WSG Newsletter

Headquarters - Caerllwyn Cottage Halt Road Rhigos ABERDARE CF44 9UW «01685 811080 http://www.wsg.org.uk

Westminster Spelæological Group Cave Exploration and Investigation President: Toby Clark esq. Newsletter No. 2007/1 January 2007 The Club meets on first and third Tuesday of the month at: Ship & Shovell bar, Craven Passage WC2. (Off Villiers Street under Charring Cross station), normally from 7pm onwards. Left : Waipuna Cave, in W aitomo New Zealand. See inside for more info. Pic: Brian Bowell. Editorial: Happy New Year! Another part of John Wilcock’s Dowsing hypotheses, more from the WSG’s Yesteryears and caving in Slovenia and Yorkshire for those cold winter evenings! Thanks to all the contributors - keep the articles coming please. Cheers, Graham.

Club News. Rumours of a WSG Bulletin have been circulating since 1997 and valiant attempts to publish have been made. However, I have it on good authority that the material has been gathered together, edited by Duncan Minty and publication on the group website should take place in February. This will take the form of a .PDF document for general distribution. Printing costs for exchange and library copies are currently being investigated. More news on the website, message board or next newsletter.

An ‘eventful’ Bonfire weekend at Caerllwyn started well and ended well. A clear, cold moonlit Friday night walk up to the red was followed a few pints later by a colder and even clearer walk back! Saturday saw various trips and arriving back at Caerllwyn from Penwyllt, we were greeted with the news that one party was having problems in Lethrydd Swallet. WBCRT had been alerted. A crack (yes, crack not crap) trio were despatched from Caerllwyn to assist who, Gower speed cameras notwithstanding, arrived before the CRO to find ambo/police/fire already in attendance to be told that “there were already 3 underground – we don’t want any more down there”. Gary Evans from the WBCRT arrived a few minutes later and four of us set off for the first squeeze. The situation was assessed and Gary left for the surface to coordinate things from there. The thought of the barrel being empty when we got back to Caerllwyn was clearly too much and with a good old bit of grunting, the constriction was negotiated and a return to the surface made. Back at Caerllwyn the barrel […cont’d inside].

WSG Newsletter – January 2007 ©WSG 2007 Page 1 of 1 Club News – continued… …was consumed along with a sumptuous bangers and mash dinner followed by a ‘Farey Special’ firework display. The merriment went on into the night. Sunday: the committee meeting was disturbed by further fireworks! Note: probably definitely not a good idea to burn the old firework casings no matter how empty they appear to be… More activities – dowsing, climbing and walking before everyone cluttered off home. Thanks to everyone who contributed to a great weekend! Andy Sewell organised the annual London Christmas bash – this year at the Royal College of Surgeons’ Hunterian Museum in Lincoln’s Inn Fields. Preceded and followed by ale consumption.

Toby Clark provided the photos (left and right) and this quote - “The museum was amazing, if grisly in places and most of those of us present managed not to faint!”

Subs: It’s that time of year again…. WSG subs and insurance are now due. You can see your online bill by going to the member’s only section and looking under “View My Invoice”. BCA rates are the same as 2006. You have until Feb 14th to update your BCA insurance options, after that date bills will be sent out. Update your BCA option by either via the member’s only web site or via email to [email protected] Remember – pay promptly to get your discount WSG rate!!! Also Note Dave Farey will be looking after membership subs this year. Don’t contact Jeanette, as she’ll have no access to update your records. – Phil Mack. If anyone has any questions regarding subs or BCA insurance, please drop me a line on [email protected] or give me a call. My contact details are on the members website. If you decide to pay by online transfer into the WSG bank account, please email me with the amount, reference number and the date of the transfer. Many thanks, Dave Farey. Club Trips: Fermanagh, N. Ireland set for first week in August 2007, Belgium for Easter. Speak to Chris Franklin for both trips. Club Admin: Congratulations to Sarah White and Rupert Bateson… who are now full members. A reminder that the next pub meet will be Tue. 16th Jan. Thanks for all the support of those who come along and look forward to hopefully seeing some new faces in 07. Thanks to Dougal for preparing the Caerllwyn Christmas feast that lasted from 7pm until 1:30 am a truly gluttonous and hedonistic evening. Thanks to Dave for the beer and the Christmas lights. The garden looked magical - unfortunately no one took a camera so no rogues’ gallery for this years event. Andy Sewell. Fame and Fortune: The SWCC headquarters at Penwyllt was seen in an episode of the BBC drama series Torchwood’ on 22nd November 2006 and Jeanette and Mark appeared on the BBC’s consumer affairs program “Watchdog”. Cottage News. Booking system changes. In order for users to distinguish between WSG and a non-WSG booking, the diary system has been to changed. If the booking is non-WSG, please also add the club you are booking on behalf of - the default is set to WSG. If you book another club in then please inform the Cottage Secretary if you going to give them a key. This saves The Cottage Secretary from posting one and should make things easier to manage, especially as you know the people you are booking into the cottage. You can also add social events as private so they don't show up in the public web site - good for things like birthday parties and so on. Please note that all hut bookings (WSG members or not) are always provisional until the cottage secretary confirms them Caving News. Happy New Year Everybody! Hope that you all had a good Christmas and New Year period. th This is a reminder that next weekend (13th & 14 Jan 2007) is the first caving weekend of 2007; it’s also our Chairman’s birthday celebration. It would be good to get as many people as possible down to the cottage for a good session of caving, drinking and celebrating (just in case you’d not had enough over Christmas). The main planned activity for the weekend is to join the West Brecon Cave Rescue Team on their practice rescue. We can arrange for specific caves if people would rather, but it would be good to get a WSG group out in force to help support the WBCRT – you never know when you’ll next need to rescue someone. If you are planning on coming, please use the sign me up button in the diary

WSG Newsletter – January 2007 ©WSG 2007 Page 2 of 2 so that we can get an idea of numbers. If you are intending to join the WBCRT effort, please could you also email me to let me know by early next week so that I can let them know we’re coming. Hope to see you all next weekend, Chris WBCRT News: The postponed SWSARA Joint Practice will now take place on Sunday 25th February 2007. The next scheduled WBCRT practice is on Saturday 13th January 2007 - OFD – A major practice in Ogof Ffynnon Ddu. Best regards, Toby Dryden. WBCRT Training Officer. [email protected] Tel:07967 144660 ---oOo--- The picture on the front cover and the photo below won Brian Bowell second prize in a NZ photo competition. “They were taken in Waipuna Cave, in Waitomo. It's a popular cave with wet & dry routes, a duck and several entrances. These are on a main route but low down and quite small. The formations in the right hand photo are in an alcove less than 300mm wide. They were taken on my Olympus C770 and lit with two LED caving lights.” More pictures here: http://www.flickr.com/groups/nzcaving/

Virtual Caving - (Send your mouse down a hole...). http://www.geocities.com/john_wattie/cave/ Caves around Waitomo http://nzphoto.tripod.com/cave/index.htm The stereo photo pages here will leave you cross-eyed. http://nzphoto.tripod.com/stereo/index.html

http://www.adventureswales.co.uk/gorge_scrambling.php Gorge Scrambling

If you come across an interesting site, send me the link and I'll post it here. [Ed.]

LED lamps. I’ve put some pictures of the 1W and 2W lamps on the web. If you’d like to try one out, let me know and I’ll arrange to loan you one. Also, if you’re interested in having an Oldham type headset converted to a 1W single LED ‘Luxeon’ type or 2W multi-LED types with a brightness control, please let me know. Cheers, Graham.

http://uk.geocities.com/[email protected]/LampsForSale.htm for lamp pix http://uk.geocities.com/[email protected]/cavinglamps.htm text about lamps. ---oOo---

This e-card was received from Len and Betty Dawes. Len was active in the earlier days of the group and remains a member.

Best wishes to you both from WSG.

WSG Newsletter – January 2007 ©WSG 2007 Page 3 of 3 Earning my Rods. – Toby Clark.

I once got a medal for being a SECRO warden, but I can take no greater pride than that of sewing my crossed coathangers badge on to my oversuit! Yes, I have done it – I’m a fully qualified dowser, though I haven’t actually gone solo yet. On the Saturday of bonfire weekend I completed my apprenticeship under the watchful rods of John Wilcock, the UK’s leading expert in this field. And what a day for my test – a bright and sunny November morning with frost on the ground and icy puddles abounding. We set off over Pant Mawr from Ogof Llyn Fach (I wanted to show him our latest dig site and he confirmed that it was on the edge of a general reaction covering the 18th Hole area) in a westerly direction with me in front so that I would not be influenced by any reaction of John’s rods. Soon enough I got the first twitch, soon confirmed by the Master. Over the next 10k of circular walking we encountered big swallow holes and big reactions here and there, which John plotted on the map using his GPS. He will report the findings in a separate article (see below – Ed.) but I can reveal in an awed and hushed electronic whisper that w/he has proved a connection between OFD and the Pant Mawr Master System, over by the Lost Valley sinks. And finally, to crown a wonderful day, I felt my beloved Pwll Pindar through my rods!

---oOo---

Some further hypotheses concerning the drainage of the Pant Mawr, Nedd Fechan, Mellte, Hepste, Cynon and Taff Fechan regions. Part 7: Pant Mawr, Porth yr Ogof and Cadair Fawr John Wilcock Introduction Some discussion on previous work and publications concerning the regions in question, stretching from Pant Mawr in the west across the catchments of the rivers Nedd Fechan, Mellte and Hepste to Cynon, Cwm Cadlan and Mynydd y Garn in the east, has been summarised in six articles that appeared in the April 2000 WSG Newsletter (Wilcock, 2000 (Parts 1 & 2)), the July 2001 WSG Newsletter (Wilcock, 2001 (Part 3)), the July 2002 WSG Newsletter (Wilcock, 2002 (Part 4)), the January 2003 WSG Newsletter (Wilcock, 2003a (Part 5)) and the July 2003 WSG Newsletter (Wilcock, 2003b (Part 6)). This article summarises subsequent work between 2003 and 2006 in the region.

The Bonfire Weekend in early November 2006 presented itself as the next occasion when I could do the latest dowsing work. The weather was cold but sunny, and the weekend was excellently productive. Thanks to Toby the Elder, Fumpa and Elisa for congenial accompaniment, and for interesting discussions on the hydrology of the region. Let us hope that further exploration leads to some new caves being entered.

Summary of work to November 2006 The following discussion is based on further dowsing work. The accompanying maps (Figures 1 - 3) are intended to be part of the discussion, and relevant sites are numbered, with site names given in the Legends. The areas under investigation have been the Pant Mawr area, the Porth yr Ogof (Ystradfellte) area, and Cadair Fawr.

Introduction In the Penwyllt and Ystradfellte areas the caves are formed in the Main Limestone of the Dinantian Sub-system of the Carboniferous System, spread across the Courceyan, Holkerian, Asbian and Brigantian Stages, the beds appearing successively from the bottom of the sequence as the Courceyan Abercriban Oolite; the Holkerian Dowlais Limestone (Cil yr Ychen Limestone); a fairly thick and pure Asbian oolite sequence above which occurs the thin Honeycombed Sandstone; and the Brigantian Penderyn Oolite Formation which is terminated by lenticular sandstone, rubbly limestone and mudstones with coal streaks. Above this in the west is the non-

WSG Newsletter – January 2007 ©WSG 2007 Page 4 of 4 oolitic Penwyllt Limestone Formation, but this bed does not occur in the east, being overstepped by the Basal Grit of the Silesian Sub-system Namurian Series 1 km east of Penderyn on the south side of the Neath Disturbance, and at Cadair Fawr on the north side. Structurally the Ystradfellte area is much more complex than the areas to the west and east, being cut into narrow slices by NNW-SSE faults. The southerly dip of the limestones is about 5º, and the overlying Namurian conglomerates, grits and quartzites form uplands immediately south and west of the limestone outcrops. The primary drainage of the area is SSE from the high slopes of the Brecon Beacons into the heart of the coalfield basin, and the surface rivers progressively climb up the stratigraphic sequence, the dip being steeper than the river valleys.

Pant Mawr has its entrance on the unconformity between the Abercriban Oolite and the Dowlais Limestone, low in the sequence, but on the contrary its resurgence at R1 in the Nedd Fechan valley is in Penwyllt Limestone beds at the top of the sequence: its route must cross several faults which have pushed down progressively younger beds to the east of the faults. There is possibly a deep phreas within the Dowlais Limestone, with possible phreatic lifts up faults to a higher bed such as the Penderyn Oolite. A further phreatic lift would then be necessary to the Penwyllt Limestone from where down-dip vadose development would again become possible (or more likely most of the system is phreatic, through a completely closed system where lithology is immaterial, with a leak through the roof at resurgence R1, where the passage continues under the Mellte; the route could even pass through sandstones or gritstones). A recent and surprising discovery that the Lost Valley Sink also dye-traces to R1 prompted further investigation in this rarely-visited remote area, where the relationship between Ogof Ffynnon Ddu, a wind gap near the Byfre (which incidentally has a strong dowsing reaction trending NNW-SSE) and Pant Mawr is obscure; previous dowsing work there had been rather unsystematic because of the remoteness and difficult vegetation (partly forested, tussock grass, bog and heather) for surface walking, and was before the days of GPS.

Porth yr Ogof (SN 928124) lies near the top of the Dowlais Limestone. It is a major river cave that has been known for centuries, but was first surveyed only in 1970 by UBSS (UBSS, 1979). The Mellte normally sinks at the Main Mellte (Church) Sink (SN 931133) into unknown passages, the water appearing again in Porth yr Ogof after 600m. In flood conditions the river remains on the surface until it goes underground for 300m in Porth yr Ogof. The cave is an example of incision of a gorge by progressive cave collapse, as at Cvíjic in Slovenia. Cwm Porth Farm Well Sink (SN 930121) is known to feed water into Porth yr Ogof near Sump Ten (Gascoine, 1989). Waterfall Cave (SN 929119) feeds water under flood conditions to Sumps Four and Seven in Porth yr Ogof (Gascoine, 1989). Ogof Coeden Prop (SN 932123) in the conglomerate contains 60m of passages. It was first explored by SWCC in 1947. Ogof Ganol (SN 933121) and Ogof Ffynnon Fach (SN 934120) are to the south, also in the conglomerate. The latter has 300m of loose passages that descend to a sump. It was first explored by SWCC in 1947, and SSS made major extensions in 1977 and 1978. The stream in this cave has been dye-traced to Cwm Porth Inlet in Porth yr Ogof (Gascoine, 1989). All these three caves consist of a series of blind shafts, up to 20m deep, joined by bedding planes along the conglomerate-limestone boundary, so they are roofed by the insoluble conglomerate. These caves, which contain peat stalactites and stalagmites, have a direct bearing on the hypothesis of interstratal collapse propounded by Thomas (1974), since they demonstrate that small potholes do exist beneath the Basal Grit; whether the vast limestone chambers underneath proposed by Thomas actually exist is another question. These considerations prompted a further visit to the Porth yr Ogof area, the conglomerate pots, and the woods and moorland immediately to the east, to see if the link to Sumps 4, 7 & 10 could be found.

Elsewhere in the Mellte/Hepste area the caves appear to have developed at or just below the unconformity between the Brigantian Penderyn Oolite and the Namurian Basal Grit. Thomas (1974) believes that the South Wales area has the best example of interstratal karst in the UK, with cave developments 10m - 30m below in the limestone leading to structural weaknesses of the overlying Basal Grit, causing large collapse dolines (bouldery or peat-floored surface depressions, some of them 100m in diameter and up to 30m depth). Near the western edge of Gweunydd Hepste are Pwll Derw and Pwll y Felin, textbook examples of stream sinks lying on the Basal Grit cover rock. Because of the presence of an impervious lining Pwll y Felin holds a more or less permanent pool on its floor. These have been previously investigated (see Wilcock 2003b). The western edge of Gwaun Cefnygarreg forms a striking local escarpment, with the uppermost 10m to 15m of the rock face composed of Basal Grit and the lowermost 15m to 20m composed of limestone. This area and Mynydd y Garn (which has many collapse dolines) remain to be systematically explored. Depressions on the limestone outcrops commonly contain blocks of Basal Grit, indicating that they were formed while there was still a grit cover. Dolines on both limestone and Basal Grit may also contain glacial till. To the south of the Basal Grit collapse dolines the cave development continues down dip in the limestone under the surface cover of the Basal Grit to a depth of perhaps 200m in the Dowlais Limestone (Pant Mawr is an example of this). The exploration of Cadair Fawr has begun, and discoveries are described in this paper. Conditions are ideal in South Wales for collapse dolines to form: it has one of the highest rainfalls in Britain for a limestone area; an abrupt lithological break between the limestone and the grit; massive jointed quartzites or quartz conglomerates offering ready access for percolating waters; near-compatibility of surface slope with the dip of the underlying beds giving a slow increase in vertical thickness of the grit from a fine feather edge; and main drainage lines generally down-dip. Cadair Fawr has one of the most complex assemblages of collapse dolines, yet has been ignored by cavers.

WSG Newsletter – January 2007 ©WSG 2007 Page 5 of 5

The Pant Mawr area This area has been largely ignored by cavers since it is remote from a road head, and the vegetation makes for extremely difficult walking, being either dense forest without frequent rides, or tussock grass, heather and bog. WSG has of course done a lot of exploration at the 18th and 19th Holes, Pwll Pindar, Ogof Cul and more recently at Ogof Llyn Fach. Tony Donovan has investigated Lost Valley Sink and a dye test indicates that it connects with R1, a quite unexpected result. Figure 1 shows many years of dowsing results, the last visit being 04.11.06. Thanks to Toby the Elder for being my companion on this occasion.

To the top left of Figure 1 can be seen the dowsing reaction for Ogof Ffynnon Ddu. It has long been suspected that the Byfre has been captured to flow west by OFD, and that it previously flowed south. The solid areas on the map are actual dowsing reactions, while the dotted lines are pure conjecture: these areas have not yet been visited because of logistic problems. The reaction from the wind gap (proto-Byfre) is heading in the direction of the previously-suggested (Wilcock, 1991) master cave, postulated to head south from the Byfre to the Neath Disturbance near Hirwaun Industrial Estate (SN 8907) before turning east to Tre Ifor (SO 0006), where it may join a feeder from Ogof Fawr, and then south, deeply under the coalfield and ultimately to Taffs Well and the Schwyll. The dowsing trace from the OFD reaction at SN 877157 to location SN 885145 was compiled on 04.11.06: this could indicate that OFD originally joined the Taffs Well master cave, but incidentally it also provides a route from Lost Valley Sink to R1, provided that a conjectured link from approximately SN 885145 to SN 894136 is postulated.

During 04.11.06 two depressions at SN 89281448 and SN 89181443 with influent streams were also noted, which could provide entrance to the Pant Mawr to R1 postulated route.

The Porth yr Ogof area Figure 2 shows the Porth yr Ogof area and neighbouring moorland. Bearing in mind that Pwll Derw (SN 941124), one of the aforementioned interstratal karst collapse dolines, had been dye-traced to Hepste Main Resurgence (Gascoine, 1989), and that previous dowsing (Wilcock, 2003) had indicated a connection between Pwll Derw (8 on Figure 2) and Ffynnon Garreg Fawr (2 on Figure 2), that trace was revisited to find if a branch could be found somewhere along it which would illuminate the route to Hepste Main Resurgence. A link was indeed found commencing in the low-lying area of shake holes around SN 936130. From there the route has been found to proceed SW and then S through the conglomerate pots of Ogof Coeden Prop (SN 932123) (5 on Figure 2), Ogof Ganol (SN 933121) (6 on Figure 2) and Ogof Ffynnon Fach (SN 934120) (7 on Figure 2). It then continues SE to the course of the Afon Hepste, 300m below Middle Hepste Rising. Again, the surface course is not followed: first cutting a corner, the route goes under the surface course near Bryn-cûl and then proceeds SSE and SSW through the passages of Ogof Afon Hepste, passing Middle Hepste Main Sink (SN 939097), to reach finally Hepste Main Rising (SN 935097) (11, 12 & 13 on Figure 2). The lower part of this system will be accessible only to divers. It is possible that some of the upper part of the cave might have vadose passages, however.

It was necessary to investigate the area between Porth yr Ogof and the conglomerate pots to see if the link to Sumps 4, 7 & 10 mentioned by Gascoine (1989) could be found. Further dowsing work was undertaken in 2005. A point was indeed found on the route from Pwll Derw to Hepste Main Rising to the north of Ogof Coeden Prop (5 on Figure 2), connecting to Porth yr Ogof (4 on Figure 2). Gascoine (1989) had found that Cwm Porth Farm Well Sink (SN 930121) feeds water into Porth yr Ogof near Sump Ten: this sink is near the depression at 929122 marked 15 on Figure 2. Gascoine had also found that Waterfall Cave (SN 929119) (16 on Figure 2) feeds water under flood conditions to Sumps Four and Seven in Porth yr Ogof. A trace NNE from Waterfall Cave was indeed found through the depression at SN 929122 and then NE to join the route to Porth yr Ogof. Also a tributary from a sink at SN 936122 (14 on Figure 2) was found proceeding WSW to the route between Waterfall Cave and Porth yr Ogof at approximately SN 930120.

Cadair Fawr The Moss Rising System was partly investigated by dowsing in 2002 (Wilcock, 2003a). However, the object on 05.11.06 was to investigate the blank area of limestone around Cadair Fawr, the results being shown on Figure 3. Thanks to Fumpa and Elisa for being my companions on this occasion.

We started at the foot of the quarry road off the Penderyn - Brecon road. Thumper was the first to get a reaction on the hill above the quarries. We followed this west down the hill, and then NW across the main road, and were surprised to find that it joined the previously – discovered Moss Rising reaction. We then followed it ESE back up the hill and found that it terminated in a closed depression in the area of shake holes called Area 2 in a previous publication (Wilcock, 2003a). These areas of shake holes in the block of limestone around Cadair Fawr are shown on the OS map by dotted lines, but these supposed groupings are imaginings of the OS surveyor and have no speleological basis.

WSG Newsletter – January 2007 ©WSG 2007 Page 6 of 6 We continued a clockwise perambulation around Cadair Fawr. Over the ridge a remarkable closed depression was noted; it seemed likely that rainfall collecting in this depression would initiate a cave by percolation, and this was indeed found to be the case, a dowsing reaction being found at SN 97891257. This was followed WSW to a large shake hole with influent stream at SN 97391235. Proceeding further, and approaching the edge of the limestone block we were surprised to find that the cave turned NW and eventually reached the Moss Rising from the south. It is not unknown for faults to be crossed by caves, but if the rocks on the other side of the fault are not limestone then a route still within the limestone is often preferred, and this seems to be the case in this instance. These results have therefore extended the Moss Rising System, and have illuminated some of the speleological development of the northern part of the Cadair Fawr limestone block.

Future Work Interesting as these results are, much remains to be investigated.

The remainder of Cadair Fawr must be explored south to the Cwm Cadlan road and possibly further to the south, where there is a large swallow hole marked on the OS map with standing water.

On Gwaun Cefnygarreg, Pulpit Hole (SN 941130) lies beneath the cap of Basal Grit and is a complex of several parallel shafts up to 11m deep with a bedding plane linking them directly beneath the grit cap. Thomas also gives an example of a small open cave in Basal Grit at SN 942134 on the dip slope of Gwaun Cefnygarreg with a collapsed grit floor communicating to solution-enlarged joints in the limestone at depths of 10m to 12m. In this case the collapse does not reach the surface of the grit on the top of the escarpment. This and the remainder of Mynydd y Garn must be explored.

Taking an overview, it is clear that many of the postulated passages follow the faults trending NNW-SSE, with the exception of the middle Hepste valley systems, which follow either the SW-NE boundary between the Basal Grit and limestone, or are related to the surface river course at sinks and risings. From what has been seen at present, the cave development seems to be not just in the exposed limestone, but also in adjacent areas of gritstone at depth at the boundary between the limestone and the Basal Grit, leading to collapse dolines in the grit when the limestone is 10-30m below the surface. The caves are then to be expected to continue down- dip in the underlying limestone beneath the grit cover. Thus the Basal Grit areas of Gwaun Cefnygarreg, SW of Mynydd y Garn, and Cefn Cadlan, SW of Cadair Fawr, are of prime interest for more caves of this type. The limestone areas of Mynydd y Garn and Cadair Fawr have in general been neglected by cavers: these blank areas of limestone are to be expected to have some direct solution caves, although there are no active streams and solution will be due to percolation water only in closed depressions. It has already been mentioned that the OS map indicates several “areas of shake holes”; the dotted boundaries of these are a figment of the OS surveyor’s imagination with no speleological significance, but the shake holes themselves, many of them very large, must be studied.

All of the above results are naturally hypotheses that are entitled to stand until disproved. My technique is to publish and be damned. However, my dowsing work has had several successes proved by later exploration by cavers. References Gascoine, W. 1989. The hydrology of the limestone outcrop north of the Coalfield. In Ford, T.D. (ed.) 1989, Limestones and caves of Wales, British Cave Research Association, Cambridge University Press, The Afon Hepste area; The Afon Mellte area, 49-50. Thomas, T.M. 1974. The South Wales interstratal karst, Trans. British Cave Research Association 1(3), 131-152. UBSS 1979. Proc. UBSS 15(2), 107-127. Wilcock, J.D., 1991. Taffs Well and the Schwyll Risings, Caves & Caving 53, 25-26, British Cave Research Association, also reprinted in Y Ddraig Goch (The Red Dragon), Annual Journal 91/92, 114-116 , Cambrian Caving Council Wilcock, J.D. 2000. Some further hypotheses concerning the drainage of the Pant Mawr, Nedd Fechan, Mellte, Hepste and Cynon regions. Part 1 and Part 2. Westminster Spelaeological Group Newsletter 2001, April 2000, 7-12 Wilcock, J.D. 2001. Some further hypotheses concerning the drainage of the Pant Mawr, Nedd Fechan, Mellte, Hepste and Cynon regions. Part 3: Work to November 2000. Westminster Spelaeological Group Newsletter 2001/2, July 2001, 5-7 Wilcock, J.D. 2002. Some further hypotheses concerning the drainage of the Pant Mawr, Nedd Fechan, Mellte, Hepste and Cynon regions. Part 4: Pant Mawr Moor and Cwm Cadlan, Westminster Spelaeological Group Newsletter No. 2002/3 (July 2002), 5-6 Wilcock, J.D. 2003a. Some further hypotheses concerning the drainage of the Pant Mawr, Nedd Fechan, Mellte, Hepste and Cynon regions. Part 5: Cwm Cadlan, Mynydd y Garn, and Cadair Fawr, Westminster Spelaeological Group Newsletter No. 2003/1 (January 2003), 8-10 Wilcock, J.D. 2003b. Some further hypotheses concerning the drainage of the Pant Mawr, Nedd Fechan, Mellte, Hepste and Cynon regions. Part 6: The area between the Mellte and the Hepste to the south west of Mynydd y Garn, Westminster Spelaeological Group Newsletter No. 2003/3 (July 2003), 3-9

WSG Newsletter – January 2007 ©WSG 2007 Page 7 of 7

Figure 1 The Pant Mawr area Key to numbered sites: 1. Depression at 89281448 with influent stream from east 2. Depression at 89181443 with influent stream

WSG Newsletter – January 2007 ©WSG 2007 Page 8 of 8 Figure 2 (left) The Porth yr Ogof area Key to numbered sites: 1. Hole by the Wall 2. Ffynnon Garreg Fawr 3. Mellte Main (Church) Sink 4. Porth yr Ogof 5. Ogof Coeden Prop 6. Ogof Ganol 7. Ogof Ffynnon Fach 8. Pwll Derw 9. Pwll y Felin 10. Middle Hepste Rising 11. Middle Hepste Main Sink 12. Ogof Afon Hepste 13. Hepste Main Rising 14. Sink at 936122 15. Depression at 929122 16. Waterfall Cave at 929119

Figure 3 (Right) The Cadair Fawr area and the Moss Rising System Key to numbered sites: 1. Closed depression 2. Closed depression at SN 97891257 3. Large shake hole at SN 97391235 with influent stream

WSG Newsletter – January 2007 ©WSG 2007 Page 9 of 9 Tales from WSG's yesteryears - We're off on the road to Morocco. Words and pix -Brian Bowell. I hate that UB 40 song 'Ivory Madonna', it cost me a miserable afternoon searching for a toilet in southern Spain. This was in 1980 on our way home from Morocco, where we had been (as usual) looking for caves measureless to...... All in all, the trip was quite memorable. After driving through France and Spain we were robbed in a campsite, and only Jackie Westcott's lungs prevented us from losing more stuff. On the way south we stopped at Ben i Mallal, the last outpost of beer. In a hotel bar we mingled with the locals. The Moroccans take their alcohol furtively. Then, further south, at Feriata we camped on the town dump and provided a form of stand up comedy for the population. There, we tramped up hills in the heat with inadequate water and caused a couple of local boys to almost succumb to heat exhaustion. All this in search of those caverns ...... In the evenings, the bolder of us trotted down to the village cafe to drink warm orange drink and watch the king of Morocco on the T.V. It was only the onset of the galloping trots amongst most of the group that caused us to move on. My abiding memory of Feriata is leaving and watching the locals tear into the pile of rubbish we had left enhancing their own pile. Further south we received the hospitality of the Caid (a sort of non-elected mayor) at a town whose name escapes me. But there was a bread shop and WSG had been there the year before. One evening we were invited to the home of the village tobacconist for dinner and the chance for his sons (sons notice) to speak English. The dinner was fine, except for the vegetarians and Jackie. It was suggested by one of our host's sons that she might like to join the women in the kitchen! What was interesting about the evening was the breadth of the boy's knowledge of world affairs and of course, their perspective, particularly in respect of the endless Arab- Israeli conflict. How disappointed they must have been when most of us were unable or unwilling to hold a conversation around this or other topics. There was caving. We found a whole new section of cave in the 'Grotte du Caid'? Wading through neck deep bat shit soup and floating through an almost submerged passage led to more bat shit soup. Yours truly tried to drown in the almost submerged passage and Chris Sowe dragged his sorry ass out, but only after photographing a drowning man. Later he got his revenge by getting me to obstruct the orifice through which large numbers of bats were determined to emerge on their way out of a cave at dusk. I duly sat, they duly emerged and not one of them clouted me. Then there was the 'Stealth' trip involving abseiling into a village's well at night. Quite why the clanking of racks and ascenders didn't wake up all the dogs I'll never know. Perhaps everyone was indoors watching the king on the T.V. Driving home we descended quite a long way from the mountains to what passes for sea level. Once on the flat I was asked why we had made the entire trip down in second gear. Why? Because the f*****g brake servo had stopped servo-ing. Once on the level it re-servoed itself though. Then there was the 'Two dopes buying dope in Fez'. We were in Fez and this guy (what was his name?) decided to try and buy dope. Jackie was apoplectic at this, envisioning us spending untold years in Tarifa prison atoning for our ounce buy. As it happened we spent a pleasant afternoon, eating cakes and drinking mint tea with a selection of blokes who thought they might be able to...... Which brings me to 'Ivory Madonna'. All of us, our kit and yes, some dope, had made it back to Spain. Chris Sowe was in the driving seat wearing one of the early Sony Walkmans. Remember them, they played cassettes. Cassettes? Yes, they were plastic cases with ...... Oh forget it. He was listening to 'THAT SONG' when in a moment of inattention he drove into the back of a dark blue Simca. There was that moment when you think 'Oh Damn' and I thought 'That damn song'. What followed was a group visit to the local cop shop so the Spanish guy could claim that about 10 times as much damage was caused as actually was, and WSG couldn't find the appropriate paperwork regarding the van hire. I could see we were in for a wait until someone from the local agency for the AA. could be found. By this time however, due to some gastronomic accident I WAS IN URGENT NEED OF A TOILET!!!!!! I found one in a nearby park, and allowed the world to fall out my bottom (I know a joke about that), for the rest of the afternoon. On returning to the police station I was pleased to find everything resolved and that we could leave. Leave we did with Chris's Walkman firmly turned off. What followed was an uneventful drive home, although I seem to remember that we were almost robbed again. [Pix above from BB’s slides – Left: Chris Sowe holds court with the locals. Right: Fumpa, Chris Sowe and Pat Daly in the van].

WSG Newsletter – January 2007 ©WSG 2007 Page 10 of 10 Slovenia New Year Trip: Rupert Bateson, Adi Hooper, James Hooper, Sarah Jefferson and (words by) Martin Mc Gowan .

This trip was planned as a winter mountaineering jolly to the Julian Alps, but on the day before the flight I got a cryptic message from James about some good news. So I rang him back to find out what this was. He said he had managed to get us a through trip. Ah, I instantaneously thought of Mala Boka, the 1300m through trip, but no it was a mere 700m through trip in Poloska Jama. So the first day of this relaxing trip saw James and I up at 5am to meet Andrej and Andreja Fratik at 6.

Soon we dove up into the hills and down a dirt track with tarmac sections to the Polog valley. A swift ascent up the hill was making most of the party suffer, while Andre the mountain goat bounded ahead of us. The entrance was at the back of an alcove in a base of scree. Warm air roared from the small entrance and it had to be enlarged by digging. The entrance series consist of a number of small climbs and squeezes or selections, as they were called by our Slovenian guide, although none of them bother me - or the two new Slovenian cavers called Samo and Uros.

The first interesting bit was the two large pitches, which both had a homemade ring of metal attached to the wall to act as the pull through. Anyway about halfway down the first pitch we had to stop at a second ring on a wee ledge. By the time Andre arrived to pull the rope through it was getting tight on the ledge. After the second pitch we had a series of meanders to a small chamber.

Below the chamber was the Skyscraper - a very large free climbable pitch or rift with a squeeze at the bottom. Down again, but the cave started to open up and after a free climb up, we entered a series of wide chambers and river passage. Andrej led us through a series of confusing and contradictory pointers indicating the possible way out. Surprisingly by 4pm we out of the cave – a storming trip.

The next day for rest and relaxation we went skiing on Kanin. So up to Bovec and caught the cable car to 2200m. We had a stunning day of skiing in the brilliant sunshine, while we watched the peaks of Krn and Mataiur stand out as islands above the cloud of the thermal inversion in the valley. New Year’s Eve in Tolmin was like a mini war zone as hundreds of rockets, and bangers we let off in the street with the least regard to health and safety. We bumped into Samo and Uros and got invited back to Samo’s house where we continued drinking. We (Rupert, James and me) learnt to say, “The pub is my home” in Slovene.

Despite the late hour the previous night we managed to go abseiling on New Year’s Day from the Devil’s bridge (60m). Of course it had originally been suggested at 3am by Uros, but we drunk ourselves out of that idea. By 7pm we had driven to Tolminske Ravne to walk up to the Shepherd’s hut at 1500m. Soon we were in a smoky hut knocking back port and other drinks, while betting on who would collapse first. Rupert expressed his disapproval of necking port and tried vainly to teach the Slovenes the correct way to drink port according to Cambridge. The next morning was again a clear blue sky day outside even if our heads felt differently. A quick jaunt up to Migovec (1881m) and back to Tolmin.

On Wednesday we took the car train and cable car to the Ski Hotel at Vogel. Although the pistes were closed we headed for Sija (1880m). Here we encountered our first real winter conditions and we were forced to put on crampons. Rupert dug out an ancient pair that Andy Sewell had given him. Anyway it got him up the mountain and past the ice encrusted cable car equipment. On the way down we tested out the plastic bivi bag, Sarah decided it looked too dangerous. After some egging on by Adi she decided to give it go on a slope near the bottom. Unfortunately it turned out to be the steepest and longest as we whooshed down the mountain at supersonic speed. After several spins we finally hit a bump and were airborne only to land in a sprawled mess. Luckily we had not killed the Mrs Hooper to be and the wedding was still on. After all this excitement we went to the waterpark in Bohinska Bistrica to slash around, climb the bouldering wall and shoot down some slides. A drive down some back street and we arrived at an excellent restaurant where we stuffed ourselves. After an excellent meal all we had to do was put the car on the train and sleep to Tolmin.

Our last day together was spent on Kanin, but this time Rupert and I went mountaineering, while the other went skiing. Rupert followed as we headed to a natural window in the mountain about 300m above the lift station. We slowly progressed round while Rupert learnt to control ‘it’ (the fear of falling off a large cliff). All was going well until the descent as we faced a 300m 70° slope down to the piste suddenly even I was aware we were a long way up. A quick slip and ice axe arrest by me showed Rupert it possible to stop, although I don’t think this helped us control ‘it’. Anyway we got down, had lunch and a pivo and went out again until bad weather forced us to run for the piste so we could navigate by the ski poles and safely mesh in total white out. Overall a great time was had by all, excellent food, etc so maybe we will repeat it next year.

Christmas morning at Bullpot Farm, no tacky tree, no pile of wrapped presents, no heating other than the log fire. What better way to spend Christmas than a fun caving trip followed by fine food, beer and Cuarenta y Tres (or ‘nectar of the Gods’ as I consider this fine Spanish liqueur). Gavin Lowe (OUCC), who like Martin and Phil had driven up the night before, was in a “come on I want to go caving NOW” mood, while I needed a few more cups of tea before I was prepared to don my wet and muddy caving kit that lay in a sad cold heap from the day before. So Martin and Phil joined Gavin for a Lancs to Top Trip (with a planned deviation to look at the Borehole) while I decided to go with a Mendip caver called Anne on a rigging practice trip down Cow Hole. I’d also never been to Lancaster Hole before so thought this would be a fun mission. Both teams planned to be back by around four in the afternoon, with callouts at 7pm; parsnips had to be peeled and the Christmas pudding needed steaming after all.

It was good to head out across the fell. It was misty and cold but I love the feeling of finally heading off to a cave with packed tacklebags on shoulders. Anne did a good job rigging Cow Pot and we were soon at Fall Pot sharing a cigarette or two. The traverse to the pitch head took Anne a while to rig, understandable if you’ve never done a wide exposed traverse over a 45 metre drop before. I then took over, again loving the thrill of rigging a proper pitch. Once down, the race was on to find our way to Lancaster Hole. I’d studied the survey and had a compass with me but somehow failed to realise that you had to go up a rope. Time was marching on – at the back of my mind I was worried about Gavin’s reaction if I came close to my callout, especially has he’d been saying, only the night before, how this had happened too often on expedition last summer. Eventually, after a romp in the main stream, I decided that the way on had to be up the black Marlow rope that we’d seen earlier. “Rope free” I shouted to Anne, “Lets go… we have to find Lancaster Hole….” we scurried and crawled and then, there it was, the cold draught of the surface and a rope to the entrance. We were back at the farm for 5:30, pleased with our trip.

I’m not sure how or when I started to associate stilton and crumpets with Christmas at Bullpot Farm, but it’s become a tradition that I was maintaining when Beardy (aka Paul Swire) and Ben Lovett turned up. “Ah, good to see you’re here in time to rescue Gavin” I joked as it was now 6:30. When Martin arrived a minute later, they must have thought a wind-up had been planned as he casually informed us that a rescue was in fact needed. Gavin had fallen on his way out Top Sink and was unable to move without a lot of pain. “Oh God, not again”, I thought, as it was only two years ago than I’d dialled 999 when an Imperial fresher became hypothermic. The call to the Police was made and we busied ourselves packing a rescue kit while we waited for the CRO. Ben and Beardy set off to find Gavin carrying a thermos, warm clothes, food, a Carry mat and a sleeping bag while I waited at the farm. Christmas dinner would have to wait.

Cavers began arriving at the farm, first a few and then more and more. Some arrived with a “Bloody Hell, it’s Christmas Day….” while others seemed pleased to be able to escape their in-laws. Gavin was known to many of them, either personally or via reputation, and the universal reaction to hearing that Gavin was in trouble was one of “If it happened to Gavin, it must be one of those rare falls that can happen to anyone”. The odd moan and grumbling belied the fact that everyone was keen to help a fellow caver, though the thoughts of a 18 hour stretcher carry, which was what was being prepared, was not a thought that was being relished, as you’d expect. Radio communication was established, flashing lights were set up along the path to County, and teams were dispatched to rig pitches, carry a stretcher to Gavin etc. Surprisingly, few of the cavers were sure of the route finding so I was given the job of guiding John Burton, a doctor, and an experienced CRO member called Dave to the Bridge of Sighs. This rescue was going to take a long time.

Once again, it was good to be heading out across the fell. We laughed and joked, chatted with the guys in bivvy bags that were manning the radio relay stations, and had a jolly trip down County, moving at a steady pace. “There’s no point in getting exhausted or getting sweaty – you’ll only suffer for it later on” I was told. It was rare to be singing Christmas Carols with people who were more out of tune than I was! At the Assembly Hall, we caught up with Pete Hall and others and I helped rig a ladder on the climb before heading off to find Gavin, collecting two more doctors en route. Gavin was well looked after, but Phil was glad to see a face that he knew – sitting for 9 hours with Gavin was not how he’d plan to spend Christmas Day. Once the Morphine was injected and Gavin was on the Enternox, we realised that Gavin probably wouldn’t need stretchering – partly due to his own determination to help out as much as he could. I was given, at my request, the mission of escorting Phil of the cave, leaving Gavin in capable hands. We each took a tacklebag and made our way slowly out. Earlier in the day, we’d planned to get back to the Farm at 4 o’clock. And back at 4 o’clock we were, for Phil it was just twelve hours later. By this stage, there were more than enough cavers to help out, in addition to the CRO, cavers from Kendal and Wharfdale had been roused, a total of about seventy in all, with more on standby. So Beardy, Ben Lovett and I decided to revert to Plan A. Beer, lots of beer was drunk, Cuarenta y Tres was savoured. As we got pissed news of Gavin drifted into our consciousness, he was at Eureka Juction, he was at Poetic Justice, he was out the cave, a helicopter was on its way, he was being carried across the fell. At seven in the morning as it was getting light on a misty fell, the sound of the Chopper was heard. It was a surreal sight, like the last scene in E.T. as the helicopter landed while being watched by several dozen headlights, while Gavin was carried on board. “Merry Christmas everyone” I said, before heading back to the Farm for more booze, a full fried Breakfast and then bed. James. p.s. I hope everyone has a good 2007!

WSG Newsletter – January 2007 ©WSG 2007 Page 12 of 12 WESTMINSTER SPELEOLOGICAL GROUP: NEW ADDITIONS TO THE LIBRARY. (Between 03/10/06 – 15/12/06)

Domestic Publications:

BEC Belfry Bulletin number 526 Volume 55 No. 3 Autumn 2006 Chelsea Speleological Society Newsletter Vol.48 No.10 October 06, Vol.48 No.11 November 2006, Vol.48 No.12 December 2006 Chelsea Speleological Society Records Vol.32 “Caves & Tunnels in south East England Part 17” Craven Pothole club “Record” No. 84 October 2006 Descent No.192 October/November 2006, No.193 December 2006/January 2007 Mendip Caving Group Newsletter No.333 May 2006, No.334 June 2006, No.335 August 2006, No.336 September 2006 No.337 November 2006 Wessex Cave Club Journal Vol.28 no.302 December 2006 White Rose Pothole Club Newsletter Vol. 25 Issue 2 May 2006, Vol. 25 Issue 3 August 2006

Foreign Publications: Regards No.65 Octobre Novembre 2006

Tony Oldham Donations: Army Caving Association “USA 89” British Speleological Association Bulletin No.73 March 1967 No.75 July 1967 No.76 October 1967 No.77 December 1967 No.78 October 1967 No.79 April 1968 No.80 August 1968 “Speleological Abstracts” No.6 (Literature of 1967)

BCRA Cave Radio & Electronics Group Journal 49 September 2002 BCRA Speleology Issue 5 December 2005 CDG Newsletter No.127 April 1998, No.128 July 1998, No.129 October 1998, Cave Photography Group Newsletter No. 4 September 2001 Combined Services Caving Association Magazine 1994/November In sight of light (Ellis) – {1998} Morgannwg Caving Club Journal No.4 (1994) Northern Mine Research Society Newsletter February 2005, May 2005, August 2005 Speleological Union of Ireland Annual Report 2002 Wells Natural history & archaeological Society Report 2005/2006 William Pengelly Cave Studies Trust Ltd “Studies in Speleology” Vol.IV 1983, Vol.V 1984

Jaksinie 1(42) 2006, 2(43) 2006 (Poland) NSS News Vol.64 Number 8 August 2006 (USA) Journal of cave & karst studies Vol.68 no.2 August 2006 CMC Rappel Manual – J.Frank & D Patterson 1997 (USA) Cerovačke Špilje (show cave Information leaflet) Sydney Speleological Society Year Book 2005-2006 vol.50 number 8 August 2006 (Australia) Bulletin of the Akiyoshi-Dai museum of natural history no.41 March 2006 (Japan) Underwater guide to the Lot & Dordogne, France – A.Ward (Second edition 2003) Speleo secours siphon et post-siphon (F.F.S / F.F.E.S.S.M.) 1985 Afoot & afield in San Diego county – J.Schald (1992) Bulletin semestral d’information de l’École Française de Spéléologie”:“Info-EFS”-No.27 1st semestre 1995 Speleo Dordogne Activities 4ème Trimestre 1994 Fête de la Speleologie 19,20,21, September 1997 Centro Ricerche Carsiche “C.Seppenhoffer” –GORIZIA:Periodico “Sopra E Sotto Il Carso”:Anno II (N.S.) 0 N.2 1993 Verbond Van Vlaamse Speleogen:Tijdschrift “Spelerpes”17de jaargang nr.77 1995 Vlaamse Speleologen Vereniging (v.z.w.’s speleoklubs Hades Aalst & De Troglodieten Antwerpen): Kwartaal Tijdschrift “Wereld Zonder Zon”: 19de jaargang Nr.67 Maart 1996, 19de jaargang Nr.69 Augustus 1996, 19de jaargang Nr.70 November 1996 20ste jaargang Nr.71 Februari 1997, 20ste jaargang Nr.72 Mei 1997, 20ste jaargang Nr.73 Augustus 1997 20ste jaargang Nr.74 November 1997, 25ste jaargang Nr.75 Maart 1998, 21ste jaargang Nr.76 Maart 1998 21ste jaargang Nr.77 September 1998, 21ste jaargang Nr.77 December 1998, 22ste jaargang Nr.80 Juli 1999 22ste jaargang Nr.81 Oktober 1999, 23ste jaargang Nr.84 Juni 2000

WSG Newsletter – January 2007 ©WSG 2007 Page 13 of 13 Calendar for 2007. For latest info follow www.wsg.org.uk ⇒ ‘Club Diary’ and search there. Contact Chris Franklin or other named organiser for details Club meetings are usually 2nd and 4th weekends in the month, defaulting to South Wales. (TBC = to be confirmed). Use the "Sign Me Up" feature on the members' website ... Dates Venue Event Committee 13th Jan S. Wales Phil’s Birthday Weekend - Note revised date and moved committee meeting 13th Jan S. Wales WBCRT training - OFD Committee 16th Jan London 3rd Tuesday pub meet – note revised time – 7pm. More drinking time! 26 – 28th Jan S. Wales Club Booking – Smith’s Armoury OFD. 6th and 20th Feb London 1st and 3rd Tuesday pub meet 2nd – 4th Feb S. Wales (CSCA External Hut Booking) 15th – 18th Feb S. Wales Club booking – Dave Farey’s Birthday – Gorge Scrambling in Glyn Neath Area (17th) 25th Feb S. Wales Club Booking – Little Neath River Cave and WBCRT Training 1st – 6th March S. Wales (Tanners – External Hut Booking) 6th and 20th Mar London 1st and 3rd Tuesday pub meet 9-11 March S. Wales Daren Cilau 15th-18th March S. Wales (Fat Dad’s Club – External Hut Booking) 31st Mar-1st Apr S. Wales Ogof Craig-a-Ffynnon 3rd and 17th Apr London 1st and 3rd Tuesday pub meet 5-9thApril / Easter Belgium? Easter Caving Trip – Details from Chris Franklin 27th – 29th April Mendip Longwood Swallet + St Cuthbert’s (if access available) Summer Annual fixed dates – 3rd Sat in Jan = 1st Committee meeting of year…1st Sat June = AGM…1st Sat Nov = Bonfire

Last Gasp. Copy deadline for the next issue is 4th April 2007. That just about empties the files for this issue. All contributions for the next one gratefully received. Writing for the Newsletter or Bulletin is simple - Just write down what you've been up to lately - in any format, then send it to me! Cheers, Graham.

Thanks to this edition's contributors - John Wilcock, Brian Bowell, Martin McGowan, Toby Clark, Matthew Setchfield, James Hooper, Phil Mack, Chris Franklin, Dave Farey, Andy Sewell. Your name could should be here!