Harry Long's caving book is out at last!

Pitlamp

Pitlamp

Well-known member
Harry Long needs no introduction. The 236 page book about many of the classic cave discoveries he's been involved in has long been awaited and is now available from Inglesport. Just got my copy of "Weekend Explorers" and have yet to have chance to read it properly but it looks grand. The subject matter is all solid cave exploration and it's well illustrated with contemporary photographs. The book isn't expensive either, with hard and soft backed options. Probably essential reading for any serious Dales caver but those from further afield are also likely to enjoy it. More details in this link:

www.inglesport.com

Weekend Explorers - Inglesport

Technical Equipment Retailers to the Sport and Professional markets for Caving, Climbing, Rope Access, Work at Height and Rescue since 1977
www.inglesport.com www.inglesport.com

Hopefully someone will provide a review on here in due course. Nice one Harry!
 
It is a shame that in the first paragraph of his description of the book, harry suggests that only a small number of fortunate people are able to go on caving expeditions. Sounds a little bitter. That has not been my experience, on my first trip to Austria most of those 'fortunate people' were on the dole, and since then lots of people have had the opportunity to join caving expeditions from all walks of life and budgets.

Good luck with the book, hope you finally reveal some of those caves you've kept secret for all these years. ;)
 
Think it's more back in the day, especially, family commitments and ability to get time off work
 
If I remember rightly, the profits from Northern Caves sponsored individuals who otherwise couldn't have afforded to go on expeditions.
 
A lot of the guys who went on the three big expeditions to Mexico in the eighties saved up for several years before the trip, many gave up jobs to go, sold cars, etc and came back to start again from scratch. It was the commitment they had to cave exploration that got them on expeditions not because they were fortunate people.
 
Badlad said:
It is a shame that in the first paragraph of his description of the book, harry suggests that only a small number of fortunate people are able to go on caving expeditions. Sounds a little bitter. That has not been my experience, on my first trip to Austria most of those 'fortunate people' were on the dole, and since then lots of people have had the opportunity to join caving expeditions from all walks of life and budgets.

Good luck with the book, hope you finally reveal some of those caves you've kept secret for all these years. ;)
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You did omit the final sentence of his paragraph:

...I realised also that exploration wasn’t necessarily synonymous with setting foot where no-one had been before, as it often meant where no white man had been before!

I don't know Harry but this statement alone makes me more inclined to give his book a go ;)
 
nobrotson said:
You did omit the final sentence of his paragraph:

...I realised also that exploration wasn’t necessarily synonymous with setting foot where no-one had been before, as it often meant where no white man had been before!

I don't know Harry but this statement alone makes me more inclined to give his book a go ;)
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I wasn't commenting on that, but as you mention it. That may have been the case in some limited cases abroad but certainly not in the majority of overseas exploration. His comments kind of come across as disingenuous to those who have ventured further afield and, of course, many cavers did both. Dave Brook, from your own club I believe, explored many caves in the Dales as well as being on trips abroad, the '78 Mulu trip for example.

I'd like to think we'll all give his book a go. I just hope his first comments don't set the tone for the rest of it :rolleyes:
 
I think that comment from Harry relates to the situation in his very earliest caving days, which is long before you started visiting overseas caves Badlad. In that context, he's likely to be right. Your words were: "harry suggests that only a small number of fortunate people are (my emphasis) able to go on caving expeditions" but that's not actually what Harry wrote. He used the word "were".
 
I also know Harry had a job where extended holidays where difficult and and quitting work wasn't an option.

Plus personal circumstances.

Not necessarily about the cost
 
Having pondered further on Badlad's point, Harry would have been referring to his pre-caving days, in the early 1950s. This was only a few years after the war. Rationing had only just ended. Overseas expeditions at that time tended to be fairly major affairs (the successful conquest of Everest in 1953 springs to mind here). He was a young lad in an era when such ventures just weren't everyday trips for ordinary people.

I think Harry was trying to explain the context behind why he was drawn to break new ground on his home patch; in many ways it was the only option for most folk in those austere days. He obviously became deeply absorbed in it and went on to be spectacularly successful, with many of our finest Dales potholes to his name.

I've made a start on reading the book now and I'm very much enjoying it.
 
However, as I grew older this fascination was offset to some extent by the realisation that such expeditions were usually extremely costly and, therefore, opportunity was likely to be limited to only a small number of fortunate people.
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To quote the great man himself.
 
Nice to see some good comments about Weekend Explorers: thanks folk.

A pity Badlad hasn't written a book about his many ventures. If he had, or ever does I shall be able to return the type of comment he made about mine, not that I would, of course!!!!!!
 
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