to do. If you go at night it even feels a bit like a cave, more so in the rain. I highly recommend a spot of SRTree as your legally allowed once-daily exercise.

Kat Osei-Mensah

CAVING: GIVE IT A GO!

Our SU Give it a Go event is at 7:30pm Wednesday the 10^th of February.

Current students will be chatting about their experience in the club, crazy adventures, and upcoming plans. All students are welcome, whether you've caved with us before or are totally fresh and want to find out what it's like.

We want as many newbies as possible, so please invite friends and flatmates who might be interested in getting underground.

Sign up is on the SU webpage.

A zoom link will be posted on the FB page nearer the time. Be sure to click going on the event if you’re interested.

YAY CAVING!!!

Merryn Matthews

UBSS ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING AND TALK

Due to ongoing Plague Times, UBSS will be holding its first virtual AGM on Zoom on Saturday 13th March 2021.

The AGM will open at 7pm and will start at 7.15pm to allow for the usual faff of people turning up late. The talk will start at 8.15pm and will be followed by virtual drinks and chat in breakout rooms set up as 'tables'. You'll be able to wander from table to table as you would be able to to do at an in-person dinner, but bring your own drinks and snacks. And please feel free to dress up if you want!

The talk after the AGM will be given by Rick Stanton of Thai Cave Rescue Fame. Rick will be talking about his journey from student caver to international superstar when the world was gripped for days by the story of 12 children and their football coach trapped by flood waters in a cave in Thailand.

Their chances of rescue were vanishingly small, but thanks to Rick Stanton, John Volanthen and a team of divers from the UK, Belgium and Australia, the boys and their coach were all brought out of the cave safely in a rescue that almost defied belief. When Rick gave a talk about this at Hidden Earth on Mendip, the huge lecture theatre was packed and he received a massive standing ovation at the end.

This is your chance to hear first hand how the rescue was carried out. Rick's autobiography, Aquanaut, is being published this summer and a Hollywood film is in the works starring some very well-known actors. The talk isn't being recorded (for copyright reasons) so it's a case of be there or be square!

To add a small frisson of potential faff to the proceedings, Rick will be giving the talk from a hotel room in Australia where he'll be in quarantine having flown over for the start of the filming. What could possibly go wrong? The Zoom link will be sent out nearer the time. The timings have been set as Rick will be approximately 12 hours ahead of the UK, and even so will be getting up very early for the talk.

In the event of total techno failure between us and Down Under, the committee will re-enact the Thai rescue by means of interpretative song and dance.

COMMITTEE AND VOTING MEMBER ELECTIONS 2021

This year, for the first time following the introduction of the new constitution at the EGM in November, one of the first items of business will need to the vote on which non-student members will have a vote for the year. Student President, Merryn Matthews explains ...

This year, following the introduction of the new constitution at the EGM in November, we will need to elect which non-student members have a vote for the year. We also need to elect our committee members.

As required by the Students' Union, non-student voting membership is - in simple terms - one half of the student membership, which means that for the period from the 2021 AGM to the 2022 AGM, we will need to elect 16 voting alumni.

Non-student voting positions to be filled:

Committee:

Hon Prezz
Hon Vice Prezz (we currently have four but under the constitution, only one can vote at any one time)
Hon treasurer
Non- student committee reps (typically 2)

Non-Committee:

11 other voting members (elected by those members present at the AGM).

These members will then hold the vote for the AGM and any EGMs that occur during the year – so it isn’t an onerous position.

The members present at the AGM elect the voting members each AGM, and act as a (non-binding) advisory body, with the committee handling the general society affairs.

If you are interested in being a voting member or running for the non-student committee posts, please contact me, Merryn Matthews (student President). Please only do this if you plan on attending AGM! We will hold a vote if there are more applicants than positions, or ‘voluntell’ people if no one applies.

Student positions:

Freshers!!! We are keen for any students new to the club to be on committee, even if you have not had much chance to go caving this year. It’s a great way to be more involved in the club and have a say in the kind of socials and trips you’d like next year. If you’re interested please get in touch, and I’ll be happy to go through what’s involved!

Similarly, if any current student members have a preference for a committee role (it can be one you already have), please let me know.

We are looking for seven student members for the committee.

Student president
Student treasurer
Equality officer
Other

Our ‘other’ roles are decided after the AGM and can be shared between members if needed. They usually include: Social Sec(s), Tackle Warden, Student newsletter editor, Student museum curator.

Contact me on messenger or by email:

Merryn Matthews, Student President

FASHION CORNER

Whatley Mammoth models his buff.
We now have UBSS buffs for sale, featuring a design by the incredibly talented Eleanor Conole! Many thanks to Sioned Haughton for organising these.

Buffs. No, you're not drunk. In the black one, the design runs horizontally, in the mammoth ochre and grey, the design is on a slant. The mammoth russet is more ochre coloured than it looks in this photo.

They're great to wear, both overground and underground, and these are available in three colours: black, grey and mammoth ochre. Each buff costs £5.50 (plus postage). Postage for one/two buffs is £1.29 rising to £1.83 for three. And if you buy three, we're throwing in a free UBSS keyring torch.

Buy now while stocks last! Only four left available in black so first come, first served. Please give a second choice if you're after black, in case we run out. If you'd like to place an order, click this link!

DOWN AND AWAY TO MENDIP

"Over and under hill we go, to caves GB, Rhino so large they make your head go round and round and down" G.B. Main Chamber.

Song writing is a long and honourable tradition in the club. Some songs are new words to existing tunes and some are wholly new. Zac Woodford joins the ranks of UBSS songwriters with Down and Away to Mendip, which he performed for the first time at the weekly pub quiz to popular acclaim, winning the song writing round hands down! The tune is a catch sea shanty style, which we hope to be able to provide as an audio rendition at some point.

Now caves for show
Wookey, Cheddar so
Boring we find thee
We’ve come for adventure thrills, and more
Below Mendip’s hills

(chorus)
Down and away to Mendip’s hills
We travel now for slips and thrills
We go in search of dark and mud
In the name of speleology

We travel now in the Combe by light
To find places oh so tight
Pierre’s, Sidcot, Bath and Rod’s
But Goatchurch we say nay

[Chorus]

Over and under hill we go
To caves GB, Rhino so
Large they make your head go
Round and round and down

[Chorus]

After a night of drink and more
Down Swindon’s we do implore
You go and clean your suit and all
Before you pack and leave

Down and away from Mendip’s hills
We’ve travelled now for slips and thrills
We went in search of dark and mud
In the name of speleology

MUD STORY

Lyrics by Elaine Oliver, and sung by her in a socially distanced manner in the entrance passage of Goatchurch before the current lockdown. With apologies to TayTay.

Listen to Mud Story

We were both clean when I first saw you –
I close my eyes and the flashback starts:
I'm standing there
By the entrance in the summer air.

See the lights, see the wellies, the coiled ropes,
See you make your way through the cows
And say "Hello."
Little did I know ...

That you weren’t from my club, you were a direct member,
And my second said, "Stay away from Juliet."
And I was crying on the pitch head
Begging you, "Please don't go."
And I said,

"Speleo’, take me somewhere we can crawl around,
I'll be waiting, I just wanna get underground
You'll rig the cave and I’ll herd the freshers –
It's a mud story – baby, just say 'Yes'."

So, I sneak out to the Hunters to see you –
Order a pasta and a pint or two,
And close your eyes.
Escape this club for a little while.
Oh, oh.

'Cause you’re a speleo’ and I love to go caving,
but my second said, "Stay away from Juliet."
I was lying in the streamway,
Begging you, "Please don't go!"
And I said,

"Speleo’, take me somewhere we can crawl around,
I'll be waiting, I just wanna get underground
You'll rig the cave and I’ll herd the freshers –
It's a mud story – baby, just say 'Yes'."

Speleo’, save me – they're trying to tell me where to cave.
This mud is slippery, but it's real.
Don't be afraid, we'll make it out of this mess.
It's a mud story – baby, just say 'Yes'."

Oh, oh, oh.

I got tired of waiting,
Wondering if you were gonna get underground.
My faith in you was fading,
When I met you on the Swildon’s Short Round,
And I said,

"Speleo’, save me. I've been feeling so alone.
I keep waiting for you, but you never come.
Is this in my head? I don't know what to say."
He knelt to the ground and pulled out a survey –

"Come with me, Juliet – you'll never have to rig alone.
I love caves, and that's all I really know.
I talked to your club, we’ve read up on access –
It's a mud story – baby, just say 'Yes'."

Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh.

'Cause we were both clean when I first saw you.

THE GREAT MIND-BLOWING UBSS INTERACTIVE QUIZZES

As this says, the challenge was to fill in the gaps on this survey of a well-known Mendip cave. Could you navigate Swildon's with the aid of this survey?

Thanks to Si Hadfield introducing Jamboard to quiz nights, things suddenly got interactive, challenging and artistic. Yes, we meant what we said, artistic!

This is what happens when you ask people to draw a survey of OFD after looking at the original for 15 seconds. Do feel free to try this at home and send in the results!

Participants have had had their survey knowledge tested by having to fill in the gaps in surveys and also draw surveys from memory after being shown them from times ranging from 30 seconds to 10 seconds. Trust us, it's a hell of a lot harder than it sounds! See above for one team's attempt.

And then there was the art interpretation round...

In 2nd place, Goblin Art 1, mostly by Jakob Annerdal. The mink was thought to look a bit like a corgi.

There was also a challenge to create a piece of art from a computer generated description. Each team can collaborate direct on screen to produce their finished result, some of which we present here for your admiration and delight.

In 1st place, Goblin Art 2, mostly by the Pezz. Elaine's mink was felt to look a bit like a cat, and there was a long debate about whether the style was unoriginal enough to meet the prompt.

And now, the part you've all be waiting for, the challenge to draw your own survey. You'll see that both teams took this very seriously.

In 2nd place, we have the very impressive Prehistoric Pot (above) but in first place (those of a sensitive disposition should now avert their eyes!) we have, from an original idea by Si Hadfield, who squawked like a parrot when he realised the rest of his team had taken him at his word and promptly started drawing .... drum roll ....

This artistically drawn survey was judged the winner by its ability to stun both the opposing team and the judge, question setter Zac Woodford, into silence. The winning team felt this was in appreciation of their work of genius. Si was heard to bleat that he wouldn't be blamed! But naturally, he was. The copyright in the Polnaporna survey is vested in Si, Mia, Merryn, Linda and Henry who intend to fiercely guard their intellectual property.

Many thanks to Si, Zac and Elaine for their Jamboard quizzes!

COTSWOLD OUTDOORS DISCOUNT SCHEME

Cotswold Outdoors have offered a 15% discount to UBSS members who sign up up for their up to their free Explore More benefits scheme. You can view the benefits and sign up for free to Explore More.

This can be used in any of their stores and online across all three of their brands; Cotswold Outdoor, Snow+Rock and Runners Need.

To obtain the code, email Student President Merryn Matthews. Remember, this is for your personal use only and must not be passed on to non-members. The code expires at the end of March 2021. They will review the usage at this point and confirm if they are going to extend the code for longer.

PHOTO CORNER - PANT MAWR POT

Photo courtesy of Mark Tringham.

The answer to where was this photo taken was supplied by the photographer, Mark Tringham, who reveals that this is a photo of Jenny Lawrence in the main passage of Pant Mwr Pot in South Wales. Thanks, Mark!

THE TWELVE DAYS OF BRISMAS - THE ANSWERS!

Day 12, the Prezz in the Lobster Pot in Sidcot Swallet.

Many thanks to our wonderful Prezz and her minions for a vastly entertaining competition over the Christmas period! There was much scratching of heads and wild guesses, but our former student members proved that their knowledge of Burrington caves isn't a patch on that of the current students, so over to Elaine ...

It's the announcement you've all been waiting for - where WERE all those photos taken, and who's our most knowledgeable/internet-addicted caver?

Competition for the top spot was tighter than the Pierre's Slot, with the winner becoming clear only on the very final day! In the end, it was Henry who emerged victorious, blinking in the light of a Fenix on full beam. He wins a bottle of the finest port for his efforts! Big shout out to Jacob and Mia who were so very close, and Simon for patiently helping me stand on my head and making sure my hat was looking its best!

The Answers:

1. Read's Cavern, Main Chamber
2. Pierre's Pot, the Slot
3. Lionel's Hole, dropping down at the end of the Traverse. I thought this was the Sandwich Boulder (hence the sideways pose) but it turns out that's in a completely different part of the cave.
4. Rod's Pot, Main Chamber (Wedding Cake formation)
5. Bos Swallet, chamber below the first pitch
6. Bath Swallet, Shower Pot pitch head
7. Drunkard's Hole, rift below the pitch
8. Goatchurch, end of the Drainpipe looking back
9. Foxes Hole (aka Plumley's Den)
10. Rowberrow Cavern
11. East Twin Swallet
12. Sidcot Swallet, the Lobster Pot

Hope you enjoyed this as much as I did - I'm looking forward to seeing you all in person and going "properly" caving again after all this is over!

All the best,
Prez

NIGHTINGALE VALLEY CAVE - MUDDY BUMS AND MUDDY THUMBS

The moment we found the cave!
Copies of the Bristol volume of Somerset Underground are soaring due to lockdown, with Mia and Si venturing over to the last great unexplored wilderness, as Mia relates ...

A trek around Bristol with copies of Somerset Underground has proven to be a perfect way to spend a Saturday in lockdown. After a sweaty cycle up Rownham Hill with my thickest and fluffiest thermals, I met Si at the woods side of Clifton Suspension Bridge. Rounding the first corner of the ascent that I thought I'd just finished, it dawned on me that it does not have a similar gradient to Park Street and I might just stick with the long way for now.

We also had some fun on this hollow tree. We could go caving inside it and set up a den but it was scary.

We entered Leigh Woods at the usual bit with the paths, where we soon veered off in search of our cave. Taking a diagonal route up the steep valley, we disappeared into the trees, and the hikers below shrank into colourful little blobs of wooly hats and down coats.

The cave hunt was a very fun combination of scrambling and 'bouldering' on loose earth that gave way to some slips and slides. On one part of our adventure we were even communicating to one another by both tribal and phone calls when we split up.

Your devoted editor.
Sufficiently at one with nature, Si with his twiggy beard and myself with a streaky brown behind, we located our cave with great joy. We relished in the Large Chamber, scaling the walls to peek down the tube where a Dead Thing lay, and took in a great view of the gorge from the Large Entrance. We deemed it an appropriate spot for potential bivvying.

Mia Jacobs

WOOD IT WORK? YES, IT DID!

Jakob (left), Haydon (right), Kat (behind the camera).
With fears that the the rot at the front of the hut was getting considerably worse, and with volunteering an allowable activity in lockdown, a small, socially distanced group gathered for some essential maintenance work at the hut, as Kat explains...

The big windowsill on the hut has long been rotting away and, seizing a rare legal and valid reason to leave the house during lockdown, this weekend Haydon rallied Jakob and I to go and do something about it.

Never has DIY been greeted with such excitement. On removing the windowsill, we found the wood underneath was rotten. On removing that, we found the posts supporting the top of the window were also rotten. Graham very graciously did a B&Q run to bring us the extra wood we would need and then we set about replacing the whole window framing. This mostly looked like Haydon and Jakob hacking, sawing, and prising things off the hut. Meanwhile, I hid in the drying room and did my best not to breathe while covering all of the things in creosote.

After a fortifying round of tea/beer while the creosote kind of dried we then reassembled the front of the hut. At some point, Haydon managed to put his foot through a fully rotten floorboard by the window. Sadly this will necessitate another mending trip before the lockdown is over.

Huge thanks to Graham for saving me from a jaunt down the A38 with six planks hanging out of my tiny Skoda. [Editor's note: This also proved that Facebook messaging and calls can be made to work from the hut!]

Kat Osei-Mensah

LETTER TO THE EDITORS

Sally Britton sent a short note on the subject of our New Year rituals, which we're recording here for posterity.

Happy New Year.

I have a memory of not doing Hish Hash Hosh outside the hut but actually all heading up the hill in the direction of Blackdown - not sure we made it right to the top, but somewhere in that sort of direction so that (I guess) we could see clearly in all four directions (or could have done if we had drunk less). I think Oliver was probably organising us. No idea how we made it back to the hut.

Sally

MYSTERY MAN READ TO THE END, NOW IT'S YOUR TURN!

So, the results are in of the 2020 I Read To The End Competition .... drum roll .... on the first count we ended up with a tie between fast readers Megan Malpas and Andy Farrant, so it was necessary to take into account the number of second and third places, which meant that our wonderful student social secretary, the quiz queen herself, Megan Malpas is our winner for the year, and can claim a wonderful UBSS buff in a colour of her choice!! Congratulations to a worthy winner!

Honourable mentions go to other monthly winners: Ian Wheeler, Ash Gregg, Sharon Wheeler, The Prezz, Henry Morgan and Chris Howes!

And last month's winner was past president Bob Churcher! With Ian Wheeler claiming a very respectable win in the Last to Read to the End stakes.

- [-] (Bob Churcher) (Editors: still a man of few words by email.)

- I read to the end, and I startled the cat with my howls of laughter at former Hon Sec Ian Wheeler’s story! (Jan Walker)

- Yep, a fine ending again, to a bad year and a great newsletter. The record of what happens at New Year really should be preserved in a more permanent form in Proceedings, no matter that it isn’t that series. (Chris Howes) (Editors: great idea. After a bit more research, we'll aim to write something up.)

- And now to colour in a mammoth. (The Prezz)

- As ever a great read, although I don’t recall turning the Singing River green…! (Andy Farrant) (Editors: he then followed this with " It might have been me, there was some Fluorescein in the tackle store at about that time; I remember unsuccessfully trying to trace GB to try and prove inlets in Gough’s. My memory is not what it was! ")

- I’m writing this instead of studying for my exams. I also have not yet read to the end. (Megan Malpas)

- WASSUP! (Zac Woodford)

- I did after a long day of online teaching! Really enjoyed Ian’s story, Thanks for such a great read. (Kat Osei-Mensah)

- Thank you for a great read! I read to the end in the cold, old house to which we have recently moved in the Scottish Borders. Do I have to give bunny a name? “Rabbit”. (Eve Gilmore)

- Read to the end. Me. (Dick Willis)

- No, but I have read this one. Very pleased that the re-arrangement of heating in the stables has given us an unexpected 8m of extra filing space for back numbers of Proceedings. Thanks to Jan Walker for help as it was definitely a 2 person job. Now to search for September's. (Tony Boycott) (Editors: we did re-send September's to him!)

- Ooooh, so I get a prize from last time for being a day late and a dollar short because of totally legit work shit-shovelling! The blessed FT and I have read to the end this time as well and particularly enjoyed the story on the new year rituals, which we were sorry to miss. Huge thanks and kudos go to the editors and their minions for producing such fabulous and entertaining newsletters all through the year. (Sharon Wheeler)

- I have decided to try for the double whammy and go for the late reader prize, though I suspect I should have kept my powder dry for another 10 days or so. (Ian Wheeler) (Editors: Good timing! It was a win for Ian!)

Now, who read to the end this time? Late entries accepted! For those new to the game, there will be a splendid prize for the first person to read to the end and tell us that you did!

THE END