Belfry Bulletin Number 294

39

Vol XXVI No.4

B 72 B

CONTENTS

BRISTOL EXPLORATION CLUB

List of Club Officers

Page 39

Editorial

Page 40

Library Notes

.

April 1972 No. 294

CLUB HEADQUARTERS ‘The Belfry’, Wells Rd., Priddy, Wells, Somerset.

Tele: WELLS 72126

Page 40

CLUB COMMITTEE Chairman: S.J. Collins NEVER MIND THE PATIENT – WATCH THAT Minutes Sec: D. Turner STAL Page 41 Members: R. Bagshaw; W. Cooper; D.J. Irwin; N. Jago; T.E. Large; A.R. Thomas; Just a Sec Page 42 R. Orr; R. Hobbs.

Snowdonia – January

Page 43

WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?

Page 44

Dates for your Diary

Page 46

At the Belfry

Page 46

In Committee

Page 46

WEEKEND IN YORKSHIRE

Page 47

Monthly Crossword No.20

Page 49

Any views expressed by any contributor to the Belfry Bulletin, including those of officers of the club, do not necessarily coincide with those of the editor or the committee of the Bristol Exploration Club, unless stated as being the view of the committee or editor.

MENDIP RESCUE ORGANISATION In case of emergency telephone WELLS 73481.

OFFICERS OF THE CLUB Hon. Secretary: A.R. Thomas, Allen’s House, Nine Barrows Lane, Priddy, Wells, Somerset. Tel: PRIDDY 269.

Hon. Treasurer: R.J. Bagshaw, 699 Wells Road, Knowle, Bristol 4.

Tel: WHITCHURCH. 5626.

Caving Sec: T.E. Large, 39 Seymour Ave, Bishopston, Bristol.

Climbing Sec: N. Jago, 2 Broughton House, Somerset St., Redcliffe, Bristol 1.

Hut Warden: R. Orr. ‘The Belfry’, as above.

Hut Engineer: R. Hobbs, Rose Cottage, West End, Nailsea, Bristol. Tele BRISTOL 77368 Tacklemaster: W. Cooper, 259 Wick Rd, Bristol BS4 4HE. Tel: BRISTOL 77368.

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

Librarian: D.J. Irwin, Townsend Cottage, Priddy, Wells, Somerset.

Publications: D.J. Irwin. Address as above B.B. Post: Mrs. K. Mansfield, Tiny Kott, Little London, Oakhill, Bath, Somerset.

MEMBER’S ADDRESSES Additions P.G.Faulkner,65 Broomfield Cres., Middleton, Manchester.

R. Brown, 33 Greencourt, Leagrave, Luton. LU4 9PJ. I. Rees,20 Broad St., Presteigne, Radnorshire.

J. Murray, Latymer Ho, Hill Close, Wincanton, Somerset.

Changes: R. Cross, 36A Memeage St , Helston, Cornwall.

J. Abbott, 34 Kirkgate, Shipley, Yorks.

S. Tuck, 3 Colles Close, Wells, Somerset.

G. Wilton-Jones, The Tumery, North Dean, Speen Rd, High Wycombe, Bucks.

40

Editorial UNTITLED The move towards a more legible B.B., which started last month by the move to printing is, no doubt, an improvement but readers will have noticed that most of the titling was near enough unreadable. The reason for this has been found and, until we can be sure of the process involved, most of the titling will be done by hand. We hope that you will bear with us while we sort out the tricks of a new trade.

NON-EVENT In contrast with the first B.E.C. surveying course, the last one was a non-starter. This was due to a series of misunderstandings as to the date and time for the start and also as to the duration of the course. We have made a. start in the business of keeping members informed with what is going on both in the B.B. and on the Belfry notice board; but it looks as if our communications can still do with some improvement.

HISTORICAL ERRORS By and large, the last edition of the History of the B.E.C. was well received, and several members have already been good enough to say that they thought it was both useful and informative. Apologies, however, for getting the year of the discovery of Cuthbert’s II wrong! There are probably more small errors in the account. If any older readers have information which they think would add to any further version it will be gratefully received and put away carefully until the next occasion.

“Alfie” _______________________________________________________________________________________ LIBRARY NOTES…from our new Hon. Librarian, DAVE IRWIN At the time of writing these notes a number of books in the club library have been catalogued and are available to members wishing to borrow them. Books are loaned out for ONE MONTH and it is to be hoped that members will co-operate by returning them within this time limit, as other members may well be waiting to read them. A review of the latest acquisition is to be found in the March B.B. - the important Somerset County Council publication discussing the future of quarrying on Mendip. Member wishing to borrow books through the post may do so, but postage and the necessary insurance is out of their own pockets. A list of books will be available soon - a small nominal charge will be payable to defray the cost of production.

RECENT ADDITIONS TO THE CLUB LIBRARY Caves and Karst Vo113 Nos 3 & 4. The application of stable isotope studies to karst research - Russell Harmon. (USA) Axbridge C.C.Newsletter - mainly club news - March 1972.

C.R.G. Transactions Vol 13 No 1. Includes Caves of Western Sierra Cuera; Quantitative tracer methods; Development of avens in Peak Cavern; Excavations at Ogof-yr-Esgryn and Archaeological sequences in the Peak District.

C.R.G. Transactions Vol 13 No 2. Symposium on the origin and development of caves (various topics.)

B.S.A. Bulletin. New Series, No 5. (Feb. ‘72). World expeditionary association. (Details). News from Yorks. particularly Langstrothdale, also extension to Calswick Cavern in Derbyshire.

Chelsea S.S. Newsletter Vol 14 Nos 4 & 5 (March '72) Geological History of S. Wales; List of gear for camping and caving holidays; Care of tackle and suppliers of cells for caving. Care of Nife cells. _______________________________________________________________________________________ USEFUL GEN. Dave Irwin informs us that Bryants in Bristol now only give a 5% discount to club members, and then only on orders in excess of £5. This is worth bearing in mind if you are thinking of getting any new equipment from them.

41 NEVER MIND THE PATIENT –

Watch That Stal!

A report on the Practice Rescue from September Series by the 'Victim'.

CHRIS HOWELL On the 16th of January, 1972; sixteen of us met at the Belfry for a short introductory talk from Dr. O.C. Lloyd before setting out for September Chamber for a practice 'carry' through the September boulder ruckle.

'O.C.L.' commenced his briefing with a demonstration of the use of the bowline-on-a-bight for hauling an exhausted caver up a pitch. Although his method of tying this particular knot directly round the body of the subject was undoubtedly very quick, and required little or no adjustment, I personally found it rather hard to follow and must confess that I would now be quite incapable of repeating the knot. I feel that for most cavers, the easiest method is to double back some six or seven feet of rope, and then tie a straightforward bowline, which can be adjusted if necessary. The patient's thighs are placed in the two loops created by the knot, and the remaining loop passed round the chest. It is particularly important to keep this chest loop as high as possible to prevent 'toppling' during the haul. Ideally the knot should be high up in front of the chest or over one shoulder. For a long haul, some method of padding the leg loops would prevent cutting off the circulation to the legs.

We were next shown how to tie the 'victim' into the M.R.O. carrying sheet. In a moment of misguided public spirit, I had volunteered to act as patient for this particular rescue and so within a very few minutes I found myself securely trussed within the confines of the heavy canvas sheet. It is worth noting that, where a patient is conscious, his arms should be left outside the sheet if he is capable of helping himself. He is then able to assist the carriers by pushing and lifting to some extent. Anyone who has ever compared trying to haul an inert person up a pitch with hauling up someone who is only capable of ‘pawing’ at the rock will know what a difference a degree of self-help can make. There is no doubt an additional psychological element involved here too - it seems to me to be bad practice to strap a person up if he feels capable of helping himself.

Hauling ropes are attached to the sheet at the head and tail and also on each side when the passage permits of enough carriers. Ropes at the bottom of the sheet are tied round the subject's feet in a manner which permits the ropes to take his weight when in a vertical position without restricting his circulation.

This point is particularly important. I well recollect a practice rescue from Cuckoo Cleeves when this was overlooked. I was, again, the victim and after reaching the surface I was unable to walk for about fifteen minutes due to the numbness in my feet.

Finally, a pair of goggles are provided to protect the patient from muddy ropes getting into contact with his eyes.

Into the cave at last. I feigned a fall beneath the ‘pretties' in September Chamber. The drag sheet was laid out by one team memberr, whilst others removed my nife cell to avoid spillage of electrolyte and consequent burns. The helmet is, of course, left on the victim is head. I was then picked up by four of the rescuers who supported my inert body throughout its length - not forgetting my head! I was carried to the sheet and for the second time securely strapped in and the goggles put on.

The carry went smoothly for the first twenty minutes or so, down the drops from September Chamber where Warden Prewer uttered the comforting words, "Never mind the patient - watch that stal!, then on along the short rift passage to the start of the ruckle. The only observation I would make at this point is that, if the patient is conscious, remarks such as "Can we get someone below the stretcher on this drop in case it slips?" are not likely to inspire confidence in either the shocked victim of a real accident or the (supposedly) fearless victim in a mock rescue! This apart, I suffered very little buffeting, although clearly, very great care must be taken about where the sheet is set down on a real incident particularly when the victim is likely to have suffered fractures or suspected internal injuries.

We had now arrived at the crucial point of the ‘carry’ - the boulder ruckle. The confined space between the rocks ensures that for most of the remainder of the journey out High Chamber, nobody can lift or haul at the sides of the sheet. Again, things progressed fairly smoothly, although even more slowly, for some ten

42 minutes or so, with frequent rests whilst rescuers were instructed to lie in holes in the floor to smooth the passage of the carrying sheet. However, a hiatus was reached at the narrow vertical ‘S’ bend which occurs beyond an inclined slab and is met some fifty or so feet into the ruckle from the High Chamber side. Due to the constricted room at the front end, only two persons were able to get a purchase on the hauling ropes, and they were unable to provide sufficient pull to get the sheet round the vertical corner.

Here I remained firmly stuck for some ten minutes or more - though it seemed like an age. The final straw came when it was discovered that there was some difficulty in moving the carrying sheet back for another attempt. Now, I have never suffered from claustrophobia, but at this point I must admit to becoming distinctly worried about the whole business. From the position of the sheet within the ‘S’ bend, it was clear that nobody could get at the knots to release me - and it seemed that progress, either fore or aft, was impossible. After another five minutes, I felt that since I was officially conscious, this was a point where some self-help was more than justified!

By doubling up my legs and straightening them whilst the rescuers pulled on the head ropes, I found that progress was possible, and promptly shot through the squeeze like a cork from a bottle - or so it seemed after the long time of inaction. From then on, progress was rapid, if a trifle bumpy, and I was finally carried out into High Chamber an hour or so after first being put in the carrying sheet in September Chamber.

At this point, all my rescuers disappeared save for a grinning Roy Bennett, who handed me a large, wet, muddy and heavy sack containing the carrying sheet from which I had been recently released. "Pick up thy bed and walk!" Huh. Unfortunately from my point of view, Roy (who, with no disrespect is almost old enough to be my father) can propel himself round St. Cuthbert’s carrying a heavy, bulky sack faster than I can travel ‘clean’. By the time we reached Mud Hall, he had obviously tired of my slow pace and I was relieved of my burden (further ignominy). Progress then regained its normal pace (for me!) and the last of us were out of the cave some four hours after entering.

Some final observations from the victim's point of view:a) More co-operation between those in front of the sheet and those behind. I felt that there were times when people were standing about not knowing quite what was expected of them next. b) More attention to smoothing the victim's passage over holes and rocks. I came up with some great bruises the following day. c) Longer head ropes for the sheet might have helped in the Ruckle, although the pull would have been over the top of a slab - perhaps this could be tried again. However, as I am small and light, extrication of a heavy victim could be very difficult and something other than pullers would be needed, I suspect. _______________________________________________________________________________________

“JUST A SEC.”

from our Hon. Sec. ALAN THOMAS

I hear from the Cambrian Council that there has been some movement in Cwm Dwr Jama main passage and in the boulder choke where the connection between Cwm Dwr and Ogof Ffynon Ddu is. The South Wales Caving Club advises cavers not to go through the connection under any circumstances.

Some months ago, a caver who broke his arm in Eastwater left a 25' proprietary ladder in the cave in a canvas bag. It is said that it was subsequently brought to the Belfry. I should be obliged, if anyone knows anything about it. Give me a ring or drop me a line if you do.

With great regret, I have to inform you of the death of Harry Glover - so well known to Belfry users of seven years ago. (For the benefit of newer members, Harry and his wife used to run Priddy stores - Ed ) You will be sorry to hear that the County Council plans to make a large part of the mineries area (that part owned by Lord Waldegrave) into an official picnic area complete with car park and toilets. It is intended to ‘improve’' the pools.

It is on the cards that the C.R.G. and B.S.A. may merge.

43

Snowdonia January

A Climbing Article by R.J. MARSHALL The B.E.C. were up in Snowdonia in force in January, searching for snow.

There was none evident when we arrived in the Llanberis Pass on the Friday evening, but we were hopeful.

Looking up to the surrounding peaks in the morning, a smattering of snow showed up, contrasting with the grey clouds. There was rain in the air, but it was not raining then. After breakfast, we split up, John Minors and myself decided to attempt the main wall of Carn Las. This is a hard severe climb on a crag about a mile and a half on the South side of the pass below Crib Goch. We left the car beneath the Grochan and made our way back up the pass, turning off the road to cross the farm bridge across the stream. As we climbed up towards the crag, it started to rain and by the time we reached the scree the rain had turned to sleet.

From here it was possible to observe the main wall. It is an interesting line, wandering between lines of overhangs. We were damp and cold by the time we had soloed up the waterfall to the start of the first pitch.

We split the climb into five pitches of various lengths. These are not of particular technical difficulty about severe - but as you climb you become more conscious of the exposure. You are moving on large jugs usually with more than adequate protection. After about two hundred feet, you belay on a large ledge in a corner. From here you make an interesting move across to and on to the top of a fragile looking spike. This is a wide step. Looking down, you can see the scree about three hundred feet below. Moving on, and around a corner you come on to a steep juggy wall. A rising traverse across a steep slab leads to the top.

Sitting on the belays it is possible to watch the cars travelling up and down the pass. We were pretty damp and cold on the later pitches. Looking down and seeing our tents a couple of miles away gave us that "What the hell are we doing here?" feeling. Even so, winter climbs have a slight exciting edge over summer routes.

On the Sunday, John and I made our way round the Horseshoe. The wind was gusting strongly as we started out along the Pyg track. We could see a smattering of snow along the ridge. Ahead of us, another couple of climbers were battering against the strong winds.

We were soon to find out just how strong the winds were. We left the Pyg track to climb up to Crib Goch. There was about an inch of snow on the ridge. We saw the tracks of the two previous climbers leading on to the ridge but along the ridge there was no sign of our leaders (yeti?). We crawled along the ridge, keeping as low as possible out of the wind. We were engulfed in spindrift several times as we climbed up to the 'hotel' at the summit. Passing the shelter behind the 'hotel' we passed the summit cairn on our way to Llewedd.

The climb down to the start of Llewedd was treacherous, loose and slippery. This was successfully overcome and the easy climb up Llewedd started. This being the easier part of the horseshoe, we were able to move quickly. After rejoining the miners' track, we were back at the Pen y Pass about four hours after we had left in the morning.

Other members were at Trenadac and on the Glyders, no doubt their accounts are being prepared.

(Let us hope so - Ed. ) _______________________________________________________________________________________ CAVING PUBLICATIONS have for too long been regarded as a minor activity of the club. DAVE IRWIN starts to put this into a more correct perspective in the article that follows, with a review of what has been achieved to date and some thoughts as to where we go in the future. Club members might be surprised to learn that more money is currently being handled by the Publications Department than is handled by the Belfry! Caving Publications thus form a major club activity. We hope that the review which follows will help to put members ‘in the picture’ on this aspect of the B.E.C. (Editor's Note.)

44

Where do we go from there?

Since the mid-fifties, the club has published fifteen caving reports and one climbing report. When one looks at the subject matter, it is easy to see that this series is one of the most varied set of caving publications now on the market. Number 1, a survey of Redcliffe Caves by AIfie Collins, recorded most of the underground stone workings that lie in the area of Redcliffe Church in Bristol. It was available to members until quite recently, but is now out of print.

The association of the B.E.C. and St. Cuthbert’s Swallet is inseparable. Number 2, a preliminary report on St. Cuthbert’s Swallet by various leaders of the time outlined the intricacies of the system. The sketch surveys by Don Coase are most illuminating. At that time, when little of the compass work had been started on the survey, the outline of the cave as we recognise it today from the later Ellis Survey or the later still Irwin/Stenner survey first appeared. This report has been out of print for eleven years and is eagerly sought after by leaders and by members attempting to complete their Series of Caving Reports. It is the rarest of all the caving reports and copies have changed hands for £1 One of the mainstays of the early publications, and their editor until 1968 was Bryan Ellis. Though now mainly associated with another Mendip club, he was very active with his pen back as far as 1958. The publication his Caving Report No 3 - the S.M.C.C. method of ladder building - and his survey of Headwear and Lighting were among the first of their kind. The Headwear and Lighting Report has always had a fairly good sale, and in 1967 was completely revised by Geoff. Bull. Only fifty copies of this reprint were published before the stencils became damaged. Now it has been re-typed and is in the waiting pile for another reprint - this time about a hundred copies will be available. Although the prices and the equipment mentioned in the text (over seventy pages of the stuff!) are pre-1967, it does give the caver a pretty good coverage of the various types of equipment and spares that are available. Surprisingly, this is still - fourteen years after its first appearance - the only publication its kind to be found anywhere in the country.

A revised edition of number 3 was issued as number 3A and a few copies were still available as recently as 1971.

Alfie Collins put his digging background to good use by writing Caving Report number 4 - the Shoring of Swallet Cave Entrances. This has been out of print for a couple of years, but was already by that time out of date and in need of complete revision owing to advances in shoring techniques. Whether this will ever appear in a revised form remains to be seen.

In 1962, there appeared the first of two reports entitled Some Smaller Caves of Mendip. The first of these (Caving Report No 6) was compiled by several of the active diggers of the time. The details of Alfie's Hole and Vee Swallet are amongst the digs of the past. The only survey made of Hunters Hole (a grade 5 by Ellis et a1.) and Tankard Hole (by Roger Stenner) will be found in this publication. A retype of the stencils with a few corrections was made in 1966, and a few copies are still available at the Belfry at 15p each. The second report on Smaller Caves of Mendip was written by John Tucker of the Axbridge C.C. At the time of its publication (1963) the A.C.G. had no outlet such as our caving report series, so out they came as Caving Report Number 9. Four copies of this are still available at 15p each, but when they are sold it is very unlikely that this report will ever be reprinted unless the demand is large enough to merit the cost of reprinting.

In 1962, St. Cuthbert’s Swallet again appeared in a second report - Caving Report Number 7. This was an updated and more detailed description which included newer discoveries such as the September and Maypole Series. Cuthbert’s was again the subject of Caving Report Number 8 - the well known Ellis preliminary plan of St. Cuthbert’s together with the survey notes. Again, both number 7 and number 8 are long out of print, number 8 being the rarer of the two reports. Cuthbert’s was to have been the subject of number 9 - the Elevation of St. Cuthbert’s, but this did not materialise because, as already mentioned, number 9 was brought out as the second part of the Smaller Caves of Mendip.

Following the death of Don Coase in 1958, some unfinished manuscripts on the B.E.C. method of ladder construction came into the possession of the club. Norman Petty and Alan Sandall modified and completed this manuscript which was subsequently published as Caving Report Number 10. Still available, it is largely an historical document, although one ladder still to be found in the tackle store (the larger rung ladder) was

45 made by this method. Tests carried out on this in 1966 showed that the un-brake screw method of locking the rungs was still the strongest method yet devised!

For years, the Long Chamber and Rocky Boulder area of St. Cuthbert’s Swallet was a puzzle even to leaders of long standing. In 1964, Dave Irwin systematically explored the area and his results were published as Caving Report number 11 (Now out of print for two years).

For some time, members of the club had been actively engaged in surveying and in 1967; Alfie Collins published a paper in the series entitled Presentation of cave survey data. This sixty page report was a small scale publication in that only fifty copies were placed on the market. To the surprise of all, it went out of print in a matter of a few weeks. Due to the coloured banda plates being damaged in the meantime, this report has never been reprinted, though the new ideas suggested in the report have been published elsewhere - notably in the C.R.G. Transactions on the Cave Surveying Symposium.

In 1965, it was suggested that as the club had complete access to St. Cuthbert’s, they were morally obliged to give to the caving fraternity all the information which had been collected within the system. In order that this could be readily available between 'two covers', a massive report was planned. A completely detailed survey - broken down into a number of sheets; full description of all parts of the cave; detailed historical account of the exploration of the system; water tracing; fauna and flora, and not least a comprehensive discussion of the formation of the cave by Derek Fordo Although taking longer than was first anticipated to produce; the five parts that have appeared so far out of the projected fifteen have been well received.

In September 1971, there appeared the first formal archaeological report - Roman Mine (Caving Report No 15). Not content with merely producing a list of finds made in the mine, Jill and Norman Tuck have added much other and valuable material. The whole work is printed by the offset litho process, and includes photographs and a survey. Where, might you ask, is number 14 in the series? The answer is simple - it's on the stocks. It is, in fact, Roy Bennett's account of the B.E.C. Pyrenean T rip.

Lastly, but not least in this roundup of the Caving Reports, is number 16 - which has hit Mendip like a bomb to say the least. Many members will remember the many enjoyable hours spent in Balch Cave during the few years that it was open to cavers. One can now browse through a book and enjoy the magnificent photographs of John Eatough and Roy Pearce. John Eatough and John Attwood spent many hours in Balch producing a photographic record of the cave soon after its discovery. In a similar way, Roy Pearce photographed Shatter Cave. Selections from both these collections are published in a report called Mendip's Vanishing Grottoes. Printed on good quality art paper, at 10" x 8" with outline surveys included, it is one of the best buys to date. Until the end of April the price is 40p rising to its full price of 50p after this date.

What of the future? There are still ten parts of the Cuthbert’s Swallet report to appear. The B.B.C. Caving logs from 1944 - 1971 should make excellent reading and make available for the first time the full record of the discoveries of the club. This should surprise those feel that the members spend all their time in the bar of the Hunters! Another popular seller should be the proposed Burrington Atlas - containing surveys of all the caves of Burrington with descriptions; surveys and photographs.

All these publications can be obtained either from the Belfry or by post from Dave Irwin, Townsend Cottage Priddy, Wells, Somerset. _______________________________________________________________________________________ FOR SALE One Mountain tent. Stormproof. Very good condition. £23.

Also one Tinker tent with flysheet and sewn-in groundsheet .£20. Owner has given up camping and needs the cash.

If interested, write to:- N. RICH, Eoonenive Forestry Group, Ballochyle Estat,e Sandbank, Dunoon Argyll Additional Address: Mrs P. Jones, 50,Louisville Ave~ Aberdeen, AB1 6TX.

46

Dates for your Diary APRIL/MAY

Club & Guest trip to South Somerset Cave Including Quaking House Hole, Milverton; Holywell Cave and Cannington South Quarry Cavelet and North Quarry Cavern. YOUR chance to visit these little known caves. Food Beer available. ALL DETAILS FROM NIG. TAYLOR, Somerset Farm Institute, Cannington, Bridgwater OR Whiddon Farm, Chilcot, East Horrington, PHONE: Wells 72338.

MAY 6th

MAGIC LANTERN SHOW. Norman Petty will be showing some historic B.E.C. slides.

At Belfry in the evening. See Belfry board details of time.

Sutherland. Caving/Climbing/Walking etc. Suit all tastes. Contact Jim Abbott at Kirkgate, Shipley, Yorks for details. _______________________________________________________________________________________

Aug/SEPT

At the Belfry

The talk on the chemistry of limestone solution given by Roger Stenner on Saturday evening 11th of March was both interesting and well attended.

The intention was to make this subject understandable to ordinary cavers, and this was done by describing the results which Roger had obtained from samples and other work tin G.B. and St. Cuthbert’s. These fitted together to give an overall picture of intense solution by streams in the entrance boulder ruckles and an undetectable rate in stream passages except where tributaries enter.

The study of flow patterns and analyses of streams and Drips of percolation water was described, and this was shown to lead to a model of a typical Mendip shake hole cave. A lengthy discussion followed with questions on both the theory and on practical applications to cave exploration. Finally, there were slides showing sampling measurement, analysis etc. of the cave waters.

R.H.B. _______________________________________________________________________________________

In Committee

Brief reports on the meetings of the club Committee

The April Committee meeting started at 2.30 p.m. as usual and had dealt with all the routine items by about four. They then went on to examine the Belfry in detail and did not finish until nearly 7 pm. A complete analysis had been done by Dave Irwin, who earns the thanks of the committee for all the work he put in.

Most of the points which are known to worry some members of the club found spokesmen amongst committee members, and the discussion was both full and detailed. In particular, it was felt that club members were not always getting full value out of the Belfry - one way and another. However, the financial facts tended to limit most of the possible solutions. It appeared that the Belfry was paying its way, but only just doing so - and with nothing to spare. Under these circumstances, the committee realised that there was very little room for experiment or manoeuvre. Until or unless revenue improves, it must be a question of "He who pays the piper calls the tune." The Hut Warden has therefore got the job of giving priority (where necessary) to those who contribute to Belfry funds while at the same time (where possible) making the Belfry available to all club members on as wide a basis as possible. It was realised that the Hut Warden would have difficulty in any attempt to find some suitable balance within these very necessary conditions, and it was hoped that club members would support him and would realise that the club has very little choice in the matter of running the Belfry.

A more detailed account, under a separate heading, will appear in next month's B.B., since it is felt that this is a subject of great interest to nearly all club members.

A weekend In Yorkshire

47 ….being the latest episode in the saga of , the High Wycombe branch of the B.E.C by GRAHAM WILTON –JONES

One Friday evening in mid February, Bert Byers, Bucket Tilbury and I; together with others who are not so keen on the underworld, set off up the M1 for the North, leaving an hour later than planned. At Newport Pagnall we came to a halt - caused by twenty or so cars which had got involved in minor bumps except for one major one and one burnt-out shell. On again, after an hour, and on to the M1/M6 link. A great idea, this road, cutting the journey to Ingleborough from Wycombe to four hours. We could have!+@@%! the A.A. bloke who informed us that the link was now complete and opened - the ignoramus! Anyway, we reached Fred Weekes's place, at Padiham, Lancs at 2 o'clock on the Saturday morning, after seven hours on the road.

Hence, 8.30 on Saturday morning was not the ideal time to get up. We drove quickly to Clapham; telephoned Prestwick and they predicted odd, light showers perhaps. The moors had a covering of snow and a small stream sank in the elongated hollow which contains the entrance to Stream Passage Pot. I quickly rigged the first pitch with a twenty foot ladder and Buckett and I walked down the narrow, meandering stream to the eighty five foot pitch, to check on the conditions. All seemed reasonable so, after blocking the pot entrance with snow (We had exited but Bert was below) we had a quick look at G.G. from the surface.

Bert had not seen it before (he escaped from the pot). A little later, while the others prepared tackle, I went back to the first pitch to re-rig with a ten foot ladder. At this depth there is a rocky projection and it is possible to swing on to this, and free-climb the remaining drop. Pennine Underground (PU) reckons twenty five feet of ladder here, so we saved considerably there. According to Martin Webster in the B.B. for January 1970, the take-off for this pitch is difficult, but we did not find this so.

At the eighty five foot pitch, instead of dropping down with the water to the lip of the pitch, we traversed onwards as far as possible to where a hole has been worn in a flake of rock. A second tether was used to draw the ladder away from the waterfall. Even so, we met with freezing spray thirty five feet down. Rigged in this way, the return to solid rock from the ladder is a little awkward for the first man up. PU suggests 85' of ladder, but we found that seventy feet reached the bottom. Laddering from the lip reduces this to sixty feet.

The hundred and ten foot follows immediately. We laddered from the top since we could not rapidly find a free climb down to the ledge - fifteen feet below - and we were cold and wanted to hurry. Martin's article suggested that this could be climbed, but we were fairly certain that this section would be a climb only for the expert. In our opinion, fifteen feet of ladder is necessary. Below the ledge, it is possible to free-climb the pitch. The water poured over the ledge, and was beautifully deflected sideways, along the rift, by a flake of rock, while the ladder dropped straight over the edge. The pitch was thus relatively dry. It was easier to use the ladder for the section just below the ledge, but a free climb for the final thirty feet seemed wise, as the ladder vanished amidst the full force of the waterfall. Dropping tackle down this pitch was awkward, as it snagged on the numerous ledges. We lost a pulley and a krab under the deluge and nobody felt like searching for them - so bang went £3.50! The ladder reached the bottom 95' from the top so, subtracting the free climb at the bottom leaves 65' as the length of necessary ladder.

The final pitch is in a narrow rift, and was dry except for heavy drip at the bottom. We had rigged sixty five feet of ladder, hopefully, and found a good solid ledge a short swing away. A further free climb brought us into Stream Passage. PU suggests 75' of ladder and this would have been necessary had we rigged further along the rift as sixty five feet is only suitable at one point. In all, we reduced Thurber's given length of ladder from 295’ to 210’ and this could probably be reduced further to 160, or less. None of these reductions necessitated difficult free climbing. We were already used to this technique! We did Disappointment with 125' instead of PU’S 155'. The first pitch is only 20' and the fourth has several free-climbing possibilities.

Swinsto suffered the same way. The 100’ belay on the first pitch must be a misprint. There is an obvious, good natural belay right above the pitch. The second pitch is a free climb, the third is only 25’, the fifth and sixth are both 45' and the seventh is a free climb. 230' is thus reduced to 165'. All lengths are given to the nearest five feet.

From Stream Passage we cast about for the way on. We were all unfamiliar with this part of G. G. and had only consulted a rough survey in front of the Ingleborough cave blurb. Following the stream down, it soon sinks in boulder at a 'T' junction with a much larger sandy floor tunnel - Stream Chamber. We explored

48 to the left, until the way on was blocked with sandbanks. We tried to the right now, hurrying a little, for we wanted to show Bert the waterfall in daylight. In our haste we missed the obvious way on, having peered over a deepish overhang. We returned to the water and followed it upstream to the limits of caveability!

Back downstream, to where the water sank we searched for another way down to the stream. Finally we all squeezed down to a boulder pile, following the sounds of water. We regained the stream only to be stopped by a pot, down which the water vanished. We returned and resumed searching at the right hand (SE) of Stream Chamber. There was no other possibility. We soon found the way on and reached the first signpost scratched on the wall (for which G.G. is infamous) we quickly came to Sand Cavern. By the time we reached the Main Chamber, it was utterly dark above, but it was interesting to see the waterfall in light only from below. This gives a completely different perspective from a daytime view.

Time was pressing, so we began to hurry back. It was evident that snow was melting on the surface.

Water was caascading where none had been before. At the top of the lowest pitch we were all cold. At the next pitch we had already experienced difficulties in dropping tackle. We had to prevent the lifeline snagging when returning it to the bottom in order not to waste time. We had lost much time on the lowest pitch when the returning lifeline snagged - leaving those below wondering what on earth the hold up was.

Communication was impossible. The first man up the next pitch used a double lifeline. The second tied on to the middle of the line and ascended. The line was pulled back and firstly tackle, and then the third man, went up attached to the middle of the line. Tackle was prevented from snagging on the way up by holding it clear of the rock using the lower rope. (This method is, in fact, a technique for steadying a stretcher on ascents.) The fourth man went up on the end of the line. If only we had thought of this when lowering the tackle, we would have had that pulley for the final pitch. I wonder how many cavers and potholers already use this obvious and simple technique? It has its faults for the inexperienced, however.

On the long pitch, we watched the second climber disappearing amidst the spray, just halfway up the ladder, and suddenly realised that we had only a few feet of rope left at our end. In record time, extra rope was added after a bit of super high speed uncoiling and knot tying.

As mentioned, there was no communication from top to bottom. I know I’m rather light but, as I reached out for the first handhold of the free climb, it vanished below my feet, as did most of the others. I ran up sheer rock and ladder alike. There is nothing like a good lifeline! The next pitch was undoubtedly the most difficult, and was very wet. We were all getting numb with cold, and much energy was lost on this pitch, especially since we all started on the wrong side of the ladder. All fingers were numbed at one time or other - mine halfway up the ladder where they refused to grip the rungs. I yelled for a tight line and, as both hands released their grip, I had to sweep my hands behind the ladder and fold my arms and climb like that.

Emerging, after eight hours underground, suspicions were confirmed. The moors were virtually devoid of snow and the air was almost warm. We reached Fred's house around mid-night. There, we experienced the pleasures of having a friend up north. Hot baths, turkey dinner and wine - a fitting end to an excellent, testing trip.

Sunday was spent in a leisurely way, pottering on the surface around Malham Cove and Gordale Scar. It was like a spring day, with artificial climbers (well, what else do you call them?) in hordes, basking in the warm sunshine and hanging in various unlikely positions all over the cove's massive limestone cliff.

Bradford Pothole Club were out, trying their latest prussiking device a sort of ferruled wire. In one hand, a small boy held sufficient for the cove from top to bottom - over 250 feet.

We mused on the vast system of cave that might lie behind the cove, waiting for someone to find a way in. Unfortunately, the dip is in a direction opposite to the underground stream flow.

Then we visited Gordale Scar, where there is a massive but heavily weathered and eroded stale flow forming a waterfall. This is an old cave that is now a gorge, with walls sloping impressively inwards.

Higher up, there is a natural arch, with a waterfall dropping through it. On either side there are numerous hollows and a few caves. Subsidiary faulting, caused by the Mid-Craven Fault which gave rise to both Gordale Scar and Malham Cove (also to Attermire and Giggleswick Scars ), is visible in two places.

Altogether, in spite of the long and arduous trip on the Saturday, we enjoyed a pleasant and restful weekend.

49 MONTHLY CROSSWORD – Number 21.

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1. Found in spare crystals on Mendip. (4) 5. They have a crack at it climbing. (5) 7. Cops out for a Cuthbert’s chamber. (7) 10. Old climbing nail maker of metallic sound.

(7) 11. Once fast Mendip publican. (5) 12. Describes a well known rift. (4)

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2. Black Hole? (5) 3. Best way to operate a winch? (2,5) 4. Somerset river surrounded by water. (4) 6. Blue rod type of cave rock. (7) 8. Part of Cuthbert’s drainage system. (5) 9. Mendip weather condition which doesn’t sound like a hit! (4)

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