Hon. Sec: – A.R. Thomas,
Westhaven
School, Uphill,
Weston-super-Mare,
Somerset
Editor: – D.J. Irwin,

23 Campden
Road,
Bristol. 3.
BEC PUBLICATIONS: – B.M. Ellis, ‘Knockauns’, Combwich, Nr. Bridgwater,

Somerset

C.C.C. NOTES

All members requesting their first C.C.C. Period Permit
should complete the indemnity Form and hand it to Phil Townsend,

154 Sylvia Ave.,
Bristol
3.  He will issue a Period Permit that is
valid for ONE YEAR only.

Members already holding Period Permits should check and
ensure that they are still valid.  The
early permits were issued in 1964 and have a 3 year expiration period.

People holding Period Permits but are not members of either
Member of Affiliated clubs have not the necessary insurance cover.  They are very definitely not allowed in any
of the cave systems with a Period Permit. They can however obtain a Temporary Permit and go caving as guests of a
Member Club.

The key for August/Longwood is kept by the Hut Warden
(G.  Tilly) and is for the use of B.E.C.
members only; the key should not be let to members of other clubs under any
circumstances.  The loss of the key will
mean that the club will have to replace the lock and the entire set of keys now
held by Member Clubs – the cost will be in the region of £4.

Dr. E.K. Tratman has retired from the post of Hon. Secretary
of the C.C.C. after seven years.  The new
secretary is Tim Hodgson,

19
Alfred Place, Kingsdown,

Bristol.

ACCESS TO G.B., Read’s Grotto and Tyning’s Great
Swallet.  Members visiting these systems
should use the new gateway to the field alongside the road from Charterhouse to
Tyning’s Farm at Grid ST 47655631.  NO
OTHER ROUTE MEY BE USED.  The road and
long Barn can only be used with the permission of the new owner of Lower Farm –
when it is sold.

Foot and Mouth

The northern part of the

Peak
District
National Park is now in a
controlled area, but this does not mean that precautions against the spread of
foot and mouth disease should be relaxed. In and near infected areas walking, climbing, caving, ski-ing and angling
is strongly discouraged on farm land to which stock have access.  It will be appreciated that open moor lands
come within this category.  People from
the rural parts of infected areas should be particularly discouraged from going
on farm land elsewhere.

The

Peak
Park south of Bakewell
and Buxton is still in an infected area, and visitors are asked to keep
away.  There have been five outbreaks
near the National Park boundary in the last five days, so the situation is
still critical.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food; The
National Farmers Union and the Peak Planning Board wish to thank the public for
their co-operation but emphasise that their efforts could easily be wasted if
they were to relax too soon, and would urge patience for a little longer.  The situation is being kept under constant
review.

It is reiterated that visitors to the whole of the

Peak
National
Park are asked to avoid all agricultural land,
moor land and footpaths.

Joint Statement issued by: –

Ministry of Agriculture,
Fisheries and Food,
Nottingham.
National Farmers Union,

Chesterfield.

Peak
Park Planning Board, Bakewell.
15th February. 1968.

Quote: –

“There are more good caves in the
USA than in the whole of
Europe” (R. McKenny – Here’s

England).

Persistent Damage in St. Cuthbert’s

Just over a year ago the large white stal. flow in the
passage below ‘T’ Junction Chamber was badly smeared with mud.  Later Tony Meaden and others scrubbed the
flow clean.  Tony reports that it has
been badly dirtied again and he adds, “There is no need to touch it at all” (I
fully agree. Ed.).  This is no one else’s
fault but the leader of the party.  We
all know that the Rabbit Warren extension is one of the more sporting routes
through the cave but please need the parties go at express train speed through
this section of the cave that has so many fine formations many of which are
particularly vulnerable.

B.B. Developments

Photographs and Surveys can be printed by offset litho.  Those sending photographs (black and white
only) should ensure that the prints are very contrasty.

 

Towards Wookey Hole

By D.J. Irwin.

The long discussions on ‘what happens’ beyond the Cuthbert’s
Sump that take place at the Belfry from time to time has stimulated the author
to set down some of his ideas where best to dig.  The aim of this article will first to discuss
digs that will, we hope, eventually extend the cave beyond its present boundary
in the hope of regaining the main stream way and secondly to discuss other
possibilities within the cave system.

All the recent discoveries have been within the present
boundary and up to the present only two sites show real promise of entering
fresh lands; though, not forgetting ‘sods law’ that makes the final
breakthrough in the most unlikely place. The two sites are the Sump and the dining room Dig.  Although these two sites have been mentioned
specifically there are several other very good sites that I believe will
eventually lead away from the present cave boundary.  Time is precious and the sites can only be
worked at the pace governed by the available labour.  The main trouble is that there are not enough
digging teams to attack all the sites, that number over 100,
simultaneously.  All of these sites have
been looked at recently.

1.         TERMINAL SUMP

This is the obvious point to
attack and, as it is being worked at the present time there is little to say
except when the sump is passed and an extension found it is unlikely to be free
divable; a bypass will have to be found. Surely it is better to commence looking for a way round the sump now
rather than let the divers have all the fun.

2.         DINING ROOM DIG.

Although some 400ft. to the

north west and about 50ft.
higher than the sump it starts at the fault line and is following roughly the
same direction as the sump passage (mean bearing 2160 Grid N.).

The first section of the
excavated passage is distinctly phreatic with no noticeable signs of vadose
action.  Beyond the ‘Arch’ the passage
rises steeply (about 6-8ft. above the entrance to the dig) and levels out into
a choked passage with about 6” of airspace. The section of the passage now being dug is about 18” high and some
10-12” wide.  This rather confined space
is because the diggers have not removed sufficient infilling.  The next move is to open up the excavated
passage to make things easier for speedy digging.

The digging area soon becomes
‘steamed’ up making conditions very uncomfortable but it is hoped to reopen the
choked passage that connects D.R. Dig with Mud Ball Dig that was opened up by
Bennett and others in 1966.  The
connection is too small to cave through but it will allow air to circulate
through the first section of the D.R. Dig.

A close examination at the start
of the dig will show some small roof pendants pointing into the dig and just
beyond’ faint markings can be seen on the right hand wall which ‘looks’ as if
the water flowed into the dig – perhaps some expert would like to make an
inspection of this section of passage and voice his opinion for our
guidance.  For all we know it might be an
inlet.

3.         END OF GOUR RIFT

The end of Gour Rift, just beyond
the Duck, has been of interest to the writer for some time.  The rift closes down rather abruptly and is
not rounded; a well developed pothole in the breccia above the end of the rift
comes from a small and heavily stal’ed inlet passage – the Bank grill.  If the water had always flowed into the Sump
Passage, as it does today, the end of the Gour Rift must have been rounded –
which indicates to me at least – that the water has swept under the end of the
rift and the terminal wall that we see today is merely the roof of the now
choked passage.

There are two further points that
lead one to suspect that water went under the end wall.  These are: – a) deposits of charcoal found
down to a depth of 5ft. and b) the stream way is heavily goured and stalagmited
from Stal. Pitch to the ‘Duck’.  At the
‘Duck’ the gouring ends abruptly as though the passage floor dropped away
rapidly; this is now badly choked.  As
the Sump Dig has only dropped four feet it is possible that the end of the rift
is open enough to get a caver through with only a little digging.  Just prior to the Sump digging weekend in

1967 Barry Lane and
the writer closely inspected the sump passage for charcoal deposits.  For over an hour we dug and searched but no
charcoal could be found.  If none is
found by any one else it would be fair to assume that the Sump Passage is a
recent recapture and that the cave is choking itself again.

The initial part of the Sump
Passage is heavily stal’ed immediately beyond the ‘Duck’ and appears as a whole
to be rather immature.  Beyond the ‘Duck’
the passage opens into a round section as a result of the fairly large inlet in
the roof and then forms into a rift with well exposed chert bands to finally
degenerate into a wide bedding plane at the sump.

One of the troubles of the lower
section of the Cuthbert’s streamway is that the rock floor is never seen after
the Everest – Main Stream Junction and so one will never know the true depth of
choking at the duck or sump, but it appears to some that the Sump Passage is
merely the top of a very large passage – this is only a feeling and so should
not be taken too seriously.

To be continued.

 

Multiple Flash Unit

By Jock Orr

This unit is intended for situations where it is
inconvenient to use the ordinary flash lighting techniques.  In effect, it is a lightweight studio
lighting outfit which enables the cave photographer to position his lights as
and where he wants them.  The general
arrangement is shown on the next page and the Central Box circuit diagram, also
on the next page, is quite easy to follow.

The electrical components may be obtained from any amateur
radio shop, and the flash bulb sockets from a photographic dealer.  The reflectors are made from scrap headlamp
reflectors, and although the parabolic form of the reflector is designed to
cast a beam, this can be altered to cause the spread of light by trial
positioning of the flashbulb socket before final fixing.

 

 

Apart from the major expense of the cables, the cost of the
unit amounts to about £3, and while a description of its construction may be of
general interest, it will only be of a particular interest to the serious cave
photographer who will recognise immediately the technical advantages to be
gained form this equipment.

N2/P2  Battery 22½ – 30 volts N1/P1  Battery 22½ – 30 volts	OUTPUT   Switches ‘UP’ 25v fires 1 to 3 Flash.   Switches ‘DOWN’ 50v fires 4 to 6 Flash.
Switch ‘A’  Double Pole Switches ‘B’ & ‘C’  Instrument switches
R1 – Resistor 3,300 OHM R2 – Resistor 5,600 OHM
C1 – Capacitor (electrolyte) 25-30v. D.C.  100mf
C2 – Capacitor (electrolyte) 50-60v. D.C.  100mf
S.W.1  Miniature Press Switch. S.W.2  Miniature Press Switch
L.1  Miniature Signal Bulb L.2  Miniature Signal Bulb

The control box consists of two tobacco tins soldered
together with cut-outs for mounting the components shown in the circuit
diagrams.  All sockets and plugs are
standard 2 pin, flat body, ex-Woolworth’s. All electrical connections should be soldered.  The cable and flashbulb circuits are
SERIES.  Operating instructions and
suggested layouts will appear in a later issue of the B.B.

 

Monthly Notes.  No.11

by “WIG”

SIDCOT SWALLET.

On 2nd February 1968 ‘Fred’ Atwell, Dave Light and Sam
Powell ‘found’ a very tight squeeze leading to a decorated chamber.  Only ‘Fred’ could get through and he writes,
“….. a very tight squeeze which I had tried six months ago.  I wriggled my way through the squeeze into a
large chamber….The formations are white and quite untouched…. I found a passage
on the right hand side which went up a little way but came back because the
others could not get through the squeeze” (readers will understand why when they realise that ‘Fred’ is about 5’
nothing and proportionally as small the other way round!  Ed.). A sketch plan of what he entered is sown below – does any reader know of
this passage?  If you do please send a
note to the B.B.

WOOKEY HOLE

On Saturday 17th February 1968 the 19th Chamber was found by
Dave savage (C.D.G.).  The chamber lies
about 250ft. further on from the 18th and is very near the resurgence
level.  To get to this point involves not
only a very long dive but that the diver has to swim to a depth of 70ft. and
then rise steeply to the 18th chamber and then on to the 19th at a depth of
-10ft. below the show cave water level. It is certainly to be hoped that open passage is not very far away.  When this happens does it increase the length
of Swildons or St. Cuthberts’ or Wookey? – It’ll give the club politicians a
heyday sorting the problem out.

NEW DIGS IN THE HILLGROVE AREA.

The
Wessex
are actively digging two recent collapses in the Hillgrove and

Green
Ore
area.  The first is behind Green Ore
Garage and the second in a shake behind the W.C.C. H.Q. at Hillgrove.  From all accounts a short spell of digging at
the Hillgrove site showed sizable gaps between the boulders.  After all the hard work put in by the

Wessex in this
area they certainly deserve some success there. One of the main diggers is John Cornwell who, it would seem is after his
‘triple’.

ROOKHAMWOOD MINESHAFT

On 26th November (now it can be told! Ed.) Mr. Glass, the
owner of Rookham Wood, came to the Belfry and asked whether anyone was
interested in old mineshafts.  A mass
visit of festering (because of Foot and Mouth Restrictions) B.E.C. members was
the result as soon as the Sunday closing hours permitted!  Members crowded around the top of the hole
and soon had the shaft laddered.  It was
about 25ft. deep.  Watched by the Glass
family Jock Orr and Bob Cross descended the shaft with ‘Wig’ and Kangy taking
turns to lifeline where necessary.  At
the bottom it sloped away but a mixture of animal skulls, bones, assorted tin
cans and other rotting matter prevented Bob from getting far although he became
suitably ‘muddied’ in the process.

Later, after some more probing, Alan Thomas persuaded a
boulder to disintegrate enabling the cavers to get by.  By courtesy of the W****x C.C. sheer legs
were erected above the shaft in February and the following weekend saw several
members ‘assisted’ by the climbing section of the B.E.C., Messrs Sell, Sutton
and Rees, digging at the bottom of the slope, entered another, but larger,
shaft.  On breaking through the others on
the surface heard their voices coming up through the ground some little distance
from the open shaft.  The three below
climbed towards the surface and found that the shaft was capped; this was soon
removed and the shaft opened up once more to the light of day.  The depth of the new shaft is 80ft.; 40ft.
down to the entry from the shorter shaft. Digging is continuing at the bottom.

On the bitterly cold afternoon of the initial inspection
Phil Kingston and ‘Wig’ found a small, choked, hole that was emitting warm
air.  This site is further down the
valley and could possibly connect with the shaft that is now being dug.  Has anyone details of the shafts in this
wood?  As far as I know there are several
noted by older members of the B.E.C. just after the 1939-45 war.

SPELEODES.

To help raise money for the ne Belfry ‘Alfie’ has very
kindly given the club copyright of all his Speleodes.  It is intended to publish these in booklet
form.  They are being illustrated by Jock
Orr.  Further details will appear in the
B.B. when available.  Those interested in
purchasing a copy should get in touch with Alan Thomas so that he can get some
ideas of the likely demand from Club Members. Just think – you can have the ‘Caving Machine’ and ‘Percy Pound’ in your
own home.

DID YOU SPOT IT?

 – the editor’s
deliberate mistake!  To those who did he
would like to offer his sincere apologies for putting the time back a month –
to those who didn’t well……….!  A
reasonable excuse going to be offered by the Editor was that he was
experimenting with a fortnightly B.B.! Oh! by the way in case you did not spot the error just glance at the
front page of B.B. No. 239 and you will see that it reads ‘January’ instead of
‘February’.

 

Outdoors

with ‘HEDERA’

Two indoor, outdoor events worth having this month.  A B.E.C. radio programme on climbing and Ken
Wilson’s Cloggy lecture.

The B.E.C. effort, “Arêtes, Faces and Cracks” was an hour
long.  Why do it?” with answers ranging
from Mallory’s “Because it is there” to a frank female opinion that “Women are
in it to get a Man”; and if that doesn’t frighten you then you must be
married.  Bar or Apres Grimpagne noises
were pretty dreadful with, “She’ll be coming round the Mountain when she comes”
etc sung with tremendous apathy by a Holiday Fellowship group making merry on
cocoa.  Though I must admit Tom Patey’s
Ballad of Joe Brown (see The Hard Years) and particularly one about Bill Murray
were intriguing.  I liked the blow by
blow live recording of a snow climb too. Very real.  As was the advice
given by Longstaff, a very old man:. “Take all precautions, take all the
precaution you can, but once you have started don’t be put off.”

Ken Wilson’s lecture was different entirely.  He knew precisely why he wanted to climb
Clogwyn du’r Arddu, this was reflected in the precision of the account of the
cliffs development.  There is to be a
book.  It must compare in technical
content to Graham Brown’s masterly account of the Brenva Face, but I imagine
that if the lecture is anything to go by then it will also be humorous.

FEBRUARY MEET.

The Feb. 17/18 must have been a good W/E for travelling.  B.E.C. went to the Lakes, joining the Insman
at Langdale, and to
North Wales.  A careful evaluation showed that conditions
were better in

Wales
and there were 30 consecutive photographs top prove it.  Reports suggest that mattresses left for months
are better used with a groundsheet and that a mattress sandwich is worse than a
sleeping bag.  Easy gullies were climbed
to the absolute stunner of the tops in sunshine.  Fantastic! There was no time for beer on Saturday for the flowing reason: –

ANALYSIS OF AN ACCIDENT.

A B.E.C. party of seven having climbed Y Garn in superb snow
conditions were in a dilemma.  The day
was bright, the snow was good, there was sufficient day light remaining to
continue to Glyder Fawr by way of steepish snow.  However, two of the party were without ice
axes, one of then had in fact been discouraged from buying an axe that day
“Because he wouldn’t use it much”.  These
two decided to descend the tourist route into Cwm Idwal.  Though one was familiar with the route the conditions
were unknown.  So, should the party have
split?

Two descended, five climbed the Fawr then glissaded and
walked back to Idwal arriving about an hour or so after nightfall.  At the Slabs they apprehensively discovered
that the two were climbing, rather slowly, up the

Ordinary Route.  While the leader had little mountain
experience, he had climbed hardish rock easily and is a competent caver.  His second was not completely fit and had
done very little climbing.  They had
completed about two pitches and communication was difficult but it was
established that the leader knew the way off. What could be seen of the rock was dry. They had about 400ft. to go and time was short.  Should they have been made to come down?

The five decided to stay warm by returning to the cars at
Ogwen and waited.  Should they have
waited at the Slabs?

The two did not return within the estimated time and so the
party returned to the Slabs with torches and ropes and warm clothing.  One member was left to warn the Rescue Post
as a precaution.  At the Slabs two lights
were seen, high in the Cwm, descending. Shouts were answered by one of the two so a runner was sent back to
Ogwen with the good news.  When the two
arrived they were seen to be with two rescuers with torches.  The rescued pair had been calm and had
decided to sit it out until, eventually, they saw lights in the Cwm and
naturally requested aid which was willingly given.

Of the pair, the leader wore wet Masters (for the

Ordinary Route, his
other boots were rubbish) the second’s boots were more suitable for
walking.  It was seen that the second’s
screw gate snaplink was unscrewed with the gate uppermost; the classic position
for the running rope to slip through. They had no spare clothing to face a freezing night and had allowed no
time for unforeseen difficulties, in this case snow filled cracks and the way
off obliterated by snow, and of course without torches.

There go I.

Is a life worth a little forethought, a few quid on the
right gear and not minded being thought a nagging old twit?  Not to mention selflessness.

Good reading, get it now, nag Dave Searle for it.  The lesson is taken from “mountaineering” – a
Penguin Handbook by Alan Blackshaw (a good bloke) at 18/6.  Oh, and have a look at your gear – now.  Rope worn? Boots bloody awful?  Anorak, have
you even got one, let alone warm trousers?

 ‘HEDERA’ (nagging old twit)

*****************************************

(A complete list of books in the B.E.C. library is being
published in the April B.B.  Ed.)

 

From Other Clubs

by GORDON TILLY

BRADFORD POTHOLE CLUB BULLETIN  Vol 5. No.2.

Contains a summary of the recent finds in the Craven
Area.  This lists 29 different sires
including Mongo Gill Hole which has now been connected with Stump Cross Cavern
and Southerscales Pot, Chapel le Dale which is given length of 4,000ft. and
connects with

Great
Douk
Cave
via a 45ft. sump.

For those interested in climbing there is an account of the
second ascent of

Trolldind Wall,
Norway and also
an attack on Lowfell Buttress.

There is also a technical article on the manufacture of
carbide by G.P. Benn which may be of interest to members.

N.C.G. Newsletter No. 62 & 63. Nov. and Dec. ’67 and Jan. 68.

These two publications contain miscellaneous information
concerning the N.C.G.

THE JOURNAL OF

LONDON
UNIVERSITY CAVING
CLUBS.  No.5  Jan 1968.

A well produced journal containing articles as “Some
observations on Helictites” by P.W. Francis and a description of the O.F.D. II
Clay Series complete with a survey.

NORTHERN PENNINE CLUB NEWSLETTER
No.24.  Dec ’67.

This edition deals mainly with the N.P.C. experience in

Norway last
year.  Also details of their new
committee.

M.N.R.C. Caving Publication.  Vol.1.
No 4/5.

The most interesting item in this bulletin is an article on
The Results of a Map Dowsing Survey relating to Lamb Leer by P.A.E. Stewart.

S.V.C.C. Newsletter.  Dec. ’67 &
Jan. ‘67

List of trips carried out by the S.V.C.C. and A.G.M.

THE TRANSCATIONS OF THE CAVE RESEARCH GROUP.  Vol.10. No. 1.  Jan ’68.

“
Pleistocene
Bone
Caves
with special reference to the Mendip,

Somerset.”  by E.K. Tratman.  “Features of Cavern development in
Central Mendip.” by Derek Ford.  Report of the
Leeds University P.E. Dept. Expedition to some caves on the
Djurdjuru
Mountains,

Algeria,
July 1966? by Alistair J. Milner.  Some
examples from the South Hars Region of Cavern Formation in Gypsum by Eric
Hensler.

 

Cavers Bookshelf No. 3

by B.M. Ellis

University of
Bristol Speleological
Society Proceedings.  Vol. 11. No.2.  1966 – 1967. Price 13/-.

This publication reports on both the archaeological and
speleological activities of the society and although at first sight this
appears to be a good thick volume for the price, closer examinations shows that
only a third is of interest to the caver. In the 111 pages there are only two caving articles, one on the
geomorphology of Longwood Swallet, and the other on the Little Neath River Cave
in
South Wales.  The remainder consists principally of two
long articles of archaeological interest; the Priddy Circles are described by
Dr. Tratman, and the excavations carried out at Gatcombe by Dr. Cuncliffe.  If the speleological third could be obtained
at one third of the price it would be extremely good value but the economics pf
printing don’t work that way unfortunately. Although this is not possible, both of the caving articles are at
present available as off prints at 5/- each and for most cavers this would be
the best value.

Atkinson’s paper on Longwood Swallet continues the work done
in other caves by Dr. Ford.  It describes
the structural geology, geomorphic history and modern hydrology in the
system.  As regards the Little Neath
River Cave the Society are to be congratulated on producing a report giving a
description, geological notes and a grade 5 survey within 12 months of the
discovery of the cave.  Other clubs could
very well copy this example.  All
measurements are given in metric units which takes some getting used to but
this is something we shall have to do very soon.

CRAVEN POTHOLE CLUB JOURNAL.  Vol.4,
No.1.  (1967). Price 10/6.

For nearly 20 years the C.P.C. Journal has been one of the
‘quality’ caving magazines, this issue is no exception.  In fact with 80 pages it is one of the
largest they have ever produced and by accepting advertisements they have kept
the price down.  There is the usual range
of articles which should be found interesting although admittedly there are
none of special interest to the Mendip caver. There is a description of the discovery and exploration of the Aille
River Cave, articles on caving in Africa and New Zealand, various meet reports,
book reviews (including the only complimentary one yet seen for ‘History of
Mendip caving’) and expedition reports to various foreign lands, as well as
some more general articles.

SOUTH
WEST
WESSEX
TECHNICAL
COLLEGE
CAVING CLUB NEWSLETTER.  Speleo, Vol.6
No.1

(Autumn 1967)  Price
1/-

Like many club magazines, this has a strong club flavour and
some of the content deals with club affairs. This is a ‘complaint’ of almost all caving publications (with notable a
few exceptions) but then you can’t go very wrong at a shilling!  And this is much better than most ‘school’
club journals.  What is more, the money
from any sales is donated to the Mendip Cave Registry.  This issue, in addition to several club trip
reports, a report of their A.G.M, etc, does have an account of a further
expedition to

Norway
which includes descriptions of several caves.

Caving and Climbing Meets

CAVING MEETS

Mar. 10, Sun	Burrington.
EASTER.	Bridge Cave & O.F.D. I & II.
April 21, Sun.	Practice Rescue – Coral Chamber.
May 12, Sun.	G.B.  (Committee MUST attend – Pints Rule).
SPRING HOLIDAY	Disappointment Pot & others to be arranged.
Further information from:-	The Caving Secretary,
	R.A. MacGregor,
	The Railway Arms,
	Station Road,
	Theale,
	Reading, Berks.

CLIMBING MEETS

Mar. 24, Sun.	Frome Valley.
April 28, Sun.	Wye Valley.
May 18/19	Cornwall.
June 22/23	North Wales or Lake District.
Further information from:-	The Climbing Secretary,
	E.G. Welch,
	Frenchay Lodge Bungalow,
	Malmains Drive
	Frenchay,
	Bristol.

*****************************************

LONG TERM PLANNING. :-  ‘Alfie’ will be giving a short
report in the April B.B.

*****************************************

TACKLE STORE KEYS are held by: – Dave Irwin, Andy MacGregor,
Norman Petty, Dave Searle (for mid-week caving), Alan Thomas and Gordon Tilly.

 

Guest Leaders System

The scheme is being introduced as an experiment and will
attempt to widen the source of Cuthbert’s Leaders.  Up to the present time the B.E.C. whose
agreement with Wookey Paper Mills makes them responsible for the controlled
access, have drawn the leaders from their own members.

Various Mendip clubs have been invited to submit names of
their own members who would make suitable leaders.  The clubs are: – Wessex Cave Club, Shepton
Mallet Cave Club, Mendip Caving Group,

University of
Bristol
Spelio. Society,

Westminster Spelio. Group, Mendip Nature and
Research Club, Axbridge Caving Group and

Severn
Valley
Caving Club.

The outline of the plan is as follow: –

1.                  A meeting is being held 24th March to explain
the procedure and answer any queries.

2.                  The Guest Leader will have to carry through the
5 ‘test’ trips (also a requirement for B.E.C. members) and be familiar with all
main tourist and escape routes.  The
B.E.C. Caving Secretary (Andy MacGregor) will make all the arrangements.

3.                  All parties (including B.E.C.) will sign a
special Cuthbert’s log book to ensure the rules applying to the cave are
understood by all entering the system.

4.                  The Guest Leaders will not be issued with keys
and the cave will only be available to them at weekends.

5.                  Guest Leaders will be expected to take all their
club trips and one of the B.E.C. arranged trips with their clubs.

6.                  All visiting clubs, other than the clubs having
members as Guest Leaders, will still book trips through the B.E.C. and not any
of the clubs in the Guest Leaders Scheme.

7.                  Once the Guest Leader has completed the record
form he will be able to descend the cave at will during the course of a weekend
BUT the final decision to accept him on a permanent basis is left to the
Leaders meeting (usually held in September) and the B.E.C. General Committee.

8.                  As St. Cuthbert’s is the only large cave system
on Mendip still in pristine condition the B.E.C. hold the right to cancel this
experiment without notice should the B.E.C. Leaders feel that there has been,
during the trial period, a noticeable deterioration in the condition of the
cave.