Wessex Cave Club

Committee Meeting
2026-05-16 19:00 - 21:00, 2026-03-14 17:00 - 19:00 (Europe/London) | Library, Upper Pitts
To be held in the Library provided internet available for a Zoom/hybrid meeting. Contact Secretary for details.

Second Saturday Trip
2026-05-09 10:00 - 17:00 | Upper Pitts
Swildon’s Hole – Pirate Chamber
Duration – 3 – 5 hours.
Location – Meet at Upper Pitts at 10:00.
Tim Rose has volunteered to lead a trip to Pirate Chamber in Swildon’s Hole.
This is a fairly demanding trip involving a couple of awkward ducks and some flat-out crawling.
If good time is made then there may be the option to visit Shatter Chamber as well.
No special equipment is required, although a belay belt is recommended for the ladder pitches.
A goodwill fee is payable to the landowner (£2 per person).

Hut booking
2026-05-08 - 2026-05-10
WSG: 8 booked guests, Friday & Saturday nights – Nasir Bawa

May Day in Yorkshire
2026-05-01 17:00 - 2026-05-04 17:00 | Yorkshire, BPC, BD24 0EU
We are booked into Ivy Cottage in Horton-in-Ribblesdale, the HQ of the Craven Pothole Club.
We will arrange a number of permits for the likes of Lost John’s, Shuttleworth Pot, etc.
If there are any particular caves you would like to visit then please let me know.
As it is Yorkshire, most trips will involve SRT.
Places on all of the trips are limited so please email me (caving@wessex-cave-club.org) to reserve you place. More details will be available closer to the time.

Library & Hut Booking
2026-04-24 - 2026-04-26
CDG: Section meeting and training weekend including a Saturday night meal – Jon Hauser

Library Booking
2026-04-21 18:00 - 22:00
MCR Medical Training: – Tuesday evening – Rich Marlow—–

Hut Booking
2026-04-17 - 2026-04-19
OMUC: 7 WCC & 13 guests , Friday & Saturday nights – Jen Allen —-

Second Saturday Trip
2026-04-11 10:00 - 17:00 | Upper Pitts
Upper Flood Swallet
Duration – 3 – 5 hours.
Location – Meet at Upper Pitts at 10:00.
Two Upper Flood Swallet leaders (Mike Waterworth and Jude Vanderplank) have volunteered to lead trips into this fascinating and well decorated cave.
Numbers are limited so you must let me know by email (wayne@cuckoocleeves.uk) if you would like a place on the trip.
We have the option of a third leader if necessary.
Please note that a trip to further reaches of this cave is a serious physical undertaking (Grade 4) and the cave has a reputation for feeling very cold.
No special equipment is required but you may want to consider wearing your warmest caving kit, double knee pads and carry a snack or two.

Hut Booking
2026-04-08 08:30 - 19:00
Explorer Scouts: – day visit ( 11 ? people), Wednesday 8th April – Tom Kent

Easter in South Wales
2026-04-03 17:00 - 2026-04-06 17:00 | The Stump
We have been invited to stay at the Stump at Penwyllt, the Wealden Cave and Mine Society cottage.
Nearby caves include OFD I, II and III, Pant Mawr and Cwr Dwr.
Places on all of the trips are limited so please email me (caving@wessex-cave-club.org) to reserve you place. More details will be available closer to the time.

Hut booking
2026-04-02 - 2026-04-06
TSG: 15 Booked guests, Thursday, Friday, Saturday & Sunday nights – Oscar Doyle —

Hut bookings
2026-03-21 - 2026-03-22
Jake Tebbut (WCC): 4 booked guests , Saturday night only—-

Hut Booking
2026-03-17 - 2026-03-18
CaveClimb: 4 booked guests, Tuesday night only, Sean Tidey —-

Mexican Night
2026-03-14 19:00 - 23:00 | Upper Pitts
We are planning a Mexican Night on the second Saturday in March.
Details can be found here https://wessex-cave-club.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/MexicanNight.pdf

Second Saturday Trip
2026-03-14 10:00 - 17:00 | Upper Pitts
Rhino Rift Exchange
Duration – 3 – 4 hours. Location – Meet at Upper Pitts at 10:00.
Colin Brenton and Bean have kindly volunteered to rig both the Left and Right hand routes in Rhino Rift and thus allow people to do an exchange trip (down the Left hand route and up the Right hand route or vice versa).
This will be a good opportunity for a bit of SRT practice for those coming to Spain in the summer.
You will need your full SRT kit and have a current Charterhouse Permit (apply here https://permits.charterhouse-caving-company.ltd.uk/ )

Hut Booking
2026-03-13 - 2026-03-15
UCET: 14 Booked guests? Friday & Saturday nights – Paul Warrand —

Hut Booking & Tower booking
2026-02-19 - 2026-02-22
CSCA: 6 guests, Thursday? Friday & Saturday nights – Paul Beardall Jacklin —-
Sam Chung: 2 booked guests, Friday & Saturday nights—-
CDG: Section meeting ( Library) and training weekend including a Saturday night meal – Jon Hauser

Second Saturday Trip
2026-02-14 10:00 - 17:00 | Upper Pitts
Eastwater – Twin Verticals / Dolphin Pot Exchange – Weather dependent – Alternative will be Sludge Pit
Duration – 3 – 4 hours. Location – Meet at Upper Pitts at 10:00.
This trip will be the traditional trip to the 13 pots with an exchange between the Twin Vertical and Dolphin Pot routes.
If enough people attend then we will split into four teams, two rigging teams and two derigging teams.
No special equipment is required, although a belay belt is recommended for the ladder pitches.
A goodwill fee is payable to the landowner (£2 per person).

Tower Booking
2026-02-07 09:00 - 17:00
Tower Booking: MCG, Saturday, Matty Dredge—-

Hut booking
2026-02-06 - 2026-02-08
Steven Lloyd: 4 booked guests, Saturday night only —-
Sam Chung: 3 Booked guests, Saturday night only. —-

Hut Booking
2026-01-30 - 2026-02-05
David Nicholls: – 30th January, and nights of 3rd & 4th February —-

Building Work
2026-01-26 09:00 - 2026-01-30 17:00 | Upper Pitts
Work will be underway to install a duct from the Telegraph pole on Eastwater Lane alongside our driveway and into Upper Pitts.
Work will start on Monday 26th January and we hope to complete by Friday 30th.

Devon Trip
2026-01-23 17:00 - 2026-01-25 17:00 | Devon
The WCC are planning a weekend of caving and socialising in Devon.
More information can be found HERE
For more information or if there are any particular trips you would like to do please contact Les Williams (chairman@).

Hut Booking
2026-01-23 - 2026-01-25
RAF Air Cadet Staff: – 9 people, Saturday night Only – Andy Durrant

Hut Booking
2026-01-17 - 2026-01-18
Croydon Caving Club: 6 Guests, Saturday night only – Carl Gibbs —-

Committee Meeting
2026-01-13 20:00 - 22:00 | Zoom
Zoom meeting. Contact Secretary if you wish to attend.

Thai Night
2026-01-10 19:00 - 23:00 | Upper Pitts
We are planning a Thai Night on the second Saturday in January.
Details can be found here: https://wessex-cave-club.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/ThaiNight.pdf

Second Saturday Trip
2026-01-10 10:00 - 17:00 | Upper Pitts
Stock Hill Mine Cave – Downstream Series
Duration – 3 – 4 hours.
Location – Meet at Upper Pitts at 10:00.
Following on from last year’s trip to the Upstream section of Stock Hill Mine Cave, this trip will visit the Downstream Series.
This relatively recent discovery contains some sporting passages and notable features such as the Font, Covid Crawl, Early Dors Pitch and The Crystal Palace.
It is quite a physical trip with a lot of flat out crawling, energy sapping mud, plus difficult slippery traverses and little in terms of reward for your effort!
Just what is needed to blow away the Xmas cobwebs.
No special equipment is required, although a belay belt is recommended for the ladder pitch.

Hut Booking
2025-12-24 - 2025-12-28
Paul Wilman plus 4 guests – Wednesday 24th December to Sunday 28th December—-
