Mendip

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Regions \ Mendip

Contents 1 Introduction 2 Geology 3 Areas 4 Longest Caves 5 Show Caves 6 Pubs and Restaurants 7 Accommodation 8 Local Caving Clubs 9 References 10 External Links

Introduction

The block of limestone that is the Mendip Hills is not particularly extensive yet there can not be another area in the world that has been so exhaustively search for caves. The sport of caving came early to the Mendip Hills popularised by the pioneer speleologist Herbert Balch. On 16th August 1901 he entered Swildons Hole for the first time. In spring of 1902 he was the first to explore Eastwater Cavern

Geology

Areas

Based upon the areas in Barrington and Stanton (1977) Mendip: The Complete Caves and a View of the Hills

• Western Mendip (including Brean Down, Worlebury Hill, and Steep Holme. Mendips, west of, and including Shipham)
• Central Mendip (between Shipham and the A37 Shepton Mallet to Bristol Road)
• Eastern Mendip (east of the A37 Shepton Mallet to Bristol Road)
• Surrounding Areas (e.g. Quantocks, Avon Gorge)

Longest Caves

1 Swildons Hole 9144m

2 St Cuthbert’s Swallet 6751m

3 Wookey Hole 3657m

4 Upper Flood Swallet 3150m

5 Eastwater Cavern 2800m

6 Stoke Lane Slocker 2180m

7 Gough’s Cave 2135m

8 GB Cave 1950m

9 Longwood/August System 1650m

10 Thrupe lane Swallet 1417m

11 Shatter Cave System 1373m

12 Tyning’s Barrow Swallet 1280m

13 Fairy Cave System 1170m

14 Manor Farm Swallet 1060m

15 Wigmore Swallet 1000m

Show Caves

• Cheddar Gorge Caves [1]

Including:

• Gough's Cave
• Cox's Cave
• Fantasy Cave
• Wookey Hole Caves [2]

Pubs and Restaurants

• Hunter's Lodge Inn, Priddy
• The Crown, Churchill
• The Queen Victoria, Priddy

Accommodation

• Mendip Caving Group has bunkhouse accommodation for up to 30 Map
• MCG cottage bookings
• Wessex Cave Club accepts group bookings of up to 20
• Location map
• WCC cottage bookings
• BEC (Belfry) bookings Large groups accomodated in Mendip's best caving hut!
• Cerberus Spelaeological Society. Situated in the heart of East Mendip caving area!

Local Caving Clubs

See Mendip section under Clubs

References

• Balch, H.E. (1948) Mendip: It's Swallet Caves and Rock Shelters 2nd ed
• Barrington and Stanton (1977) Mendip: The Complete Caves and a View of the Hills ISBN 0950145920
• Farant, A.R. (1999) Walks Around the Caves and Karst of the Mendip Hills (Cave Studies) ISBN 0900265213
• Irwin, D.J., and Jarratt, A.J. (1999) Mendip Undergound: A Cavers Guide ISBN 0953610306
• Smith, D.I., and Drew, D.P. (eds) (1974) Limestones and Caves of the Mendip Hills ISBN 071536572X

See also Publications

External Links

• The CSCC website for up to date access information [3]
• Bill Chadwick's Google Earth map of Mendip Caves [4]
• Mendip discussion forum on UKCaving.com