RIP Maxi Jazz. Standing in the middle of this crowd was a truly spiritual experience. May you finally get some sleep. Mark

Andy Pringle called me earlier to tell me about a live folk music festival happening right now. Seth Lakeman on at the moment with an excellent line up. It goes on until 8pm. www.folkonfoot.com Mark

There hasn?t been much in the news about the new UKCA marking which will be required for all previously CE marked products being sold into the UK market. This is causing considerable debate between EU climbing equipment manufacturers who will likely have to have each of their products tested by...

Just spotted this on Rightmove. See photo 2/7. https://www.rightmove.co.uk/commercial-property-for-sale/property-72823764.html Mark

Following on from some of the stories of cave passages named after Stranglers tracks, I named the exposed traverse I originally climbed over the top of Cliff Cavern in Speedwell 'Risky Business' from SWAMP by the Talking Heads. Mark https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dmdv6Qe1V2M

Topic split from competition thread: https://ukcaving.com/board/index.php?topic=26405.0 You need to re-calculate your mechanical advantages. Your photograph hauling the bag up the stairs is a 3:1. If you set up a similar system on the haul line you'll have a 9:1. Mark

Just been told the sad news of the death from Covid-19 of Dave Greenfield, Stranglers keyboard player and writer of their classic, award winning Golden Brown. https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2020/may/04/stranglers-keyboardist-dave-greenfield-dies-after-contracting-covid-19 Badlad, Pagasus...

Is our representative body going to say anything about whether we should be going caving or do we have to wait another 10 minutes for Boris to tell us? Mark

I'm having the exact same loading issues with opening the Grove Cliff Fissure thread as with the Portland thread. Mark

During the recent Buttered Badgers / York University expedition to the Berger, Mark Richardson and myself started a bolt climb above Gontard's pitch in the entrance series. A large aven above the pitch was first noticed (by me anyway) a couple of years ago during one of the International...

After the success of selling my tent I thought I'd try and sell my Sevylor Colorado inflatable kayak. The link below will give you an idea of what it looks like. Its in perfect condition and is supplied with 2 canoe paddles and two kayak paddles as well as 3 buoyancy aids (2 x large & 1 x...

I'm having a bit of a clear out and have reluctantly decided to sell my Vango Sungari 600 family tent including footprint, carpet and front canopy. I don't want to have to put it up to take any photographs so there are a couple of links below so you can see what it looks like. This is a...

Members of the Buttered Badgers will feature in the 3rd episode of Britains Ancient Tracks on Saturday 7th October at 7pm on Channel 4. Tony Robinson takes a walk along the Derbyshire Portway passing Eldon Hole and meeting up with Adam Parkes, Mark Richardson and me at the entrance. I hope...

I recently spotted the Double-O Tri twistlock carabiner in the new Skylotec catalogue and thought it might be a good idea. https://www.skylotec.com/uk_en/industry/products/carabiners-and-hardware/double-o-tri-h-176-tri.html They twists in both directions so you effectively have a left and...

Glastonbury 2017 is about to kick off and cavers representing no less than 5 national caving clubs, CDG and CRO teams will be heading down there later in the week offering their services to the cause, although how Dany Bradshaw passed the interview for 'Meet & Greet' I'll never know. I Spect it...

The Youth & Development Officer couldn't even be bothered to apologise for his absence. Would you like me to propose you for the position? Mark

Apologies first of all for the Kenilworth size of post. I doubt re-bolting Rowter Hole would have been done if the BCA hadn?t funded it. The digging and climbing project cost over ?2,000 in materials and access fees and another ?1,000 for anchors would have broken the club?s bank. Instead...

I got some very sad news last night in an email from Robbie Shone. 'Hi Mark, On Skype now with [names removed]. Sadly, Paul Dold has died whilst diving off the coast of Cornwall. No more details yet. His 12 yr old step-daughter, who he was diving with survived and was air lifted to hospital.'...

It is with great sadness that I report the death of Jean Lavigne. Jean was one of the principal explorers of the Gouffre Berger and, with Fernand Petzl, led the International team to the bottom of the cave on the 12th August 1956. Jean was kind enough to write a chapter for the Berger book and...