South Wales Caving Club – 70th Anniversary

Early winter morning at Penwyllt, Headquarters of South Wales Caving Club. Photo: Peter Burgess
Early winter morning at Penwyllt, Headquarters of South Wales Caving Club. Photo: Peter Burgess

South Wales Caving Club has recently celebrated its 70th anniversary on April 30th. SWCC has been based in the Upper Swansea Valley for all that time, and has always made cavers welcome to their impressive headquarters at Penwyllt, where the club has been established since 1960. With the closure of the railway, and the end of brick-making and lime-burning, it is doubtful whether anything would have remained at Penwyllt apart from ruins, had it not been for SWCC moving into the terrace of ten stone cottages and turning them into one of the UK’s more impressive caving centres.

SWCC member Andy Freem has composed a short video to celebrate the 70th anniversary, and it can be viewed here. It features a song by Graeme Miles, “Where Ravens Feed”, beautifully rendered by member Harvey Lomas, and some footage that captures perfectly the atmosphere of caving in South Wales.

At the anniversary dinner, Martyn Farr was presented with a lifetime achievement award for World Cave Diving, a thoroughly well-deserved honour. Congratulations, Martyn!