From the Inimitable Chris Fry. "It's all right chaps…I've got a beer full of fridge !!"
From the Same " I've never caved with a Microlight on my head !!"
"It's a bell shaped chamber - shaped like a bell" - Chris Grimmet in New Zealand
Apparently one of our member's ancestors, apart from being a noted Satanist was also an Alpinist, and was responsible for a great leap forward in climbing. According to the Southern Climbing guide "A tremendous change in attitude came in the 1890s in the form of Aleister Crowley. Crowley was a leading Alpinist of the day but was shunned by the Alpine club and took a positive delight in the bizarre. Supposedly indulgent of some notoriously perverse activities, his climbs on chalk were generally considered as just a further example of his eccentricity." Crowley pioneered the techniques of chalk climbing and was considered one of the hardest climbers in Britain. Several climbs on Beachy Head were pioneered by AC. They can be found on pg. 199 of the Southern Sandstone Guide. Just above the Croydon Club Route (!!) is the weirdly named "Crowley's Crack" - Apparently the crux is two thirds from the top.
Clints and Grikes
I have recently come into possession of a copy of the Cambrian Cave Registry via the Brecon Beacons Park Office. The only problem is that it is on a now rare form of floppy diskette as used in an Amstrad word processor. The diskette is of Dixons origin - type CF2. Any assistance in transferring the files onto a more standard format would be greatly appreciated by the park and of benefit to us. The park hope to incorporate the registry into their Graphical Information System showing how known cave sites relate to other features of the landscape, planning applications etc.
Has anyone any ideas where we could hold regular ladder, lifeline and SRT practice within easy reach of Croydon? A school gymnasium would be favourite if the usual liability objections can be overcome.
I have suggested to the committee that the Club might consider organising a "Pant Mawr Master System - Does it exist?" symposium based in South Wales. This might take the form of a day of presentations on work at known sites, current understanding of hydrology etc. followed perhaps by a tour of pertinent sites. I am sure there are many members of other clubs active in South Wales that would be interested to participate. What level of support is there within Croydon? Does anyone wish to organise such an event? I have been informed that such a seminar might qualify for funding from the BBNP.
Cave Conservation seems to be in everyone's minds now and several club members have been active in assisting SWCC with conservation efforts in OFD2. This is an ongoing project and worth getting involved in, but perhaps we should initiate a similar project of our own. Whilst we attempt to run at least one clean-up trip into LNRC I believe we could do more to protect our local caves for future generations. Pant Mawr pot springs to mind as a site that might benefit from taping of formations and mud banks. It has been suggested that the entrance pothole could be permanently rigged with eco-hangers. Any thoughts? Volunteers?
Members might be interested to learn that Paul Ackland, previously a club member, has been instrumental in opening and running an indoor climbing wall just outside Redhill. Several members already make regular use of the facility and often meet members of Wealden Cave and Mine Society and Chelsea Speleological Society there. Climbing equipment is available on site for purchase or hire. There are nearly always club members present on a Monday evening.
The cave development fund is in urgent need of cash injections. Has anyone any sensible fund-raising ideas? It seems a very long time ago that we held a fund-raising video evening in Croydon. We now have access to a substantial video projection system and no shortage of footage - all we lack is a suitable venue and someone to organise the event.