What Mendip caves for a todler?

PeteHall

Moderator
I'm sure I'm not the only one whose todler often asks where has daddy been, why everything is so muddy and can I play with all those lights.

Needless to say, he's been introduced to a few caves on Mendip, Read's Cavern was the favourite for a long time and makes an ideal site for a todler; easy walking distance, easy entrance and big chamber to climb about in. we've since done a mini through-trip in Goatchurch a few times and today for the first time, we went down Rod's Pot as far as the Blind Pots, down the right-hand route and back up the left hand route. I have to say I was pleasantly surprised when he managed to climb pretty much the whole way out without any help at all; not bad for two and a half!

So where else have people taken their young kids? Easy to get to, dry, no big holes to fall down; there must be loads of places out there, but I can't think of many others...
 

rhychydwr1

Active member
Avelines?  Great history.  Foxes Hole?  You will need the code.  Upper Swildons.  Most of the un-gated caves in Cheddar Gorge.  White Spot is my favorite.

Get a copy of:

Mendip Underground / A Caver?s Guide by D J Irwin ? and A R Jarratt ? 4th (revised) Edition 1999

or similar and just tick them off.
 

mrodoc

Well-known member
I took my kids into Sandford Levy. I think they were a bit older then though. Some people get a bit over ambitious with their recommendations. I was recommended the Garrel system in the Herault as suitable for kids some years ago. We did a limited trip there but getting them across the top of  a 10 metre ptich and down the traverse the far side was interesting! They are now in their thirties and still go caving by the way.
 

David Rose

Active member
I first took my son Daniel caving when he was five. We did Goatchurch to the stream chamber, and Swildon's to the top of the twenty. I helped him up and down climbs, and had a rope on the climb by old forty, but he was fine.

I have three older kids, who ave all been caving a good many times. However, only Daniel has really taken to it. He is competent at SRT and, at the age of 13, has done trips including Swildon's to sumps 2 and 4, Lost John's, Meregill, Lancaster - Wretched Rabbit, Rumbling Hole, Simpson's Pot to Valley Entrance, Ogof Draenen to War of the Worlds and Big Country, Giant's Hole, Stream Passage Pot, lots of places in OFD, and Alum Pot direct.

We built up gradually over the years. He was seven the first time we went to sump 1 in Swildon's, twelve the first time he went through it. Before going to sump 4, which he did when he was eleven, we did a series of trips, each time getting a bit further into St Paul's series and then Paradise Regained. It made the trip seem less remote, more familiar, and he was confident he would cope. There are few things I enjoy as much in life as caving with my son.

In my experience the key to nurturing a young caver's enthusiasm is: make sure you have plenty to eat and drink, not just chocolate but good quality sandwiches, and stop for rests in pleasant chambers to enjoy them.
 

mrodoc

Well-known member
It is interesting to see how much further people are prepared to take children nowadays. My first trip to Sump ! was at the age of 16 and that was done over a series of 3 trips. Of course then, I was doing the route finding for the rest of us. I always wanted to go further but was restrained by my father. No oversuits and fleeces then and we were using carbide lamps, plus there was the 40 to do.  I was told later on when we took my cousin Mandy to Stoke Lane 2 at the age of 13 that we would 'burn her out'.  Within 10 years she was bottoming the Berger and became one of the best woman climbers in the country so no burn out there! She is still going strong I see from her facebook page.  I think the problem I have with taking people caving is that they don't learn to route find so easily. Both daughters are very competent cavers but Sally is only confident doing Swildons to Sump 1 as she worries about route finding.  Having to do it all from the start helps considerably.
 

twiglet

New member
Hi You could have a look at the main part of Brownes Hole near Stoke St Micheal.
Just be aware of the upstream tube bits and avoid that !
 
Pete, Like any small child you can go 10, 20, 30 times to the same place & they will never tire of it  as long as they are interacting with you  ;)

Think how many videos of Postman Pat, Pepper Pig, Thomas have been accidentally broken or hidden because it is the parents that are fed-up with them and the child that keep wanting to see them  :sleep:
 

Trig Gledhill

New member
PeteHall said:
I'm sure I'm not the only one whose todler often asks where has daddy been, why everything is so muddy and can I play with all those lights.

Needless to say, he's been introduced to a few caves on Mendip, Read's Cavern was the favourite for a long time and makes an ideal site for a todler; easy walking distance, easy entrance and big chamber to climb about in. we've since done a mini through-trip in Goatchurch a few times and today for the first time, we went down Rod's Pot as far as the Blind Pots, down the right-hand route and back up the left hand route. I have to say I was pleasantly surprised when he managed to climb pretty much the whole way out without any help at all; not bad for two and a half!

So where else have people taken their young kids? Easy to get to, dry, no big holes to fall down; there must be loads of places out there, but I can't think of many others...
Fair play! My 2 and half year old lad got introduced to Eglwys Faen on Llangattock a few weeks back but he was having none of it but I think this was more because his mum was sat outside the entrance.

Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk

 
Next time you're out in KL, Batu is a good visit (although not that close to the Mendips!). I always liked the guided trip there.
 

bagpuss

Member
A bit of a late post to this thread as I've not been on here in months, but Denny's hole is a nice cave to bimble around. Rope needed for the initial slope as it's very slippery!
 
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