BelfryBulletin Vol. 8 No.77
January 1954
Camping Underground by Dave Hunt ‘Night on a Bare Mountain’ is nothing compare with ‘Night in an Enclosed Cave’. Camping (even if it was only Goatchurch) is real fun, and I hope if time and money permits, to repeat the ‘experiment’ in Swildons some time. ‘Operation Goatchurch’ was carried out on Sat. Oct 31st. by Viv Brown, Dave Fowler and myself. As Viv was already caving in Burrington on that day, he met Dave and I there. He left Bristol at 3.00pm in pouring rain and after calling at Wrington for some meths, arrived at the Combe at 4.10pm, also in the pouring rain. Reaching the entrance, we were already covered in mud, due to slipping on the ascent. On entering the cave we were greeted by a horde of happy cavers under the protective wings of Messrs. Sandall and Scott. (N.B. They were happy because they were about to go home). After eating and watching, with much amusement, the dispersal of the afore-mentioned party, we proceeded to select a suitable place of kip. After a decision hade been reached, Viv shocked us all by announcing that ‘they’ had been open for at least 20 minutes. Hastily donning coats and bonnets, we proceeded up the Combe with much fervour, arriving at Ben’s in time to witness an excellent display of slides. Returning to the Belfry for supper we were ridiculed unmercifully, but the spirit of adventure won through and we plodded back down the Combe in a much less joyful moody than we had climbed it. We got to bed at 1.45am and I was soon very much asleep. I was awakened later by Dave poking me in the back and roundly acclaiming that it was 4.30 and he would like to go caving. Ken Dobbs informs me that my reply is, unfortunately not publishable. -- (You should have written it in, Dave, anyway. We always are pleased to improve our knowledge of the English language. Ed.). I was next awakened to be informed that it was 10.40, and about time that I got up. I am pleased to say that I enjoyed a better nights sleep than I could have expected at another certain establishment on Mendip, and to prove that my hours underground had done me no harm, I went caving all day Sunday, feeling very little effect of it. One point which has been stressed to us before our departure was not to light a meths stove underground. I am now completely in agreement with this statement. If anyone is interested in Camping in Swildons will they please contact me by letter to : 16, Britannia Road, Easton, Bristol. 5., as soon as possible. Dave Hunt *************************************************