GPF Secretary
New member
The Ghar Parau Foundation recently met to review this year’s 2026 Spring Awards and all submitted applications received grants.
The following is a short summary of the trips:
Granada Plateau 2026, Peru (16 people, 13th Aug 2026 - 5th Sep 2026)
This high plateau comprises limestone with ~2,800 m of relief above a major (34 m3) resurgence. It is one of the few sites worldwide that could (significantly) exceed the depth of the deepest currently known cave. Our 2023 and 2024 expeditions confirmed the area’s world class potential. An impressive streamway (Tragadero de la Soledad) was explored for 4.2 km to a boulder choke at -325m depth, making it the longest cave in Peru. The 2026 expedition’s objective is to reach the continuation of Soledad's streamway, either via the 140-m-deep shaft, or new strongly drafting entrances. A key aim is also to develop skills for unusually remote and serious caving expeditions for younger UK and Peruvian cavers.
Also applied for Mount Everest Funding.
Matienzo Caves 2026, Spain (>23 people, 16th Mar 2026 - 30th Oct 2026)
Main objectives carried on from 2025 are: to link several caves adjacent to the nearly 80k Four Valleys System ie Torno, Espada, Torcon & Bollon - pushing the cave towards 100km; work in Cueva Vallina to extend and link to Cueva-Cubío de la Reñada. Pushing and surveying open leads in Fuente Aguanaz that were identified in 2025. Work to identify and record cave invertebrates. Another objective is to coach younger members in surveying and prospecting work, which will benefit Matienzo and other expeditions.
Albania 2026, Albania (12 people, 19th Sep 2026 - 26th Sep 2026)
The Eldon PC have been leading expeditions to this part of Northern Albania since 2009. Last year's expedition was a strong team of 8 and was very successful. A slightly new area to the East was entered and 8 new caves were fully explored plus one large cave which was discovered on the last days and still going well. This 2026 trip continues that work, concentrating both on the higher ground to the south and a slightly more accessible lower area to the north.
Tresviso 2026, Spain (30 people, 4th Sep 2026 - 21st Sep 2026)
The 2026 expedition will concentrate on one new major cave. In 2025 the limit of Torca Brana Espina was passed to discover a large streamway, extending for >2km both upstream and downstream. The discovery of this new streamway has changed the picture of exploration. Described by one of the original explorers, as “the most significant find since the 80’s”, this streamway would appear to be the long-hypothesized trunk route between the high caves on the Andara plateau and the Cueva del Nacimiento resurgence. There is a good chance that this can be extended both down the valley, to the main fault heading toward Nacimiento and up the mountain towards the very bottom of Sima 56 (a -1169m deep system) explored by LUSS in the 1980's.
Preservation of Ancient Maya Caves, Belize (4 people, 1st Jun 2026 - 30th Jun 2026)
This application is for fieldwork associated with DPhil research in Archaeological Science and Cultural Heritage Management of Maya caves in Belize. Cultural inventory and mapping of caves recently discovered within Monkey Bay National Park (MBNP). This fieldwork will a) expand the speleological, geographical, and archaeological record of Maya cave utilization b) expand the paleoclimate record in Belize c) provide MBNP and the Belize Institute of Archaeology with vital information to manage cultural and ecological resources d) provide the foundation of a speleological monitoring program in MBNP.
CUCC Loser Plateau Expedition 2026, Austria (33 people,11th Jul 2026 - 16th Aug 2026)
The 2026 expedition will continue exploration of the Schwarzmooskogel (SMK) system, currently almost 140 km long and -1122 m deep. A long-term goal is to connect SMK to other cave systems on the plateau, including the nearby Schoenberg system (SH), Austria’s current longest cave. This year we will be returning to the same "deep" caves as last year, Balkonhöhle and Kaninchenhöhle. The explorations last year yielded a cascading number of new leads, with strong draughts and ongoing passage that we hope will yield some new connections or further leads to explore. The expedition prides itself on being young person/student led, with a good proportion of attendees being students from universities across the UK.
ICCC Polna Moč - Full Power, Slovenia (21 people, 27th Jun 2026 - 2nd Aug 2026)
A 5-week expedition to the Migovec plateau in Slovenia. We plan to push from Camp Sparkle below MLP in Loompaland, a muddy phreatic at -847m heading towards Deveti Krog (a similar phreatic tube in a different branch of the system). Closer to the surface - resurvey Salome Viados (re-discovered last year) and push a promising bolt climb and 3 new pitches. We will endeavour to train new students in key expedition skills; surveying, bolting and caving safely in cold and loose conditions.
Also awarded 2x Alex Pitcher Awards and the Ian Timney Award.
Dachstein Caving Expedition 2026, Austria (29 people, 15th Aug 2026 - 13th Sep 2026)
In 2026, the Dachstein expedition will be continuing exploration with the following main aims:
1) Continue training of new or recent-to-expedition cavers in bolting, rigging, SRT skills, surveying and prospecting
2) Prospecting above the Simonyhütte (2205 m) [suitable for new expedition members].
3) WUG Pot: shallow re-rigging (down to -170 m), deeper re-rigging (down to -550 m), supply trips to underground camps [suitable for new expedition members]
4) WUG Pot: nearer exploration within three hours of -550 m base of pitches (camp 1 improvement work, Passage No. 33 exploration, Forbidden Aven camp set-up) [suitable for keen competent new expedition members]
5) WUG Pot: remote exploration from Camp 2 pushing Daylight Robbery and other leads [suitable only for experienced expedition cavers].
6) Thundergasm: remove tight section at –200 m and continue pushing [suitable for new expedition members].
7) Retrieving and placing temperature loggers [suitable for new expedition members].
Also awarded 2x Alex Pitcher Awards
Ario 2026, Spain (24 people, 20th Jun 2026 - 12th Jul 2026)
This year, the following key objectives will be tackled:
- Cave of the Witches Eye (2/7): Returning to look at Choke Egbert
- Tras La Jayada (TLJ): After connecting this cave to Holier than Thou in upstream 2/7 in 2025 there are still leads in Coral corner.
- Skull Cave: An old OUCC cave revisited in 2025 with leads past a tight squeeze
- Surface work: Prospecting and revisiting known shafts, especially those previously blocked with snow.
Also awarded 1x Alex Pitcher Award
The following is a short summary of the trips:
Granada Plateau 2026, Peru (16 people, 13th Aug 2026 - 5th Sep 2026)
This high plateau comprises limestone with ~2,800 m of relief above a major (34 m3) resurgence. It is one of the few sites worldwide that could (significantly) exceed the depth of the deepest currently known cave. Our 2023 and 2024 expeditions confirmed the area’s world class potential. An impressive streamway (Tragadero de la Soledad) was explored for 4.2 km to a boulder choke at -325m depth, making it the longest cave in Peru. The 2026 expedition’s objective is to reach the continuation of Soledad's streamway, either via the 140-m-deep shaft, or new strongly drafting entrances. A key aim is also to develop skills for unusually remote and serious caving expeditions for younger UK and Peruvian cavers.
Also applied for Mount Everest Funding.
Matienzo Caves 2026, Spain (>23 people, 16th Mar 2026 - 30th Oct 2026)
Main objectives carried on from 2025 are: to link several caves adjacent to the nearly 80k Four Valleys System ie Torno, Espada, Torcon & Bollon - pushing the cave towards 100km; work in Cueva Vallina to extend and link to Cueva-Cubío de la Reñada. Pushing and surveying open leads in Fuente Aguanaz that were identified in 2025. Work to identify and record cave invertebrates. Another objective is to coach younger members in surveying and prospecting work, which will benefit Matienzo and other expeditions.
Albania 2026, Albania (12 people, 19th Sep 2026 - 26th Sep 2026)
The Eldon PC have been leading expeditions to this part of Northern Albania since 2009. Last year's expedition was a strong team of 8 and was very successful. A slightly new area to the East was entered and 8 new caves were fully explored plus one large cave which was discovered on the last days and still going well. This 2026 trip continues that work, concentrating both on the higher ground to the south and a slightly more accessible lower area to the north.
Tresviso 2026, Spain (30 people, 4th Sep 2026 - 21st Sep 2026)
The 2026 expedition will concentrate on one new major cave. In 2025 the limit of Torca Brana Espina was passed to discover a large streamway, extending for >2km both upstream and downstream. The discovery of this new streamway has changed the picture of exploration. Described by one of the original explorers, as “the most significant find since the 80’s”, this streamway would appear to be the long-hypothesized trunk route between the high caves on the Andara plateau and the Cueva del Nacimiento resurgence. There is a good chance that this can be extended both down the valley, to the main fault heading toward Nacimiento and up the mountain towards the very bottom of Sima 56 (a -1169m deep system) explored by LUSS in the 1980's.
Preservation of Ancient Maya Caves, Belize (4 people, 1st Jun 2026 - 30th Jun 2026)
This application is for fieldwork associated with DPhil research in Archaeological Science and Cultural Heritage Management of Maya caves in Belize. Cultural inventory and mapping of caves recently discovered within Monkey Bay National Park (MBNP). This fieldwork will a) expand the speleological, geographical, and archaeological record of Maya cave utilization b) expand the paleoclimate record in Belize c) provide MBNP and the Belize Institute of Archaeology with vital information to manage cultural and ecological resources d) provide the foundation of a speleological monitoring program in MBNP.
CUCC Loser Plateau Expedition 2026, Austria (33 people,11th Jul 2026 - 16th Aug 2026)
The 2026 expedition will continue exploration of the Schwarzmooskogel (SMK) system, currently almost 140 km long and -1122 m deep. A long-term goal is to connect SMK to other cave systems on the plateau, including the nearby Schoenberg system (SH), Austria’s current longest cave. This year we will be returning to the same "deep" caves as last year, Balkonhöhle and Kaninchenhöhle. The explorations last year yielded a cascading number of new leads, with strong draughts and ongoing passage that we hope will yield some new connections or further leads to explore. The expedition prides itself on being young person/student led, with a good proportion of attendees being students from universities across the UK.
ICCC Polna Moč - Full Power, Slovenia (21 people, 27th Jun 2026 - 2nd Aug 2026)
A 5-week expedition to the Migovec plateau in Slovenia. We plan to push from Camp Sparkle below MLP in Loompaland, a muddy phreatic at -847m heading towards Deveti Krog (a similar phreatic tube in a different branch of the system). Closer to the surface - resurvey Salome Viados (re-discovered last year) and push a promising bolt climb and 3 new pitches. We will endeavour to train new students in key expedition skills; surveying, bolting and caving safely in cold and loose conditions.
Also awarded 2x Alex Pitcher Awards and the Ian Timney Award.
Dachstein Caving Expedition 2026, Austria (29 people, 15th Aug 2026 - 13th Sep 2026)
In 2026, the Dachstein expedition will be continuing exploration with the following main aims:
1) Continue training of new or recent-to-expedition cavers in bolting, rigging, SRT skills, surveying and prospecting
2) Prospecting above the Simonyhütte (2205 m) [suitable for new expedition members].
3) WUG Pot: shallow re-rigging (down to -170 m), deeper re-rigging (down to -550 m), supply trips to underground camps [suitable for new expedition members]
4) WUG Pot: nearer exploration within three hours of -550 m base of pitches (camp 1 improvement work, Passage No. 33 exploration, Forbidden Aven camp set-up) [suitable for keen competent new expedition members]
5) WUG Pot: remote exploration from Camp 2 pushing Daylight Robbery and other leads [suitable only for experienced expedition cavers].
6) Thundergasm: remove tight section at –200 m and continue pushing [suitable for new expedition members].
7) Retrieving and placing temperature loggers [suitable for new expedition members].
Also awarded 2x Alex Pitcher Awards
Ario 2026, Spain (24 people, 20th Jun 2026 - 12th Jul 2026)
This year, the following key objectives will be tackled:
- Cave of the Witches Eye (2/7): Returning to look at Choke Egbert
- Tras La Jayada (TLJ): After connecting this cave to Holier than Thou in upstream 2/7 in 2025 there are still leads in Coral corner.
- Skull Cave: An old OUCC cave revisited in 2025 with leads past a tight squeeze
- Surface work: Prospecting and revisiting known shafts, especially those previously blocked with snow.
Also awarded 1x Alex Pitcher Award
