What is a "sporting cave"?

K

khakipuce

New member
I've seen the term "sporting cave" used in guide books for certain caves, just wondering what makes a cave sporting? Is there such a thing as an un-sporting cave? :)
 
Elaine

Elaine

Active member
I always think of a sporting cave as one with a good active streamway in it where you will get wet. Although I know that this is not necessarily so.

Must be more to do with each individuals sense of achievement. If it felt sporting to you then it was a sporting cave.
 
P

Peter Burgess

New member
It's about as woolly a question as asking what makes a cave "challenging". Reigate Caves would be "sporting" for someone in a wheelchair.
 
Alex

Alex

Well-known member
I belive the word sporting is used to describe that the cave has some difficulties to overcome though not extreemly difficult to make it gruling. I think of a sporting cave as being fun, at least it was for the writer of the description.
Another time the word sporting is used is when water levels are high and make pitches/passages that are normally quite rountine and easy more difficult then useual and more interesting but not impassible. This too is described as Sporting when wet. (Yordas is an example of a sporting when wet cave)
 
Hatstand

Hatstand

New member
It depends on the tone of voice used - which granted, is a little tricky to tell from a guide book...  ::)
 
A

Andy Sparrow

Active member
I did my CIC training over 20 years ago with Dave Elliot and many of his pearls of wisdom remain with me.  'When cavers talk about a sporting trip', he would say with characteristic disdain, 'they mean fxxking hard or fxxking dangerous.'  You could probably start a whole new thread on the 'thoughts of chairman Dave'.
 
gus horsley

gus horsley

New member
I always understood the term "sporting cave" to mean one that had difficulty (variable on level of experience), a streamway (if you come from Yorkshire) and a variety of interesting situations.  So, if you're a beginner, Birkwith or Lower Long Churn Cave could be regarded as sporting, whereas if you're experienced Swinsto or Penyghent Pot would be.  It probably doesn't include nasties such as Hammer or Quaking Pots which are just plain masochistic.
 
O

owd git

Active member
Peter Burgess said:
It's about as woolly a question as asking what makes a cave "challenging". Reigate Caves would be "sporting" for someone in a wheelchair.
Click to expand...

back in 1976 it was!   (though we used to get in where quickfit now is  :spank: and only had candle stubs and mums washing line, kids eh!)  :spank:
 
j4nny

j4nny

Member
i always viewed sporting / challenging caves or particular climbs as something you will have to use a few more skills for than a standard crawl or ambley type stuff. as a newbie many years ago bits were described to me as a 'sporting climb' etc, i may now not find this as difficult. i think its just a caving term for anything from a bit tricky to allot tricky depending on experience and who is saying it!
 
Brains

Brains

Well-known member
The esoteric gem for the collector...?
Possibly the sane and normal of build need not apply  ;)
 
Rachel

Rachel

Active member
It's a trip that was shit scary at the time, but enjoyable when you're looking back on it an hour later (preferably after a pint or two).
 
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