Mendip Rescue Organisation

All members are reminded that the Mendip Rescue Organisation may be put into operation with the least possible delay by telephoning Wells 2197.

GB Restrictions

The Club has been informed by the U.B.S.S. that the Axbridge Urban District Council have imposed further restrictions on GB. Consequently no-one should visit this cave, take photographs there or publish information concerning it without U.B.S.S. permission. The UBSS has called a meeting of interested organisations to discuss these restrictions and future developments. For the present, however all arrangements to visit GB should be made through Mervyn Hannam.

Caving Section News

A good crowd stayed at the Belfry during Whitsun and trips to Stoke Lane, Eastwater, Swildons and GB were undertaken. There were also some digging activities.

Since the Whitsun week end a number of trips have been arranged, some of them organised by our junior members. Several small caves and shelters in the Avon Gorge were investigated but nothing of real caving interest was found, though one small rift was penetrated for about forty feet before ending in a choke.

Now that the summer has apparently arrived, there are signs of a considerable increase in underground activities. It is to be hoped that this increase will continue.

M.H.

BATS by J.W Ifold.

As a part of the research into the habits of bats, a large number have been ringed in the Mendip caves. The bats are marked with a metal ring bearing letters and a number on one wing. Those most likely to be encountered on Mendip bear the letters U.B.S., having been affixed by the Bristol University. Anyone seeing a bat is asked to make a note of the following details:-

a)                   Letters and number on ring (if any)

b)                   Name of the cave and the part of the cave where found

c)                   Date and time of finding.

This information should be sent to Mervyn Hannam or John Ifold, who would also be glad to receive offers of help in this fascinating work. ON NO ACCOUNT SHOULD A. RING EVER BE REMOVED FROM A BAT. There are a number of books dealing with bats in the Club Library.

Club Library

John Ifold has asked us to publish the following note. . . There are still too many Club library books missing, so will members please have a good look in their attics and coal cellars, or in the case of lady members in their bottom drawers to see if they can find any of the missing books.

The Library needs a copy of Cave Hunting by Boyd Dawkins. Any member who knows where a copy is to be obtained should let the librarian know as soon as possible, giving details of the price asked and the book’s condition.

The library contains a number of Six-inch maps covering most of the Mendip area. These maps have been marked to show most of the known caves and possible digs. Members knowing of others, or finding new sites are asked to give full details to the librarian so that those maps can be kept up to date. The maps are of course available for inspection by members, as are a number of assorted maps of the British Isles.

Inquiry

Don Coase would be very glad to learn who has been digging at the top of the Bone Chamber In Stoke Lane. Any news?

Some Caves Near Bristol             by M. Hannan

Anyone wishing to spend an afternoon’s caving near Bristol can find several places of interest. There is one fairly big cave in the Avon Gorge. To get to it, follow the Postway towards Avonmouth until about one hundred yards before the tennis courts a notice board can be seen on the cliff top. By climbing the slabs for about fifty feet towards this notice a small ledge is reached. The cave starts from this lodge as a vertical ten-foot drop which leads to a very muddy squeeze. After this the passage becomes a fairly high rift blocked at one point by a large boulder which has to be passed by chimneylng up the rift. Just beyond this boulder is a small stalagmite covered chamber. The way on lies through a twelve-foot hole in the floor (a rope is advisable) from which the passage slopes steeply downwards to a boulder choke which marks the end of the cave.

The second interesting cave is one that lies in the quarry at the Sea Mills end of King’s Weston Downs. The entrance is a narrow ten foot deep hole at the very back of the quarry. The cave is not very large, and the writer is somewhat prejudiced against it since part of the roof fell down on his first visit.