CSS Newsletters 2023 - Volume 65
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Nos. 1-3, January-March 2023
- High Level Features in Agen Allwedd - Prospecting options in the higher levels of Aggy Main Passage, with high-grade survey.
- High Level Antics in Aggy - Progress on Joe’s bolting and climbing project to gain access to possible high-level extensions in Aggy Main Passage.
- East Rhydtalog Mine - Exploration of a mine adit that would normally be submerged in water.
- Caving with Home Comforts - Caving in the comfort on your own home, with the use of a virtual reality headset.
- Thoughts on Two Digs - A geological view of two very different dig sites, Vurley Swallet in Mendip and ‘The Caverns’ in the Quantocks, including an update on digging activities at both sites.
- Heron Pot - Caving trip to Heron Pot in the Yorkshire Dales.
- Garth Iron Mines - A photo-packed article about the history and wonders of Garth Iron Mines, a site that is sadly no longer accessible for trips.
- Bridge Cave - A photographic caving trip to Bridge Cave and a reminder of what a fine cave it is.
- Sunday School Progress - Update on renovation progress on the Old Daren Sunday School over the autumn and winter.
- Wookey 24 Warden Trip - A Wookey Hole Warden’s familiarisation trip to Wookey 24 for the new cave access system.
- CSS Annual Dinner - Summary of the well-attended CSS Annual Dinner that took place in January 2023.
- Cave Rescue Awards for CSS Members - Distinguished Service awards presented to CSS members from the South and Mid-Wales Cave Rescue Team.
- Remembering Arthur - Memories of digging, caving and club hut building with Arthur Millett, who died in February 2023.
- Reflections on a Cantankerous Surveyor - A tribute to the character of Arthur Millett.
- Arthur on Expedition in the Soviet Union - Anecdote from the ‘Kugitang 90’ expedition.
- Midnight Passage Dig Update - An update on digging progress in the environs of Midnight Passage, Agen Allwedd complete with a survey of the new finds.
- CSS Meets List 2023 - Calendar of club events scheduled to take place in 2023.
- Tribute to Dave A. Dadley - Tribute to ex-CSS member Dave Dadley and his contributions to cave exploration and explosive times at Whitewalls.
- New Library Acquisitions - Details of new and donated books in the Whitewalls library.
Nos. 4-6, April-June 2023
- New Internal Locks at Whitewalls - Information on how to use the replacement locks now fitted to Whitewalls library, tackle store and key cupboard.
- Have I Got News For You - CSS Newsletter is featured on prime time TV as guest publication on ‘Have I Got News For You’.
- More High Level Antics in Agen Allwedd - Update on the progress on the access and exploration of high-level features in Aggy Main Passage.
- Latest Agen Allwedd High Level News - The surveying and photographing the high-level features above Aggy Main Passage gained after several bolting trips.
- Bottoming the Berger - A trip to very end of the Gouffre Berger undertaken on ‘Camp Berger’, an annual event where the cave is pre-rigged for rubbish removal.
- OFD 2 Bedding Chambers - An evening trip to the Bedding Chambers in OFD, a short but scenic round trip taking in some interesting parts of the cave system.
- A Diving Trip in Swildon’s Hole - A cave diving trip to Sump 6 in Swildon’s Hole undertaken on the CSS Mendip Meet.
- A Burrington Adventure - An epic journey exploring eight different caves in Burrington Combe in one day.
- Fairy Cave Quarry - A trip to the very well-decorated Shatter Cave and W/L Cave in Fairy Cave Quarry, Mendip.
- Wookey 24 - A trip to Wookey 24 in Wookey Hole, a part of the cave previously only accessible by diving before the recent dry connection.
- Mallorca - Sun, Sea and Caves - Report from a caving holiday in Mallorca complete with fantastic photos and lots of useful information of the caves explored.
- CSS Meets List 2023 - Updated list of CSS events for July-Dec 2023.
- 4 Days Caving in Classic Yorkshire Potholes - Four days caving in the Yorkshire Dales with trips to Lost John’s Cavern, Ireby Fell Cavern, Rowten Pot and an Alum Pot/Diccan Pot exchange.
- New CSS Tackle Store - The ‘Tackle Wardrobe’ is no more, we now have a fantastic new bespoke tackle store for Whitewalls.
- CSS Website Updates - Summary of information recently added to the CSS website including cave surveys, route descriptions and online trip reports.
Nos. 7-9, July-September 2023
- WKTJ Poznan visit to Whitewalls - Caving trips enjoyed by Polish caving club WKTJ Poznan while staying at Whitewalls with CSS in May.
- New Rope in Pwll Y Gwynt - Fitting of a new SRT rope for climbing Fifth Aven in this interesting and little visited cave.
- Crochan Sion Hopkin Update - An update on the access and digging activities in Crochan Sion Hopkin, a cave with the potential to connect with Remembrance Series in Agen Allwedd.
- The Initials in Scaffold Passage Agen Allwedd - Just who scratched the initials from 1961 in this newly re-discovered passage? The mystery may now be solved.
- Snakes and Ladders - An exciting circuit of Dinorwic Quarry via the many ladders, climbs and abseils of ‘Snakes and Ladders’.
- Llanberis Copper Mine - A trip to Llanberis Copper Mine West, a newly bolted mine with pitches, traverses, formations, Miners’ artefacts and adventure.
- Milwr Tunnel - A journey through the mighty Milwr Tunnel to the natural cavern of Powell’s Lode via the many fixed ladders of Rhyd Alyn Lead Mine.
- Croesor – Rhosydd Extended Through Trip - The classic traverse of these two extensive slate mines by boat, abseils, traverses and now even more ziplines via the newly rigged Croesor extensions.
- CSS Meets List - Meets list for club events from October 2023 to January 2024.
- The Ups and Downs of Retirement Life - The Daren camps and mountain climbs enjoyed by Charles Bailey since his retirement.
- 35,000 year old discoveries in Wogan Cavern - New discoveries from an archaeological excavation in Wogan Cavern, the large natural cave beneath Pembroke Castle.
- The Mineshafts Project - Digging and engineering activities in a secret mine location in Somerset.
- Trip to Spaderunner - A trip to the very end of Daren Cilau and back in a day with an exit through Ogof Cnwc.
Nos. 10-12, October-December 2023
- Eglwys Faen Clean-Up - The clean up of Eglwys Faen Main Chamber which took place on the CSS Curry Weekend.
- Rainy Day Caving at Whitewalls - A caving trip in Pen Eryr, digging trip in Ogof Gwaliau Gwynion and the prospects of a Daren Cilau connection.
- The Tinkle Chambers, Ogof Gwaliau Gwynion - Photographs from the discovery of the Tinkle Chambers in OGG, in October 1990.
- Aquatic Adventures in Carlswark Cavern - A wetter than usual trip to Carlswark Cavern on a day of mass flooding in Derbyshire.
- Oxlow - Maskhill Exchange Trip - A sporting day’s caving in the Derbyshire classic that is the Oxlow Cavern - Maskhill Mine exchange.
- Water Icicle Close Cavern - The third day’s caving on the CSS Derbyshire meet visited this interesting mix of mine and natural cave, including the locked extensions.
- CSS Meets 2024 - Details of upcoming club meets Jan-March 2024.
- Eglwys Faen - Part 1 - A dig prospecting and photography trip to Eglwys Faen.
- Midnight Passage Dig Update - Agen Allwedd - Further progress updates on the digging activities in Spider Chamber (Midnight Passage).
- Tales from Thailand - A journey through some of the spectacular caves of north-west Thailand explored and photographed during a three week holiday with a difference.
- New Library Acquisitions - Recent new additions to the Whitewalls library.
- Pen Park Hole - Trip report from this highly interesting cave beneath Southmead in Bristol.
- Grebe Swallet - A trip to this unusual Mendip cave and historic mine.
- A Day Digging in Portland‘s Grove Cliff Caves - A new Portland through-trip possibility. If a cave already has six entrances, why not dig another?
- Joe’s Corner - More informative caving-based snippets from the CSS Chairman.
- Index to Volume 65 - Index to the contents of all four CSS Newsletter issues for 2023.