Any views expressed by any contributor to the Belfry
Bulletin, including those of officers of the club, do not necessarily coincide
with those of the editor or the committee of the Bristol Exploration Club, unless
stated as being the view of the committee or editor.

Club Headquarters

‘The Belfry’,

Wells
Rd., Priddy, Wells, Somerset.  Tele: WELLS 72126

Club Committee

Chairman:         S.J.
Collins
Minutes Sec:     R. Bennett
Members:          R. Bagshaw; D.J. Irwin;
M.J. Palmer; N. Jago; T.E. Large; A.R. Thomas; R. Orr.

Officers Of The Club

Hon. Secretary: A.R.
THOMAS, Allen’s House,

Nine
Barrows Lane, Priddy, Wells,

Somerset. Tel: PRIDDY 269.
Hon. Treasurer:  R.J. BAGSHAW,

699 Wells Road,
Knowle,

Bristol
4.  Tel: WHITCHURCH. 5626.
Caving Sec:       T.E. LARGE,

39 Seymour Ave,
Bishopston,

Bristol.
Climbing Sec:    N. Jago,

27 Quantock Rd,
Windmill Hill, Bedminster,

Bristol
3.
Hut Warden:      R. ORR.  ‘The Belfry’, as above.
Assit H.W.        N. TAYLOR, Whiddon,
Chilcote,

Somerset.  Tel. WELLS 72338.
Hut Engineer:    R.
HOBBS,
Rose Cottage, West End, Nailsea,

Bristol.
Tacklemaster:    M.A PALMER.

27 Roman Way,
Paulton,
BS18 5XB
B.B. Editor:       S.J. COLLINS, Lavender
Cottage, Bishop Sutton, Nr. Bristol.
Librarian:           D.J. IRWIN, Townsend
Cottage, Priddy, Wells,

Somerset.  Tel: PRIDDY 369.
Pbs. (Sales)      C, Howell,

131 Sandon Rd.,
Edgbaston, Birminham.
Publications:     D.J. IRWIN.  Address as above
B.B. Post:         Mrs. K. Mansfield, Tiny
Kott, Little
London, Oakhill,
Bath,

Somerset.

MENDIP RESCUE ORGANISATION.  In case of emergency telephone WELLS 73481

Editorial

All In Pictures?

What with a cave survey; some tips on tying knots and a page
of yer actual music, this B.B. threatens to become more of a picture that a
written magazine.  Never mind, it’s
variety that counts!

Catching Up

For a number of reasons, the B.B. has been approximately a
month behind itself this year.  It is
planned to catch up over the next month, and this in effect means that we shall
have to try to produce a B.B. a fortnight for this and the next two issues.  I would therefore like to make a special plea
for material of all sorts.  It is quite
surprising how much manuscript condenses itself into a single issue of the
B.B., so if you have anything which you think worth sending, please send it.

And Hanging On

Which may sound surprising to a few authors who have sent in
a copy which has not yet been published. I have not had time to reply individually, but one author who has sent
in a long article will see it in print as soon as the caving political climate is
right, and a fine crossword will appear later this year when the present stock
of pre-printed monthly crosswords gets a suitable gap in it.

“Alfie”

 

The Webbing Knot

From time to time we publish
basic information on useful knots for club members.  Here is a knot described by NIGEL JAGO – our
Climbing Secretary.

I have been asked by a few members of the club to describe
how to tie nylon webbing – or ‘tape’ as it is known.  I have attempted to draw the knot used
together with a brief explanation.

Tying the Basic Webbing Knot

The knot is basically an overhand knot with the opposite end
of the length of tape threaded around the knot. The first stage is to form an overhand knot in one end of the length of
webbing, as shown below:-

 

Such a knot pulls up into the shape shown in the next
diagram.  If the loose end ‘B’ is passed
underneath the end ‘A’ and through the knot already formed, it will appear on
top of the existing knot at 2, 3, 4 and 5 as shown loosely in the final
diagram.  To be on the safe side, at
least an inch and a half of tape should lie outside the knot at ‘A’ and ‘B’
when completed and tightened up.  The
knot should be bounced on with a person’s weight to tighten it.  Ends of the nylon webbing should always be
sealed with a flame.  ALWAYS check a knot
before use.

 

 

Sub-Committee on Voting Procedures

This sub-committee has completed its task, and some
preliminary results were shown to the committee, including a very fine new
voting form.  Their final report will be
to hand in the near future but, on the evidence so far presented, there seems
to be every chance of the main committee endorsing their report.  A vote of thanks was recorded to Mike Palmer
for the work of the sub-committee.

Sub-Committee on use of Belfry Facilities

Members are reminded that Jock Orr has been given the task
by the Committee of forming a sub-committee to look into the use of Belfry
Facilities and to place its recommendations before the general committee.

Any members who have useful thoughts on the above subject
should get in touch with Jock as soon as possible.

Electronics for Caving

Editor’s Note: We have had a
letter from GEORGE HONEY, who, as most members will know live in

Sweden.  He has been interested in scientific cave
prospecting for some long time, and sends the article that follows.  He hopes that it will stimulate some of our
more scientifically minded members to reply.

Electronics could be used fro three main functions in
connection with caving – Communication, Position Location and Cave Finding.

The first thing to do is to set the boundary conditions, and
those I propose for a start would be:-

Rock     Homogeneous limestone.  By this I mean solid pure limestone with no
vertical or horizontal faults and no mineral strata.

Depth    100 metres
(300ft approx.) maximum.

Power   I feel that for ease of transport, it would
be as well to limit this to 6 watts as a continuous demand.  This requires a power source of about the
same size and weight as a miner’s battery.

General Remarks

Any form of information transfer between two unconnected
places must use magnetic or electric fields or both.  Unfortunately, limestone presents a severe
obstruction to the passage of radio signals, an obstruction which becomes
rapidly worse with increase of frequency. This means that we must consider non-radio transmission. (i.e. magnetic
or conductive) or use very low frequencies below 1Mhz.  Recently, there has been much interest in
such low frequency communication.

Communication

A telephone is of course the simplest way of communicating
from surface to cave.  It suffers,
however, from several disadvantages.  In
a waterproof box it is relatively bulky; large amounts of cable have to be
laid; and the system deteriorates rapidly if left underground.  In comparison with a telephone, small
walkie-talkies have obvious advantages.

In the spring of 1966, several tests were carried out in St.
Cuthbert’s.  These involved the use of
140Mhz transceivers; 27Mhz transceivers and 200Khz receiver.  The results of these tests were that
communication was lost in the highest frequency case that of he 140Mhz sets, at
the bottom of the entrance drainpipe. The next sets, those operating at 27Mhz, lost communication about ten
feet further in, at the top of the entrance pitch.  The low frequency receiver obtained results
from the Dining Room.

A test was then made laying a single piece of thin bell wire
(insulated) from the surface to the top of Arête Pitch.  Good communication was then obtained on 27Mhz
but none at all on 40Mhz.

Considering the size, cost and availability, it would thus
seem wire guided radio system is a feasible proposition at the present.  Since transmission is not involved, I doubt
if there would be any pressure from the G.P.O. to have such a system licensed.  The thin piece of wire could well be hidden
behind rocks and left permanently in position, and the best positions for
communication in each chamber could be suitably marked.  Because of the extremely low cost (about £3)
and portability, this system (using low powered Japanese W/T’s) lends itself to
cave rescue work and large ‘pushing’ operations where surface support is
needed.  In fact, it would be possible to
wire a number of caves together to a central rescue point.

If lead wires are not to be used, then this leaves either
radio communication using very low frequencies or magnetic communication using
audio frequencies.  The first of these
two would require a G.P.O. licence, but this aspect will not be dealt with in
this article.  Basically, the lower the
frequency, the better for maximum transmission through rock.  This leads, however, to other problems such
as large antenna size and low modulation index. From a quick search of the low frequency bands, both 120Khz and 80Khz
appear to be free from navigational transmissions, so I would pick 120Khz for a
start and make a fairly sensitive receiver which need be no bigger than a small
pocket transistor radio.  Transmission
poses another problem.  One can either
choose a frame aerial or a ferrite rod aerial. The frame aerial would be more efficient but would have to be made about
three feet square and presumably made to fold up.  The ferrite rod is compact and a transmitter
could be made no larger than six inches cubed. There are, however, problems of modulation system and maximum drive
power before saturation occurs.

Prospecting and Surveying

We must assume that the first step in cave location would be
a careful study of the geological and contour maps of the area under
investigation.  This is likely to reveal
watersheds; surface watercourses; strata declination and faulting.  In simple terms, this study would give one a
good idea of where to start looking.

The next problem is one of magnitude.  How large is the surveyed area to be and what
size of abnormalities which could be due to caves is it hoped to find?  These are to some extent conflicting
requirements since one would want to cover as large an area as possible while
at the same time looking for as small an irregularity as possible.

A number of methods are theoretically possible.  A list of some of them is given below:-

1. Infra-red
   photography using planes or satellites.
2. Thermo
   detectors plugged into the ground.
3. Gravitational
   surveys.
4. Resistivity
   surveys.
5. Seismic
   surveys.
6. Magnetometric
   surveys.
7. Vertical
   electromagnetic survey, similar to that used on Apollo 17.

The feasibility of any of these methods must include
expense, and I would imagine that any method involving the use if aircraft or
satellites are out of the question without some form of government
interest.  The other methods need not be
too costly, but would involved teams of people on long and laborious ground
traverses plus the time taken on the interpretation of results.  A short review of feasible methods follows:-

1. Cavities
   near the surface, or actual entrances would show up immediately on an
   infra red survey as anomalies.  The
   depth limitation is unknown and the method expensive.
2. Requires
   a very large number of detectors to obtain any meaningful
   information.  Could be used in
   conjunction with 1 to obtain further information on small selected areas.
3. It
   has been rumoured that a sufficiently sensitive gravimeter can be
   home-built.  Would require a two man
   walking survey.
4. Resistivity
   surveying needs relatively cheap equipment but many people to carry out
   the survey, moving the stakes forward about twenty feet at a time.  Given enough dedicated people; a fine
   day and walkie-talkie equipment, a fairly large area could be
   covered.  Details, however, will be
   poor unless many close interval cross-surveys are carried out.
5. I
   have no details, but it is known that explosive detonations are not
   required.  Hitting the rock surface
   with a large hammer may provide a great enough shock-wave.  I do not know the cost a geophones and
   recording system.
6. This
   requires surveys spaced at twenty foot intervals.  A two-man instrument can be cheaply
   made.  Small fissures may give no
   significant change in vertical field, whilst more bodies may give
   misleading results.  A proton
   Precession Magnetometer may be simply made, consisting as it does of a
   bottle of water with sensing and drive coils and a frequency monitor.
7. Electromagnetic
   sounding seems to have possibilities especially as we now have details of
   Apollo 17 and can get more technical details as required.  Recording and interpretation may well be
   the problem, and this must be looked into.

In conclusion, I feel that all of the above methods are
applicable and, if some coordinating body could be formed, some real progress
could be made on determining the most effective method to be employed.

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

George also sends some literature on the Apollo 17
experiments and some references which may be useful and which can be made
available to any interested members.

Perhaps “Prew”, “Sett” or any of the
members who have looked into these problems in the past might care to reply to
this article in a future issue of the B.B.?

 

Sidcot Survey

by D.J. Irwin and D. Stuckey

A sketch and some notes on a new survey of this cave which
will be available to members through the survey scheme in due course at about
10p.

As no survey was currently available through the survey
scheme, it was felt that one of the best known minor caves Mendip should be
surveyed to a reasonably high grade.  The
only widely distributed survey was by the Stride brothers in 1944, and this was
published in the

Mendip
Caves book number 3
(1).  Another version of the Strides’
survey appeared in British Caver in 1944 (2) having a scale 1 inch to 13.3
feet!  No indication of accuracy was
quoted.  A smaller section of the Water
Chamber and
Paradise is to be found in the
S.S.S.S. manuscript Caving Log for 2.11.1947 – but this is not generally
accessible to cavers.

The new survey was produced in three trips by members of the
B.E.C., but is not complete.  Purgatory
has been blocked for nearly ten years and has not been re-opened by the
surveying team.  Perhaps some
enterprising caver with time on his hands will set to and re-open this sporting
section of the cave.

The survey line was constructed by use of a survey unit as
outlined in the notes on the East Twin Swallet survey (3).  Passage details were taken at station and
inter-station positions, and roof heights estimated where measurement proved
impractical.  The entrance survey point
is marked with a chiselled cross in the outer rock face of the entrance
arch.  A permanent survey station has
also been set up at the far end of
Paradise –
the peak of an obvious pointed boulder a few feet from the Terminal Aven.  Its coordinates are N +97.53; E +104.60 and
Height O.D.382.97.

The compass calibration was carried out as for the East in
survey (3) and the co-ordinates processed by the use five figure logs.  All the survey lines throughout the system
are open traverse, but the end coordinates are probably within three feet of
the estimated position based on the expected closed traverse of 400 feet
length. (4).

Details of the surface survey carried out to establish the
height of the entrance above O.D. will appear in a future B.B.  A C.R.G. Grade 6D is claimed for this survey
to the end of the passage beyond the water table, and 5D for
Paradise.

Total Passage Length:    575ft.  (Including avens and side passages.)

Total Depth:                   91ft.

Entrance Height:            469.59
ft above O.D.

Survey Trips:                 August
1968 and 22 and 27 October 1972

 

References:

(1)                

Mendip
Caves, Book 3. H.E.
Balch, 1948. Page 91.

(2)                Mendip Bibliography,

Mansfield, Standing and Reynolds. C.R.G.
Publication No.13. (Jul. 1965)

(3)                Belfry Bulletin Vol 23 No1 (January 1969)

(4)                Traverse Closure in Cave Surveying. Irwin and
Stenner. Belfry Bulletin Vol 27 No 1 F ig 5(b).

(5)                Cave Surveying. Butcher and Railtoin.  C.R.G.
Trans. Vol 8. No2.

 

 

 

Odds & Ends

Alan Thomas writes

I liked Dave Irwin’s cave references from classical music
very much.  By all means let us have our
bibliographies as complete as possible. In this connection, I should like to draw caver’s attention to
Shakespeare.  Cymbeline III, iii, 35
Romeo and Juliet II, ii, 13.  There are
also such speleological romances as “A Passage to

India” and
Dante’s Inferno I.  Macauley refers to
Mendip caves in ‘The Armada.’

Editor’s
Note:     It is rumoured that Tony Oldham
has references to every mention of a cave in literature and, no doubt, if true,
the list must be impressive.  Only goes
to show that the caving spirit is more widespread than most people think!

WINEMAKING ‘Sett’ announces that the winemaking
course is now cancelled owing to lack of support.

Sofa
Rugby Rumour
hath it that there are no more sofas left on Mendip.  How about somebody designing and making a
special competition sofa?  It could be
made so that it could be dismantled for ease of transport and/or replacement of
parts.  Quite a challenge to our
inventive geniuses who make underground

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

HAVE YOU PAID YOUR ANNUAL SUB. YET?  £2.50 to BOB BAGSHAW

The Digger’s Song

It is a long time since verse last appeared in the B.B.  We are also breaking new ground, as Kangy has
sent us the music as well!

(Dedicated to a rare body of men and, in particular, to the
stalwarts of St. Cuthbert’s.)   by Kangy

Chorus: (After each
verse ):-   Digging away, Digging all
day, Dig, dig, dig, dig, Dig, Dig, Dig.

I wanted to go down a cave,
And now my ambitions I’ve got ’em,
In Cuthbert’s I’m all the rave
At the dig in the hole in the bottom.
 
I only went out on a spree
Thinking to sup and be off, when
I encountered a crowd – B.E. C. –
All lewd and licentious and tough men.
 
They said” Young man, it will go
If you carry these ladders and drop ‘em
Into a hole that we know
That’s not really too much of a problem.”
 
Now the entrance pitch is divine
As long as you’re skinny and narrow
The walls are all covered in slime
From the drippings of Walt’s old wheelbarrow.
 
We continued on down the Arête
The shaky old ladders appalling
But, as the other bloke said,
“It’s a ruddy sight better than falling.”

Two ladders, and then the Wire Rift
Were next on the menu they brought me,
To traverse I needed the gift
That my ape-like ancestors had taught me
 
Mud Hall and Stal Chamber too,
And

Boulder
(with boulders abundant)
My mates disappeared from my view
As they hurried to show me what fun meant.        A
hole at the end gave the clue
Leading to Everest and gravel.
We slid down the scree in a queue
More or less in the right line of travel.
 
I staggered along in a daze
Dimly noting the Sewer in passing
They’d knotted me up in a maze
When I suddenly noticed the splashing.
 
A wall – immense and quite tall
Traversed the passage we trod in
Blocking the flow in the hall
And changing the level of ‘oggin.
 
At the side stood a large bucket wheel
Fixed in its bearings by packing
This fiendish device seemed to deal
With the drive of a pump, double-acting.

So, sloshing the water about
It pumped from one place to another
A muddy great hole was washed out
Without any effort or bother.
 
A spade, all eroded and rough,
I was given to my consternation.
They invited me kindly enough
To get digging and start exploration.
 
So now I’m a digger of note.
To be found at my post every Tuesday.
On cave exploration I dote.
I’m sure I’ll be digging till Domesdayl

Those members who frequented the Hunters in the days of the
regular sing-songs will recognise the tune as basically that of ‘The Hole in the
Elephant’s Bottom’ (Ed.)

 

 

Caving News

A Report on caving activities by
the Caving Secretary, Tim Large.

What’s happening on the caving scene? Well, lots – the
Sunday Morning Digging Team have been pushing hard at the end of Gour Rift in
Cuthbert’s, the dig now being about 6′ deep but it fills up with water from the
Bank Grille.  Here John Knops has come to
the rescue and invented the Mark I Perpetual Bailing Machine, which is a pump
working from an overshot waterwheel.  As
yet, the prototype is still under going field trials and appears to be
O.K.  The next stage will be the Mark 11
– built on a stronger chassis and with phosphor-bronze bearings.  This strange machine is a bit of a shock for
any caver who comes across it unawares and leaps over the Gour Rift Dam to see
a waterwheel there emitting great slurping noises.

At the moment, the waterwheel slurps away alone – for the
Sunday Team are away on the hills led by Wig and festooned with tripods;
clinos; cameras etc. rushing around the Burrington area and working on the
latest publication the Burrington Atlas. This should be out soon and will be the most comprehensive document on
the caves of Burrington so far produced. Many of the caves have had detailed surveys produced for the first time.

Back in St. Cuthbert’s again, the Tuesday Night Team have
started digging in the soak away just upstream of Stal Pitch.  The passage, which is quite big, follows the
dip and down under a phreatic roof.  Here
again, mechanical devices have been installed – in this case and aerial ropeway
to aid the removal of spoil buckets.  In
between this, the Team has also visited Swildons on several occasions, going to
South East inlets; abseiling and prussiking trip down Black Hole and more
prussicking and climbing on the Twenty and the old Forty.  They have also entered the unstable Eastwater
and visited Primrose Pot (yes, on a Tuesday night!) but only to the bottom of
the first pitch – a nice little trip for four people in three hours.  One of the party only managed the squeeze by
doing it bare from the waist up.

Cuthbert’s has had its usual quota of tourist trips – two of
these being on Tuesday Evenings with groups from R.A.F. Locking and Ian
Calder’s group of outdoor Activities Instructors from a centre near
Brecon.  One group was heard to mutter
something about Cuthbert’s looking more like a building site, what with pumps
and shoring etc, only to be truck speechless on emerging from sump I into
Cuthbert’s II to be confronted by a peculiar wooden structure blocking the
passage.  This is the working of that
notorious group known as the

Shepton
Mallet
Building
and Construction Co., who have launched an attack on the equally notorious
“Man Trap” which is now approaching twenty feet deep and being
re-named the “Party Trap”.  To
overcome the problem of having to bale out the hole, the S.M.B.C.C. has
constructed an aqueduct across the hole lined with heavy gauge polythene, thus
keeping the dig permanently dry.  This
makes it the only underwater dig by non-divers on Mendip.  If digging progresses at this rate in
Cuthbert’s the Caving Sec will have to appoint a Clerk of Works and call in the
factory inspectors to examine all these ingenious contrivances under Mendip!

Elsewhere on Mendip, things have also been happening.  Doug Stuckey has led successful trips to
O.F.D. and Rhino Rift.  “Mr” Nigel has
been wittering away down Manor Farm Mine which he assures us will lead to
‘caverns measureless to man’ (how will Wig survey them in that case? Ed.) but
at the moment is digging – or rather wallowing – in a cowsh pool at the present
end of the system.

Another club trip was held to the caves of Western Mendip
led by Chris Howell and visited Loxton Cave; Denney’s Hole; Sandy Hole; Foxes’
Hole and Axbridge Ochre Mine.  The last
proved somewhat elusive with various bods disappearing in all directions amid
much foliation until eventually the gorge-like entrance was found by that
intrepid Nettle Pot digger – Tony Tucker. All in all, it concluded a very pleasant days caving.

Not much has missed member’s attention during the past few
months.  G.B.; Longwood; North Hill
Swallet have all been graced by our presence.

Do you know there is a lesser horseshoe bat residing in the
Boulder Chamber of St. Cuthbert’s?  It’s
been there for about two months and is now just off the normal route to Everest
from Katchenjunga, clinging to a dry section of the overhanging roof.  Various people have always thought they had
seen bats flying in Boulder Chamber. Well, they were right!

In the Future, there will be club trips to Yorkshire which
will include such caves as Car Pot, Alum, Bull Pot and maybe

Juniper
Gulf
for those wanting something a little more strenuous.  Anyone who is interested should contact Roy
Bennett as soon as possible.

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

NEW BELFRY KEYS are now available at the Belfry.  Don’t forget to bring along your old one if
you have one.  All members are reminded
that Belfry keys are and remain the property of the Bristol Exploration Club
and should be returned to the club if no longer required.  All new keys have a serial number, and a
register will be kept showing the possessor of every key to club premises.

 

Caving Reports

Review  A review of
what is still available or will shortly be available

By Wig

Caving Report No 3A

 “The Manufacture
of Lightweight Caving Ladder – S.M.C.C. Method.” Price 15p (20p to non
members.)

This publication covers the basic construction of light
weight ladders involving the use of taper pins for locking the ladder
rungs.  First published in 1962, it still
offers everything that cavers need for ladder construction.

Caving Report No 5

A Survey of Headwear and Lighting.   Price 30p or 40p non-members.

With 72 pages and illustrations, this publication is still
unique although it first appeared in 1958. It was revised in 1967 by Geoff Bull and although the prices are now
some five years out of date, the coverage of equipment is exhaustive and little
else has changed.  A new cover has been
designed for this publication by Barry Wilton which will show members the trend
in cover design for future B.E.C. publications.

Caving Report No 6

‘Smaller Caves of Mendip – Volume I’ Price 15p to
all.

This of some interest historically and includes the Hunters
Hole survey.

Caving Report No 10

‘The B.E.C. of Ladder Construction.’ 15p to all.

Together with 3A, ladder construction is covered by this
report.

Caving Report No 11

‘The Long Chamber/Coral Area of St. Cuthbert’s Swallet.’

Price 20p (25p to non members.)  First published in 1965, it was the first
real attempt to sort out the mysteries of the Long Chamber and Coral Series
area of St. Cuthbert’s.  The surveys are
grades 1 – 3 and are printed on two sheets. ONLY TEN COPIES ARE AVAILABLE so members missing this item from their
collection of caving reports should get it NOW before it makes its
disappearance.  There will not be a
reprint.

Caving reports 13E, 13F and 13H

All part of the great Definitive Report on St. Cuthbert’s
Swallet.  13E covers the Rabbit
Warren in 20 pages and with 3 pull-out surveys of which the W.S.G. Bulletin
says ‘the C. R. G. Grade 6D surveys are far above any other standard
achieved.  The quality of the drawing
work is superb.’ Price 22p to all.  13F
covers the Gour Hall area and 13H the Rabbit Warren Extension.  Both at 15p to all.

Caving Report No 14

Pyrenean Expedition. Price 25p to members and 30p to non-members.  Available shortly.

Caving Report No 15

Roman Mine. Price 45p to members,  60p to
non-members.

50 pages of photos and report on the Roman Mine near

Newport.  Includes pull-out survey.

Caving Report No 16

‘Mendip’s Vanishing Grottoes’  40p (members) 50p (non-members)

Collection of 42 photos of Balch and Shatter caves by John
Eatough and Roy Pearce.  The C.R.G.
Newsletter says, “Produced by two outstanding photographers…is a glaring
example of the conflicts increasingly arising between caver and quarrymen.  To describe this book as appalling is no
insult to the producers, for it is their intention to shock all thinking speleologists
into action rather than words over the problem of conservation.  The volume is therefore an invaluable piece
of history as well as a dire warning.”

The W.S.G. Bulletin has this to say, “Every caver will want
to have this fine collection of photos, well worth the money, with central stapling
which allows it to be opened flat, a pleasing detail.”

Will members please note that copies of Vanishing Grottoes
are dwindling rapidly.  There are only a
few left.  If you want to obtain a copy
of this or any of the reports listed contact C. HOWELL adding 7p for postage
and packing.  Make cheques or P.O.’s out
to the Bristol Exploration Club.

Alfie’s Spelaeodes are still available at 50p per
copy or 55p post free.

 

Monthly Crossword – Number 32.

 

Across:

1. Oddly, much weight is attached
to this by cavers. (5)
4. This side of the sump. (3)
5. Hall or escalator on Mendip. (3)
7. Type of 1 across. (4)
8. Small round object. (4)
9. Speak. (3)
10. A hole on Mendip.(3)
11. The other side of the sump. (3)
12. Mendip rift. (5)
14. Cuthbert’s run. (3)
15. Consume. (3)
16. Type of tooth found in Cuthbert’s (5)

Down:

1. Meets lion on Mendip. (9)
2. Has difficulty in keeping balance. (5)
3. Temporary shelter away from Mendip. (4)
4. Not on. (3)
5. Waste tear (on an unstable Mendip cave?). (9)
10. Cuthbert’s series. (5)
11. Diggers may form this? (4)
13. Temporary shelter on Mendip? (3)

Solution to Last Month’s Crossword