An action packed weekend in Mendip based at the SMCC hut in Priddy, where ten different caving trips were enjoyed over three days.
As is now traditional for CSS visits to Mendip, the first caving trip of the weekend took place on Friday evening, with a trip to St Cuthbert’s Swallet. After the various rifts and climbs of the entrance series, the well-decorated and less visited September Series was destination, taking in the formations at The Balcony, Nelson’s Column and the High Chamber cave pearls along the way. All were out in time for food, drink and socialising at The Hunters’ afterwards, meeting up with the later arrivals.
Five different caving trips took place on Saturday, with something to suit everyone. One party headed to Upper Flood Swallet, a fairly physical trip with the reward of reaching Neverland, one of the most stunningly well-decorated areas in Mendip. A similarly physical but very different trip was had in Home Close Hole. This included SRT on the pitch and detours to some relatively newly-discovered parts of the cave. For those wanting something a little less strenuous, there was also a trip beyond the show cave in Wookey Hole, to the lofty chambers and dog-tooth crystals of Land of Hope and Glory. Meanwhile others explored the “Mendip classic” of G.B. Cave, undertaking the Devil’s Elbow route in both directions and the round trip beyond, while another trip was took place to Stoke Lane Slocker, experiencing higher than normal water levels. All participants exited into unexpected sunshine, which some made the most of with pre-dinner walk around the local woodlands and mineries, taking in a cave entrance or two along the way.
Yet another good selection of caving trips took place on Sunday, with two teams heading to Fairy Cave Quarry in East Mendip, one to visit Shatter Cave and the other to Withyhill Cave, both of which are very scenic and well decorated throughout. There was also a second trip to Wookey Hole, this time to Wookey 24, a realm once the exclusive domain of cave divers, while other members enjoyed a trip to the Swildon’s Hole streamway – the fun way to clean a mucky oversuit.
