Hon. Sec: A.R. Thomas. Allens House,

Nine Barrows Lane, Priddy, Wells,

Somerset.
Hon. Editor: – S.J. Collins, Lavender Cottage, Bishop Sutton,

Bristol

Editorial

Fixed Tackle and All That

Apart from its occasional exploits at Hunters and Belfry
singsongs, the B.E.C. is not usually a very vocal body.  However, now and again, some subject seems to
stir up the deepest feelings of club members, and we have the unusual spectacle
of one and all rushing to put pen to paper.

What has sparked the latest of these sporadic bursts of
writing is the recent Cuthbert’s Leaders Meeting decision to remove some of the
fixed tackle in Cuthbert’s and to tighten up on the leader system
generally.  The B.B. tries, as far as is
possible, to reflect what is going on in the club, so we make no apology for devoting
a complete issue of the B.B. to this one subject.

A few people have said that the B.B. and the club committee
are ‘behind’ these present moves and are bent on changing the way of life as
practised in Cuthbert’s.  It must
therefore be made very clear that the B.B. tries always to remain impartial –
giving both sides of any discussion as far as it is able.  Obviously, if more people write for support
of a project than write against it, it becomes less easy to balance the subject
and one can only assume that the proportion or letters and articles received
reflects the majority view. Nevertheless, it must be emphasised that the editor does not necessarily
agree with the views expressed by correspondents in the B.B.

As far as the committee is concerned, it, too is
impartial.  It was decided some years
ago, on good democratic principles, that the Cuthbert’s leaders should have the
major say in the running of the cave, and the committee felt that their ideas
were worth a trial.  There are no
sinister motives anywhere.

Nominations

Once again, it is time to think about nominations for next
year’s committee.  Under the club
constitution, all present members of the committee (including members which
have been co-opted) are automatically nominated unless they wish to
retire.  As far as is known, none of the
present members of the committee wish to retire.  If YOU have anyone in mind who you think
would make a good committee member, then get them to agree to stand if elected,
and WRITE to Alan Thomas saying that you nominate whoever it is and that he has
agreed to stand if elected.  You don’t
need a seconder, but you MUST sign your own name.  If you wish to stand yourself, get someone
else to nominate you.  There is always a
shortage of people who are prepared to work for the club – why not have a bash
at being on the committee?

Cuthberts Leadres’ Meeting

Now we open the subject of fixed
tackle with a description of the Cuthbert’s Leaders Meeting by the caving
secretary, Tim Large….

The Meeting was held at the Belfry on May 23rd, 1971.  There were 12 leaders present and apologies
for absence were received from 3 others.

The main topic under discussion was the fixed tackle.  After a long and interesting debate, a vote
was taken on a resolution to remove the tackle. Each item was voted on separately, and the results are given in full
below: –

Lower Chain on Great Gour	For removal	7	against	4	abstained	1
Upper Chain out of Beehive Chamber	For removal	5	against	6	abstained	1
Pyrolusite Chain	For removal	3	against	7	abstained	2
Rabbit Warren Extension Chain	For removal	11	against	1	abstained	0
Water Shute Chain	For removal	8	against	3	abstained	1
Wire Rift Chain	For removal	10	against	2	abstained	0
4 rung ladder out Pillar Chamber	For removal	11	against	1	abstained	0
Mud Hall Ladder	For removal	3	against	7	abstained	2
Ledge Pitches Ladders	For removal	5	against	4	abstained	3
Arête Pitch	For removal	0	against	12	abstained	0
Entrance Pitch	For removal	0	against	11	abstained	1

The position is to be reviewed at the next meeting in six
month’s time.  In view of the closeness
of the decision in the case of the Ledge Pitch Ladders, these have not been
removed completely from the cave, but taken down and stacked at the bottom of
the pitches in case they are required to be replaced.

Maypole Series is still under review as far as the fixed
tackle is concerned, and the position should be sorted out at the next
meeting.  The series is still open.

Several leaders reported that the boulder ruckle at the top
of Arête Pitch was in a dangerous condition, and it has been advised that a
system involving one person at a time passing this spot should be adopted by
all leaders.

Great care must be exercised in areas where there are
formations.  Several leaders have noticed
places where muddy handprints and footprints have left their trail over what
used to be white stal flows and curtains. In other places, formations have been broken.  Better methods of marking off the formations
are to be used.

It was considered by the meeting that leaders must maintain
a reasonable standard of caving to remain a Cuthbert’s Leader.  If a leader has not caved regularly for a
year, he must go down with an active leader before he can lead tourist parties
again.

A list of Cuthbert’s Leaders is to be published so that
prospective leaders and anyone else for that matter can arrange trips more
easily.

Water Tracing Note: Drinking Fountain and Disappointment Pot inlets have been traced to
Maypole Sink.  R. Stenner is doing
several other tests in Cuthbert’s as well.

Since the meeting, all the items which were voted out have
been removed.  These are: –

• Lower
  Gour Hall Chain
• Rabbit
  Warren Extension Chain
• Water
  Shute Chain
• Wire
  Rift Chain
• 4
  Rung Ladder
• Ledge
  Pitches Ladders

 

 

 

Fixed Tackle Forum

We now throw the debate
open.  The first contribution is from
Buckett Tilbury and Graham Wilton-Jones, who describe themselves as ‘two
average cavers’…

With reverence, we would like to pass a few comments on the
article by Tim Large re the use of fixed tackle.  In general, we agree that the removal of
fixed tackle in Cuthbert’s and other caves is desirable.  Firstly may we clarify the position regarding
this?

Items of removable tackle (e.g. electron ladder) can be
classed as fixed tackle if they are left in place for several trips.  What items of fixed tackle are necessary in
any case, as a minimum?  A rawlbolt hole
for a belay, where no other safe belay is available, and lines through sumps
which are to be free-dived.  However,
additional fixed tackle is useful where the prime objective in other than the
sporting aspect – e.g. scientific research; exploration; surveying etc.  Artificial aids have, or are being, used in
other areas, contrary to Tim’s suggestion. For example, O.F.D. (
Wales)
Oxlow Cavern (Derbyshire) and Gaping Ghyll (
Yorkshire).  We disagree with the statement that caves are
invariably done for the natural challenge offered.

On the subject of tourist trips into Cuthbert’s, we would
agree with Tim.  However, especially as
far as B.E.C. members are concerned, their training should include trips into
Cuthbert’s of limited duration and scope until a reasonable standard has been
obtained.  Otherwise, where can they cave
in order to reach the required standard or proficiency?  In Swildons or Eastwater?

Have caving standards really improved?  We believe that the standard of the average
caver has not improved within the last decade. The equipment has vastly improved – leading to safer, more comfortable
caving.  The good, experienced caver must
have improved his standards along with the general improvement in equipment and
techniques.  Although Tim maintains that
Upper Chain Pitch is free-climbable, is this necessarily true for the average
caver?

Although free-climbing is becoming more popular, in order to
reach less accessible high level routes, we must not ignore the safety measures
which should be taken when attempting these climbs.  Climbing underground to any substantial
height without safety aids such a ropes and pitons is infinitely more hazardous
than the equivalent on the surface.

On the subject of prussiking, experiments in this technique
have been in progress for the past five years, with few tangible results
valuable to practical caving.  In view of
the laziness of the average caver, the relatively high wear and tear on ropes,
and the difficulty of leaning the technique, we cannot foresee the redundancy
of the electron ladder.

P.S.  What about a
Harvey Sky-Hook on Pulley Pitch.

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

The next writer is – you’ve
guessed it! – Steve Grime.  Steve feels
very strongly on the subject, and we must apologise to him for doing a little
judicious ‘pruning’ of his contribution. We hasten to assure Steve that Tim is, in fact, a nice guy and we hope
that Steve will have an opportunity to meet and get to know Tim when he comes
to Mendip next.

On reading Mr. Large’s controversial article in this month’s
B.B., I found myself becoming more and more and incensed the further I read.

As older members will know, I have never had dealings with
the political side of the sport, as essentially I think it to be the antithesis
of all the sport stands for.  Now the
time has come to put pen to paper and speak out directly against it – and put a
spoke in Mr. Large’s somewhat oversized wheel. Not having met the man, I can only judge him by his tone of writing,
which I find egoistic, officious and downright meddlesome.

However, enough of this, and the bones of contention.  I will answer Mr. Large’s questions in the
order in which he set them.

CAVERS HAVE BECOME LAZY BY RELYING ON FIXED TACKLE

If there had been no fixed tackle in the cave, some of our
more inactive members – who have helped substantially with surveys, digging,
etc. – would have not gone down, thus I sing many valuable man-hours of work to
the club.  In all my years of staying at
the Belfry (top of the bed-night figures for 1966) I have never known any caver
to emerge from Cuthbert’s and declare that he would only go down caves
containing fixed tackle in the future as he had been made lazy on his three to
six hour trip down the cave.  What about those
sterling chaps who work down there weekend after weekend and then push off to
Yorkshire or

Wales
on bank holidays and do really strenuous systems?  One could hardly call them lazy!

FIXED TACKLE REMOVES THE SPORT; THE CHALLENGE

Rubbish.  One is not
obliged to use it!  Furthermore, to say
that one should have to work very hard to see the pretties or to GET to a dig
verging on the ridiculous.  These are
fine ideals, but hardly practicable and very inefficient.  What happens in other areas is totally irrelevant.  Cuthbert’s with its multiplicity of small
pitches happens to lend itself to fixed ladders whereas one would be pretty
stupid to try to put B.R. signal ladders up the main pitch of G.G. for example.

IS THE B.E.C. GOING SOFT

The B.E.C. was never soft, and I hope, never will be.  It is an easy going club, which should not be
confused with softness.  Occasionally a
group of members will get together and work hard on a project to its completion
or the disintegration of the group. Again, the whole club may fester for a year or two.  If Mr. Large had been a member of the club
for any length of time, he would have noticed these periodic fluctuations in
activity.

CUTHBERT’S IS HARD WORK

Nonsense!  Some trips
in Cuthbert’s CAN be hard work.  Mr.
Large wants to make them harder.

FITNESS OF PARTIES TO DO THE NEW SUPER HARD CUTHBERT’S

How is he going to ascertain a person’s standard of
fitness?  Give all visitors half an hours
P.T. in the car park?  Or send out
questionnaires to all visiting parties? Scrutiny has been carried out before, and so have bods who swore that
they had done all sorts of tough trips in Derbyshire when, in fact it was their
second trip underground.  Please don’t
over rate Cuthbert’s.  It is not yet in
the Pen-y-Ghent class and nor will it ever if our intrepid (really) divers have
to carry all their gear down conventional tackle, ‘working very hard’ to reach
Sump I.  It might just put the screws on
the whole trip.

Abseiling and prussiking are fine on long FREE pitches, but
on 40’ at an 800 incline, the prussic is awkward.  I personally would prefer to carry forty feet
of ladder than a hundred feet of rope.

Now we come to Mr. Large’s Piece de Resistance.  Caving Leadership Certificates.  As one well known member said to a chap with
the mountaineering equivalent, “Can you abseil from it?”

Don’t do it, Mr. Large! That sort of thing will be the death of the sport as we know it.  The people who started the M.I.C. business
only did it for financial reasons – to put them on the Burnham Scale when instructing.  Plus, of course, a few pretty little boys who
like saving badges.

One thing that has always impressed me when in Cuthbert’s is
its safety factor due to the fixed aids installed.  Surely, as Caving Sec., Mr. Large’s first
duty to the cave is to maintain it’s almost accident free record?  This, he is obviously trying to do, but his
arguments are schizophrenic in that, by taking away the fixed tackle, he is
increasing the danger.  If we have too
many prangs in the cave, it will be closed and lost to all – so take care!

To sum up, I think that Mr. Large’s article was completely
unnecessary, as he cancels out his own arguments by having all these super
cavers to mollycoddle people round the cave.

Lo!  I turn to the
next page in the B.B. and here is some other bod symposing on prussiking.  Why? It’s quite easy and any climbing manual will show you the basic
movements and then its up to you. Listening to all those bods talking about it and watching pretty
pictures on the wall isn’t going to get you up that horrible wet pitch you had
the pleasure of abseiling down some hours previously – and it’s a damn sight
more strenuous than climbing  ladder!

To misquote a well known negro spiritual ‘Everybody talking
‘bout; very few are goin’ there – Cavin’’ – so lets stop beating out gums and
typewriters and get out and do it – without badges.

As we seem to be going berserk with committees etc., why not
recall the Belfry Stove Committee?  At
least they were a humorous bunch!

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

After that, we hasten to add for
Tim’s benefit, that Steve is also a nice guy.

It appears that the Editor, and
‘Senex’, owe an apology, as the following letter from Oliver Lloyd points out……

In an otherwise kind and
thoughtful letter to the B.B., on the fixed aids controversy, ‘Senex’ makes one
comment that I cannot pass.  “If nature,”
says he, “has made a caver seven feet tall, or twelve inches thick, or even
sixty years old; then nature has played the bloke a dirty trick and there isn’t
much we can do about it.”

Sir – the inference that sexagenarians cannot do without the
fixed aids that have been removed from Cuthbert’s is unfounded.  This afternoon, Tim Large and myself went
over the whole course and was able to do all the climbs without undue difficulty.  I think I even heard Tim say that if I could
do it, then any of the St. Cuthbert’s leaders ought to be able to do.

                        Yours
ever

                                    Oliver

Profuse apologies to Oliver for any implied detraction of
his caving abilities.  The point which I
thought that ‘Senex’ was making was that, whereas we ought to cater for average
physical limitations, we cannot be expected to cater for extremes, he had
forgotten Oliver, who, after all, is a very exceptional sexagenarian and whose
fitness is almost certainly way in excess of the average for his age
group.  We hesitate to alter the age
quoted by ‘Senex’ to ninety years old, for fear of landing our successor with a
similar letter in thirty years time!  We
also hope fervently that a certain character at B.A.C. – who really is seven
feet tall – does not turn out to be a keen and active caver.  If any active type is twelve inches thick –
we assure that ‘Senex’ did not have you in mind!

The next contribution is from
Brian Prewer, who has some interesting points to make…..

I should like to record my agreement with the sentiments
expressed by ‘Senex’ in the July B.B.

If we are to have slogans, then I think that one of his
remarks deserves somewhat wider publicity – ‘Caving is about liking
caves.’  There is certainly a lot more to
caving than the sporty climbing aspect.

You don’t have to be a mountain goat to enjoy caving.  To some of us, the climb bit is just a ruddy
nuisance.  If you want climbs, go and
climb a few mountains!

In general, some of it is unnecessary.  The four rung ladder is an example, but I
have already experienced the Ledge Pitches without fixed tackle, and far from
being – and I quote our caving Secretary – ‘ a challenge’ – it is nothing more
than a nuisance and time waster.  A lot
of time underground is spent waiting at the top or bottom of pitches, and fixed
tackle certainly helps to keep a party moving. As for free-climbing pitches, let those Fred Davies’s of the caving
world do it by all means, but don’t inflict it on the ordinary caver!  I do not intend to risk life and limb
climbing such pitches as Upper Chain in Maypole Series for example.  Why should I be debarred from the rest of
Maypole Series because I may be a little more cautious than most?

On the subject of restricting parts of the cave to some people
by removing fixed tackle, let us remember – as ‘Senex’ points out in his letter
– that many club members were involved in the exploration of Cuthbert’s and
that some of these are not so fit as they used to be.  Should such people be restricted in their caving
in Cuthbert’s?  I am not suggesting a
Cuthbert’s trip for wheel chaired B.E.C. members – but let’s not be selfish
about it.  I am sure that there is ample
scope in Cuthbert’s for the anti-fixed-tackle bods to do the more adventurous
routes, or for fixed tackle to be sited so that it becomes possible to use it
or not, according to personal inclination!

I feel that, as the B.E.C. control access to Cuthbert’s, it
should be the club’s responsibility to make Cuthbert’s reasonably safe for its
members.  After all, it is the members
that make up the club – NOT the Cuthbert’s Leaders.  I think a very selfish attitude is being
shown by some leaders who seem to think that they are the only ones who should
go down Cuthbert’s at all.  The matter of
fixed tackle is a club matter and therefore should be referred to the club at
an A.G.M.

As for Tim’s requirements for Cuthbert’s Leaders, I think
that they are already too complex.  After
all, you don’t need a leader for Swildons. What IS needed is a far stricter instruction in Cuthbert’s
PRESERVATION.  By all means, retain the
leader system for the sake of preservation of the cave but let’s not try to
make out that, apart from its passage complexity and large number of pitches, Cuthbert’s
is any more difficult technically than say, Swildons or Eastwater.  The day I need a certificate of competence to
lead a cave is the day I finish caving. Caving has always been a sport with a few rules and regulations, and
those few have usually been made for the sake for the sake of landowners
etc.  Let’s not add them to ourselves.

Finally, I do not think that it the B.E.C. Caving
Secretary’s job to vet other clubs applying for the trips down Cuthbert’s.  Would we like it if we were vetted by a
Yorkshire club before they took us down on their
caves?  It must be the leader’s job to
decide on the competence of his party, once it is underground.

I hope that after the 6 month’s trial period without fixed
tackle is over, club members will inform the B.E.C. Committee of their
feelings, so that the final outcome on this question becomes a truly club
decision and not the whim of a few Cuthbert’s Leaders.

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

The next contribution to this
discussion is by Dave Irwin.  ‘The Wig’
has not only played a large part in the work down in Cuthbert’s, but has also
been Editor of the B.B. and Chairman of the Committee, so his views should be
backed by experience and knowledge of the club…

Tim Large has certainly caused a stir in B.E.C. circles –
but what does he expect of leaders that we haven’t got at the moment?

The current situation is perfectly simple – perfect, in
Fact!

1.                  A Cuthbert’s Leader is one who knows the five
basic routes around the cave, and so is technically equipped to get himself
around.

2.                  Assessment of any leaders’ ability to handle a
tourist party is made by independent leaders during the two ‘test trips’ he has
to take.

3.                  It is the leaders meetings that assess the
ability of the prospective leader, following reports of leaders who accompanied
him in the cave, and they, not the Caving secretary, say ‘Yea’ or ‘Nay’ as to
whether the bloke becomes a leader.

4.                  In doing this, they bear in mind the most
important factor of all – that the new leader is one who respects the cave for
what it is – one of the finest systems on Mendip and one that is well preserved
for cavers to visit.

5.                  Lastly, there is an unwritten law – which has
always existed and which might as well be worth mentioning at this point.  If pushing a new passage might cause
considerable damage to formations, then a full inspection of the area involved
and adjoining areas of the cave is made to ascertain whether or not pushing
will only re-connect with other known parts of the system.  A full discussion then usually takes place
with other leaders, who are fully conversant with those parts of the cave to
establish the final situation and to determine whether the chance of an
extension to the cave is worth the destruction of formations.

This last point raises a question.  In the course of the last year the finest
clusters of helictites in the St. Cuthbert’s system have been destroyed –
according to the caving log, only two leaders have been pushing in this area of
the cave, which must point the suspicion in their direction.  These helictites barred the way to a very
small chamber from one passage.  The way
on, in the floor of this chamber, leads, after two feet, back into another
major passage in the cave.  To gain ‘new’
passage this vandal (the situation could not be called accidental under any
pretext) pushed by the helicites to ‘discover’ six feet of passage.  I suggest that Tim Large could well watch
this sort of activity.  I agree that we
want technically qualified leaders, but we don’t want to breed a load of ‘hard
men’ – or tigers, as they were known ten years ago – who don’t give a damn
about the system and who consider the older leaders as ‘deadwood’ and are
prepared to smash everything in sight for the sake of a few extra feet of
passage.  I might add that, if it wasn’t
for the ‘deadwood’ (see Cuthbert’s News sheet) the cave would not be in the
condition it is today.  Can we guarantee
that it will be the same in twenty year’s time? The leader system doesn’t need a revision, but I suggest that the
‘modern’ well equipped leader does.

Another point raised by Tim is the pre-selection of tourist
parties prior to descent of the system. Nobody can make this judgement except the leader who takes the party
down the cave.  If he finds they are not
‘up to it’, then he brings them back out. Let’s not become an organisation who requires grade IV certificates in
order to descend the cave.

One last point. Cuthbert’s has a good safety record. Let’s keep it.  Most tourist
parties run into trouble on their way to the surface in the Wire Rift.  The fixed tackle on the Ledge Pitches could
well be re-instated.

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

And that must be all on this subject for this issue.  Meanwhile, Tim can at least congratulate
himself on having thoroughly woken up the club. Dare we hope that all this literary activity will be followed by an
equal upsurge of activity UNDERGROUND? Any more on this subject can only be accepted providing that it makes
new points or refutes points already made – Editor.

Caving Meets

September 19th……….LAMB LEER

October 17th……….…LONGWOOD/AUGUST

November 7th…………CUTHBERT’S

All these dates are SUNDAYS and the Cuthbert’s is a
PHOTOGRAPHIC TRIP – Not a general tourist trip. Please give your names to Tim for this trip, as it is limited to SIX
plus the leader.

A trip to the

CHEDDAR
CAVES is hoped for in
December – more details when permission is granted.

Monthly Crossword – Number 13.

Finally, the monthly crossword this month has a flavour
reflecting the fixed tackle discussion…

Across:

1 Permanently a source of Controversy?
(6)
6. Cuthbert’s leaders should not run it. (4)
7. Old leader often spelt differently. (4)
8. Hearken!  Leaders are on it. (4)
9. Express strong feelings (4)
11. Measurement which, if longer and begun softly would be too tight. (4)
13. Often the result of a violent eruption. (4)
14. A feature of Cuthbert’s? (6)

Down:

2. Rostrum otherwise fixed causes
arguments. (4)
3. Can it be called a fixed aid if installed in a cave? (4)
4. Cave Series in

Wales,
or first half of a fixed aid. (4)
5. Survey without aids. (6)
7. Some say you can do the cave without this. (6)
10. Last to be protected? (4)
11. Useful in argument. (4)
12. ‘As nature made it’. (4)

Solution To Last Month’s Crossword