St Cuthberts Swallet has been open for over 50 years and is in a good condition. The overriding imperative is to preserve St Cuthberts and yet keep it open for visiting cavers in a sympathetic way. To this end these rules, derived from long experience, are given .

  1. Parties are limited to five (5) cavers per warden.
  2. No novices are permitted in the cave.
  3. All tourist trips in the cave must adhere to one of the recognised tourist routes.
  4. Trips into Rabbit Warren Extension, Victory passage and Canyon Series are limited to 3 cavers per warden. Even with these numbers great care must be exercised. Do not take trips to these locations (or September series) unless requested.
  5. No more than 3 cavers at a time should enter Curtain Chamber.
  6. Do not use vulnerable routes such as Rabbit Warren extension to Struggle passage via Erratic Chambers, Vantage point to the cascade and Rabbit Warren to the fingers.
  7. Electric lights only.
  8. If visiting a particularly muddy area of the cave try to wash off in the streamway to avoid muddying other sections of the cave.
  9. A tackle fee is payable by all non BEC Members.
  10. No digging is to be undertaken in the cave without the permission of the BEC committee.
  11. All cavers must have current BCA insurance.
  12. Persons under 18 (eighteen) years of age must be accompanied by parent or legal guardian.
  13. The Warden’s decision is final in relation to any part of the trip underground.
  14. Write all trips in the Cuthbert’s log.
  15. All cavers entering St Cuthbert’s should be made aware that sediments in the cave have a very high lead content and it is recommended that any clothing exposed to mud/sediments should be washed after use.

Published: April 2022

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registered in England and Wales as a co-operative society under the Co-operative and Community Benefit Societies Act 2014, registered no. 4934.