British Cave Research Association News

For more details see the BCRA website

Cave and Karst Science Vol 50 No 3: Biology, Archaeology and … Muons!

The latest edition of the BCRA’s Cave and Karst Science contains six main papers, some shorter forum pieces, including meeting reports and photo features; it begins with a retrospective appreciation of Gerald Wilford. Many will ...

The 2023 BCRA Cave Science Symposium – 21st – 22nd October

The BCRA Cave Science Symposium and AGM is taking place on 21st and 22nd October 2023 in Leeds ...
Rick Stanton at Hidden Earth 2018

Tratman Award for 2021: Rick Stanton takes the prize.

  The publications of 2021 were particularly fine, both in quality and quantity, causing the shortlist for the Tratman Award to be much longer than usual. The award is made annually to the author or ...

Cave and Karst Science Vol 50 No 2: Caves, Karst, Archaeology and a Great Scientist

There are five main papers, two short Forum pieces and a Photo Feature in the latest edition of the BCRA's Cave and Karst Science, but it begins with an extensive tribute to the late Alexander ...

Cave and Karst Science Vol 50 No 1: Cameras, Bacteria and Bones.

There are five main papers in the latest issue of Cave and Karst Science, looking at aspects of cave biology, archaeology and karst science. There is also, in a new departure a photo feature on ...

The Tratman Award for 2020 goes to ….

The Tratman Award is granted annually to the best publication of the year, including books, journals and even individual articles. This report considers those that appeared in print in 2020. The five judges took into ...

BCRA Cave Science Symposium, AGM & field meeting, 8th – 9th October 2022

BCRA Cave Science Symposium 2022 hosted jointly with the Manchester Geological Association Symposium - Saturday 8th October, 2022 Field-trip - Sunday 9th October, 2022 Department of Earth and Environmental Science, University of Manchester SECOND CIRCULAR ...

BCRA honours David ‘Deej’ Lowe

BCRA Council has awarded Honorary Membership of the Association to Dr David J 'Deej' Lowe. The award is in recognition of his outstanding service to the science of speleology and his service to BCRA. The ...

BCRA Cave Science Symposium, AGM and field meeting, 8th – 9th October 2022

The 33rd BCRA Cave Science Symposium, hosted jointly with the Manchester Geological Association Symposium - Saturday 8th October, 2022 Field-trip - Sunday 9th October, 2022 Venue - Department of Earth and Environmental Science, University of ...

Cave and Karst Science Vol 49 No 1: Bugs, Corrosion and … Volcanoes?

There are four major papers in the latest issue of Cave and Karst Science, two looking at different aspects of invertebrate fauna in caves, one studying mixing corrosion in indurated limestones and the last showing ...

BCRA Cave Archaeology Group – Recording Historic Graffiti & other markings, 4th/5th June 2022

The BCRA Cave Archaeology Group is holding a weekend field meeting on Recording Historic Graffiti & other markings in the Yorkshire Dales, based at Lower Winskill Farm, Settle on the weekend of 4th/5th June 2022 ...

BCA and BCRA react to the Russian war on Ukraine as Ukrainian caver Alexander Klimchouk accepts offer of honorary membership of BCRA

The British Caving Association (BCA) and the British Cave Research Association (BCRA) have issued their own open letters after widespread condemnation of the statement by the International Union of Speleology (UIS) on the Russian war ...

BCRA Cave and Karst Ramble to the Upper Dove Valley – 19 March 2022

An introduction to the geology, hydrology and landforms of the upper Dove Valley. This is one of the best places in the country to examine the influence of geology on the evolution of the landscape ...

Cave and Karst Science Vol 48 No 3: Tourists, bone, and travertine cascades

) The latest issue of Cave and Karst Science opens with a study of the impact of tourists on air flow in Poole's Cavern. Later papers include a review of karstification of Permian limestones in ...

BCRA Cave Science Symposium, 15th January 2022, and other BCRA news

On the afternoon of 15th January 2022, the BCRA is hosting their 32rd Cave Science Symposium, a series of online talks postponed from November 2021 due to extreme weathers. The afternoon of talks on conservation, ...

BCRA Newsletter and AGM details

In this newsletter: BCRA Cave Science Symposium. Saturday 27 November 2021, BCRA AGM. Saturday 27 November 2021, BCRA Annual Review for 2020, December Seminar, BCRA Council Officers for 2021. BCRA Cave Science Symposium. Saturday 27 ...

BCRA Newsletter

In this newsletter: British Cave Research Association Cave Science Symposium. Saturday 27 Nov 2021, BCRA AGM. Saturday 27 Nov 2021, Volunteer needed to help with publications mailings, Cave & Karst Science mailings, back issues of ...

Cave and Karst Science Vol 48 No 2: Chalk, more chalk, dogs and graffiti.

The latest issue of Cave and Karst Science is dominated (the editors' word!) by karst and caves within the English chalk. There are also, though papers on aspects of cave archaeology, including historic graffiti in ...

Events round-up: Hidden Earth cancelled, BCRA talks/AGM and a case of possible cannibalism in South Gloucestershire

Covid continues to create certainty for events organisers, with some cancelled and others moving online, but there might be light at the end of the tunnel ... unless it's a caver coming the other way ...

BCRA field trip to the karst of Arnside and Silverdale

A BCRA field trip to the karst of the Arnside and Silverdale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty will be held on Saturday 17th July, led by Phil Murphy. The striking landscape around Arnside and Silverdale ...

Cave and Karst Science Vol 48 No 1: Straws, bears and speleobiology before Darwin!

The latest issue of Cave and Karst Science opens with a comparison of straw stalactites in caves and those beneath bridges and buildings. Later papers include work on conservation in the tropics, bears in late-glacial ...

Cave and Karst Science Vol 47 No 2: Biology, fractures and Palaeoenvironments

The latest issue of Cave and Karst Science kicks off with two detailed biological papers, detailing work in Meghalaya and the Caucasus. Other papers are based on work in the UK and include LiDAR survey, ...

BCRA Newsletter

In this newsletter: BCRA Caves and Karst online seminars, Publications, Membership Renewals, AGM Report, Cave Studies Booklets, BCRA's Facebook page. BCRA Caves and Karst online seminars BCRA is arranging a series of monthly online seminars ...

Cave scientists travel the world from their armchairs …

Delegates from more than 30 countries came together virtually to take part in the 31st Cave Science Symposium of the British Cave Research Association on 14th November 2020. Peter Burgess reports from the comfort of ...

BCRA Cave Science Symposium and latest newsletter

The BCRA Cave Science Symposium is being held by Zoom on Saturday 14th November. You can still register for free. BCRA Newsletter In this newsletter: Cave Science Symposium - how to register, Annual General Meeting ...

BCRA Newsletter

In this newsletter: Cave Science Symposium, Annual General Meeting, BCRA Review 2019 now in press. Cave Science Symposium Our annual cave science symposium will be an online event this year, taking place via Zoom on ...

BCRA Newsletter and AGM details

In this newsletter: online event, Connecting with Cave Research - Advice for Student Researchers,  BCRA Review 2019 available for pre-order now, and details of the Annual General Meeting. Connecting with Cave Research - Advice for ...

Online event: Monday 19th October 2020, Connecting with Cave Research – Advice for Student Researchers

To sign up for this event, please follow the link here, and please pass details of this to your club and any students you know ...

BCRA Cave Science Symposium, Saturday November 14 2020

The next BCRA Cave Science Symposium will take place on Saturday November 14th 2020 using an online portal. The meeting will be hosted by Professor Mike Rogerson at the University of Northumbria. BCRA would very ...

Cave and Karst Science Vol 47 No 2: The Greenland Caves Project

The latest edition of the BCRA's journal Cave and Karst Science is wholly dedicated to the reports from the 2019 Greenland Caves Project 2019 expedition. This was the latest and largest of a series of ...

BCRA Newsletter July 2020

In this newsletter... Covid-19 and Caving Periodicals BCRA Science Symposium Cave Biology SIG Cave Studies Booklets 2021: International Year of Caves and Karst BCRA's Facebook page British Cave Science Centre Research Fund Annual General Meeting ...
Caves-of-Mid-West-Ireland

Irish caves book wins Tratman award

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 ...

Travel to Mars with Descent 274 …

Descent 274 has now arrived! This is the second copy to appear since lockdown so as can be imagined recent exploration doesn't figure highly but nevertheless Chris and Judith have put together a readable and ...

Big rivers, maze caves and a Roman dog – the latest in cave research from the BCRA

A report on the big river caves of Papua New Guinea in the Nakanai Mountains and one on harvesting swiftlet nests in Sarawak by David Gill form a large part of this issue of Cave ...

Fish, bones, ice and carbon dioxide – more cave research from the BCRA.

Reports on large cave fish from Meghalaya, archaeological sites in Scotland and Derbyshire, ice caves in Yorkshire and carbon dioxide - historically and geologically - are amongst the features in the new edition of Cave ...

Settle down to host historic graffiti and protection marks field meeting

Introducing guidelines and a standing recording method is one of the aims of next May's BCRA cave archaeology field meeting. It will take place from 8th May - 10th May at Lower Winskill Farm, Settle, in ...

BCRA newsletter December 2019

In this newsletter ... Latest periodicals now online: CREG Journal 107 is now available online and can be viewed and downloaded by members. This has also now been mailed to members. Cave & Karst Science ...

BCRA newsletter November 2019

In this newsletter ... Caves and Karst of the Yorkshire Dales - volume 2 This book has now been reduced in price to £25. It can be ordered online, along with volume 1. There is ...

Cave fish, cake and karst

The BCRA's 30th annual science symposium took place at Keyworth,hosted by the British Geological Survey. I attended the Saturday session and was impressed by the depth and variety of scientific work being undertaken by British ...

Event: BCRA Cave Science Symposium at Creswell Crags, 19th and 20th October 2019

The British Cave Research Association is pleased to announce details of the 30th Annual Cave Science Symposium. The Symposium will be hosted by Dr. Andy Farrant of the British Geological Survey (BGS), Keyworth, Nottingham, on ...

Bats, mazes and depressions – the latest in cave research

Reports on huge closed depressions in China, maze caves and bones from a site in the north of England are among the features in the latest edition of Cave and Karst Science. There are six ...

BCRA Newsletter August 2019

In this newsletter... Cave Karst Science Cave & Karst Science 46(2) has now been mailed and should be with UK subscribers by now. It is also available online. Hidden Earth After some problems finding a ...

Tuning in to cave radio and comms

Mike Bedford talks about cave radios, cave communications and much more in the annual report of the BCRA's Cave Radio and Electronics Group. Our decision, a few years ago, to broaden our remit to cover ...

Data logging and much more at the British Cave Monitoring Centre

The British Cave Research Association (BCRA) recently held its Spring Field Meeting at the British Cave Monitoring Centre, Poole’s Cavern, Buxton in Derbyshire. This was an interesting day looking at cave data logging and graphical ...

Cave and Karst Science Vol 46 No 1 now available

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 ...

BCRA Newsletter April 2019

In this newsletter... BCRA Field meeting. Saturday/Sunday 29/30 June 2019 in Alston, Cumbria This weekend field meeting is entitled "Hypogenic Caves of the North Pennines UNESCO Global Geopark". This is a joint meeting of the ...

Event: BCRA spring field meeting

A one-day British Cave Research Association field meeting will be held at the British Cave Monitoring Centre, Poole’s Cavern and Buxton Country Park on Saturday 27 April. The event is courtesy of the Buxton Civic ...

Students get the chance to meet in-cave monitoring experts

Students interested in undertaking a cave-related dissertation will get the chance to talk to experts on in-cave monitoring next month. The BCRA (British Cave Research Association), in conjunction with CHECC (Council of Higher Education Caving ...

Review: Cave and Karst Science, December 2018 Issue

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 ...

How to piss off the French in one easy lesson – and why voles are important

Linda Wilson picked up some intriguing tips at the British Cave Research Association's 29th cave science symposium as well as drinking plenty of tea ... If you wanted to find out how to annoy our ...

British Cave Research Association Newsletter September 2018

In this newsletter ... * Annual General Meeting * Notice: Ghar Parau Foundation * BCRA Annual Review 2017 * Keeping in touch with BCRA Annual General Meeting Notice is hereby given that the 2018 Annual ...

British Cave Research Association Newsletter July 2018

In this newsletter ... * British Caving Library Updates * BCRA Publicity Officer * AGM Notice * 29th Annual BCRA Cave Science Symposium * BCRA Stock of Back-Issues * CREG Journal 102 - now online ...

News: Cave Scientist Gina Moseley Receives €1.2 Million Research Prize

Dr Gina Moseley from the Innsbruck Quaternary Research Group will receive one of this year's prestigious Austrian Science Foundation (FWF) START prizes. The START programme is an Austrian initiative to support and strengthen outstanding research ...

News: Putting Cave Surveying In The Map

In September, Andrew Atkinson's article on Cave Surveying – the next steps proved to be of huge interest to readers. An open invitation was extended to cavers with an interest in surveying or geographic information ...

News, Caves and Karst Science Now Available

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 ...

News: Pre Columbian Cave Art in the Caribbean

New research by academics from the University of Leicester and the British Museum, working with colleagues from the British Geological Survey and Cambridge University, outlines the science behind the largest concentration of indigenous pre-Columbian rock ...

News: A Golden Age of Cave Exploration

To celebrate 50 years of pioneering British cave exploration and scientific research, renowned explorers of the subterranean world will come together to share their discoveries and experiences during 4 days at the Royal Geographical Society, ...

News: BCRA’s Cryogenic Cave Calcite Competition

We reported last year that cryogenic cave crystals (CCCs) had been found for the first time in the UK in Wookey Hole in 2015. Gina Moseley and Mark Luetscher from Innsbruck University had been investigating ...

Event: BCRA Cave Science Symposium, 21st and 22nd October 2017

British Cave Research Association, 28th Cave Science Symposium hosted jointly with the Yorkshire Geological Society and Leeds Geological Association Symposium - Saturday 21st October, 2017 Field-trip(s) - Sunday 22nd October, 2017 School of Earth and ...

News: BCRA 28th Cave Science Symposium, 21st and 22nd October 2017

The British Cave Research Association, Yorkshire Geological Society, and Leeds Geological Association are pleased to announce details of the 28th Annual Cave Science Symposium and associated field-trip. The Symposium will be hosted by Prof. Simon ...

Event: BCRA Cave Science Symposium, 2016

27th British Cave Research Association Cave Science Symposium - Saturday 22nd October, 2016 Department of Earth Sciences, University of Oxford Field-trip - Sunday 23rd October, 2016, Box Mines, Wiltshire The British Cave Research Association is ...

The British Caving Library

The British Caving Library (BCL) is a national research and reference library based in the Peak District, owned by BCRA and staffed part-time by a librarian. The library mostly comprises published and archived material collected ...

Notice: 27th British Cave Research Association Cave Science Symposium

27th British Cave Research Association Cave Science Symposium, Saturday 22nd October, 2016 Department of Earth Sciences, University of Oxford Call for Abstracts The response to the first call for abstracts has been very positive and ...

Haggs Brow Cave Excavations, Lower Winskill

Haggs Brow Cave Excavations, Lower Winskill Yorkshire Dales National Park. May 2016. A personal account by Vince Simmonds. Looking down the track to Lower Winskill. Introduction: Haggs Brow Cave is located on the Haggs, an ...

News: Cave and Karst Science now available

Volume 42 of The Transactions of the British Cave Research Association for December 2015 is now available. The current edition contains papers on: "Hidden Recesses of Nature" - the science and aesthetics of subterranean space ...

News: British Caving Library – Registry of Caving Collections

One of the activities of the British Caving Library is cataloguing collections of donated caving material from once active cavers, mainly documents in the form of log books and so on, but also an audio ...