Q: Who can cave?
A: Anyone can cave, sometimes certain attributes are useful such as being small when in a tight spot however it is not as good when you need reach when climbing.
Q: Does the caving club do any tours for complete beginners?
A: Everyone is a novice at somepoint however we do not run 'tours', caving can be a very physically intense sport. For a first trip we will take you on a trip that we think is appropriate to your fitness level. This will usually be a short easy trip for most people.
Q: What do I need?
A:
- Old clothes such as a tracksuit, avoid cotton clothes such as jeans as the fibres absorb lots of water and get very heavy. Cave mud is almost impossible to washout.
- A towel and a complete change of clean clothes (Just in case we go to the pub afterwards and sometimes you may 'swim' in the cave!). The club or other members can provide caving specific kit such as wellies, lamp and over suit.
- Plastic bag (eg bin liner for soaked clothing afterwards)
- Wooly hat as it can often be colder outside on a mountain than in Cardiff. Also for in the caves.
Q: How do I join?
A: Sign into cardiffstudents.com. You will also need to join the athletic union if you haven't already. This can be done from the same location. If you have any problems with this, give us a call.
Q: It's not the start of the year, can I still join or go on a first trip?
A: Yes, of course you can. There are often trips to suit all abilities.
Q: When are the trips?
A: Trips run every Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday. Every other weekend there is a trip away, leaving Friday evening and coming back on Sunday evening.
Q: When are the social events?
A: The club meets in the The End every Thursday at about 8:30 and can expect to be there until stop tap, then onto the Union.
Q: Is it safe?
A: Generally yes. Most of the serious problems are due to flooding, this can be avoided by not caving in flood-prone caves after it has rained. We will discuss safety issues with you before going underground.
Q: Where are the caves?
A:
There are five main areas you can find caves in Britain:
- South Wales
- North-west Pennines (Yorkshire, Derbyshire)
- The Peak District
- The Mendip Hills.
- The Forest of Dean and Wye valley.
Q: How long have people been caving for?
A: Cave exploration first began in the 19th century with Club caving in the UK in about 1900.
Old clothes and boiler suits have been replaced by wetsuits, PVC oversuits and furry undersuits in the 60's.
Hemp ladders with wooden rungs by SRT (Single Rope Technique) in the 70's.
Q: Where can I find out more?
A:
