Belfry Bulletin Number 324

97

Vol XXVIII No.10

B 74 B

October 1974

No. 324

QUODCUMQUE FACIENDUM : NIMIS FACIEMUS -CONTENTS-

Editorial Tatham Wife Hole Financial Statement Ho. Treasurer’s Report Tacklemaster’s Report Round and About Notes on Polypropylene Reflections on Climbing Book reviews Crossword No. 51

97 99 101 102 102 104 105 106 107 107

BRISTOL EXPLORATION CLUB

The Belfry, Wells Rd, Priddy, Wells, Somerset.

Telephone WELLS 72126 - CLUB COMMITTEE Chairman Minutes Sec Members

S.J. Collins G. Wilton-Jones Colin Dooley, John Dukes, Chris Howell, Dave Irwin, Tim Large, Andy Nicholls, Gerry Oaten, Barry Wilton

OFFICERS OF THE CLUB Honorary Secretary Honorary Treasurer Caving Secretary Assist Cav. Sec. Climbing Secretary Tacklemaster Hut Warden Belfry Engineer B.B. Editor Publications Editor B.B. Postal Spares

D.J IRWIN, Townsend Cottage, Townsend, Priddy, Wells Som. Tel : PRIDDY 369 B. WILTON, ‘Valley View’, Venus Lane, Clutton, Nr. Bristol.

A. NICHOLLS, c/o The Belfry T. LARGE, 15 Kippax Avenue, Wells, Somerset G. OATEN, 32 St. Marks Road, Easton, Bristol. Tele : BRISTOL 551163 G. WILTON-JONES, ‘Ilenea’, Stonefield Road. Nap Hill, High Wycombe, Bucks.

Tele : HIGH WYCOMBE 3534 C. DOOLEY, 51 Ommaston Road., Harbourne, Birmingham 17.

Tele : BIRMINGHAM 427 6122 J. DUKES, 4 Springfield Crscent, Southamton. Tele : 0703 774649 S.J. COLLINS, Lavender Cottage, Bishops Sutton, Nr. Bristol.

Tel : CHEW MAGNA 2915 C. HOWELL, 131 Sandon Road, Edgebaston, Birmingham 17. Tele : (021) 429 5549 BRENDA WILTON Address as for Barry T. LARGE, Address already given

Editorial NEW BROOMS Inspection of the new list of club officers will reveal that quite a high proportion of jobs are now in new hands. The list starts with our new Hon. Secretary - Dave Irwin who now holds what many people regard as the most important office in the club. Next, we have both a new Hut Warden in Colin Dooley and a new Belfry Engineer in John Dukes. Taken together, these positions affect the club to no small extent. Finally, by a unanimous vote of the new committee, Chris Howell was co-opted as Publications Editor. Although this job is not one of those named in the constitution as being jobs which must be done by members of the committee, it was felt that since the Publications Editor turns over almost as much money as does the Belfry, this was a position which should be in the committee.

I am sure that we all wish our new officers and perhaps the old ones as well - every success in their difficult tasks, and look forward to some really encouraging report at the end of this club year

98 MEMBERSHIP SECRETARY One of the decisions already taken by the new committee is to concentrate all matters of membership in the hands of a membership secretary. Talent scouts are already out looking for a suitable person, so if any reader feels that he or she could cope with the job of keeping complete tabs on members, please get in touch with the Hon, Sec. or any member of the committee.

DINNER It is hoped to include of the dinner elsewhere an account in this B.B. In the meantime, is worth noting that it must surely rank amongst the most successful that the club have ever held. Your editor has attended every one of the twenty five dinners the club has so far held, and has a job to remember a better one than the latest. Plenty of good food; good service; drinks at sensible prices and, going by the comments made to him afterwards, an entertainment which was well received. If we can keep up this new high standard, we might well see many faces coming back who have been recently increasing the number of 'absent friends' FORTY YEARS ON! This year sees the 40th anniversary of the founding of the Wessex Cave Club, to whom we should like to offer our sincere congratulations on this event and our best wishes for the future. When one considers the number of new clubs which are currently being formed every year, one wonders how many of these will survive to the respectable age now attained by the Wessex.

On a lighter note, the current issue of the Wessex Journal lists the B.E.C. amongst the natural catastrophes already surmounted by the Wessex. We hope that this offering will be accepted in the friendly spirit in which it was written even though it is not, perhaps, quite what they might have had in mind for a celebratory song. It goes to the tune of 'Forty Years On!' which any Wessex member who has been to Harrow should have no difficulty in remembering.

Forty years on! since that terrible blunder Which older members still dimly recall: When we look back, we regretfully wonder Why did we bother to found it at all?

Were we too hasty, too rash or ill-fated Founding the Wessex; when otherwise we Might well have sat back and patiently waited Till we could all join the B.E.C. Roll up, roll up, roll up, roll up, roll up For it's never too late to begin To, fill an application form in Roll up! “Alfie PRIZE CROSSWORD. This was won by 'Sett'. _______________________________________________________________________________________ Climbers may use the S.W.M.C. hut by arrangement with club. Any climber who wishes to do so should contact climbing Secretary, Gerry Oaten, for details.

There will be a meeting in Mid-December at the Belfry for any members who are interested in going abroad next year. Further details in next month's B.B. The idea is to see who is planning what and whether a definite club expedition will be possible.

Members are reminded not to lend Belfry keys out to strangers. Doing so can lead to loss of club tackle.

Anyone prepared to lead caving trips anywhere should get in touch with Andy or Tim so that a full programme can be arranged.

99

Tatham Wife Hole

An account of this cave by Derek Sanderson and Roger Wing

Length: 2100'+ Depth: 509' N.G.R. 733 746 ( Sheet 90 ) After parking the car at God's Bridge Rising in Chapel le Dale, Derek Sanderson and myself packed our rucksacks with caving gear and set off up the footpath by Bold Haw (not shown on the one inch map). The cave was found after about an hour and a quarter's walk over the lower slopes of Ingleborough. It is in a shakehole with a small stream running out of the banks into the cave entrance.

The entrance to the cave slopes steeply, with a pebble and boulder scree floor which slips underfoot.

After a short climb down, the development becomes quite high and roomy and leads into sharp meanders in clean, lightly coloured rock. These meanders follow on until the stream falls over a 30' pot (30' ladder, short belay to bolt). The stream, although small (on this occasion) falls straight on to the ladder but the pitch, in a fluted alcove, is a superb one, the water adding to the pleasure. This pitch is quickly followed by another of 40' (40' ladder, 5' belay to small column at eye level on right). The pitch is again wet and consists of a smooth descent of 28' to a wide ledge from which a further 10' drop leads to the floor of the shaft.

From here, the passage is initially roomy, but soon a sharp joint-controlled left turn leads to a crawl on a very smooth, clean rock floor with the stream flowing over black pebbles to one side. After a short section of larger passage, one enters a further section of crawling but this time the atmosphere of the passage is different, the floor being pebbly and uncomfortable, winding through rough, close walls which catch one's clothes as one passes. After about a hundred feet of this, progress is halted at the head of the third pitch.

The third pitch is also a wet 30' (30' ladder, short belay to bolt) and leads to a chamber with a narrow rift to the left. This is the head of the 30' ramp - a superb piece of cave consisting of a smooth slide down a near vertical cleft about two feet wide. The stream also flows over this ramp.

Most of the cave from this point on is fault-controlled and from the base of the ramp the passage is quieter. After a short distance of narrow rift passage with evidence of a thick calcite vein along the fault line, one soon reaches the Duck, a low section which is tight rather than wet. Immediately after the Duck, the rift becomes too narrow to follow at stream level, and it becomes necessary to traverse above the stream for about thirty feet until it becomes possible to climb down into a wider part of the passage where the roof rises to a height of about fifty feet. On the right of this handsome passage is an alcove, behind which is an inviting side passage which soon closes down among boulders after some distance of deep calf wading.

Back in the main stream passage and about 300' past the side passage, is the final 25' pot (25' ladder, short belay) which is probably the wettest pitch of all - the ladder hanging in the full force of the stream. The surface of this pot is also more broken than the others, making it more difficult to climb the ladder.

From the deep pool at the base of the pitch, the passage continues as a wide, towering rift with some shallow canal sections, until the roof lowers to form a crawl in slow-moving clear, cold water with ducks under formations. From here, the water gradually becomes deeper and the walls become darker and close in.

Little alcoves cause the water to make those eerie glooping noises, and in this fashion the passage peters out into the sump at the remarkable depth of just over 500' below the surface. The sump has been successfully dived, as described in the S.M.C.C. Journal (Vol. 5, No.5, 1973) Although not as severe as sane longer Yorkshire pots, the cave is still strenuous and should not be treated lightly. Our tackle consisted of 6 - 25' ladders, a life line, a 50' handline for the Ramp, which meant that the trip was just possible for two people. We surfaced after almost four hours, feeling very satisfied. Under high water conditions the Duck and the Ramp probably become impassable, and lifelines would be essential on all the pitches.

NOTES ON SIMPSON' SPOT The following day, we met up with Keith Sanderson and Bob Harper (both Wessex) and abseiled through Simpson's Pot. This trip has been reported before in the B.B., but some additional points might be worth making.

100

1. The rawlbolt on one of the pitches (31' Carol Pot, I think) has come out, so a flake of rock has to serve as a belay point. Care has to be taken not to jam the abseil rope.

2. There is no bolt on the 25' Aven Pot either and one has to use a rock flake again, and the same precaution applies.

3. No bolt on 13' Lake Pot, and we didn't find a suitable belay point from which we could retrieve the rope, so we chimney down the top half of the pitch and then jumped!

4. The top of the 80' Slit Pot is as awkward as ever!

(A plan of Tatham Wife Hole will be found below. - Ed.)

101 FINANCIAL STATEMENT FOR THE YEAR TO THE THIRTY FIRST OF JULY 1974 Subscriptions Belfry Club Ties & Car Badges Telephone Tackle

£ 380.15 Receipts Less Expenditure Sales Contributions Less Charges Fees Less Expenditure

£ 535.67 £ 245.15 £ 58.74 £ 54.21 £ 7.67 £ 1.44

C.C.C. Permits etc.

Donation

Postages And Stationery Publications

Annual Dinner Library Car Badges Carbide and Spares

£

4.35

£ 6.23 £ 10.53 £ 9.75 £ 706.31 £ 15.83

Stationery & Printing B.B. Postage Less sales Receipts Less cost

£ £ £ £ £ £

Purchases Less Sales Purchases Less Sales

£ 14.48 £ 11.00 £ 43.25 £ 7.14

Public Liability Insurance.

Income Tax Cambrian C.C. Council Northern C.C. Council Southern C. C. British Cave Research Assoc A.G.M. refreshments Ian Dear memorial Fund grants Surplus For The Year

General Accumulated Add Surplus For The Year General Accumulated I.D.M.F. to Building Society

£ 290.52 £ 5.00

FUNDS @ 31.7.73 FUNDS @ 31.7.74

311.71 62.94 374.65 134.92 218.75 232.54

£ 13.79 £ 14.06 £ 14.06 £ £ £ £ £ £ £ £ £ £ £ £

36.11 47.30 7.50 3.00 2.00 0.50 3.00 11.00 90.00 483.82 222.89 706.71

£ 485.25 £ 222.89 £ 708.14

Interest on April 1st 1974

£ 348.04 £ 8.12 £ 356.16

Lloyds Bank Ltd Current Account Cash in hand TOTAL CUB MONIES @ 31.7.72

£ 578.37 £ 129.77 £ 708.14

102 CLUB OFFICER’S REPORT – 1974 NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENT (Hon. TREASURER’S REPORT.) 1. Firstly, I must state that the accounts are made up and detailed as in previous years. My intention was to gain experience in operating the club accounts before I carried out the Hon. Auditor's suggestion of giving a more detailed statement.

2. Late this year, the Ian Dear Memorial Fund Committee approved three applications for grants to members travelling abroad. As the I.D.M. Fund is held in a building society in London, and the grants were required at short notice, it was necessary to draw them on general club funds. The grants therefore, are shown in the statement as a debit, although next years account will show this money as a repayment to the club's general monies, from the I.D.M. Fund.

3. During the current year we were strongly advised by our insurance brokers that our public liability insurance cover of £50,000 was inadequate. On this advice, our cover was increased to £100,000.

This is, of course, resulting in a higher premium for year. There is a possibility that the cover may to be increased again during the coming year.

4. This year's carbide and lamp spares etc. account is shown as making a loss. This was due to late purchase of lamp spares totalling £23.25 the sales from which will be credited in next years' account.

5. The Belfry Insurance cover of £5,000 has been increased to a more realistic figure of £12,000.

6. The apparent deficit in the publication stationery & printing account of £311.71 is not as bad as it seems because a large outstanding bill of £171.14 from the previous year was paid during the current year, making this years account more realistic.

Barrie Wilton, Hon. Treasurer. _______________________________________________________________________________________ CLUB OFFICER’S REPORT – 1974 TACKLEMASTERS REPORT The tackle situation is at present as follows: The GENERAL TACKLE STORE holds

The RESERVE TACKLE STORE holds

100' of lightweight ladder 150' of standard ladder 290' of rope.

225' of lightweight ladder 355' of rope.

Some 700' of rope is about to be brought into service and this includes 500' of new polypropylene; 150' of lightweight ladder and 165' of standard ladder is under repair and should be in service again in September. A further 500' of nylon rope is to be purchased by Christmas and about 100' of ladder is to be manufactured along with several tethers.

60' OF LADDER AND 200' OF ROPE ARE MISSING. It should be remembered that the Tacklemaster's job is not simply to maintain existing tackle, but also to make or buy new equipment in order to increase our stock to cope with the demand made by more cavers going further a field in more difficult and complex systems. However, time and the apparently excessive wear on tackle have so far combined to preclude the manufacture of new equipment.

A great deal more care must be taken with all tackle, both above and below ground. Ropes should not be trodden on. Ladders should be lowered, not dropped. If ladders snag - especially when being carried in narrow passages - they should be removed carefully and not pulled off. Much damage is done to eyes at ladder ends; wires, and even rungs and the only possible cause is the dropping of heavy objects, such as rocks, on top of tackle. All our tethers are badly kinked, because insufficient care has been taken in selecting belays.

103

Back on the surface, ladders and ropes are not always washed thoroughly. It is important to remove mud from ladders, as it retains moisture and promotes corrosion. Ropes should be very thoroughly washed to remove grit one quick dip in the pool is not good enough.

The amount of ladder under repair, and the number of ropes that have been written off this year, are disturbing. Please take note of all that has been said above.

Some tackle has been lost, and this should never happen without its being accounted for.

However, tackle has been borrowed by non-club members and not returned. In one instance, members of a Yeovil club were lent a Belfry key, and they subsequently borrowed a large amount of Belfry tackle. One of the ladders borrowed was not returned, and this was not missed until one of the Priddy villagers found it on the Upper Green.

Some tackle is borrowed without its being signed out and some is not always signed back.

Tackle is all too frequently left lying about the Belfry or in the drinking pool. Little wonder that tackle gets lost!

NON-CLUB MEMBERS MAY NOT BORROW OUR TACKLE UNDER NORMAL CIRCUMSTANCES UNLESS A CLUB MEMBER IS IN THE PARTY. BELFRY KEYS SHOULD NOT BE LENT INDISCRIMINATELY. Where tackle is left at the top of a pitch, or possibly used by other parties as well, the standard weight ladder should be used, as wear is less apparent. Swildons 20 is a case in point.

So much for wear and tear on, and loss of, tackle. In spite of what has been said, the situation is not as bad as it appears, as very little money has been spent on the tackle recently. The attempt to save money by having tellurite pressed on by friends in the trade has failed, as four to five months waiting have shown. Although the present 315 feet of ladder, together with some new ladder all requiring tellurite will still be finished locally, in future, pressing for ladders and tethers will either be done professionally (and we shall have to pay some ÂŁ1.50 for this per ladder) or we shall use our own tellurite press, which we acquired recently and which is at present undergoing repair.

Some of the digging tackle has been seriously misused this year, with instances of digging ropes being used as lifelines. Digging ropes are identified by black markings on their ends, in addition to the blue B.E.C. identification marks. PLEASE NOTE THIS and do not use any rope so marked as a lifeline. Digging tackle should be signed out in the usual way where possible. There is no abundance of digging tackle, so look after it - especially on site. If it is to be left on a digging site over a period of time, let the Tacklemaster know. This applies also to ordinary tackle left underground, as happens frequently on exploratory trips.

Many people seem to be unaware of the existence of the reserve tackle store. The equipment in this store is especially for trips to other areas, and includes all the ultra lightweight ladder. It has been used only five times this year. The Tacklemaster MUST know if any equipment is required for expeditions, in order to ensure that 100' of ladder and appropriate lifelines are left available for general use on Mendip.

In conclusion, I would like to thank the nameless few (how I wish I could say 'hordes'!) who have helped and offered to help with tackle manufacture and maintenance, or have proffered advice, or even donated tackle.

Graham Wilton-Jones.

Tacklemaster.

104

A Monthly Miscellany By 'Wig'

128.

News from the North: Since the rescue from Birks Fell early in the year, relations between the farmer and landowner and cavers seem to be deteriorating. Cavers were prevented from entering the cave until May 1974. The position is being reviewed again at the end of October. A rumour is circulating that access is difficult to both Strans Gill and Pasture Gill. Confirmation is still awaited.

Difficulty is being experienced at Monge Gill as the cave is not properly gated. Bookings for Gingling Hole should be made as soon as possible for 1975 as the cave has been closed due to a misunderstanding with the owner. Members visiting any of the pots on Penyghent should ensure that they call on the game keeper, George Perfect at Brackenbottom before they descend.

Magnetometer Pot is unsafe due to corroded oil drums lining the shaft.

Access to Pippikin is not restricted to any part of the year (as is other parts of the dales for grouse shooting). This is conditional on cavers approaching the cave from Bullpot Farm and not from the Leek Fell road during the grouse breeding season. From Bullpot Farm, proceed via County Pot or Scales Ram keeping to the paths to avoid damage to the grass and moor land grips.

Cherry Tree Hole is still closed. Pikedaw Mine will be re-opened as soon as the lid is completed and there will be unrestricted access.

Special Weather forecasts. C .N.C.C. have arranged to display weather forecast notices outside the Youth Hostel in Kettlewell. Finally, work on a new edition of the Northern cave handbook is well under way.

129.

News from Wales: Like the C.N.C.C., the Cambrian C.C. is producing a new publication. The 'Red Dragon' is a journal - the first I believe to be published by a regional body. Price 30p, it has 64 pages of A4. Packing and postage is 10.5p. Available from Frank Baguley, 15 Elm Grove, Gadlys, Aberdare, Glam. CF44 8DN. Access to Agen Allwedd is now conditionally open again following the inquest on the death of Roger Solari on July 1974.

130.

Social: Congratulations to Doug Stuckey. Word has filtered through the grapevine that Doug is now the father of a bouncing baby boy. Has anyone heard any thing of Sybil? The last we heard is that she was in Uganda and political events in that country may have made life difficult for her. Perhaps someone could drop her a line to find out how she is? Frank 'Dustbin' Darbon was at the dinner and generally around Mendip during early October. He was on an extended holiday from Canada. Keith Murray and Frank Jones both managed to attend the dinner by the skin of their teeth due to the late sailing of their ships. Frank is off to Japan and Keith to Ghana.

Nigel Taylor is being silenced and is entering the police force and I understand he is being posted to the St. Paul’s area of Bristol. Graham Robinson tells us that Sago is in hospital again with a stomach ulcer this time. He certainly has had a run of bad luck and we hope he soon recovers. On the same subject, Tony Corrigan's leg is still giving him trouble, and we hope that this too will soon clear up.

131.

St. Cuthbert’s Swallet - Report and Survey: The now well-known and long overdue report on St. Cuthbert’s is so planned to be the most comprehensive report that has ever been produced for any cave in the country including Lancaster/Easegill and O.F.D. The whole report is designed to be published in fifteen parts - to produce it in one volume would have proved prohibitive.

105 Altogether it is at least 350 pages and some 30 surveys will be included together with a number of photographs (not necessarily of pretties, but interesting features of the cave). The parts are as follows:Caving Report Number 13: Part A Discovery & Exploration. Published. Now out of print.

Part B Complete Survey.

Part C Description and detailed survey of Old and New Routes.

Part D Main Chambers.

Part E Rabbit Warren. Published. Still in print.

Part F Gour Hall Area. Published. Still in Print.

Part G Cerberus & Maypole Series.

Part H Rabbit Warren Extension. Published. In print Part I September Series.

Part J Long Chamber & Canyon Series.

Part K Rocky Boulder Series.

Part L Geological Notes.

Part M Hydrological Notes.

Part N Flora & Fauna.

Part O Miscellaneous information and Bibliography. (Published - now out of print.)

Already, many members have booked the whole range of the report - and members who have not yet done so should contact the Publications Editor. When all the parts of the report are published, those who want the whole lot to be bound as a complete book can send them back to the club and have them bound in rexine. Ten copies, being bound in leather and rexine, have already been sold.

132.

Corrections: Two recent pieces of information must be corrected. Terry Baker’s digging site near the Mells valley is NOT the site as mentioned in para 118. This is being dug by Willie Stanton. Baker’s dig is apparently further down the valley and much higher and is mainly archaeological. More details later. The second piece of information which needs t to be brought up to date refers to Cowsh Avens (111.) The hoped-for breakthrough to the surface has NOT been agreed to by the Maine family, and there is little hope of it ever being opened in the near or longer term future. The latest W.C.C. Journal has an entertaining article by Fred Davies on the Cowsh marathon. Copies are in the club library. _______________________________________________________________________________________ NOTES ON POLYPROPYLENE. by the Tacklemaster.

Five hundred feet of staple-spun polypropylene rope of an inch and a half circumference, is to be added to the reserve tackle store.

This rope will be in three lengths. Two ropes of a hundred and twenty five feet each and one of two hundred and fifty feet. The rope is intended for use as lifeline ONLY. It is definitely NOT suitable for abseiling, and indeed, could be DANGEROUS if so used, as it has a rather low melting point compared with that of nylon. It is not good as a climbing lifeline either - whether on the surface or underground - as it has only a 23% stretch at breaking point.

In addition to these disadvantages, it can easily twist itself into all manner of knots, if not handled with care - especially when being coiled. It is coiled more easily by allowing the free end to hang over a pitch so that it can untwist. Although I see many arguments over this choice of rope, I hope that members will soon discover for themselves certain advantages, not the least of which is the cost.

Editor's Note: I bought thirty fathoms of a similar rope last year for use as an anchor rope. It is proved very good in service except for this habit of tying itself into all manner of knots at the slightest provocation.

I solved the problem by winding it over two pegs, crossing the rope on every turn round the pegs. This puts an opposite twist into every alternate turn of the rope, so twists never build up in one direction. With very long ropes, such as those described by Graham, it might pay to have a simple and light weight frame built up, so that the rope can be coiled up on it in this fashion. If you have a top bar which can go over the pegs after coiling, this will prevent the rope from coming off while carrying through a cave.

106

Personal Reflections on Climbing

Pete Sutton sends us this hard hitting contribution on the Climbing Section. Perhaps we shall get a suitable reply?

It seems that the Climbing Section - like the Liberals have taken a slight setback in recent times, although I think the picture is not as black as might have been portrayed,

Although a considerable portion of the Climbing Section has definitely stagnated, several of us have actually carried on the tradition of climbing. This must be to the amazement of some others, who have taken to dancing on horizontal floors instead of up vertical walls.

One thing that has been sadly missed is the tradition of the Climbing Section going away together on Bank Holiday weekends. Excepting Easter weekend, which was a combined caving, climbing and drinking weekend - not necessasarily in that order - the majority of the Climbing Section elected not to uphold old traditions of the B.E.C in having climbing weekends, but rather to following new 'old' traditions of a more uniformed nature, B.E.C. ties were left behind. The group did manage a weeks summer holiday in Pembrokeshire and N. Wales, but the less said about that, the better.

Even so, the Climbing Section was represented in N. Wales at Whitsun and experienced excellent weather, good camping and fine climbing. Ivy Sepulchre (190' H.V.S.) was climbed on the Cromlech in Llanberis Pass and several good V.S.'s done on Craig-y-Ulenalt, Snowdon South. One in particular proved quite exciting with two hard pitches and exposed third pitch.

As Gerry mentioned in his climbing report, Thursday evening climbing again took place this year in the Avon Gorge. The terribly wet weather through the summer months - it always seemed to rain on Thursday evenings - had its bad effect on climbing, but even so it was disappointing previous regulars couldn't always find the time to come along.

Here, I feel that I must sound a note of warning. The few remaining members who are active climbers cannot, and will not forever be loners. Already, substantial moves have been made away from the club in an effort to broaden the sphere of activity. A number of trips have been made recently with the Egons Climbing Club - a club incidentally which does not limit its climbing on Sundays to the Avon Gorge and which does not take the view that if you can't climb H.V.S. - then tough luck! Instead, it travels to places some people might have never been to, like Chudleigh Gower, Symond's Yat, Cefn Coed, Maelstrom Quarries etc, and caters for beginners; moderates or hard climbers. As individuals, they also make outsiders welcome and able to feel one of them almost immediately - a feature which has been sadly lacking amongst our own Climbing Section.

Still, we mustn't end on a note of gloom. Three or four more active climbers are on the books, and it's up to us, both active climbers and stagnated ones (sorry about that!) to make them feel welcome and transform the B.E.C. Climbing Section once more into an active, lively and social group, within the general structure of the club as a whole. I feel also that much greater liaison will occur between B.E.C. and other climbing groups which I am sure can only be beneficial to the participants.

Editor's Note: Well, there you are, climbers! It seems that, to one of your number at least, all is not as well as it might be. Ever since the B.B. was first produced in 1947, it has been enriched by tales of the exploits of club climbers - from the early episodes of the Menace (John Morris); 'Orrible Orren; Ron (Hollerin-the-night) Newman, and many other equally colourful people, not forgetting the ubiquitous 'Kangy' King.

Perhaps one answer might be to encourage more 'all-rounders' like Kangy, and have more interaction between cavers and climbers. Any further correspondence on this subject would be welcome, since one of the functions of the B.B. is to enable club members to air their views on subjects such as this.

107

BOOK REVIEWS Historic Cornish Mining Scenes Underground - D.B. Barton (First Published 1967.)

'Mongst Mines and Miners - J.C. Burrow and L. Thomas (First published 1893, Reprinted 1965) Although at first sight deep mining in Cornwall for copper and tin appears to have little in common with lead mining on Mendip, the above two publications give an interesting insight into what life must have been like underground for the eighteenth and nineteenth century miner. Both books, or rather booklets, are full of first class photographs taken before the turn of the century both above and below ground in the Cornish mines and both contain lucid accounts of the mining techniques of the day. Apart from the obvious variations due to the scale of mining in Cornwall when compared with that on Mendip, the techniques illustrated must compare closely with these used in the Mendip lead mines in their heyday.

Both books are published by D. Bradford Barton Ltd., of Truro at 65p and 75p respectively; and are to be thoroughly recommended to anyone with an interest in old mining.

C.H. Book reviews are always welcome, and the editor will be pleased to publish any more that come his way.

CHRISTMAS B.B. It is the intention to publish a larger than usual edition of the B.B. once again this year. So far, there is just about enough material in the pipeline for a normal sized B.B, and a decision on the final size of the Christmas B.B. will have to be taken soon. Particularly wanted are one or two articles of good length (and: of course, good content) and any good humorous material suitable for the festive season. _______________________________________________________________________________________ MONTHLY CROSSWORD – Number 51.

Across: 1

2

3

4

3. Short county forms cave feature. (4) 5. As tart – in layers underground. (6) 6. Stumble on caving? (4) 7. Large number of tall cave passages form mine passages. (6) 11. Progresses through 3 across. (6) 13. Type of cave deposit. (4) 14. If clay does this, it may well break into this beheaded. (6) 15. Survey height in disturbed pots. (4)

5 6 7

8 9 10

11

13 14 15

12

Down 1. Employed. (4) 2. This sort of pipe can be found on Mendip. (4) 3. Cave dwellers. (4) 4. Cave phenomenon in earlier part of Priddy. (4) 8. Mendip cave hall. (3).

9. Caves without touching walls or floor…. (5) 10….through this? (4) 11. Found in any fossiliferous rock. (4) 12. Discoverers of a well know Mendip cave. (1,1,1,1)

108 Solution to Last Month’s Crossword P

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