Descent 310

[Chris Scaife]

Front cover: Mike Wise on the Second Pitch in Longwood Valley Sink, Mendip. Photo: Mark Burkey
Back cover: Tim Allen, Nick Bairstow and Dave Gledhill in the Echo Chamber, Gavel Pot. Photo: Bartek Biela

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Descent 310 is published this week, so prepare to see some of the best writing and photography from the caving world.

In local news, we have major finds to report from the Peak District, South Wales, the North York Moors, the North Pennines, the Forest of Dean and the Yorkshire Dales.

Features:

Surprise Holiday Cave
Marcus Greatwood describes a moment of serendipity while holidaying in Spain.

Terranauts and Deep Time
Polly Judd talks to director Robert Petit about his film Underland.

Into the Echo Chamber
Tim Allen reports on another magnificent Yorkshire Dales find by the Space Miners.

The Great Geoff Yeadon
Geoff Yeadon was undoubtedly one of the greats of the caving world. Following his death at the age of 75, Geoff Crossley, Martin Grass and Mick Nunwick pay tribute to him.

Discovering Giants in Longwood Valley Sink
In this second instalment of her two-part article, Alison Moody concludes the tale of the outstanding discoveries that have recently been made in Longwood Valley Sink, on Mendip.

Decarbonising Expeditions
As part of our series of articles on sustainable caving, Becka Lawson – with a little help from Julian Todd – offers some words of wisdom on how we can cut our carbon emissions without sacrificing our time spent exploring caves.

A Motorcycle Diary
Peter Ryder recalls a cave-themed road trip through the Pyrenees.

Families, Ducks and Frogs
Jen Sloan reports on a caving trip for six young families to the Yorkshire Dales.

LifeStraw Peak Series Collapsible Squeeze Bottle
Chris Scaife and Carolina Smith review a bottle with its own built-in filtration system.

 

[Badlad]

You've obviously got the front and back cover the wrong way round

 

[Carolina Smith]

'Abseiling down the centre finally gave a true understanding of the size of the shaft and, above on the west side, the roof soared up into blackness, like a big circular dark eye, hence the name the Shaft of the Cyclops.'
Fifty years in the making, major discoveries at Longwood Valley Sink have led to a vertical treat on Mendip. Alison Moody reveals all in Descent 310.
In the photo: Alison Moody, Mike Wise and Pete Buckley on Cyclops, one of many recently discovered pitches in Longwood Valley Sink, by Mark Burkey

Descent (310), June 2026 – Descent Magazine

www.descentmagazine.co.uk

 

[Chris Scaife]

'To the right of me was an alcove choked with straws and stal. A rocky ridge in the roof formed the end of the alcove where a collection of twisted, contorted helictites hung.'
Tim Allen reports on another magnificent Yorkshire Dales find by the Space Miners in Descent 310.

Descent Magazine – The magazine of underground exploration

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In the photo: Tim Allen and Dave Gledhill in Echo Chamber, Gavel Pot, by Bartek Biela

 

[paul]

Moderator comment: Posts about Water Filters moved to new thread "Water Filters" in Equipment Section. https://ukcaving.com/board/index.php?threads/water-filters.34578/

 

[Chris Scaife]

'There are many who would say that Geoff Yeadon was the greatest British explorer of the latter third of the 20th century.'
As the caving world continues to mourn the loss of a legend, Descent 310 features Geoff Yeadon's obituary written by Geoff Crossley, Mick Nunwick and Martin Grass.

Descent Magazine – The magazine of underground exploration

www.descentmagazine.co.uk

In the photo: Geoff in Frake’s Passage in Kingsdale, Yorkshire Dales, on his return to cave diving after a 26-year break, by Mark Burkey

 

[Chris Scaife]

'And as I drew that line in my mind, I tripped on this rock, put my hand out towards the cave wall to steady myself, and as I did that, I noticed the perfect outline of a hand, just where I was about to place my own.'
In Descent 310, Polly Judd talks to director Robert Petit about his film Underland.

Descent (310), June 2026 – Descent Magazine

www.descentmagazine.co.uk

In the photo: Ancient Maya handprints in Yucatán, Mexico. Still from ‘Underland’ (Sandbox Films Dogwoof, 2025)

 

[Chris Scaife]

'Eventually, after some tenuous and frankly far-from-textbook boulder wrangling, we entered an entirely new section of the cave, dubbed Into the Void.'
Descent 310, as always, is packed with regional news. In our Peak District section, Joe Buck tells the tale of a discovery in Waterfall Hole.

Descent Magazine – The magazine of underground exploration

www.descentmagazine.co.uk

In the photo: Joe Buck entering Into The Void in Waterfall Hole, by Jon Pemberton