Andy Sparrow said:
Taken from the current CNCC thread:
exsumper said:
The point I'm making is that the BCA appears to spend a disproportionate amount of its time and resources promoting the interests of the commercial sector rather than that of ordinary cavers.
On Mendip dozens of uneccessary bolts (paid for by the BCA) have been installed on little used and pointless esoteric SRT routes, the installation of which appear to be largely for the convenience and entertainment of commercial operators and their clients.
The point I'm making is that the BCA appears to spend a disproportionate amount of its time and resources promoting the interests of the commercial sector rather than that of ordinary cavers.
Examples, please....
On Mendip dozens of uneccessary bolts (paid for by the BCA) have been installed on little used and pointless esoteric SRT routes, the installation of which appear to be largely for the convenience and entertainment of commercial operators and their clients.
Examples, please....
"The point I'm making is that the BCA appears to spend a disproportionate amount of its time and resources promoting the interests of the commercial sector rather than that of ordinary cavers".
Examples. The national bolt scheme and the national cave leader scheme. The developement and operation of both of these schemes were and are largely financed by ordinary cavers. They are to a great extent, mostly for the benefit of the commercial sector.
On Mendip dozens of uneccessary bolts (paid for by the BCA) have been installed on little used and pointless esoteric SRT routes, the installation of which appear to be largely for the convenience and entertainment of commercial operators and their clients.
Examples 2 As far as pointless and unecessary bolts paid for by the BCA is concerned. Hunters Hole springs to mind. It is arguable whether the re-bolting of many of the routes in Thrupe Lane Swallet was necessary; For some of which natural belays exist .
The prize for the cave with the most ludicrous, uneccessary, and pointless bolts, installed by a commercial operator; is won hands down by Mangle Hole.
For those who don't know Mangle Hole; it consists of a narrow rift angled at forty five degrees, the descent of which leads to a series of chambers. To demonstrate how ludicrous the situation is, I present the following anecdote:
In the nineties I did a solo trip into this cave to dive the sumps. For the descent of the cave I used a handline, whilst simultaneously carrying full cave diving equipment;including bottles!; in three tackle bags suspended from a sling around my shoulders. Thats how necessary some of these stupid bolt routes are!!
The prize for the cave with the most uneccessary bolts installed by and for the benefit of a commercial operator has to has to go to Gough's Cave in Cheddar. For the numerous pointless bolts installed within.
Pray tell if any of the examples I have given are factually incorrect?