Banwell Caves

[darkplaces]

I'v been asked by the c**tplaces.co.uk possy about a trip into Banwell, the usual media publications say its closed but I know some trips have been done. Some of the members wont have insurance. I wonder if a club or someone could help with access, I suspect its a lead trip which is ideal, I am sure the members wont mind paying a few quid for temporary membership for the trip.

Ideal introduction to caving & clubs for non-novice people who mostly do mines. Just think of the opportunity to sell your club to em

I will ensure Trip members have the required equipment, helmet, lamp etc and have minimum goatchurch experience plus.

Go on show how welcoming you are  :chair:

 

[andymorgan]

From http://www.cscc.org.uk/AccessFrameset.htm

I think is closed most the year because of the bats. I have been there for an open day which they hold quite regularly.

Both caves are locked and access is only available to bona fide cavers. Visitors should take care not to disturb the bone stacks and no digging is allowed. Access is strictly controlled on behalf of the landowner.

Please write to the Owner:-

The Caves,
Banwell,
Somerset,
Telephone 01934 820516
Please give at least six weeks notice.
Access will only be permitted during June, July and August.
Access is also unlikely to be granted on Sundays and trips may be accompanied.

 

[darkplaces]

Thanks, yes we have the access details.

These open days do they require people to be insured? If not sounds like the ideal route to take.

 

[graham]

Not everything is about insurance. These places are important and access is restricted for a number of reasons, not least of which is that the entrance to the Bone Cave is actually in their front garden.

You may write to them now, if you wish, but do not expect to be offered a date earlier than next summer. The open season is mid summer and quite short.

 

[darkplaces]

Normally for people who don't wish to join a club (ie already have own set of caving buddys) it is always a question of insurance. Normally its the 1st question designed to put off (I feel).

Anyway.

Yes we may contact the owners and do it all properly. Does anyone know if the open days require visitors to have insurance or can anyone interested turn up?

 

[Elaine]

Ask Tree Monkey. I am sure he can help you.

 

[Cookie]

Yes we may contact the owners and do it all properly. Does anyone know if the open days require visitors to have insurance or can anyone interested turn up?

AFAIR on open days, just turn up. No insurance required. Worth phoning ahead of time though.

 

[darkplaces]

Yes we may contact the owners and do it all properly. Does anyone know if the open days require visitors to have insurance or can anyone interested turn up?

AFAIR on open days, just turn up. No insurance required. Worth phoning ahead of time though.

Thanks  - Near the time we'll sort a small group and phone ahead.

 

[whitelackington]

When Treemonkey organized a beginners day out for the BDCC we were also treated to a trip up the Tower.
I would imagine if u go on an open day, there would be a good chance that the tower would also be open.
I am not sure if open day means open to both caves though, might just be the one with the bones.
This is a titchey little cave, wot u lot want is a trip in the stal cave, both caves are locked.
Axbridge caver may also be able to put u straight.

 

[darkplaces]

Axbridge caver may also be able to put u straight.

Yes hes a top chap I'll wait till the next meeting and raise the issue. er as long as I remember. Must be the radon.

 

[whitelackington]

D.P. @ the very, very, very, very bottom of Banwell Stalactite Cave is
Green Lake Chamber.
This cave is not for novices or near novices.
Only for proper cavers, please bare this in mind, you could say that beyond The Bishop's Chair, it is a dangerous cave.

Apparently, I had been led to belive, by Jim Hunt, I think it was, probably the man who knew most of the Banwell Caves,
that the surface of the green Lake varries rather a lot but is generally only just above sea level but the lake is quite deep, so probably goes below sea level.
Apparently, very, very, very, very, occasionally, representatives from Bristol Water (or whoever they are owned by now, French /Spanish /Russian but almost certainly not English)  climb down to the surface of the Green lake to take water samples.
I think that is bollox, as it is so dangerous, I have not done it but i belive Treemonkey has, y not ask him.
Anyway the water in/of The green Lake rises as Banwell Spring /River.

About half the water is "Stolen" by Bristol Water, the other half being let to naturally find its own course as the Banwell River, this enters The Bristol Channel at Saint Thomas'Head, Woodspring Bay.
This is a nature reserve, a very lovely place, very interesting, especially at extreemley low tide.
Try it for a day out, one day, Saint Thomas's Head, is called that after saint thomas, when the king was reputed to say "Who shall rid me of this troublesome priest"

toadies, then cut his head off.
So as recompence for his blurted message, the king had Woodspring Priory constucted.

 

[graham]

Dunno about BWW employees but Steve Hobbs certainly used to sample the water from the Green Lake when he was doing his PhD at Bristol in the late 1980s.

 

[axbridgecaver]

I'v been asked by the c**tplaces.co.uk possy about a trip into Banwell, the usual media publications say its closed but I know some trips have been done. Some of the members wont have insurance. I wonder if a club or someone could help with access, I suspect its a lead trip which is ideal, I am sure the members wont mind paying a few quid for temporary membership for the trip.

Ideal introduction to caving & clubs for non-novice people who mostly do mines. Just think of the opportunity to sell your club to em

I will ensure Trip members have the required equipment, helmet, lamp etc and have minimum goatchurch experience plus.

Go on show how welcoming you are  :chair:

Banwell Bone Cave and Banwell Stalactite Cave are closed until 1 May 2007 due to hibernating bats. One of the owners of the Caves is a member of ACG so access is not a problem during the open season; however the owners of the caves demand that they see a valid insurance card for all cavers wishing to go underground. This should not be a problem as temporary club membership would get over this obstacle.

 

[cap n chris]

Link it up with the National Try Caving day and the insurance will be free (if it isn't already free by then anyway).

 

[darkplaces]

Cheers Axbridgecaver.

Cap 'n - Sounds like a good idea to me. I don't mind promoting caves and stuff like this.

 

[andymorgan]

The open days are normally advertised in the Weston Mercury. The owners allow access to most of their land, including the tower with very spaectacular views. It was interesting to learn about the history of the property: it was used by a bishop as evidence of the Bibilcal floods with the Bone Cavern and other attractions. Percy Baker (who discovered the Baker's extension of the cave) was a guide to the cave, and he is a very interesting man.

 

[Les W]

D.P. @ the very, very, very, very bottom of Banwell Stalactite Cave is
Green Lake Chamber.
This cave is not for novices or near novices.
Only for proper cavers, please bare this in mind, you could say that beyond The Bishop's Chair, it is a dangerous cave.

It is now a condition of access that you don't pass beyond the very dangerous boulder choke to visit the Green Lake. 

 

[cap n chris]

It is now a condition of access that you don't pass beyond the very dangerous boulder choke to visit the Green Lake. 

I've never met any one who's actually wanted to go down that bit after having a look at it.

 

[Les W]

I've never met any one who's actually wanted to go down that bit after having a look at it.

I've been there. 

But I had a spare pair of underpants with me 

 

[cap n chris]

Even Martin G (the BEC's finest fearless hero) didn't stay down there long!