CHELSEA SPELÆOLOGICAL SOCIETY Caving in Wales, the South of England, and beyond

CSS Newsletters 2009 - Volume 51

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The Fool in Fernhill - Version on The Beatles classic 'Fool on the Hill' for the Fernhill diggers/ Daren Cilau - Frog Street - A brief summary of the events of the HRC Daren camps from May 08 - Jan 09 including the discovery of the Helibeds. More Frogging Passage - Photos of the Helibeds and a write up of the breakthrough that happened in the passage beyond on January 09.

No. 1, January 2009

No. 3, March 2009

Just One Easter Weekend - Recollections of a caving weekend Easter 1963 with a major breakthrough in Daren and the first dive of the terminal sump in Agen Allwedd. J-Rat's Bequest - Mendip Underground by D.J. Irwin and A.R. Jarratt and Mendip - Its Swallet Caves and Rock Shelter by H.E. Balch books bequeathed by Tony Jarratt. Ogof Garn y Bica - A bolting and surveying trip to Ogof Garn y Bica located near Trefil Quarry. Includes survey and grid ref. Frozen Cnwc - An icy trip to Ogof Cnwc, with bats, ice formations and a stubbornly frozen door! Fernhill Regained - An update from the Fernhill dig on Mendip being undertaken by ATLAS and CSS diggers. The Descant - Ideas for a spoof screenplay based on the film 'The Descent'. Caving Terminology Explained - A comedic take on the meanings behind a selection of caving words. Noxon Park Iron Mine - A diving trip to Noxon Park Iron Mine in the Forest of Dean. Pottering About on Mendip - Trips to Swildon's Hole and a Cnwc-Daren through trip. Joe Duxbury's Book Review - A review of 'The Descent' by Jeff Long. A book that has been recently made into a caving horror film. Frog Street - A brief account of digging at Frog Street during the February HRC Daren Camp.

No. 5, May 2009

Goatchurch Cavern - An evening caving trip with the Axbridge Caving Group. Swildon's Hole - Shatter Series - Trip to the Shatter Series in Swildon's Hole with it's notorious ducks. Pottering About on Mendip - Two trips to Swildon's Hole in April 2009 Caving Terminology Explained - A comedic take on the meanings behind a selection of caving words. Vercors 2008 - Caving trips to Pont du Loup, faux Gour and the Trou Qui Souffle - St Glace through trip, where the team learn the hard way the importance to checking out both ends of a through trip before hand. Joe Duxbury's Book Review - A book review of 'Deeper' by Jeff Long, the sequel to 'The Descent'. Draenen Round Trip - For the Larger-Built Caver - An alternative route through Squirrel Rifts on the Draenen round trip, more suited for the larger built caver. Survey Included. Priddy Green Sink - aka Priddy Grim Stink - A sporting through trip from Priddy Green Sink to Swildon's Hole, a true Mendip classic! Chelsea Working Weekend - A collection of photos from the April 2008 Whitewalls Working Weekend.

Caving B.C. - Part 5: The Dig Face Beckons - Duncan's tales of his caving exploits before joining CSS continue as he recollects early digging forays into Daren Cilau. Breaking the Craig a'r Ffynnon Curse - After a series of mishaps conspire to prevent Gary from ever going to Craig a Ffynnon he finally breaks the curse on a trip to The Hall of Mountain King. Craig a'r Ffynnon - Another first time visit to this impressive and well decorated cave. Wigmore Swallet - Write up pf a trip to Wigmore Swallet, Mendip. Pottering About on Mendip - Mendip caving trips done by John Cooper in December 2008. Memories of an Agreeable Rat - Reminiscences of Tony Jarratt and the many interesting events shared with this much loved caving character.

No. 2, February 2009

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Library Additions February 2009 - Addition of the 'Rock Steady Crew' Daren camp logbooks from 1986-1991 coving the discovery of the Hard Rock extensions and Dweebland. The Quest for the Mynydd Llangynidr Master Cave - Digging in Chartist's Cave on Mynydd Llangynidr. Ogof Craig a Ffynnon - A first time trio into Craig a Ffynnon to the Hall of the Mountain King. More 'Wigsy' - A trip to this sporting Mendip cave delivering diving cylinders to the sump. Snippets from the Log - Trip reports take from the Whitewalls logbook including digging trips in Agen Allwedd and Daren Cilau. Further Breakthroughs in Frog Street - New discoveries and updates on the dig sites currently being pursued by the HRC Daren digging team beyond Frog Street. Includes survey. Minutes of the Annual General Meeting - Minutes from the AGM held on 1st Feb 2009. Snowboarding in the Brecon Beacons - Snowboarding adventures on Pen y Fan.

No. 4, April 2009

No. 6, June 2009

The Old Soaks in the Yorkshire Dales - Yorkshire caving trips to Bruntscar Cave and Great Douk. Daren Cilau, that's a terrible place! - Paul recollects a most notable caving trip back in 1984 when we took part in a major Daren breakthrough and first explored Epocalypse Way. Who Are ATLAS Anyway - The history and cave digging efforts of the Mendip multi-club digging team of ATLAS. Major Extension to Charterhouse Cave - News of a recent breakthrough in Charterhouse Cave, Mendip. Caving Terminology Explained - A comedic take on the meanings behind a selection of caving words. A Purbeck Stone Mine - Exploring a stone mine discovered while walking in Purbeck. Pottering About on Mendip - With four trips to Swildon's Hole in April/May 2009. Star Shaft - An SRT trip in Star Shaft, a very interesting mine in Shipham, Mendip.

No. 7, July 2009

Lot 2008 - A motley crew spend a week caving and cave-diving in the Lot region of France visiting a good variety of interesting caves. Petzl Pantin - Gear review of the merits of the Petzl Pantin SRT foot jammer. Gwent Cave Rescue Team Practice - Cave rescue practice in Eglwys Faen with a new type of 'roll up' stretcher given a test run. Selected Caves of France - Part 1: Franche-Comte - A collection of trips done by Andy in the Franche- Comte region of France, including Gros-Gadeau, Chauveroche, Baume Sainte Anne and Gouffre Vax. Radon Gas in Agen Allwedd and Eglwys Faen - Results from radon tests conducted in Agen Allwedd and Eglwys Faen during 2007-2009. Otter Hole - A trip to Otter Hole, experiencing the delights of both muddy squalor and wondrous formations. Pottering About on Mendip - Caving trips to Swildon's Hole and the newly discovered extensions in Charterhouse Cave. Under The Ground - Caving song first published in CSS N/L July 1989 Pat "Twink" Fletcher - News of the sad death of "Twink" Fletcher following an accident in the Dolomites.

Nos. 8-9, August-September 2009

Photographs of Fernhill Cave - A collection of photos showing Fernhill Cave from the initial digging efforts to the cave and formations rediscovered. Fernhill Regained - The ATLAS digging team rediscover Fernhill Cave, previously 'lost' beneath a quarry tip in Fairy Cave Quarry. Librarian's Report - Progress report on the relocation of the CSS library in the new extension of Whitewalls. More Thoughts on the Pantin - A review of the Petzl Pantin for use in SRT. Selected Caves of France - Part 2: Franche-Comte - A selection of caves in the Franche-Comte (Jura, Doubs) region of France. With trips to Jerusalem, Baume des Cretes, Bief-Bousset, Baudin and the mighty Verneau Traverse. Heale Farm Cave - An Update on Access - A brief description of Heale Farm Cave in Mendip, with an update on the access situation. At The Sharp End - A memorable Daren Camp back in January 1996 when the dig at Spaderunner finally yielded after 6 years of digging. Pat "Twink" Fletcher - Obituary to "Twink" Fletcher who joined CSS in 1966 and died June 1009 after a fall in the Dolomites.

No. 10, October 2009

H-Harnesses, An Appraisal - Review and comparison of the various types of SRT chest harnesses. When in Mendip do as the Mendipians do - Exploits from a caving trip to Shatter Series in Swildon's Hole. Selected Caves of France - Part 3: Haute Savoie - The focus of this instalment is the Tanne des Trois Betas - Grotte de la Diau through trip. A splendid and varied multi-pitched pull-through journey combining SRT and active streamway. Steve Allen - Obituary to Steve Allen, CSS member and Daren digger, who died in a paragliding accident in August 2009. Montenegro 2009 - Excellent trip descriptions of caving, rigging and exploring the PT4 cave system on the multi-club Montenegro 2009 expedition. Pottering About on Mendip - Detailing trips undertaken on the July CSS Mendip Meet plus trips to Charterhouse, Swildon's and Ogof Cnwc. Recent Work in Fairy Cave Quarry - Update on the various digging projects in Fairy Cave Quarry, Mendip. Including Fernhill, Withyhill and Balch Cave.

No. 11, November 2009

Urine for a Shock - Report of innovative new batteries powered by piss and how this could revolutionise caving weekends. The Mighty Titan - An evening trip into the Peak Cavern system via the awe inspiring Titan Shaft. Digging in Daren - A weekend camping at the Hard Rock Café digging at The Inconvenient Truth and Southend on Siege. Selected Caves of France - Part 4: Vercors - A selection of trips done by Andy in the Vercors region of France including Grotte de Bournillon, Grotte de Gournier, Scialet de Trisou, Les Saints de Glace and Gouffre Berger. Withyhill Drainage - A project to improve drainage in Withyhill to prevent damage caused by flooding in the system.

No. 12, December 2009

Free Tikka Anyone - A trip to the 'Holy Cave' on the mountain of Vaishno Devi on the Indian border of Jummo. Drws Cefn - The discovery and subsequent gating of the Drws Cefn entrance of the Ogof Draenen cave system. Selected Caves of France - Part 5: Vercors - A continuation of Andy's informative guide to caves visited in the Vercors region of France, including Glacier de Carri, Scialet des Sarrasins and Scialet Vincens. Pottering About on Mendip - Caving and digging trips undertaken by John Cooper during October 2009. Box Stone Mine - A trip to Crane Country in Box Stone Mine, a complex and impressive Bath-stone mine in Wiltshire. Dead Dog Cave - Digging and surveying in Dead Dog Cave on the Llangattock escarpment. Survey included. Electronic Surveying - Guide to electronic cave surveying techniques and the different types of kit used. Letter to the CSS Chairman - A letter of complaint from Graham Price regarding recent articles featuring Fairy Cave Quarry access, "Priceless Grotto" in Withyhill and 'suggest' problems with water from Withybrook Slocker. Original Mountain Marathon 2009 - Running the 2009 OMM, a 2 day mountain marathon held in the Elan Valley, using Whitewalls as a base camp. Index to Volume 51 - Index of contents of Vol.51 CSS Newsletter