Number 144 Winter 2015/2016 of the Mendip Nature Research Committee NEWSLETTER Section Leaders Archaeology - Ros Day 20 Highwood Close, Shaw, Newbury Astronomy - Steve Shipston Newsletter 7 The Jays, Tytherington, Wotton-under- Edge, South Gloucestershire GL12 8US Tel: 01454 412449 Botany - Fiona Shipston of the Mendip Nature Research Committee The Jays, Tytherington, Wotton-under-Edge, South Gloucestershire Mendip Nature Research Station, GL12 8US Tel: 01454 412449 Wells Hill Bottom, Caving - Dave King 6 Eastmead, Midsummer Norton, Radstock, Green Ore, Nr. Wells, Somerset BA5 3EZ Somerset BA3 2TW Tel: 07770 923407 Geology - Dave Tuffery Telephone: 01761 241609 Manor House, Tintern , Chepstow, Monmouthshire NP16 6SG Tel: 01291 689919 Committee Members Ornithology - Laurie & HelenaWright Acorn Cottage, Resting Oak Hill, Chairman - Ian Barker Cooksbridge, Lewes, East Sussex BN8 4PS 7 Wyndham Way Oxford OX2 8DF Photography - Bryony Evered 2-3 Lower Downside, Shepton Mallet, Tel: 07733 301 386 - e-mail:[email protected] BA4 4JP Secretary - Amy Burchell Notes for Contributors Please submit text as email attachments or 18 Rapide Way, Weston-Super-Mare, BS24 8ER on CDs where possible, even for short items. Tel: 07814 142042 - e-mail: [email protected] This makes life easy for the editor and means that you get your item published Treasurer and Membership Secretary - Sue Hargraves correctly. Most common PC word processor formats are acceptable, including the “open 31 Park Lane, Winterbourne, Bristol BS36 1AT source” programs. However if all else fails Tel: 07879 634 949 - e-mail: [email protected] handwritten text is fine. For graphics, once again most common PC Station Warden - Fiona Shipston file formats are acceptable but please don’t 7 The Jays, Tytherington, Wotton-under-Edge, GL12 8US make them too large or the electronic version will take forever to download. 150 Tel: 01454 412449 - e-mail: [email protected] dpi, 256 colour JPEGs will do nicely. Neatly hand drawn graphics, diagrams and cartoons NOTE! Hut administration is handled by Steve Shipston are also acceptable. 7 The Jays, Tytherington, Wotton-under-Edge, GL12 8US Tel: 01454 412449 Photographs should be supplied as original (Steve’s role is not a committee post) prints or slides so that the best possible copy can be made - please do not send Editor - Nick Powell photocopies as these are unreproduceable. However scanned bitmap picture files in 67 Collett, Glascote, Tamworth, B77 2DZ common PC formats are fine. Please also supply captions and details to Tel: 07711 537 500 - e-mail:[email protected] accompany any drawings or photos. All material submitted will be returned as soon Librarian - Gareth Thompson as possible after publication. 802a Fishponds Road, Fishponds, Bristol, BS16 3TE Please don’t embed photos or graphics in Tel: 07854 613580 - E-mail: [email protected] text files - although they can be extracted readily, the process degrades them and may Full Member No.1 - Paul Gladman detract from their artistic attributes. Thanks. 176 Stephens Road, Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN4 9QE Copyright Tel: 01892 545 055 - E-mail: [email protected] Copyright © MNRC 2015 Copyright of all material in this newsletter resides with the originator. Please ensure the material you Full Member No.2 -Richard Abbott submit is not someone else’s copyright. If it 34 The Ridge, Surbiton, Surrey, KT5 8HX is please get their permission for reproduction and give appropriate credits. If you are quoting Tel: 07850 567 498 - E-mail: [email protected] from other sources please give full details. Recent Member - Rob Evered Disclaimer Opinions expressed in this newsletter are those 2-3 Lower Downside, Shepton Mallet, BA4 4JP of the author and do not necessarily reflect Tel: 07980 449218 - e-mail: [email protected] those of the editor or of the MNRC. Data Protection Act Cover Picture: “Now Pearl One…” - SRT Training, Hunter’s Hole The address list for this Newsletter is stored Photo by Chris Binding on a computer file. The contents of this file are not sold or distributed in any form other The Mendip Nature Research Committee is a registered charity - No. 289168 than for the MNRC’s own use. Ogof Fechan Contents Ogof Fechan P1 Editorial P1 Caving News P2 Club News P3 SRT Training P4 Dragons of Dingley Dell P5 A Coastal Journey from Top to Bottom of Wales P6 Slurp! P9 A Festive Discovery P11 Anniversay Items P12 Yule Log 2015 P13 Diary P17 Inside Ogof Fechan, South Wales Photo by Spike Neal Editorial New year, new newsletter… Archaeological Society, as it actually, it’s been a while was back in 1906). Added since the last one so I to that will be the more thought it’s about time. regular domestic caving trips, (including our In this newsletter, there’s a on-going dig project at review of recent events that Hillgrove Swallet), plus the have happened over the tail slightly more mundane end of 2015, including the work in keeping the hut in usual autumn liquid good order. refreshment event, and a resume of the festive As always, the newsletter period. But we’re also relies on your contributions looking forward as 2016 will to make it interesting and be an important one for the informative, so please keep club. Not only will we be the material rolling in to me playing a vital role in the - or whomsoever the UK hosted Eurospeleo membership votes to be Congress this year, but it’s editor at the forthcoming also the 110th anniversary AGM…… :-) of the founding of the G-G Winch Meet Crew… Mendip Nature Research Thanks all, and enjoy this Photo by Spike Neal Committee (of the Wells edition of the NL…… Natural History & The Ed MNRC Newsletter No. 144, Winter2015/ 2016 Page 1 Caving News SRT done in such a manner as to for the banquet. Note there not obstruct to movement of will be another price step at For those mystified by the farm vehicles. Appropriate the end of February, so if dark art of knots, bolts and parking places are shown on you haven’t yet reserved lengths of rope, or those the map (below). your ticket, you should do so SRT-ers whose technique has ASAP. Those of you who grown a tad rusty, a already have ticket booking programme of events has but don’t have T shirt or been under way to educate banquet added (but would and re-familiarise; a number like to) contact Wendy of weekends last year have Williams - I have her email involved our scaffold tower in address, or search for her on the garden. the EuroSpeleo website contacts page. However, with EuroSpel- http://www.eurospeleo.uk eo coming up this sum- mer, it was thought a full Devon For those on Facebook, SRT refresher course run there’s a Eurospeleo 2016 FB by an outside agency Darrel has plans for a club page, so please view, share, would be beneficial, so trip to Devon during the first etc to help get the word that attendees would be part of this year, ideally 18th spread far and wide. able to make the most of to 20th March. Itinerary https://www.facebook.com/e the pre-rigged systems. could include Dog Hole, urospeleo2016/?fref=ts As such I have booked Pridhamsleigh and maybe with Chris Binding an SRT Baker’s Pit. There are a The bar marquee is planned to be on solid hard standing session for the 18/19th number of options (bearing rather than on the grass June. in mind the distance required field, so shouldn’t become a for this); either a day trip mire if it’s wet; there will be Please let me know if you from the hut, or a stay at various themed evening are interested in attend- the Pengelly Centre, although events, where some of the ing , numbers may be the minimum group price at drinks will suit the occasion, limited so it will be first the centre does rather mean and the staff will be suitably come first served, with the number of participants fancy dressed. Some those attending EuroSpel- could decide the option. If suggestions so far have been eo given preference. Fur- you’d be interested in a ceilidh, 60s/70s disco, cave ther details of participating, watch out for games, quiz night, variety timings/numbers/content further information on show, etc. will be finalised nearer MNRC-Talk; alternatively give the time. Darrel a call to express your I will shortly be planning a Thank you, interest, in particular if you don’t subscribe to “Talk”. duty rota of staff, and duty managers, so if you’re up for Amy B. volunteering to help please let me know; those working EuroSpeleo 2016 Charterhouse/GB Cave the bar will be provided with training. Volunteers must Hi all, just a few random register and pay as a We have been informed that notes from the EuroSpeleo delegate, but worked bar the parking situation at the planning meeting - there’s an shifts will be refunded after farm has changed. awful lot of planning already the event. going ahead by a load of On payment of a small people to ensure this event Finally, if you have any goodwill fee, it is permissible runs smoothly. photos of Yorkshire you to park cars at Charterhouse Bookings are going well, could share with the event, farm, the farm nearest to around 670 delegates please let me know. G.B. and Charterhouse already confirmed, and more caves. However, this must be than a third have signed up Dave King, Bar Manager. Page 2 MNRC Newsletter No. 144, Winter 2015/2016 Club News Working Weekend behalf of everyone, thank Fio- out the work at the Septem- na and Steve for their sterling ber working weekend.