Stories in Stone, the start of the CDG and more, coming soon in Descent 279 …

Descent 279 will be on its way shortly, and with some light at the end of the tunnel, this is a great time to catch up with news at home and abroad so get ready for an excellent read, and take a moment to check your subscription is up to date! And if you don’t already read Descent, we hope we can tempt you to start now.

Learn more about the four-year Stories in Stone project to conserve the limestone landscapes of Ingleborough that has now come to an end. Also in the Yorkshire Dales, Newby Moss now sports a set of new hangers and a new topo as well as an up-to-date route description.

Seventy-five years ago, pioneer cave divers gathered at Ogof Ffynnon Ddu in Wales and decided to form the Cave Diving Group of Great Britain. This issue provides a brief history of how the group was set up. Climbing the Winze looks at a soaring shaft in a South Wales mine that simply demanded to be climbed, for no better reason than to find out what lay at the top. This certainly wasn’t an easy project!

A new site with potential in a not-so-well-known caving area in the UK? Find out what happened when a closer look was taken at the interestingly named Hells Bells.

Every year, the British Cave Rescue Council releases statistics for the previous year’s rescues – learn what not to do underground (and on the surface) by reading the stats for 2020.

In this issue’s Showcase, you’ll find stunning images of the Grottes de Han in Belgium taken by Philippe Crochet.

Further afield, Robin Weare has continued his quest to find deep caves in Ethiopia but finds himself in the most beautiful cave in the country.

Geoff Workman was a man who challenged the records for an extended solo stay underground. The caving world is poorer for his passing and this issue contains his obituary.

Remember that Descent magazine is run by cavers for cavers and that your subscription is important in these difficult times. Every issue is packed with caving news and features, accompanied by amazing photos. Don’t miss out, and if you haven’t taken a subscription out yet, then head over to Wildplaces Publishing, who’ll be delighted to welcome you on board!