nearlywhite
Active member
Stuart France said:
Satire?
Beginning to wonder if you have a hand in Dankness below, perhaps you should get back to posting!
Letter by Malc Foyle to the Wessex Journal- posted here with permission
- Thread starter Pegasus
- Start date
Satire?
Beginning to wonder if you have a hand in Dankness below, perhaps you should get back to posting!
The Old Ruminator
Well-known member
Sod all to do with the post topic but -
"7. Twin Titties Swallet (length 125m)
No stated reason for access restrictions, though I believe it is now open and an active dig."
I would really like to know more about this as it was a very promising site when I last looked at it nearly 30 years ago. Pete Hall you may send me a discrete message.
"7. Twin Titties Swallet (length 125m)
No stated reason for access restrictions, though I believe it is now open and an active dig."
I would really like to know more about this as it was a very promising site when I last looked at it nearly 30 years ago. Pete Hall you may send me a discrete message.
menacer
Active member
braveduck said:Take care with Dankness Below ,it only spreads its own version of the truth .
It is not unbiased reporting unfortunately .
Great shame but there we are.
Just hope they never get their hands Descent !
You're kidding right? Its a parody website.
Its not suppose to be true, just funny.
It rocks that box for me for sure.
Pitlamp
Well-known member
PeteHall said:
Erm - I don't really understand. The Darkness below site does have some good content on it. I've especially enjoyed Alan Jeffreys' book reviews for example, so much so I was motivated to write a review myself for them recently. I don't remember ever shouting at the screen; but maybe that's because I'm not particularly sensitive to issues which Mendip cavers find more important, as my caving's mainly done in the north of England. I've always been one for giving credit where it's due though, hence commenting here (which will hopefully balance what you posted, a bit?).
PeteHall
Moderator
Way off topic, but there is no comparison between a selectively edited website and a public forum where any opinion can be expressed.
As Pitlamp says, credit where it's due, they do publish some decent content, though they do manage to add an anti-access slant to pretty much everything they publish.
As Pitlamp says, credit where it's due, they do publish some decent content, though they do manage to add an anti-access slant to pretty much everything they publish.
bograt
Active member
To get back to the matter in hand, when considering the mindsets of all parties involved, consideration must be given to the fact that Medip caving area is the only one in England not in a "severely disadvantaged" farming area and as such the local farmers will have a different mindset about visitors on their land. This is not an insurmountable issue but needs taking into account when comparing it to other regions. Furthermore, it is the only major caving area not in a National Park, again influencing mindsets of all involved parties---
Although it is an AONB, which has similar aims. They are also generally managed fields & many are closer to people's houses, plus it's quite a small community, so they know what's going on.
(I'd suggest many internet forums provide a less balanced, & self-reinforcing, view of the world, as people hang out with those of a similar viewpoint. So it's less easy to identify those biases, than on someone's own website.)
(I'd suggest many internet forums provide a less balanced, & self-reinforcing, view of the world, as people hang out with those of a similar viewpoint. So it's less easy to identify those biases, than on someone's own website.)
PeteHall
Moderator
bograt said:
This may be what it comes down to, but that doesn't necessarily affect the mindset of southern cavers vs northern cavers, most of whom I suspect don't actually live in a national park.
As I posted earlier, understanding the reasons access has been lost in the past, may help explain the attitudes of some older cavers in the area. I really hope someone can shine a light on this. Mikem, mrodoc, any ideas?
Russell Myers
Member
PeteHall said:
It must be my years (being over 25) things from the past feel like yesterday and that everyone should know about them. To answer your question about the reasons access is such an issue on Mendip, it is coming up to 40 years since SSSI status came into being in caving areas primarily to protect caves from loss through quarrying etc. SSSI status was applied to Mendip caves and with it unintended consequences as that status protected just about anything else such as plants, animals, insects, creepy crawlies and things of a natural disposition. This meant that farming practices came under scrutiny and some quite draconian measures implemented on the farmers. Quite rightly, they got a bit tetchy and reacted with a if you want to conserve caves, you can't go down them anymore resulting in access being denied for 18 months until the matter was resolved probably by some of the people who are now being criticised on CSCC. They should be commended if not lauded for their efforts. I can't remember the details, I was caught up in our own battles over access to the caving areas of the North so we had more than enough on our plates. CRoW raises similar concerns but let's not get distracted.
What we can't get away from, is that all the actions of organisations representing cavers, such as CSCC need to act in a democratic manner (if you believe in democracy) which is an underpinning foundation of BCA. Unfortunately, the enemy of democracy is complacency. It is rife in the caving community and allows minorities to dominate control of these seriously influencing bodies, setting their own agendas and doing what they think best for the rank and file which may be 40 year old thinking. It is time to wake up and start asking questions, just like Malc has and even go a step further and apply for some of the positions to influence the way in which you wish caving to go in the future.
I'm looking forward to a "punch up" to take on all comers when the BCA Secretary's position is up for election!
PeteHall
Moderator
Thank you Russell for that insight. I have to admit that I am much too young to remember this era, not being born until the latter half of the 80's...
This does go some way to explaining historic attitudes, but times do change and we do need to move with them, or risk becoming irrelevant.
Malc's letter raises the prospect of the biggest(?) club in Mendip disassociating itself from the regional body. This surely signals that the time is ripe to change.
This does go some way to explaining historic attitudes, but times do change and we do need to move with them, or risk becoming irrelevant.
Malc's letter raises the prospect of the biggest(?) club in Mendip disassociating itself from the regional body. This surely signals that the time is ripe to change.
