Two cavers have snapped up some of the spotlight in a national writing and photography competition. Descent editor Chris Howes won the photography category and Chris Scaife was highly commended in the technical feature category in the annual contest run by the Outdoor Writers and Photographers Guild. It was a sixth award for Descent editor…
A guidebook on Irish caves has won the prestigious Tratman Award for 2019. The Caves of Mid-West Ireland, edited by Graham Mullan on behalf of UBSS, was the unanimous choice of the judges for the award in memory of EK Tratman, an influential figure in British and Irish caving, who died in 1978. The SWCC…
Gear manufacturers Petzl are warning cavers to check their ropes after two critical defects were found on a low-stretch kernmantle rope. A customer unpacking new Petzl AXIS 11mm ropes found a deep cut in a rope manufactured in June 2019 and a 2.1m scrap of rope found taped to one end of a rope made…
The Ghar Parau Foundation is on the lookout for a new secretary to take over from Phil Rowsell. Nick Williams, the interim acting secretary, said: “After many years of excellent and dedicated service, Phil Rowsell has decided to stop down. “As most cavers know, the foundation has been responsible for sponsoring many international expeditions over…
Two of last summer’s Thai cave rescue heroes have been awarded honorary degrees from UK universities. Rick Stanton is to receive the award from his old university, Aston in Birmingham. The 58-year-old started his cave diving career as a member of Aston Diving Club during his time at Aston University between 1979 and 1982. He…
In the final part of her report for Darkness Below, Rising Star Angharad Brewer Gillham looks back on her adventures underground in South Africa, and has advice for all would-be explorers – grab your chance when you can. I’m writing this on my way back to Switzerland and my day job, and a parcel of…
Honoured … Rick Stanton, Connor Roe and Chris Jewell (Photos by Linda Wilson) The British divers at the centre of the Thai cave rescue have been recognised in the New Year’s honours list. Rick Stanton and John Volanthen, who reached the stranded boys first, have both been awarded the George Medal, which is the second…
Angharad Brewer Gillham found herself a world away from her comfortable desk job in Switzerland when she joined the Rising Stars expedition in South Africa’s Dinaledi Chamber. Here’s her second report from the excavation.
If it looks like you’ll be restricted to armchair caving over the festive season, make sure you get the latest copy of Descent to keep you in touch with the underground world. And congratulations are due to editors Chris and Judith, as October marked 30 years since they started editing the publication, and 20 since…
One moment Angharad Brewer Gillham was sitting behind a desk in Switzerland. The next, she’s in South Africa on the prestigious Rising Stars expedition helping to excavate the Dinaledi Chamber. Here’s her first report … There are times in your life where you find yourself wanting to question all your life choices, but you only…
The Ogof Draenen landowners have spoken for the first time following Cadw’s announcement of the closure of a controversial access into the cave system. The statement from Peter Jones and Brian Lewis of Pwlldu Conservation says: “From the outset it had been our wish that this hole, known as Twll Du, was closed permanently…
British cavers suddenly found themselves on the front pages of the world’s media through the Thai cave rescue drama. Journalist Sharon Wheeler takes a look at some of the issues raised by the coverage over the past few months. Summer is known in the media as the silly season for a good reason. Schools and…
Camera expert Sid Perou looks back over a career of often dramatic and sometimes risky filming adventures, including the risk of foot fungus, and explosions under his stairs. It is one of so many magical times that I will always remember … Lindsay Dodd and I were stood on the relatively flat top of a huge…
Accounts of an archaeological dig on Mendip have appeared in print – 50 years after initial discoveries took place. Picken’s Hole is a small, partially unroofed cave on Crook Peak, Somerset. It was excavated during the 1960s when significant Palaeolithic faunal assemblages, a small collection of Mousterian stone implements and some human teeth were found….
In the second part of Darkness Below’s interview with BCRC chair Peter Dennis, he tells Linda Wilson and Sharon Wheeler how disaster struck during the preparations for the final rescue dives.
While the eyes of the world were on the divers taking part in the Thai cave rescue, an unsung band of volunteers were beavering away behind the scenes to ensure that the divers had all the kit and assistance they needed. Peter Dennis, chair of the British Cave Rescue Council, tells the backroom story to Linda Wilson and Sharon Wheeler.
