Ian Adams
Active member
?Caving? by James Lovelock (1969) First Edition.
This copy is an ex-library book (Gwynedd Library Services) and was borrowed 17 times throughout its shelf existence until it was withdrawn (1991) and eventually found its way to some new companions around five feet away from my seated position.
The book opens with how caving began in the UK. This is the geological formation (or malformation) of the Earth?s surface and crust rather than any club provenance. Immediately following is an account of the equipment you would ?need? if you were to go caving. Amongst the list of essentials are; wooden hammers, carbide, hand held torches and books (not to mention woolly socks and a rope fashioned as a load bearing belt). Although somewhat dated, I did consider this equipment was superior to some of the garb I have seen in photographs on urbex sites.
Techniques are also covered and are again an interesting read of ?times ago? but are somewhat lacking by today?s standards. I do, however, applaud the versatility of a load bearing belt (how many folk actually fell out of one anyway?) ? that?s rhetorical
Also covered are other aspects of caving which include ?food and survival?. I found this a little intriguing as I considered simply leaving the cave was the best way to find food. (always a pub nearby, right?) Anyway, who takes exhaustive provisions in with them expecting to be lost for days on end?
Perhaps a little OTT but, nevertheless, a nice, easy read with pleasant photographs and no spine-chilling dangers.
Ian
This copy is an ex-library book (Gwynedd Library Services) and was borrowed 17 times throughout its shelf existence until it was withdrawn (1991) and eventually found its way to some new companions around five feet away from my seated position.
The book opens with how caving began in the UK. This is the geological formation (or malformation) of the Earth?s surface and crust rather than any club provenance. Immediately following is an account of the equipment you would ?need? if you were to go caving. Amongst the list of essentials are; wooden hammers, carbide, hand held torches and books (not to mention woolly socks and a rope fashioned as a load bearing belt). Although somewhat dated, I did consider this equipment was superior to some of the garb I have seen in photographs on urbex sites.
Techniques are also covered and are again an interesting read of ?times ago? but are somewhat lacking by today?s standards. I do, however, applaud the versatility of a load bearing belt (how many folk actually fell out of one anyway?) ? that?s rhetorical
Also covered are other aspects of caving which include ?food and survival?. I found this a little intriguing as I considered simply leaving the cave was the best way to find food. (always a pub nearby, right?) Anyway, who takes exhaustive provisions in with them expecting to be lost for days on end?
Perhaps a little OTT but, nevertheless, a nice, easy read with pleasant photographs and no spine-chilling dangers.
Ian
