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 not have heard of Dr Wilford, but the effects of his work reverberate throughout the work of the BCRA. Without…
The next issue of Descent magazine is due out shortly. If you haven’t got a subscription, go to the link at the end of this article and set one up! It is also possible to pre-order individual copies of the magazine on the Descent Magazine website. In Issue 295: Regional news includes an unusual 80m…
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 editor of the best caving book, journal or article in a journal, the criteria including not only the quality of…
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 Klimchouk. Alexander Klimchouk was undeniably one of the most influential cave researchers in the world and this well-deserved appreciation of…
The Charterhouse Caving Co. Ltd. has gone paperless, exchanging the old paper permits for new electronic ones. And they’re free. Since the Dawn of Time (the early 1950s), access to caves in the Charterhouse area of Mendip, including GB Cave and Longwood Swallet, has been managed by cavers for cavers on behalf of successive landowners….
After a long break, Hidden Earth will be held again this Autumn. Hidden Earth, the UK’s major caving event has been missing from the calendar since 2019 when it was held at Glyndwr University, in Wrexham. The 2020 event was cancelled owing to the plague then ravishing these shores and since then there have been…
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 corals in Wookey Hole. Terry Reeve has been looking at available details of archaeological and Pleistocene palaeontological sites associated with…
New claims as to the use of fire in Rising Star Cave in South Africa have thrown the spotlight back on the activities of the enigmatic Homo naledi. And it now it appears that there might have been an easier way for these hominins to have made their way into the cave system….
The first issue edited by the new team of Chris Scaife and Carolina Smith is about to hit the streets. Make sure your subscription is up to date, so you don’t miss out on all the big news! Chris Scaife has told us at DB Towers that having their first issue finished is a…
The Mendip Cave Registry and archive (MCRA) is pleased to announce that the third volume of Somerset Underground will be officially launched at the Hunters’ Lodge Inn, Priddy, Somerset, on December 10th 2022, starting at around 7.30pm. This is the third in a series of impeccably researched guides written by Rob Taviner to the caves…
The Fairy Cave Quarry management team have asked us to post the following:
Road widening works on the Heads of the Valleys Road seem to have opened a new cave. Will it stay open? Adam Jones, previous Chelsea SS member and digger lives in Cefn Coed and so has been watching with interest the road widening work on the Heads of the Valleys Road where it passes through…
A cobalt mine, abandoned in the early 19th century, has been discovered at Alderley Edge in Cheshire revealing a ‘time capsule’ of personal objects and equipment the workers left behind. The shaft ran in after the unusually wet weather in 2019/2020 and was found by a warden surveying the field. The Derbyshire Caving Club then…
The Grampian Speleological Group (GSG), Scotland’s premier caving club, has a long history of producing guides to the country’s caves; indeed this is third edition of a guide that was first published in 1972. However, in another sense this is a new departure. Previous editions were very much home-produced, but this has been laid out…
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 an unusual result from the monitoring stations at Pooles Cavern. Lee Knight and colleagues have carried out a descriptive survey…
Most British cavers will be familiar with the work of Robbie Shone who has been photographing the world’s caves for the last 20 years or more. Now a selection of his pictures has been brought together in a large format book, showcasing his photographs and giving some insight into how he works. This is not…
The latest book on Irish caves to be published by the University of Bristol Spelaeological Society (UBSS) in conjunction with the Speleological Union of Ireland (SUI), Caves of southern Ireland has now gone to the printers and is expected to be launched this Autumn in both Ireland, at the SUI’s annual symposium, and in Bristol….
) 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 northeastern England and a pictorial overview of travertine cascades from around the world. John Gunn, Matt Rowberry and Andrew Smith…
The results of the ballots following the recent AGM have now been announced and the results of the elections are as follows: Chair: the winning candidate is Russell Myers Secretary: the winning candidate is Allan Richardson Training Officer the winning candidate is Steve Gray Individual Member representatives: the winning candidates are Nigel Atkins and…
Descent 282 should have reached you by now, but if not, it’s time to head over to Wildplaces Publishing to subscribe or if you’re lucky enough to have a caving shop anywhere near you, call in now that shops are open again, and get a one from them. Newsdesk contains a variety of short items, starting…
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 an underground stone quarry and the excavated remains of domesticated dogs from a cave on the Gower peninsula. An informative…
The 2021 JRat Digging Award presentation will take place in the Long Room of the Hunter’s Lodge Inn on Saturday 20th November. The evening will kick off at 7.30 pm and will include talks and presentations from Mendip digging teams before the presentation of the award to the winning team. If anybody does win, that…
Bored with the rain and fancy some armchair caving instead of a wet walk to get underground? Then settle down for a good read, with news, views, digs and more! Descent 281 should now have reached you by now, but if not, it’s time to head over to Wildplaces Publishing to subscribe or if you’re…
ATLAS (the Association of Thrupe Lane Advanced Speleologists) are planning a maintenance session at Thrupe Lane Swallet and are keen to get some help. You can also have a barbecue and catch up with friends as well!
In a world first, British caver, polar explorer and climate change scientist Gina Moseley is preparing to lead an expedition to the planet’s northernmost caves in Greenland. While the expedition will explore several caves, there is one giant cave in particular that Gina is captivated by. She first found out about it in a conversation…
The following note has been received from Dave King of ATLAS (the Association of Thrupe Lane Advanced Speleologists) “Following concerns and requests from local residents who have young children a CSCC padlock will be fitted to the entrance gate of Thrupe Lane Swallet. This will be fitted during the week commencing 14th June. Note that…
, If you want to know why a couple of Aussie cavers have had two new species of cave spider named after them get your mitts on the new issue of Descent, which brings you caving news from around the world. Descent 280 should now have reached you by now, but if not, it’s time…
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 in north west England consists of a series of partially-wooded limestone hills (knolls) separated by areas of water-logged low-lying ground,…
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 Yorkshire and an account of early speleobiological work. The issue contains four major papers. in the first, Garry K. Smith…
The European Speleological Federation have just released their April 2021 newsletter including news about the 2021 International Year of Caves and Karst and much more. You can download the English version from their website or simply read it below. The French version can be downloaded from here. To navigate through all six pages, hover over…
Another excellent issue from the Descent team is packed with interesting and exciting content including a trip in the “world’s largest cave”! As is so often the case now, Newsdesk starts with items about the current pandemic, including a catch-up on its effects on caving in the UK alongside some news about the international research…
A rockfall has been reported in GB near the waterfall climb in Main Chamber. There has been a recent fall of mud, gravel and smallish boulders on the left (when viewed facing downstream) of the waterfall climb, near the bottom of Main Chamber. The wall above the last part of the climb (the big steps)…
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, fracture displacement monitoring and Palaeoenvironmental studies. This issue contains six major papers. The first two are concerned with biological studies….
Descent 277 is now here. It’s yet another great issue from the Descent team with interesting and exciting content, including some great exploration stories. There is so much to tell that this issue has eight extra pages! We start with Newsdesk where, of course Covid-19 gets a mention or two. Probably the most useful is…
The European Speleological Federation have just released their November 2020 newsletter including news about the 2021 International Year of Caves and Karst and the UIS Congress to be held in France in July 2021. You can download the English version from their website or simply read it below. The French version can be downloaded from…
Owing to COVID19, there will not be an event held in the Hunters for 2020 for the presentation of the Silver Shovel for Mendip and Scotland finds, but we don’t want the finds since 1st November 2019 to 31st October 2020 to go unrewarded and unnoticed! Our plan is to create a short video for…
Descent 276 has landed – and it’s another issue replete with interesting, informative and exciting content. It’s good to see that even in these times cavers can find much to do – and to write about. There’s much of interest in Newsdesk, from an update on the ongoing legal case involving BCA and the Welsh…
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 expeditions which started in 2015. It involved an interdisciplinary team, with members specialising in geology, glacial geomorphology, palaeoclimatology and…
Descent 275 is now with us. Yet another issue compiled during this plague year, but still packed with interesting and informative material – and there is even news of new exploration in England! Newsdesk starts with an update on how the pandemic is affecting caving in the UK and cautiously welcomes the reopening of caves…
The British Caving Association (BCA) and the Speleological Union of Ireland (SUI) have issued more advice about how to make a safe return to caving. BCA secretary Russell Myers has sent the following: BCA notes that both the Scottish and Welsh governments have indicated a possible relaxation of their 5 mile local travel restriction scheduled…
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 informative issue. Newsdesk has had to go to Mars to speculate on new cave discoveries – otherwise it is largely…
When we at DB Towers received our copy of Robin Taviner’s Somerset Underground Volume 1, we were intrigued to learn that one site that he had been unable to visit was Bucklewell Cave in the Avon Gorge. We therefore approached Paul Warrilow, who has studied the site over many years, and asked him for an…
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 and Karst Science, along with reports on subjects as diverse as Northern Pennine maze caves and the hydrological significance of…
Descent 273 has now arrived! 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 get one from them. If you’re keen to keep up with what’s happening in the world of…
Descent 272 has now arrived! 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 get one from them. If you’re keen to keep up with what’s happening in the world of…
Two reports of instability in caves have reached us. Dave King has sent the following message re Hobnail Hole. “Hobnail Hole is temporarily closed due to a very unstable boulder in Black Pot. Please do not use Hobnail hole as a route into or out of Butts’ Chamber in Thrupe Lane Swallet until further notice.”…
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…
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 and Karst Science. There are ten main articles in volume 46 no. 3 as well as some shorter pieces in…
Descent 271 has now arrived! 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 get one from them. As we always say, we think Descent is great, and we want…
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 cavers. The morning session kicked off with a description of palaeokarst features found in the Pielkhlieng Pouk-Krem Sakwa system in…
Descent 270 has now arrived! 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 get one from them. As we always say, we think Descent is great, and we want to…
Bob Hall, on behalf of SWCC and the Ogof Ffynnon Ddu Cave Advisory Group, has sent the following information: Changes to the Administration of Access of the Ogof Ffynnon Ddu System Background The Ogof Ffynnon Ddu cave system lies within a designated Site of Special Scientific Interest administered by Natural Resources Wales who own the…
The 2019 British Cave Rescue Conference will be hosted by Mendip Cave Rescue at Priddy on the 6th – 8th September. This event, a regular, biennial, one in the caving calendar, is being held on Mendip at Ebborways Farm, Pelting Road, Priddy, BA5 3BA. Participants in the gathering of British cave rescue volunteers (and others…
The historic permit system for the caves on Leck Fell, which was discontinued a few months ago, has now been replaced by the online booking system. This system, in use for the caves of Ingleborough Estate since November, now also allows landowner-consented access to Leck Fell caves to be booked with minimal fuss with no…
Researchers from four international universities have returned from an expedition to a remote area of north-east Greenland where they broke two records. The team, comprised of researchers from the Universities of Innsbruck, Akron, Oxford, and Sheffield, documented and explored more than 30 caves that had never previously been visited. In doing so, they broke their…
New samples taken for DNA analysis from human bone from Aveline’s Hole by Natural History Museum researchers have thrown up surprising results. Graham Mullan reports on their findings. Aveline’s Hole, Burrington Combe, Mendip, contained the largest assemblage of Mesolithic human remains yet found anywhere in Britain. The cave was excavated in the 1920s by the…
An international team, led by an archaeologist from the University of Southampton and the University of Bordeaux, has revealed the first example of Palaeolithic figurative cave art found in the Balkan Peninsula. Dr Aitor Ruiz-Redondo worked with researchers from the universities of Cantabria (Spain), Newfoundland (Canada), Zagreb (Croatia) and the Archaeological Museum of Istria (Croatia)…
Pete Buckley and Ali Moody assisted by a band of Wessex diggers have had more success recently at their dig at Bagpit, on the south side of Mendip above Draycott. The site, a low cliff on the east edge of a closed basin with the same name, has three potential entrances. By excavating Pit 1,…
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 Clubs), are holding a workshop on in-cave monitoring on 16th February 2019 at the British Cave Monitoring Centre, Poole’s Cavern,…
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…
