Matienzo Caves Project

[Juan]

  Cave exploration and documentation have been happening around the Matienzo depression in Cantabria for over 50 years. Some of the original explorers are still involved in the Project and the amount of cave passage surveyed grows each year: the length of documented cave passage is currently (July 2016) over 372km in more than 4400 sites - the longest reaching nearly 60km.
  We are currently given an annual permit for exploration within a defined area. Every year, kilometres of new passage are explored. We have welcomed university groups and much more experienced cavers: indeed, the age range is from 1 to 75-ish.
  So there is something speleological for everyone: walking, spot-holing, tourist trips, digging, photography/video, exploration, cave diving, surveying and hard pushing trips.
We welcome young and old, experienced and novices. All we ask is that new cave exploration is well documented: photos, video, cave surveying, passage description, etc. Where necessary, the "old hands" will get involved with training to ensure surveys and other documentation aspects are to a reasonable standard.
  Most speleological knowledge of the area is published on the Matienzo Caves Project website (www.matienzocaves.org.uk) where further expedition details can also be found. The Project has Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/MatienzoCaves/?ref=bookmarks)and Google Group (http://groups.google.co.uk/group/MatienzoCaves) pages where members (anyone can join) can post news, photos and other info.
  Cavers interested in joining an expedition or expeditions should get in touch with any of the contacts listed on the website. (http://www.matienzocaves.org.uk/contacts.htm) 

 

[Juan]

The Matienzo Caves Project website (http://www.matienzocaves.org.uk/page1.htm) has now been updated after the 2016 summer and autumn trips The annual report, in English and Castellano, to the Spanish authorities is included. The major revisions (4501 sites, with 377km of documented passage) can be accessed from the "Latest resources updates" page (http://www.matienzocaves.org.uk/latest-website-updates.htm).

 

[A_Northerner]

Thanks Juan - I like to keep up with all your Cantabrian adventures.

Will the Matienzo Expedition be publishing any physical literature at some point?

 

[Juan]

Anything that's fit to be published (and some that isn't) is online. You welcome to produce your own hard-copy of items (e.g. the annual report) - but as cave descriptions, surveys and photos are updated after each visit and expedition, any so-called definitive Matienzo Caves hard copy publication would soon be out of date.
Matienzo Caves history and reminiscences, however, are a different matter and we published a "Matienzo - 50 Years of  Speleology" in 2010. There are still a couple of copies left to buy! See http://www.matienzocaves.org.uk/history/50years/BookMat50.htm 

 

[Juan]

The Matienzo 2017 Easter Expedition report is now online. http://www.matienzocaves.org.uk/history/2017.htm#Easter2017  :read: 

 

[Juan]

The Summer 2017 Expedition report is now online along with some updated descriptions. More updated descriptions, videos, photos, surveys, etc will appear over the next few weeks.
http://www.matienzocaves.org.uk/history/2017.htm#summer2017

 

[Ian Ball]

 

[Goydenman]

Impressive...well done

 

[Juan]

An update to the Matienzo blurb first published here in July 2016: 
Cave exploration and documentation have been happening around the Matienzo depression in Cantabria for over 60 years. Some of the original explorers are still involved in the Project and the amount of cave passage surveyed grows each year: the length of documented cave passage is nearly (January 2021) over 399km in more than 5000 sites - the longest reaching over 67km.
  We are currently given an annual permit for exploration within a defined area. Every year, kilometres of new passage are explored. We have welcomed university groups and much more experienced cavers: indeed, the age range is from 1 to 75-ish.
  So there is something speleological for everyone: walking, spot-holing, tourist trips, digging, photography/video, exploration, cave diving, surveying and hard pushing trips.
We welcome young and old, experienced and novices. All we ask is that new cave exploration is well documented: photos, video, cave surveying, passage description, etc. Where necessary, the "old hands" will get involved with training to ensure surveys and other documentation aspects are to a reasonable standard.
  Most speleological knowledge of the area is published on the Matienzo Caves Project website (www.matienzocaves.org.uk) where further expedition details can also be found. The Project has Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/MatienzoCaves/?ref=bookmarks)and Google Group (http://groups.google.co.uk/group/MatienzoCaves) pages where members (anyone can join) can post news, photos and other info.
  Cavers interested in joining an expedition or expeditions should get in touch with any of the contacts listed on the website. (http://www.matienzocaves.org.uk/contacts.htm)