This month we again have a larger B.B. with a caving article
(by a well known climber) a climbing article (by the Caving Secretary) and an
article on a rescue operation (practice) in Cuthberts. As usual, we have Stalagmite’s comments on
the Mendip scene in addition to the above. This goes to show that we have got some people in club who can both do
things and write about them afterwards. We even have a small surplus of material this month ready for the July
B.B. There are still some areas in which
work goes on conducted apparently by illiterate members. If you have done anything worth recording in
the B.B. why not let us know?
Alfie
Contents
Annual Dinner
The question of entertainments for this year’s Annual Dinner
is beginning to puzzle the Committee once again. Some members, so we hear, would like a
photographic competition to be held again. Others, perhaps, would like something new or even nothing at all. PLEASE let any committee member know if you
have any ideas on the subject. The
B.E.C. Annual Dinner usually goes down well, but much depends on what YOU would
like to do after the actual grub part is over. This is YOUR chance to help decide!
There will be a Caving Meet to the
area on the Weekend of July 13/l4 with the Gloucester Speleological Society as
hosts. An organised skittles match and
beer up will occur on the Saturday night at a hostelry to be chosen by our
hosts. Would all those interested please
contact the Caving Secretary C.A. Marriott, 718,
British Speleological Association 1963 Conference & Exhibition.
Bob Bagshaw hopes to attend this at
from Saturday 10th August to Monday 12th August. He is willing to take passengers by
arrangement. Conference includes slide
shows, visits to caves, films etc. Apply
to Bob for details.
Cave Research Group 1963 Southern Meeting.
This will be held at 5.0 pm at the Church House, Lion St,
Brecon on Saturday 29th June 1963. Contact Bob Bagshaw for further details.
Aggy Aggy Meet
by “Kangy” King.
Ogof Agen Allwedd is that very large cave in
Llangattwg, a few miles from Abergavenny. Vital statistic wise, its underground passages undermine an area
equivalent to the quadrilateral formed by Priddy – Priddy Nine Barrows – Stock
hill and the Hunters. The present length
of passage is reputed to be ten miles or so, mostly horizontal, which is the
way exploratory parties tend to finish. The recent increase in these statistics has only been obtained by
organising trips on expedition lines and spending many days underground. The cave entrance series has been explored
since 1946 but it was not until 1957 that the huge Main Passage was discovered,
since when the known mileage has increased steadily.
The B.E.C., unfortunately, has not been active in Aggy Aggy
and has only made the occasional tourist trip over the last five years. The recent meet in Llangattock quarries
proved to be the most successful of all, largely because this time, we had the
considerable assistance of The Chelsea Speleological society in a guiding
capacity. The majority of the party
arrived at the most beautiful and convenient scarp edge of the Llangattock
nature reserve during Friday night. Their anticipated early Saturday start was delayed by further arrivals
during the morning. With domestic
arrangements in hand, two groups were assembled. The first, of
the Franklins and Kangy entered first on what was intended to be the longer
trip. The second group was Joan Bennett,
Tony Wring, Ray Ball and his mate. Later
– much later – Mighty Man Sandall turned up with Norman Petty, two prospective
members, Pete Scott and the decorative Noreen. Sandall, as in past years, intended to find his way to the Turkey Pool,
though how he proposed to reach it via the mile and a quarter Southern Stream
Passage only he can tell. Incidentally,
the Shepton Mallet Journal No 5 (now on sale!) describes the diving of the downstream
sump at the end of this passage.
For the convenience of the reader, a diagram of the main,
layout of the cave is given below. For
the more interested, there is, in the club library, a copy of publication No 10
of the C.R.G. entitled Ogof Agen Allwedd.
The first group to enter (that containing our Hon. Caving
Sec.) was probably the most fortunate, in that at Easter a connection was made
between the Coal Cellar Passage and Midsummer. This enabled a grand tour to be made. The route was through the entrance passages and the Main Stream to the
Coal Cellar, into Summertime Series and then out via Turkey Series and the Main
Stream. This took nine jog trotting
hours. Highlights seen must be seen to
be believed!
It is possible to feel several ways about Aggy. There is the feeling of tedium – the endless
jogging through identical passages, the half mile sideways walk with little
room to enjoy the occasional blissful rotation of the neck, the stooping
passages too low to walk and too tall to crawl and endless. There is the feeling of awe as, after the
numbness of endless passage, comes the startling realisation of immense
space. Especially in St. Pauls Passage
there is this feeling as, stumbling along intent on boulder hopping, yet eyes
lifted and strained against the darkness of a vast hall, the architectural dome
of St. Pauls is reached. This is a
marvellous place and tedium is forgotten. Later, when a trip is over and the cuts and bruises have faded with the
memory of the pain of the sharp stones in the crawls, there is another feeling
or perhaps a satisfaction and that I suppose is why Agen Allwedd will be well
worth visiting again.
Our thanks are due the C.S.S. for a fine trip.
Weekend On The Dewerstone
by “Mo” Marriott.
The Dewerstone rocks are situated in the thickly wooded
valley of the river Plym on the South West edge of Dartmoor (N.G.R. 538638). They are near the
from Tavistock (ten miles) or
(eight miles). The Dewerstone is a
granite outcrop composed of a group of ribs, buttresses and one or two small
pinnacles, offering climbs of up to two hundred feet in length. There are also one or two small isolated towers
of granite in the same valley, and a few small outcrops at the top of some of
the tors.
The party that finally congregated at the pleasant camp site
near
with Dorothy Waddon and family, Dave Quicke and family, Kangy” King and
family, Tony Dunn and family (staying near Tavistock) plus Roy and Joan Bennett
and myself. The climbing party consisted
of Bennett, King and Marriott with Dave Quicke joining us on several
occasions. The Saturday afternoon saw B.
K. and M. setting off with great intentions who, after a quick look at the main
face of Devil’s Rock (and deciding to leave it well alone!) launched themselves
at Pinnacle Buttress (v.diff.) However,
after the previous weeks of practice on the somewhat delicate subtleties of the
comparatively holdless granite came as rather a rude shock. After Pinnacle Buttress the climbing was
continued with the short severe traverse of “Suspension Wall” high up
on the main face, finishing on Devil’s Rock. From the top, of Devil’s Rock, the upper buttresses were visible – a few
hundred yards up the valley -the left one showing a well defined steep
arête. After examining this arête from a
distance, we decided to cross the wooded gully between the outcrop and have a
closer look at this climb. The climb
proved to be steep and exposed, though not difficult, probably one of the best
long routes in the area which is not more than severe. This completed the climbing for the day and
we returned to the campsite.
The next morning, B. K. and M. returned to Needle Arête with
the purpose of obtaining a cine film record of the climb. Roy and I roped up for the climb while Kangy
perched himself precariously ready to film the epic ascent. About two and a half hours later, and having
ascended and descended the climb at least three times, the epic was
complete. In the finished film the climb
takes about three minutes. Nevertheless,
the result was surprisingly successful in view of the difficulty of access to
the climb and the high wind that was blowing at the time. At this point,
valley with Joan, while Kangy and I moved up to the Right Upper Buttress where
a rather unsuccessful two hours followed. Two abortive attempts were made at climbs, one of which ended at the
foot of a fierce open corner, and the other when a vital piton was found to be
missing (“Armada”). We
returned to the foot of Devil’s Rock, where we were joined by Roy Bennett and
Dave Quicke. The two pairs then ascended
Colonel’s Arête and Reverse Cleft – both v.diff. – and returned to camp.
On the final day, the previously brilliant weather showed
signs of breaking up, but undaunted, B. K. and. M. returned to Devil’s Rock and
proceeded to attack “Route B” (v’.diff). The upper pitches of this climb were very
entertaining, the final rib being straightforward though astonishingly
exposed. The last member of the party
completed this part of the climb in steady rain. In order to keep reasonably dry we decided to
drop down to a small outcrop buried in the woods and tackle some short severe
problems in the shelter of the trees. There followed two hilarious hours. The first antic was performed by myself (on a top rope) on a short, very
strenuous overhanging problem with the curious name of ‘Twittering Crack’. After thrutching up to within a few feet of
the top, I decided that the final move was too much for me and proceeded to
reverse the climb. On reaching a small
chock stone jammed in the crack – the only recognisable hold on the whole climb
– in the words of the prophet “it came away in my hands” and yours
truly launched out into space clutching the chock stone. However, all was well and I was lowered
gracefully to the ground by Mr. Bennett. In view of the incident, future visitors to the Dewerstone will please
make the following alteration to the guide book. On page 17 under “Twittering
Crack”, delete the words ‘hard very severe and insert ‘impossible’.
The next trick was performed by Mr. Bennett on a
neighbouring climb called Saints Niche”. After climbing into an uncomfortable niche in a slightly overhanging
corner, the problem was to get out of the niche again, onto the wall of the
corner in order to negotiate the overhang on to the slab above. Mr. Bennett got into the niche, all right but
after a considerable length of time (while Mr. King and I chatted and ate
lunch) the origin of the name of the climb became apparent. Obviously someone, seeing a motionless
climber contemplating the crux of this climb had mistaken him for a religious
effigy placed there by the natives!
The third and final trick occurred on a climb called
Cesar’s Nose”, the final pitch of which consists of a crack rising
upwards diagonally to the right. This
had to be treated as a sort of an upside down, lay-back with both hands and
feet in the crack. To quote the guide
book ‘The difficulty is to get the feet into the crack without being forced off
balance by the bulge above it’. After
one member of the party had done this move twice the other two still refused to
believe that it was possible and they both insisted on doing a desperate
traverse below the crack on imaginary holds.
After this, Dave Quicke joined us again and a weekend of
very pleasant climbing was completed with the two pairs ascending Reverse
Cleft” and “Pinnacle Chimney”. The Dewerstone is deceptive in that at first sight the climbing does not
appear very extensive. However after a
few hours it becomes apparent that there are a lot of very interesting climbs
in the area and since it is the granite outcrop nearest to
weekend’s visit.
(References are made from the Climbing guide to Dartmoor
& S.W. Devon published by the Royal Navy Ski & Mountaineering Club.)
On the Hill
(or T.W.T.M.T.W.)
June, being the sixth month, start of summer and the seven
months bad weather, “makes it ideal for caving. At least for the M.R.O. and C.D.G. Talking of the C.D.G., they held their A.G.M.
and dinner recently where a new constitution was agreed (and by some disagreed)
upon. The Group has been reorganised on
a regional basis with a co-ordinating National Committee and plans are in hand
to catch up with all the work that should have been, done in the last ten or so
years. Apparently, the name was not
changed, as some gossips, would have it, to the ‘Shepton Mallet Cave Diving
Club but, as may be expected, the Family managed to work its way into further
power. On a more serious note, the
excellent work put in by the C.D.G. recently at Stoke (see Mike Ts write up in
the April B.B.) is well worth a mention and can be classed as really great
work. With the advent of the new
equipment that’s rumoured – a new super light compact set – I see practically
no obstacle to bar their way in the future, not even Cuthberts Sump.
Three members of M.N.R.C., it is reported by some accident
went caving in Swildons and there is even a rumour abroad that they intend to
reopen Cuckoo Cleeves. Winter is truly
over, the dormant awake! Whilst on the
subject of reopening, a friend of mine told me hed heard from a friend who’d
heard etc that Cow Hole is virtually open again, needing only a slight bang to
finish the job.
During the Merry Month of May, a radio programme called
‘Down your way visited Cheddar and its caves. While interviewing a Mr Robertson, one of the cave managers, a few of
his theories were broadcast. In fact,
what he had to say on the subject of natural occurrings was most enlightening,
even if the truth was distorted some. His own pet, obviously of the Cheddar Main Drain dream, is the idea of
blasting down to some lakes below the system. Whilst talking of
reports that the marchioness has notions of painting murals – modern type – on
some of the cave walls. There ought ter
be a law! Did you know that one of the
gift shops on the Golden Mile actually SELLS lead slag from Priddy to
tourists? On this score, the Belfry is
sited on a goldmine!
At the recent A.G.M. of the East Devon Caving Group, a
number of strange resolutions were passed. One stated that the group did not believe in the locking of caves as a
general rule. Money was then spent
sending copies of this resolution to other clubs with a request that it be
stuck on notice boards. What a pity that
the money was not made instead into a donation to the Rescue Organisation or
the Cave Registry. I am told actually
that the U.B.S.S. did get as far as leaving the letter laying on top of a glass
cabinet in their rooms for a while where it was possible for members to come
across it accidentally. The B.E.C.,
adopting a more positive approach, tore their copy up.
In the latest Wessex Magazine, a lengthy article by Dennis
Warburton on cave surveying and grading will be found to give an excellent
expose of the shortcomings of the present C.R.G. system. In addition to this article (18 pages of
script) Dennis has also written a two page report on the Wessex Easter
Yorkshire meet. At this rate, he’ll not
only be accused of
running a subversive paper!
I’m told that the Shepton Co. nowadays is becoming a family
affair and that only relatives need apply for membership. I think that the ultimate here must surely be
a takeover bid for Priddy. For weeks,
Shepton, so it seems, enjoyed the Guinness when in
this but the weather that curtailed their caving activities. Members preferred swimming in the sea to swimming
in caves. However, the club’s septennial
pilgrimage was made to the site of the ambush at Kilmichael just outside the
town of
The South West Essex Technical College Caving Club, (or
SWETCC – pronounced ”
where they hope to explore and survey some new caves. Very nice too at about £60 for eight weeks
holiday!
Two very welcome ‘oldies’ – Derek (Prof) Ford and Joe Candy
appeared on Mendip recently, returned from
weekend of crow scarers?
Only two more gems before, news of the B.E.C. The B.D.C.C. are going this year yet again to
the
caving club, the Evening Post C.C. Surely these people could have joined one of the existing clubs on
Mendip, theres enough to choose from!
Club News. Greetings
to Sybil who is, I am informed, cooking in the back of beyond, Australia and
commiserations to Mike Wheadon who’s GETTING MARRIED. No wonder Mendip is getting deserted. Thinking of deserted brings me to the Army
Game, our boy Nigel Hallett, wise enough to kick himself out, is heading for
three months.
As you heard, our illustrious editor chopped the script a
trifle in April. I suppose it prevents
him having to give me a scattering of libel reports. Thinking of our editor, I notice that an
article on cave naming was used to make space (surely enough appeals for copy
have been made now) and whilst slightly at variance over personal naming (can
you imagine, say Eastwater with a Cholmondeley-Featherstonehaugh link?)
Thought for the month. Life gets complicated. It seems
that the M.N.R.C. are now to be known as the “Speleological Group of the Mendip Nature Research Committee of the
Wells Natural History & Archaeological Society. Do you think it will be possible to write a
song for a future song competition about the S.G.O.T.M.N.R.C.O.T.W.N.H.A.A.S.?
A Practise Rescue in St. Cuthberts
by K.Franklin.
One of the major problems involved in a rescue in St.
Cuthberts is the negotiation, by a person incapable of helping himself up the
Entrance Rift. It had been stated by
various people that it was possible to pull someone up the rift, so a practice
rescue was organised on Sunday 9th June to confirm this. Several systems were to be tried but this was
found to be unnecessary as the first method proved completely
satisfactory. The equipment used was the
ladder, a rope, a sling and three karabiners. The sling (a rope with a five inch loop on either end) was placed around
the chest, under the armpits of the ‘injured person’ and clipped onto either
side of the ladder with two ‘krabs’. The
third clipped the two loops of the sling together and acted as a pulley for the
rope. This was belayed to the bar across
the (bop of the rift, through a waist length to keep it directly above the
rift, passed through the third krab on the outside of the ladder, and back to
the person doing the pulling. This
method gave a 2:1 mechanical advantage and proved that one person, using this
system, could easily pull another up the rift. Two other people were required; one to pull up the ladder and the other
to climb behind and ensure a smooth pull by adjusting feet etc. After this very encouraging operation had
been carried out, a second bar was driven in immediately above the rift to give
a more direct pull and perhaps enable two people to do the pulling. Also an attempt to get the
made but proved not to be successful. Further work is required at the bottom of the new shaft and should be
made a priority. There seems little
point in getting an injured person out of the main part of the cave, but
finding the last few yards to the surface impassable.
Editor’s Note; a diagram of the method of fixing the krabs
will be found below.
A few comments on the rescue may perhaps be added here. I understand that the bod is pulled up on the
ladder. As an example, I personally
cannot climb past the bulge on the ladder, as I find there is not enough room
for me and a ladder rung. Can I ask the
author if this method would be suitable for someone my size? Also, whilst the work required to enable the
stretcher to be got down the cave is obviously useful and should, as the author
says, be given priority, should not the digging of the drain into the new
entrance also be given a high degree of priority? The chances of people being trapped by water
are statistically greater than that of a spinal injury and the provision of the
drain would complete the work of ensuring that Cuthberts could be removed from
the list of caves which are dangerous in time of flood.
Alfie