Cremated remains

[Chocolate fireguard]

A caving friend has died and his family have asked us to scatter his ashes in a cave. Obviously we said yes but someone wondered if we were free to do so. We would welcome advice on this. I reckon there will be many readers of this forum who have personal experience of this. The ashes will not be scattered in dry passage, rather in an active stream so they will not stay in the cave.
Do we need the permission of the owner of the land?
If the cave is a SSSI do we need to ask anyone else?
Would it be wrong to just do it?

 

[graham]

This has been done on a number of occasions. I rather suspect that it will only become a problem if it is done too frequently in places where the ash might accumulate. Many football clubs, for example now refuse permission for ashes to be scattered on their pitches as it was changing the nature of the soil. I doubt that is yet a problem in UK caves and probably wouldn't be in most decent stream caves.

However, I reckon it is only polite to ask the landowner's permission.

 

[langcliffe]

I believe Dick Glover had his last trip down GG Main Shaft, and half of Mike Wooding disappeared into Rathole Sink and his other half down the Main Shaft. In the latter case, no one from Ingleborough Estate was informed, but I don't know about the former.

Personally, I would prefer to see it done when the water levels are reasonably high and the caves are likely to be empty of people for a while, as the ashes can take time to disperse.

 

[badger]

as a funeral director the advice we offer to our clients, technically mthey should seek the permission from the landowner as they have the right to say yes/no or also to make a charge.
however if they should scatter the ashes discreetly and on a quiet day and on a need to know basis and in this situation not going to do any harm.

 

[martinr]

There is some useful guidance at http://www.ifishoulddie.co.uk/scattering-or-interring-ashes-c71.html - scroll down to "Scattering Ashes"

 

[El Agreb]

My Father in Law, from Garndiffaith,  was scattered on the Blorenge and I like to think he has probably found ways into Draenan yet to be discovered, he has even probably done a through trip. Better not tell the PDCMG. He's likely to be having a wry smile at all the diatribe being written as he only went underground as a young man to earn a living so I doubt he actually intended to poach a dig.