| CHEDDAR
CAVING CLUB MEETS LIST 2008
We aim to run three fixed trips a month and typically
these include a fairly simple evening trip, an intermediate trip and
an off Mendip trip.
In 2008 as part of our ten year celebrations as a caving
club we are currently undertaking a year long tour of the local caves
doing an A to Z of the Mendip Underground Guide (by David Irwin and
Tony Jarratt) which is being fitted around the usual annual calander
of events listed below.
Wednesday 9th January 2008 (evening)
GB Cave
Contact: Andy Sparrow
Duration: About 2 hours.
Equipment: Standard undersuit/oversuit.
Difficulty: Generally very easy on the main routes. Some squeezes and
difficulties lurking in side passages and far extremities.
GB is renowned for its huge chamber and exquisite formations. One of
the finest caves in the UK.
Sunday 20th Janury 2008
Swildons Shatter Series
Duration: About 4 hours.
Equipment: Standard undersuit/oversuit or wetsuit.
Difficulty: A longish trip but nothing too nasty. Some of the ducks
in Shatter Passage are quite challenging if you persevere that far.
Shatter Series is reached via the Mud Sump and a 6 metre ladder climb
down Shatter Pot. Some muddy crawls follow before the large Shatter
Passage is entered. A couple of ducks must be passed to reach the large
Shatter Chamber.
Sunday 20th January
Club Meeting
Kings Head at 8.00 pm All members welcome
Wednesday 30th January 2008 (evening)
St. Cuthbert's Swallet
Contact: Chris Castle
Duration: About 3 hours.
Equipment: Standard undersuit/oversuit.
Difficulty: Quite strenuous, especially the Entrance Rift on the return.
Mendips second longest cave and only accessible with an approved leader.
A fine cave with an array of formations in pristine condition and a
variety of challenging obstacles. Extremely complex allowing numerous
round trips.
Wednesday 6th February (evening)
White Pit
Contact: Andy Sparrow
Duration: 2 hours
Equipment: Standard undersuit/oversuit or boilersuit
Difficulty: The pretty parts are easy to reach. A couple of ladder pitches
for those who want to visit the deeper sections.
Situated in a large depression just outside Priddy, White Pit was dug
open in the early 90’s. The cave has some extremely well decorated grottoes
connected by dug muddy crawls. A lower series can be reached by descending
a ladder pitch and another deeper pot leads to the cave bottom.
Sunday 17th February
Club Meeting
Kings Head at 8.00 pm
All members welcome
Saturday 23rdh February
Swildons Hole to Sump 2
Contact: Rachel Payne
Duration: 2-3 hours
Equipment: Standard undersuit/oversuit or wetsuit.
Difficulty: Moderate. Short ladder pitch but no real difficulties. Sump
1 is optional.
Mendip's most popular caving trip and rightly so. A long gradual descent
in a majestic stream canyon with pools, waterfalls, and superb formations.
A quick plunge through Sump 1 (optional) leads to the attractive, sculpted
Swildons 2 streamway.
Sunday 2nd March
Ogof Ffynonn Ddu (OFD)
Contact: Andy Sparrow
Duration: 4-6 hours
Equipment: Standard oversuit/undersuit
Difficulty: No crawls or squeezes but some climbs and traverses.
The route will depend on water levels and on who has been where before.
This is one of the most enjoyable and impressive caves you can hope
to visit. Bring a camera.
Wednesday 12th March (evening)
Waterwheel Swallet
Contact: Megan Whyte
Duration: 1-2 hours.
Equipment: Standard undersuit/oversuit or wetsuit.
Difficulty: Easy, but rather aquatic in the lower sections
A fun little cave with some pleasant formations and an entertaining
(and rather bracing) ‘canal’.
Sunday 16th March
Club Meeting
Kings Head at 8.00 pm
All members welcome
Saturday 29th March
Longwood Swallet
Contact: Ken Passant
Duration: About 4 hours.
Equipment: Standard undersuit/oversuit or wetsuit.
Difficulty: Quite strenuous. There are some awkward tight squeezes followed
by various climbs and traverses. Very wet in the lower sections.
Longwood is a fabulous sporting cave – one of Mendip’s best which provides
a range of dramatic underground scenery. There are large chambers, streamways
and excellent formations.
Wednesday 29th March (evening)
Lost Cave of Loxton
Contact: Andy Hebden
Duration: 2 hours
Equipment: Standard undersuit/oversuit or boilersuit
Difficulty: Low
Rediscovered only recently this ancient cave was originally described
back in the 17th century when it was entered by miners. A dry cave system
full of interest and history.
Saturday 19th April
Ogof Draenen Round Trip
Contact: Andy Sparrow
Duration: 6-7 hours
Equipment: Standard oversuit/undersuit
Difficulty: A long trip and therefore quite strenuous but there are
no particular difficulties on the route.
One of the longest and best round trips in the UK. Over 4 kilometres
of varied passage involving a variety of obstacles and some magnificent
examples of almost every type of cave passage.
Sunday 20th April
Club Meeting
Kings Head at 8.00 pm
All members welcome
Wednesday 30th April (evening)
Rods Pot to Bath Swallet
Contact: Andy Sparrow
Duration: 2 hours
Equipment: Standard undersuit/oversuit or boilersuit
Difficulty: Mildly challenging with some good climbs.
The third longest Mendip through-trip and a ChCC discovery! Lots of
fun.
Sunday 11th May
Manor Farm Swallet
Contact: Robin Gray
Duration: 3-4 hours
Equipment : Standard undersuit/oversuit
Difficulty: Steep on the way back with an awkward chimney climb and
15 metre ladder (or SRT) pitch.
Manor Farm is a Mendip classic – a long streamway with some fine formations
descending to a considerable depth. Stream can be polluted from the
dairy farm above and gloves are advised.
Wednesday 14th May (evening)
Goatchurch Cavern
Contact: Brendan Hanley
Duration: 2 hours
Equipment: Boilersuit is adequate
Difficulty: Generally easy but does have some very tight optional squeezes
The all time favourite novice cave but always worth a visit. A good
opportunity to bring that friend who’s never had a go.
Sunday 18th May
Club Meeting
Kings Head at 8.00 pm
All members welcome
24th/25th May (Whitsun weekend)
Gaping Ghyll (Yorkshire)
Contact: Mark and Megan Whyte
Duration: Variable
Equipment: Standard undersuit/oversuit
Difficulty: Variable
Gaping Ghyll is one of the most famous caves in the UK. Twice a year
the 100 metre entrance shaft is equipped with a winch to make easy access
to this extensive and impressive cave system There are many routes and
round trips that can be enjoyed in the system. The plan is to stay at
Craven Pot Hole Club with their kind permission.
Wednesday 28th May (evening)
Eastwater Cavern
Contact: Andy Sparrow
Duration: 3 hours
Equipment: Standard undersuit/oversuit
Difficulty: A very intense work-out!
Eastwater is notorious for its challenging passages formed on steeply
inclined bedding planes. We hope to complete an exchange trip between
the Dolphin Pot and Twin Verticals route which is quite a challenge
for a Wednesday night.
Saturday 7th June
Swildon's Hole, Short Round Trip
Contact: Steve Pointon
Duration: About 4 hours
Equipment: Standard undersuit/oversuit is ok but the route is very aquatic
and a wetsuit or neofleece may be preferred.
Difficulty: A good workout. Varied going involving many obstacles. Several
ducks on the route with limited airspace. One very tight squeeze. Willingness
to plunge through Sump 1 essential.
A wonderful trip with a bit of everything. Climbing from the Swildons
streamway before Sump 1 reveals the beautiful Tratman's Temple and the
Blasted Boss crawl leading to the Mud Sump. A long meandering passage
leads on, past the Greasy Chimney, towards Trouble Series with its numerous
ducks. Eventually the route enters the streamway again near Sump 2.
A quick plunge through Sump 1 and the uphill slog back to the entrance
completes an excellent sporting trip.
Sunday 15th June
Club Meeting
Kings Head at 8.00 pm
All members welcome
Wednesday 18th June (evening)
Sidcot Swallet
Contact: Mark Whyte
Duration: About 2 hours.
Equipment: Standard undersuit/oversuit or boilersuit.
Difficulty: Varied. A little snug in places but still a good beginners
trip.
Sidcot is a favourite beginners cave which offers a moderately challenging
trip through several crawls and squeezes including the infamous Lobster
Pot.
Sunday 29th June
Little Neath River Cave
Contact: Andy Sparrow
Duration: 3-4 hours
Equipment: Standard undersuit/oversuit is ok but the route is very aquatic
and a wetsuit or neofleece may be preferred.
Difficulty: Some crawling but mainly large passages
Our annual trip to LNRC. A very fine and impressive cave system with
an extremely aquatic entrance. Lots to see and lots of fun.
Wednesday 9th July (evening)
Banwell Caves
Contact: Andy Hebden
Duration: About 2 hours.
Equipment: Standard undersuit/oversuit or boilersuit.
Difficulty: Low
The Banwell Caves are large ancient caverns with a fascinating history.
19th-20th July
Derbyshire Weekend
Contact: Andy Sparrow
Equipment: Standard undersuit/oversuit and SRT kit if you have one.
The annual off-Mendip July trip will be in scenic Derbyshire which offers
a huge choice of caves, potholes and old mines sometimes combining all
three on one trip. We hope to include a visit to the famous Peak Cavern
which is a long an impressive resurgence cave.
Sunday 20th July
Club Meeting
Kings Head at 8.00 pm
All members welcome
Wednesday 30th July (evening)
Shatter Cave
Contact: Andy Sparrow
Duration: About 2 hours
Equipment: Standard undersuit/oversuit or overalls
Difficulty: Easy - a few wriggles and short crawls.
Shatter Cave is one of the best decorated caves in Britain. A series
of spectacular large chambers and passages lead away from the quarry
face which revealed the cave in 1969. Bring a camera!
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