Belfry Bulletin Number 279

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THE BELFRY BULLETIN ____________________________________ Number 279

November 1970

(VOLUME 24 No.11) ____________________________________ CONTENTS Climbing Tinkering around in Perthshire 88 Club Busines Just a Sec Members’ Addresses

89 90

Book Reviews Caves on Mendip Great Floods of 1968

EDITORIAL MASTERS OF MEMBERSHIP From time to time, matters affecting the qualifications required for membership of the club get discussed at meetings of the committee. A point which recently arose on this subject was that a few small groups of individuals fail to make effective contact with the remaining membership of the club. The B.E.C. has, for most of its life, been happily free from any forms of clique or faction and this is a characteristic which has been, and should be, carefully preserved by committee action if need be.

Applicants for membership are traditionally expected to make themselves known to a reasonable cross section of the club before applying, and this is a point which may well be regarded more carefully by the committee in future. Existing members who make little or no attempt to integrate could, in theory at any rate, fail to get their membership ratified on the grounds that they are insufficiently known – a matter which new members may well like to consider.

ADDRESSES

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Miscellaneous Crossword 95 ____________________________________ The Belfry Bulletin – Monthly Journal of the Bristol Exploration Club. Hon. Sec. A.R. Thomas, Allens House, Townsend, Priddy, Nine Barrows Lane, Wells, Somerset.

Hon. Editor, S.J. Collins, Lavender Cottage, Bishop Sutton, Nr. Bristol

November is the month when traditionally the B.B. prints a list of member’s names and addresses. If yours is incorrect in any way, please get in touch with Alan and let us know where you really lived!

CHRISTMAS B.B. The usual attempt will be made to have a bigger that usual B.B. for Christmas. How big it is depends on what gets sent in for publication. In addition to the more normal articles etc., humorous article are welcomed at Christmas. Any Offers?

“Alfie”

_______________________________________________________________________________________ Some people don’t know the Hon. Secs. new address yet. The full address plus postcode and telephone number is: Alan Thomas, Allen’s House, Ninebarrows Lane, Priddy, Wells, Somerset.

BA5 3BH And the telephone number is PRIDDY 269

TINKERI NG AROUND IN PERTHSH IRE ..…by Steve Grimes

Editor’s Note:

88 The summer holiday period was looming large on the horizon. The baby was flat on its back showing no inclination to move, or even attempt to move under its own steam and the car was secreted away on a patch of waste ground sans road tax. What to do and where to go under these circumstances had become an evening talking point for weeks. We didn’t want to spend the time with parents and we couldn’t even afford a special discount Billy Butlin’s holiday sickness session.

The germ of going camping gradually buzzed its way round my head. No car would mean travelling light. That would be a joke in itself, considering the mountain of gear needed to keep a seven month old squalling brat on the hill. It had filled the car on our Whit. weekend in Glen Coe! Then there was the fact that we didn’t want to have the bother of changing trains, so that point should be limited us to the east side of Scotland. Out came the maps, and we at last decided to use Pitlochry as the jumping off point, and then walk around lochs Tummelo and Rannoch. We eventually sorted out the logistics by various subtle mods to the high pram. I built a small rack to fit on the chassis ands on this rack to fit the crockery, tea towels etc. This was all covered by a polythene sheet. Aft of this was strapped a gallon petrol container and the petrol stove, the whole lot being lashed down with big bungies. On the port side, lashings were attached to take the tent (Blacks, mountain) and the starboard side was similarly equipped to take the sleeping bags and the dog’s blanket. Over this last were strapped the cooking gear. More, however, is to come! In these large prams, there is a very cunningly concealed double bottom. I have the impression that before the advent of plastic pants, this was designed as a soak away for babies’ effluent. On this occasion, we used it to stow away the tins of Heinz baby foods required to keep the thing stoked up to ten days. Our particular pram had a sort of folding mattress which could be locked in position to keep the occupant in a sitting posture.

This we locked in place and used the cavity thus exposed to stow the other tinned food required, dog meat, beans, fruit and the rest.

When he sent this in, Steve wrote ‘I know this is not the usual sort of thing for the B.B. to print, but it does show how you can get away to the hills with a young family and no car. We wonder just how many formerly keen cavers of climbers have quietly faded away after marriage and the arrival of a family because of the handicaps of a baby and the resulting tight financial situation. This article shows what can be done, and we look forward to hearing from anyone else who can give similar encouragement to those who are feeling that their active outdoor lives must stop when they became parents.

Dorothy had my Whillans Alpinistic sac packed with disposable nappies and hers and the baby’s spare clothes and I had a Yukon pack stuffed with my gear and the rest of the food. Our evening meals were invariable Vesta food packs preceded by packet soup and followed by tinned fruit. The luxuries consisted of a transistor radio strapped to the pram handle and three books packed around the baby.

Come the Saturday morning and we caught the first train to Pitlochry. We arrived there about noon and, after two attempts, finally found the correct way to cross the railway line. We then had our lunch down by the river just below the hydro dam. Lunch over; we set off down the road in the direction of Tummel Bridge.

We used the road on the south side of the loch, as the motorised tourist tend to use the double track road on the north side and they can then stop and visit Queen’s View, which looks straight down both lochs.

On that first day, we walked about seven miles, passing a very fine monument erected to the memory of the men who died while digging the Tummel hydro tunnel. We found a very pleasant little place just off the road and went into what was soon to become a familiar routine. I erected the tent, while Dorothy had the sleeping bags out and sorted the evening’s nosh; I leapt into the countryside and collected wood. One cupful of petrol on the woodpile, followed swiftly by a match and bang! Instant fire or deluge of wood depending on the amount of petrol used. The baby was fed first and then bedded down, after which I cooked the evening meal and then we had time for a wee read before retiring.

89 The next day, we strolled down the loch side to Trummel Bridge where there is a caravan site. It had rained during the walk and our spirits were rather low as we went into the campsite. Humour soon brightened things up, though. I went to the reception desk to book in and pay our dues and the wee manny behind the desk got his ledger out and took my name, rank and number and then got around to transport.

“Car?” he said.

“Alwin, Mark I!”, I said.

“Registration letters and numbers?”

“P.R.A.M.” Quizzical look, followed by the dawning of comprehension as he saw the travelling circus, as by this time we had begun to call it, parked outside.

The night was ruddy awful to say the least. The petrol stove refused to run on stale petrol, and the filling station down the road was closed. The bairn refused to take cold food and eventually grizzled herself to sleep. The ground was rock hard, as this was essentially as caravan site, so that sleep did not come easily.

As we were leaving next morning en route for Kinloch Rannoch, my dog savaged and put to flight a big, soft and poncy Alsatian. The petrol pump attendant thought this was fantastic and asked what breed my beast was and quite gullibly took down ‘Hebridean Fighting Dog’ while we went on our way chuckling to ourselves.

That evening, we found a really idyllic camp site on the shores of Loch Rannoch. There was plenty of dead timber around for a campfire and a luxuriant covering of grass on the ground. The stayed there for two days lounging in the sun, drinking tea and beer and swimming in the loch.

After a rather nerve-racking walk along the main road from Trummel Bridge to Kinlock Rannoch (there was no footpath beside the road) we decided to take the road which goes up the initial slopes of Schiehallion (3,547’) as it would be quieter. We didn’t walk very far, as the sun was really scorching down and the road was very steep. At about 2 pm, we found a beautiful little place about two hundred yards from the road by the side of a wee burn. It was a fine turfy patch which nestled inside a meander with a few trees sheltering it from the worst of the wind. We took the opportunity to do our washing here and soon the place looked like a real tinker’s hideout with washing swinging from lines stretched between the trees and naked baby gurgling around.

That evening, while we were sitting out looking up at the hills, we decided to climb them on the following day. I had made a wee seat for my pack frame on which to sit the bairn, so all we had to hope for was good weather. The day dawned clear and at about eleven am, we shambled off to climb Schiehallion and headed for the east ridge. This ridge was a lot further away than it looked. During our ascent, the clag built up and dropped down over the hilltop. Eventually we reached the summit – a huge boulder field which the dog did not like very much. After the usual orgy of photography, we departed and landed back at the tent at about half past five in the afternoon. While we were at the summit, we were surrounded by a horde of boy scouts who thought that they had done very well until they saw Julia.

The next day saw our longest march – seventeen miles back to the camp site of the first day. We didn’t really notice the distance until we stopped – then it hurt. We made our way back to Pitlichry and waited for the train by the riverside again – in glorious sunshine, getting home to Inverkeithing at about nine in the evening. It was a fantastic holiday which cost us £5 each for the rail fare and 13/6 for a lovely coffee jug which Dorothy just couldn’t resist. _______________________________________________________________________________________

JUS T A SE

Tim Large, of 16 Meade House, Wedgwood Road, Twerton, Bath has taken over as caving Sec., and in future he will be the man responsible for the issue of Charterhouse permits. Fairy Cave Quarry permits and the G.B. and August/Longwood keys.

The Annual Dinner again was a great success and, as usual, there was the same battery of minor complaints. It just seems that you can’t please everybody on that scale. The proprietors of the restaurant endeavoured to remedy for this year, the complaints that we received last year. Now is the time to hear of any shortcomings which can be remedied while they are still in our minds.

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C Bob tells me that there are one or two people who still have not paid for the dinner. If we are compelled to issue tickets next year, it may mean some extra delay in getting your ticket sent to you on time and will almost certainly add to the cost of the dinner. Perhaps those who have not paid will get in touch with Bob as soon as possible.

MEMBERS ADDRESSES 728 306 666 742 20 392 730 619 617 618 390 214 417 720 145 364 336 663 707 687 715 689 551 607 731 713 716 679 705 526 655 398 211

Miss J.A. Abell T. Andrews P. Allen J. Bacon Bob Bagshaw Mike Baker Miss J. Barke Kevin Barnes R. Bater Mrs Bater Joan Bennett Roy Bennett P. Bird Martin Bishop Sybil Bowden-Lyle P. Blogg Alan Bonner B. Britton R. Brown Viv Brown D.M. Bryant J. Bugler Geoff Bull G. Butler R. Bidmead D.A. Byers J.L. Carter R. Chandler Chappel J. Churchward Colin Clark Alan Coase Clare Coase

620 89 377 494 727 680 609 405 350 423

Phil Coles Alfie Collins D. Cooke-Yarborough John Cornwall W. Cooper Bob Cross I.M. Daniels Frank Darbon Mrs Davies Len Dawes

Cleveland Hotel, Pultney Street, Bath 186 Courtland Avenue, Lodon SE12 7 Westbourne Place, Clifton, Bristol 8 School Farm House, Chew Stoke, Nr. Bristol 699 Wells Road, Knowle, Bristol, Avon 22 Riverside Gardens, Midsomer Norton, Bath, Avon 10 Queens Parade, Bristol Officer’s mess, 17 T.R.C. Regt. R.A. Woolwich. London 4 Butterfield Close, westbury-on-Trym, Bristol 4 Butterfield Close, westbury-on-Trym, Bristol 8 Radnor Road, Wesbury-on-Trym, Bristol 8 Radnor Road, Wesbury-on-Trym, Bristol City Museum, Queen Road, Bristol 17 Russell Road, Bath, Somerset PO Box 15, Iganga, Busoga, Uganda Hunters Field, Chaldon Common, Chaldon, Surrey 14 Monkseaton drive, Whitley Bay, Northumberland 180 Cheltenham Road, Bristol 6 24 Cranleigh Gardens, Luton, Bedfordshire 3 Cross Street, Kingswood, Bristol The Shakespeare, Lower Redland Road, Bristol 8 Dudley College of Education, Castle View, Dudley, Worcs.

2 Maple Close, EastcotePinner, Middlesex 37 Tweedy Road, Bromley, Kent 4 Dine Grove, Bristol 301 Cressex Road, High Wycombe, Bucks 149 Finch Road, Chipping Sodbury, Bristol 83 Spring Plate, Pound Hill, Crawley, West Sussex The College of education, Bognor Regis, Sussex 15 Jamaica street, Bristol 1 18 Church Lane, Bedminster, Bristol 4 Sutton Close, Oadby, Leicester 5 Mandalay Flats, 10 Elsiemer Street, Long Jetty, N.S.W. 2262, Australia 2 Westbourne Villas, Westbourne Place, Clifton, Bristol 8 Lavendar Cottage, Bishop Sutton, Nr Bristol, Somerset Lot 11 McKay Crescent, Orange, New South Wales, Australia 36 Russell Road, Bristol 5 259 Wick Road, Bristol Ordnance Survey Office, Elmgrove, Halfpenny Lane, Pontefract, Handsworth, Pilgrims Way, Chilham, Canterbury, Kent 2106 14th Street, PO Box 325, Vernon, British Columbia, Canada Camp V, Neighbourne, Oakhill, Bath, Somerset 223 Southwark Park, Bermondsey, London SE10

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449 710 164 601 331 322 232 496 269 404 569 469 468 676 709 470 459 647 648 660 434 478

Garth Dell Colin Dooley Ken Dobbs N. Downes John Eatough Bryan Ellis C. Falshaw P.G. Faulkner Tom Fletcher Albert Francis Joyce Franklin Pete Franklin Keith Franklin M. Fricker R.C. Gander P. Giles Keith Gladman Dave Glover Jane Glover P. Godley D.A. Greenwood Steve Grime

582 432 735 739 104 304 581 4 719 638 691 436 373 671 387 588 631 97 150 363 540 340 740 51 694 560 438 285 567 316 542

Chris Hall Nigel Hallet P. Hamm Mrs Hamm Mervyn Hannam C.W. Harris Chris Harvey Dan Hassell M. Hauan Anne Henley D. Herbert J. Hill Sid Hobbs T. Hodgson George Honey B. Howe P. Hudson J. Ifold P. Ifold Maurise Iles Dave Irwin D.R. Jenkins G. Jewell A Johnson D. Jones Frank Jones Mrs. P. Jones U. Jones Alan Kennett Kangy King Phil Kingston

5 Millground Road, Witheywood, Bristol 3 497A City Road, Edgbaston, Birmingham 17 85 Fox Rd., Beacon Heath, Exeter, Devon 18 Combe Street Lane, Yeovil, Somerset 116 Nwbridge Road, Brislington, Bristol 4 7 School Lane, Combwich, Bridgwater, Somerset 23 Hallen Grange Crescent, Sheffield 65 Broomfield Crescent, Middleton, Manchester The Old Mill House, Barnack, Nr. Stamford, Lincs.

22 Hervey Road, Wells, Somerset 16 Kings Street, Avonmouth, Bristol 16 Kings Street, Avonmouth, Bristol c/o Mount Boller, P.O. Victoria, 3723, Australia 26 Summerhill, St. George, Bristol 5 2 Rock Street, Croscombe, Wells, Somerset 1 Springfield Way, Hythe. Kent 29 Shenfield Road, Brentwood, Essex Longwood, Forest Lane, Tadley, Nr. Basingstoke, Hants.

Longwood, Forest Lane, Tadley, Nr. Basingstoke, Hants AbTS, R.A.F. Church Fenton, Nr. Tadcaster, Yorkshire 42 St. David’s drive, South Anston, Sheffield West highland School of Adventure, Applecross, Nr, Kyle of Lochalsh, Ross-shire, Scotland 12 Chertsey road, Redland, Bristol 11 Queens Road, Keynsham, Nr. Bristol 11 Queens Road, Keynsham, Nr. Bristol Lowlands, Orchard Close, East Hendred, Berks.

The Diocesan Registry, Wells, Somerset Byways, Hanham Lane, Paulton, Nr. Bristol Hill House, Moorlynch, Bridgwater, Somerset 24 Elberton Road, Westbuty-on-Trym, Bristol 23 Maynard Road, Hartcliffe, Bristol 6 33 triangle East, Oldfield Park, Bath, somerset 14c The orchard, High Street, Lower Cam, Nr. Dursley, Glos.

Hokerstone Cottage, Townsend, Priddy, Wells, Somerset 26 Dorset Road, Henleaze, Bristol Droppsta, 19044, Odensala, Sweden 48 Martins Road, Hanham, Bristol 15 Glentawe Park Estate, Wind Road, Ystradgynlais, Wales 5 Rushgrove Gardens, Bishop Sutton, Nr. Bristol The Cedars, Blackford, Nr. Wedmore, Cheddar Waterworks Cottage, Gurmney Slade, Bath 26 Whitcombe Close, Kingswood, Bristol 140 Beaufort Road, St. George, Bristol 5 Warren Cottage, Station Rd., Flax Bourton, Bristol Shortwood View, Kingswood, Bristol 8 York Gardens, Clifton, Bristol 8 50 Louisville Avenue, Aberdeen Marsh Farm, Askem in Furness, Lancs.

92 West Broadway, Henleaze, Bristol 21 Rue Lionel Terray, 31 Blangnas, France

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413 260 667 659 712 656 657 574 58 495 550 561 573 591 275 662 415 106 558 704 706 640 308 725 386 610 624 557 396 342 492 637 702 22 160 499 568 729 722 337 622 724 708 481 452 668 343 701 672 682 714 489 616 240

R. Kitchen J. Lamb Tim Large J. Laycock Miss M. Linnell P. Littlewood Mrs Littlewood Oliver Lloyd George Lucy Val Luckwill R A MacGregor John Major Mrs Major J. Manchip C.A. Marriott R. Marshall T. Marston E.J. Mason Tony Meaden D. Metcalf S. Miller N. Monk K. Murray S. McManus A. Nash Henry Oakley J. Orr D. Palmer Mike Palmer R. Price Sheila Paul J. Pearce R. Perrin Les Peters Norman Petty Tony Philpott Brenda Plummer T.S. Pardoe A.E. Pearce Brian Prewer Colin Priddle G.V. Phippen Miss D. Ranford John Ransom Pam Rees I. Rees A Rich N. Rich R. Richards J. Riley G. Rowles G.G. Robinson Rushton Alan Sandall

Flat 1B, Mill close, Trimley, St. Martin, Felixstowe, Suffolk Broadmeadows, Padstow Road, Wadebridge, Cornwall 16 Mendip House, Wedgewood Road, Twerton, Bath, Somerset 41 Woodlands Park, Quedgeley, Glos.

47 Berkeley Road, Westbury Park, Bristol 257 Chichester Road, Bognor Regis, Sussex.

257 Chichester Road, Bognor Regis, Sussex.

Withey House, Withey Close West, Westbury-on-Trym, Bristol Pike Croft, Long Lane, Tilehurst, Reading, Berks 8 Greenslade Road, Sedgeley hill, Dudley, Worcs.

12 Meadow Way, Theale, Reading, Berks 10 Blenheim Road, Redland, Bristol 6 16 Kings Street, Avonmouth, Bristol 90 Grove Street, Edinburgh, Scotland Bruhlbergstrasse 15. apt 21. 8400 Winterhur, Switzerland 23 Highbury Villas, Bristol 2 50 The Deans, Downlands, Portishead, Bristol 11 Kendon Drive, Westbury-on-Trym, Bristol 127 Mulford Road, Yeovil Somerset R.A.F. Wittering, Hants.

27 Walnut Way, South Ruislip, Middlesex 7 Little Stoke Road, Bristol 9 17 Harrington Gardens, London SW7 10 Embleton Road, Westbury-on-Trym, Bristol 22 Stuart Street, Bristol 45 Greenway, Stockwell, London SW9 c/o The Belfry 29 John Wesley Road, St. George, Bristol 3 27 Roman Way, Paulton, Nr. Bristol Heath End Road, Alsager, Stoke-on-Trent 6 Cricketer’s close, Chessington, surrey 22 Tiverton Drive, New Eltham London, SE9 30 Cotham Grove, Cotham, Bristol 6 21 Melbury Rd., Knowle Park, Bristol Avon Bankside Road, Brislington, Bristol 3 Kings Drive, Bishopston, Bristol, Avon 2 Hogarth Walk, Lockleaze, Bristol 36 Alexandra Park, Redland, Bristol 6 5 Clomer Road, Yeovil, Somerset East View, West Horrington, Wells, Somerset 19 Stottbury, Horfield, Bristol 7 Rock Cottage, Rock Road, Wick, Bristol 40 Oldfield Circus, Northall, Misddlesex 21 Bradley Rd., Patchway, Bristol, Avon 7 Coberley, Footshill, Hanham, Bristol 30 Ramsey Road, Horfield, Bristol 7 Box 126, Basham, Alberta Canada 19 Bishops Manor Road, Manor Farm, Westbury-on-Trym, Bristol 704 Heldeberg, Goel road, Berea, Johannesburg, South Africa 27 Wedmore Vale, Bristol 49 Elton Road, Bishopston, Bristol 6 Rectification Flight, R.A.F. Conningby. Lincoln 43 Meadway Ave., Nailsea, Avon

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359 747 237 577 578 482 597 78 213 565 473 276 1 38 575 365 381 60 650 572 583 681 284 348 571 711 673 737 699 700 737 502 80 74 326 544 718 157 328 678 646 635 654 175 652 761 695 703 627 645 592 553 733 608

Carol Sandall D.R. Sanderson B. Scott Dave Searle Kathy Searle Gordon Selby R. Sell R.A. Setterington R. Setterington William Smart Dave Smith J.M. Stafford Harry Stanbury Mrs I Stanbury D. Statham Roger Stenner Daphne Stenner P.A.E. Stewart D. Stuckey P. Sutton Derek Targett A.R. Thomas Allan Thomas D Thomas N Thomas M. Thomas S. Thompson M. Tilbury Buckett Tilbury Anne Tilbury M. Tilbury Gordon Tilly J.M. Postle Tompsett M.J. Dizzie Tompsett E. Towler Phil Townsend A. Tringham Jill Tuck Steve Tuck Dave Turner P. Turner S. Tuttlebury R. Voke Mrs D. Waddon R. Wallin M.R. Wardlow Miss C. Warren P. Waterfall G. Watts M. Webster Eddie Welch Bob White J. White R. Wickens

43 Meadway Ave., Nailsea, Avon 23 Penzance Gardens, Harold Hill, Romford, Essex Fairthorne Rise, Basingstoke, Hants Dolphin Cottage, The Beeches, Priddy, Wells, Somerset Dolphin Cottage, The Beeches, Priddy, Wells, Somerset 2 Dodd Avenue, Wells, Somerset 51 Swiss Road, Ashton Vale, Bristol 3 4 Galmington Lane, Taunton, Somerset 4 Cavendish Road, Chiswick, London W4 P.O. Box 121, Muscat, Muscat and Oman, Arabia Flat 15, 193 Wensley Road, Coley Park, Reading, Berks.

Bryher, Bagworth, Somerset.

31 Belvoir Road, St. Andrews, Bristol 74 Redcatch, Knowle, Bristol Dunsmuir, Wimborne Road, Lytchett Maltravers, Poole, Dorset 38 Paulton Road, Victoria Park, Bristol 3 38 Paulton Road, Victoria Park, Bristol 3 11 Fairhaven Road ,Redland, Bristol 6 34 Allington Road, Southville, Bristol 3 56 Arley Hill, Redland, Bristol 6 16 Phillis Hill, Midsomer Norton 83 coronation Road, Southville, Bristol 3 Allens House, Nine Barrows Lane, Priddy, Somerset Mantons, 2 St. Pauls Road, Tupsley, Hereford Holly Lodge, Norwich Rd., Salhouse, Norwich, Norfolk.

5 Woolcot St. Redland, Bristol 6 51 Howard Road, Redfield, Bristol 9 Easton Terrace, High Wycombe, Bucks.

256 Cressex Road, High Wycombe, Bucks 256 Cressex Road, High Wycombe, Bucks 9 Easton terrace, High Wycombe, Bucks.

Jable, Digby Road, Sherborne, Dorset 11 Lodge Avenue, Great Baddow, Chelmsford, Essex 11 Lodge Avenue, Great Baddow, Chelmsford, Essex 5 Boxbrove Gardens, Alwick, Bognor Regis, West Sussex 154 Sylvia Avenue, Bedminster, Bristol 3.

Longwood, Beggar Bush Lane, Redland, Bristol 48 Wiston Path, Fairwater Way, Cwmbran, Gwent, Wales 27 Woodbury Avenue, Wells, Somerset 31 Nightingale Gardens, Nailsea, Bristol 1 Rolleston Road, Honnington, Burton on Trent, Staffordshire 24 Victoria street, Fleet, Aldershot, Hants.

8 Pavey Road, Hartcliffe, Brsitol 3 32 Laxton Close, Taunton, Somerset 164 Bryant’s Hill, Bristol 31 Anchor road, Kingswood, Bristol 2 The Dingle, Coombe Dingle, Bristol 9 7 Summer hill Road, Lyme Regis, Dorset 100 Chesterfield Road, St. Andrews, Bristol 6 43 Stroud Road, Patchway, Bristol 18 Station Road, Filton, Bristol St. Cuthbert’s Villas, Haybridge, Wells, Somerset St. Mary’s Cottage, strawberry Hill, Tickenham, Middlesex 12 Keble Court, Craig-y-Rhacca, Machen, Monmouthshire

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594 559 721 549 734 738 683

P. Wilkins Barry Wilton Graham Wilton-Jones Alan Williams Miss E. Wilkinson R.F. Wing Dave Yeandle

51 Constable Road, Lockleaze, Bristol 22 Wedmore vale, Knowle, Bristol 4 17 Monkham’s Drive, Watton, Thetford Hendrew Farm, Llanderaied, Newport, Mon. 7 Bloomfield Avenue, Bath 15 Penzance Gardens, Harold Hill, Romford, Essex 59 Egerton Road, Bristol 7

SUBSCRIBERS TO THE BELFRY BULLETIN DEWDNEY-YORK, M. Upper Pitts, Priddy, Wells, Somerset.

STANTON, Dr. I. ‘Iona’, Easton, Nr. Wells, Somerset.

COUSINS, P. 3 Kinver Road, Sydenham, London, SE26.

REYNOLDS, T.E. 2 Beaconsfield Road, Clifton, Bristol 8.

SHAW, Cmdr. T. ‘Shavercombe’, Crapstone, Yelverton, Devon.

De SAUSSURE, R. 3842 Brookdale Boulevard, Castro Valley, California 94546, U.S.A. HINDLE, W.R. 371 Heath Road South, Northfield Roiad, Birmingham 31.

PLIMMER, P. ‘Shell House’, Lake Street, Dartmouth, Devon.

TRIMMEL, Dr. H. Verband Osterreichischer Hohlenforscher, A-1020 Wein, Obere Donaustrasse, Austria. _______________________________________________________________________________________ PLEASE NOTE: If you know of any mistakes in any of the B.E.C. members addresses in this list, PLEASE get in touch with the correct address and let Alan Thomas, or John Ransom have it. _______________________________________________________________________________________

BOOK REVI EW

The Great Storm and Floods of July 1968 on Mendip. J.D. Hanwell & M.D. Newson. Wessex Cave Club.

One cannot be failed to be impressed by the professionalism of the Wessex Series of Occasional Publications. This one, number 2 in the series, has the same glossy cover – but this time with colour added, and the same high standard of litho text and illustrations. It is, perhaps, a pity that in format and binding it differs so much from No.1, and one wonders whether some greater concession to uniformity of the series could not have been achieved. This criticism apart, the subject matter

has been treated with the high standard we are coming to expect from this series. Although the authors have collected a truly impressive amount of relevant data they have been careful to point out those areas in which firm data is lacking and have refrained from conclusions or predictions based upon extrapolation of their data. The result is a booklet which should prove a useful work or reference to specialists on the effects of heavy storms on a Karst area, and on the dangers of flooding in caves is of particular relevance. At 12/-. a good buy – even if it is not read in its entirety.

The Complete Caves of Mendip. Nicholas Barrington & W. Stanton. Barton Productions.

It seems unlikely that any Mendip caver would quarrel with the inclusion of the word ‘complete’ in the title. Within its 131 pages will be found useful references to ALL Mendip caves known to the authors at the time of printing ranging from well known caves and caves and which have since been abandoned. Even lost caves of Cheddar and Burrington get a mention! In spite of this great mass of cave information, reference is very rapid and simple and the authors have obviously taken much trouble over this aspect of the work. With its greatly improved layout, important in heavy type, easily found references both to the O.S. maps and to its own sketch maps of the main cave bearing areas and a wealth of other information; it is surely a must for every caver. It is strongly bound and fist the pocket easily and at 12/-; 75p or 6.5 pints of cooking bitter; it must be regarded as a part of any Mendip cavers equipment. The authors are to be congratulated on a thoroughly useful book which treats Mendip caves in a more comprehensive fashion than the equivalent books do for other British caving areas. _______________________________________________________________________________________

95 If YOU come across an interesting book on caving, climbing or other allied subject, the B.B. would appreciate a review. In addition to the books in the club library, many cavers form libraries of their own, and might appreciate YOUR thoughts on any new book.

MONTHLY CROSSWORD – Number 6.

Across:

2

1

3

4

5 6

7

8 9 10 12

11

13 14

15

SOLUTION TO LAST MONTH’S CROSSWORD

F I E D R O A C K E Y R R O

T F B A T R E A D S I Y I A C E R A E T Y L E N E C O Y A O L D N E V E R A D E E G M

Stencils completed 3.12.70

1. Regularly mixed in G.B. (7) 5. 5 found in Sago’s Pot (3) 6. Found in many compasses (5) 8. Herbal mixing of 1 down (4) 11. Swallet in Horseshoes bat hanging (4) 12. Satanic joint (5) 14. This, though shortened will ignite with a bang (3) 15. Bass lie – (goes downstream at any rate) (7) Down: 1. Underground route starts with mountain route (7) 2. Egg or feature of G.B. (5) 3. ‘A man may have lust for the….of the mine’ (4) 4. Initially chairman of our A.G.M. (1,1,1) 7. Dull ham in Cuthbert’s (3,4) 9. 14 across does (5) 10. A Banwell cave (4) 13. Scientific workplace in the Slabhouse Inn (3)

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