If you’re anticipating having a lot of time on your hands and wondering what on earth you are going to do with your time during what could be a protracted period of social distancing, then look no further! Here we review a book, full of interest to any caver, longer than a good few classic…
Following Alan Jefferys’ review of Concrete Evidence by Victor S Wigmore, Darkness Below heard from Jim Pennington who came across another novel by Wigmore. Jim now takes up the tale … Adventures Underground grabbed my attention in an Oxfam shop – it carried a politely salacious inscription: “To Marjorie, With many thanks for ‘services rendered’….
The BCA Newsletter 37 – February 2020 is now available. Editor David Rose has put out a bumper edition which is both visually attractive, thanks to laying out work by Matt Ewles and Gary Douthwaite, and packed full of BCA news and other features. There are two main feature articles – a piece by Andy…
The Mendip Cave Registry and Archive (MCRA) are pleased to announce the launch of Volume 1 of ‘Somerset Underground’, at the Hunters’ Lodge Inn at 8 p.m. on Saturday 7th March. Costing a rock-bottom bargain price of just £10, Volume 1 comprises 275 pages and contains details of more than 750 natural caves, sea…
UBSS, Bristol. 2019. 364pp, 20 colour photographs, 136 maps and surveys. Hardback, 180mm × 248mm. £20 ISBN 978-0-9545850-1-3 In one sense, Caves of Mid-West Ireland is the fourth edition of this caving guidebook, while in another it is the first. That is, the University of Bristol SS has a longstanding and well known intimate…
Alan Jeffreys recently came across a curious manuscript entitled Concrete Evidence, a speleo novel by Victor Stephen Wignore and reviews it here for Darkness Below. Squirrelled away amongst the papers of Eli Simpson and the now defunct British Speleological Association is a typed, carbon copy manuscript on quarto paper of a ‘thriller’ amounting to some…
Descent 269 should now have landed on your mat, making an even heavier thud than usual with eight extra pages this issue! If a copy hasn’t reached you, it’s time to head over to Wildplaces Publishing to subscribe now or if you’re lucky enough to have a caving shop anywhere near you, call in and…
A young woman is so savagely beaten that it’s impossible to work out her identity. Becca thinks she knows who the woman must be, but the police aren’t convinced by her claims. But someone is determined to silence her … Jared Godwin is addicted to caves and mines, as well as dark, secret places where…
Swildon’s Hole and a terminally bad experience in Sump 1 feature in our latest look at caving fiction. I’ve followed Damian Boyd’s West Country police series on and off over the years but managed to miss out on Death Sentence, which features caving as part of the plot, so I’m grateful to Bob Mehew for…
Descent 268 is now available! If a copy hasn’t arrived with you, it’s time to head over to Wildplaces Publishing to subscribe now or if you’re lucky enough to have a caving shop anywhere near you, call in and get a one from them. Descent is the best way to stay in touch with what’s…
As the cover states, Underground sets out to tell a human history of the worlds beneath our feet. As a caver, I approached a book on the underground written by an ‘urbexer’ with some trepidation as in some quarters of the caving world, urban explorers have a somewhat dubious reputation for trespassing. But I tried…
Reports on amphibians and reptiles in caves, 3-D cave mapping, and racial segregation in a South African cave are among the features in the April issue of Cave and Karst Science. There are five main articles in Volume 46, Number 1, as well as some shorter pieces in the Forum section. The first is a…
The June issue of Descent is about to land on your mats, so take a moment to check whether your subscription is up to date! The issue covers the thorny old problem of how to get insurance for caving expeditions. At long last, the BCA has a scheme in place to help with this. For…
Alan Jeffreys enjoys a caving classic even if he doesn’t entirely approve of the author’s somewhat cavalier attitude to risk … Ernest Baker was well known in his day as an indefatigable climber, rambler and caver, whose activities embraced Alpine ascents as well as many cave explorations in Britain and Ireland. As a teacher of…
Kate Mosse is better known for Labyrinth and other books, but Alan Jeffreys recommends taking a look at her novella, The Cave, set in the Pyrenees Quick Reads, as outlined on the publisher’s promotional blurb, are ‘bite-sized books by bestselling writers … for people who want a short, fast-paced read.’ Novellas by authors as diverse…
It’s birthday cake plus cheese and pineapple on sticks all round this issue as Descent 266 celebrates 50 years in print. And it’s a visually stunning issue to mark the special anniversary. Caving hut clubs and student bedrooms are likely to be decorated with the gorgeous double-sided poster that’s the free gift with this issue…
BCA Newsletter no 37 for January 2019 is now available. Editor David Rose has produced a bumper issue starting with a few words from him as well as from BCA chair, Les Williams, who recently represented the BCA at a reception in London in the Speaker’s residence in the Houses of Parliament to honour the…
In his quest for vintage caving books, Alan Jeffreys has delved into his bookshelves again, and has come up with a northern classic from the early 1960s … Following the publication of‘Underground Adventure in 1952 there was something of a hiatus in northern cave literature. Specialist titles from various clubs and societies kept cavers informed…
Alan Jeffreys continues his look at classic caving books with a review of a classic text that captures the excitement of underground exploration in the 1930s and 1940s as war raged and some of those involved were fighting on a secret front. Occasionally a writer with deep spiritual affinity for his subject produces a work of almost lyrical…
As part of our ongoing series of reviews of classic caving books, Alan Jeffreys looks at the groundbreaking Pennine Underground. With the plethora of UK caving guides at present available, it is easy to see a pattern of presentation common to all which is now taken for granted. What is not generally appreciated, however, is…
The December 2018 issue of Caves and Karst Science is now available. Volume 45, Number 3 carries six articles. The first is a report on the distribution of deposits of cool freshwater tufa, which are ubiquitous on the calcareous island of Lismore in Loch Linnhe, Argyll. Tufa deposits are rare in Scotland but at this…
Mike Moore reviews a valuable addition to any mine explorer’s book collection. This new book is a detailed study of the lead, silver and zinc mines of the Cwm Rheidol and Ystumtuen orefield, covering the history of all 40 mines in the valley, with archaeological descriptions of the surface and underground workings, and is supported…
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…
As part of a new series on classic caving books, both fact and fiction, Linda Wilson reviews Styx, a 1982 adventure novel with a surprisingly up-to-date twist … Two Japanese geologists on a visit to the Yugoslavian karst stumble on the find of the century, a previously unknown cave containing a roof decorated with what…
As part of a new series on classic caving books, both fact and fiction, Alan Jeffreys takes a look at Underground Adventure by A Gemmell and JO Myers. Before the Second World War, the quantity of British caving books was minute: several volumes penned by Herbert Balch and Ernest Baker attempted to provide narratives to…
Descent 264 is now available! If a copy hasn’t arrived with you, it’s time to head over to Wildplaces Publishing to subscribe now or if you’re lucky enough to have a caving shop anywhere near you, call in and get a one from them. As we’ve said before, we think Descent is great, and we…
By way of preface to Archaeology of the Caves of Ireland in 2012, archaeologists Marion Dowd and Robert Hensey brought together a number of specialists to discuss in conference the impact of darkness found in caves (and artificial spaces such as souterrains) on the development of human history. The results were subsequently published in this…
TV archaeologist Nolan Moore is in search of a mysterious cavern in the Grand Canyon, discovered in 1909 by Kincaid, a man who returned with fabulous tales of an immense cave, decorated in places with what he described as hieroglyphs which hint at a more ancient occupation of the Americas than has always been believed….
Descent 264 will be with you very shortly! If you’re not up to date with your subscription don’t forget that the lovely folks at Wildplaces Publishing will be delighted to welcome you back into the fold. And if you’re new to caving, Descent will provide you with news, photos and the best possible introduction to…
The August 2018 issue of Caves and Karst Science is now available. Volume 45, Number 2 carries five main articles; the first being a subjective summary of the history, activities, publications and some of the characters of the former CRG and BCRA Hydrology Groups (1964–1999) written by John Wilcock. John hopes that current BCRA members…
Descent 263 is now available! If you’re not already got your copy, we hope this short round up will tempt you to subscribe now, so head over to Wildplaces Publishing or if you’re lucky enough to have a caving shop anywhere near you, call in and get a one from them. As we say every…
Descent 263 will be out soon so now’s a good time to check if you’re up to date with your subscription! The hard-working folks at Wildplaces will be delighted to welcome you back into the fold if yours has lapsed. Descent will provides news, photos and features both at home and abroad, all stunningly illustrated….
Descent 262 should have landed on your mats and in the shops by now! If you’re not a subscriber, we hope this short round up will tempt you in and send you over to Wildplaces Publishing to get your copy, or if you’re lucky enough to have a caving shop anywhere near you, call in…
Special Offer! The CDG publication WOOKEY HOLE tells the story of the pioneers and their cutting edge approaches to exploratory diving at one of Somerset’s best-known caves over the last 75 years. The book covers two periods: 1935 – 1985, and then 1986 to its publication in 2010. The introduction is by Jim Hanwell and…
Descent 261 should have reached subscribers and shops by now! If you’re not a subscriber, we hope this short round up will whet your appetite and send you over to Wildplaces Publishing to get your copy, or if you’re lucky enough to have a caving shop anywhere near you, call in and get a copy…
The April 2018 issue of Caves and Karst Science is now available. Volume 45, Number 1 carries six main articles, starting with an appreciation of Dr Trevor R Shaw, speleo-historian extraordinaire, to celebrate his 90th birthday. There are contributions from many of his friends, including those from the Karst Research Institute in Postojna, Slovenia, with…
Respectable patent lawyer Peter Hamilton is found dead at a spot known as The Devil’s Dice, a remote crag in the Peak District which houses a vast network of caves known as The Labyrinth, feared for their complexity and dark reputation. The caves, now gated, have long been known as a suicide spot. The legend…
In today’s Information Age we’ve all become used to having what we want to know at our fingertips – literally! At times it seems as though everything we want or need to know is available online, but most of us probably mainly use the internet to argue with strangers and watch videos of cats! I…
A new print run of Rhosydd Slate Quarry, by M.J.T. Lewis and J.H. Denton, is now available. In 1974, the list of available literature covering mining history of any kind was not particularly long. In Cornwall, The publication of numerous popular books by Bradford Barton on the mines of S.W. England was well-established, but by…
The December issue of Caves and Karst Science is now available. Volume 44, Number 3 carries four main articles, starting with a paper on Karst conduit complexity by John Gunn, demonstrated by a dye tracing experiment from Rowter Hole, Castleton in Derbyshire, one of the most intensively investigated karst areas in Britain, with over 40…
Descent 260 should by now have landed on mats all around the country! If you’re not a subscriber, we hope this short round up will whet your appetite and send you over to Wildplaces Publishing to get your copy, or if you’re lucky enough to have a caving shop anywhere near you, call in and…
Descent 259 is now available! Newsdesk’s five pages will bring you up to date with news at home and abroad and even outer space, with the report that more holes have been found on the Moon! Rumour has it that applications to the Ghar Parau Foundation are now being prepared…. A new caving award has…
The internationally renowned Underground Worlds calendar for 2018 is now available from Wild Places Publishing, better known to most of us as the publishers of the cavers’ magazine, Descent. The calendar contains 12 beautifully printed A3 pages (plus the cover) featuring caves from around the world. Not only that, the final page has a bonus…
The October edition of Wales Underground, the Newsletter of the Cambrian Caving Council is now available. The newsletter leads with news of the discovery of a new entrance to Ogof Draenen, opened from inside the cave, after dangling bracken roots gave a clue to how close to the surface that area of the cave lay….
Cave and Karst Science’s August 2017 issue is now available. Volume 44, Number 2 carries six main articles, starting with ‘Deeply submerged speleothems in Keld Head, Kingsdale, Yorkshire’ by John Cordingley, David Lowe and Tony Waltham, which examines the significance of a deposit of laminated flowstone lying at a depth of 9m, 550m into the…
When I first began caving, I eagerly worked my way through as many of the caving classics as possible. Most of the ones I was able to get hold of were about exploration in France, a country whose caving regions I now know well. It was with great delight in the 1980s that I came…
Descent 258 is now available! As ever, Newsdesk will bring you up to date with news at home and abroad. A new world depth record has been set in a cave in the Western Caucasus in Georgia. The latest volume in the hugely popular Northern Caves series is now available. Two stunning new calendars are…
For those of us that remember rushing to Bernies or Inglesport to get our copy of Northern Caves 3 back in 1994 it’s been a long awaited event. After much hard work by all involved Sam Allsthorn has been in touch to announce that the updated and revised Northern Caves, The Three Counties System and the…
Descent 257 is now available! As ever, Newsdesk will bring you up to date with news from around the world, including the news that the Royal Geographical Society is hosting a British caving weekend from 1st to 4th December at its headquarters in London. The title of the event is A Golden Age of Cave…
Descent 256 is now available! As ever, Newsdesk will bring you up to date with news from around the world. A new species of blind crab has bee n discovered in Meghalaya, India, and the first cave-dwelling fish to be discovered in Europe has been found in the Danube-Aach system in Southern Germany. There’s information…
Descent 255 is now available! As ever, the edition starts with the information-packed Newsdesk, featuring a rapid run-down on news and events around the world. Items this time include a new caving experience at Wookey Hole in Somerset. The showcave has launched its’ own ‘Wild Wookey’ tour, a three hour trip beyond the main tourist…
The Clapham Bunk, Cafe and Bar is the venue this Saturday (8th April) for a book signing by Adventures Underground author Dave Haigh. Dave explains he’ll be available from midday in case anyone wishes to call in the afternoon, with the main event starting around 5pm. This being a caving book signing the Bunkhouse has taken…
Elly Griffith’s latest outing for Norfolk archaeologist Dr Ruth Galloway, involves the chalk mines under Norwich, with which I have a certain amount of history even though I’ve never visited them. The combination of mining and archaeology promptly took The Chalk Pit to the top of the To Be Read pile. When a homeless woman…
Former doctor Hamish Wolfe is in prison, convicted of the murders of three young women and suspected of the murder of a fourth, and maybe more. The women all shared one characteristic. He is said to have preyed on overweight women and there are persistent rumours that this started as long ago as his days…
Descent 254 is now available! The latest issue starts with a three page Newsdesk spread with a quick fire round up of news from around the world. Amongst other things, there’s a course on new cave surveying techniques coming soon in South Wales on 18 – 19th February and a BCRA filed meeting on Gower…
If a society wants to thrive nowadays, it is important that they have a good website. It is by far the best way to promote what you do, and to encourage others to get involved. The Northern Mine Research Society has recently introduced a radically improved website. In the course of reviewing it for this…
The Tratman Award, 2015 The Tratman Award has been awarded annually since 1979 to a caving-related paper-based publication in memory of E.K. Tratman, who died in 1978. It covers books, journals and articles published in a calendar year and is administered by the Ghar Parau Foundation, but judged by independent cavers; for 2015 these were…
Ireland has long been a popular destination for cavers the world over. But there is much more to Irish caves than simply their sporting interest. Archaeologist Marion Dowd’s book, The Archaeology of Caves in Ireland, has just won the magazine Current Archaeology’s Book of the Year award. The book tells the story of how people…
The mysterious and dangerous Le Guen’s Cave near Marseille claims another victim, an experienced diver who has been studying the Upper Palaeolithic paintings and engravings found ten years previously. The man gets into trouble resurfacing after a dive to a depth of 38 metres and has decompression problems. He’s not expected to survive for long….
The Yorkshire coalfield is one part of a continuous coal measure that spreads across Yorkshire, Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire. As the seams nearer the surface were exhausted, collieries were forced to delve deeper. But in 2015, as this book was published, the UK’s last deep coal mines were closing, with the remaining demand for coal in…
