UK Caving Hut & Club Fees (Overnight, Day and Annual)

[Bratchley]

So something I've been thinking about today on and off and am interested to compare. I know this has been the subject of topics on UK Caving before but the last one I could find was at least a couple years old.

What does your club charge for membership? What kind of membership does the club have (50, 100, 150+)?
If your club has digs, how much are the overnight/day fees? What is included (i.e. showers, WiFi, parking, SRT tower)?

A lot of huts have increased in price recently for obvious reasons, so it would be interesting to see. It's useful information, if at least for some uni clubs when planning trips as small price changes are significant with large group numbers.

Cheers,
Josh

 

[graham]

<impressed>
Your club has WiFi in its digs?
</impressed>

 

[Oceanrower]

Only in the less muddy ones.

 

[Peter Burgess]

Wealden Cave and Mine Society membership costs ?18 per annum plus ?17 BCA fee.
Cottage fee (for The Stump, Penwyllt) ?3 per bed night for members, ?4 for guests who must be accompanied by a club member.
ca 200 year-old Cottage - two showers, gas boiler + c/h, 240V generator for electricity, solid fuel stove for toastie warmth, 20 bunks (I think!) friendly neighbours 5 minutes walk away.
Membership ca 120

 

[damian]

YSS
Overnight: ?3 (members/reciprocals), ?6 (non-members)
Day Fees: ?1, ?1.50
Membership Fee: ?14 (or ?21 for join m/ship) plus BCA Membership (if needed)
Members: ~125

Wi-fi, showers, parking etc included (but the excellent dehumidifier is ?1 for 8 hours).

 

[Jenny P]

Orpheus C C
Overnight fee:  Members (and reciprocals) ?4.00, Visitors ?6.00, (Day Fee ?2.00)
Membership Fee:  Caving Full Members ?24 + BCA Insurance; Non-caving Associate members ?18 + BCA Insurance
        (Cheaper membership fee for Senior Members, i.e. Full Members for 25+ years and for under 18's)
Members:  ~ 100+ including Associate, Senior and Paid-up Prospective Members

Cottage: sleeps 40+ (18 spaces reserved for visitors), mains electricity, parking, camping, showers, SRT/ladder training facilities.  No landline phone connection or wifi.

 

[Tony_B]

SWCC
Overnight for members and reciprocals ?5.00 (and we have a lot of reciprocal-rights clubs!)
Non-members ?7.00
Discounted rate for pre-booked university clubs ?6.00.
Day fee ?1, includes use of the changing rooms and showers.

Membership: individual ?47/year plus BCA insurance
Joint members ?68/year plus BCA
Retired ?33/year plus BCA.

Slightly more than some others, I note, but then we are the best club in the UK, Penwyllt is by far the best caving cottage, and the caves in Wales are much better than those elsewhere.

Also note: for a limited time only, [blatant plug] we have a very special offer on Provisonal Membership - just ?10! For this you get 12 months of membership, you can stay at the HQ at members' rates, you get our publications, and you get to join in our amazing calendar of social events and away trips [/blatant plug].

 

[cap n chris]

How much is BCA insurance?

 

[JohnMCooper]

Try:

http://british-caving.org.uk/?page=122

or

http://british-caving.org.uk/?page=143

 

[Les W]

I think you missed Chris' point John. BCA does not sell insurance...

 

[Peter Burgess]

.....  Penwyllt is by far the best caving cottage, ....

Penwyllt is not a cottage, caving or otherwise. There is a book........

Apologies for off-topic comment - couldn't resist it!

Any other clubs? Loads on Mendip that haven't posted yet.

 

[MikeyP]

Derbyshire Pennine Club

Peak District climbing/caving hut

Overnight: ?2 (members), ?8 (non-members), Sleeps 15
Membership Fee: ?35 incl BCA Membership
Members: ~50
thedpc.co.uk

 

[me]

But which huts take under 18's as guests

and the ones that don't why not 

 

[Peter Burgess]

But which huts take under 18's as guests

and the ones that don't why not 

Wealden Cave and Mine Society will, with appropriate conditions attached!

 

[Jopo]

But which huts take under 18's as guests

and the ones that don't why not 

Wealden Cave and Mine Society will, with appropriate conditions attached!

And complying with terms of the SWCC lease of course.

Jopo

 

[Peter Burgess]

It's one of the "appropriate" conditions, Jopo. Two examples - non-member children of members, or under 18 family friends or relatives, together with an awareness of issues concerning responsibilities of having u18s in your care. I suspect "me" was more interested in why some clubs won't jump through the necessary hoops for providing residential facilities for u18s. It is unlikely that "me" would be able to take u18s to The Stump anyway, unless "me" is a WCMS member I don't know.

 

[me]

unless "me" is a WCMS member

No I am not

I suspect "me" was more interested in why some clubs won't jump through the necessary hoops for providing residential facilities for u18s.

So what are the necessary hoops    is it legal stuff?

 

[Peter Burgess]

I am not an authority - however, it would involve a society having an u18 policy - guidelines and procedures in place for the protection of u18s using the facilities.

 

[Rachel]

The clubs I know of that allow under 18s to stay overnight both have separate facilities for sleeping arrangements, so presumably this is one of the necessary hoops.

Personally I think that is entirely reasonable - the club hut environment varies considerably depending on who is there, how many people are present, how much alcohol has been consumed, etc and although there have been numerous weekends when I have felt perfectly comfortable letting my children mingle freely with adult cavers, there are also those times when things get a little too rowdy and I have been glad to be able to take them off to a different building/tent on the lawn.

Last year I took my two kids to another club's caving hut for a week's holiday and we had a great time, but again, I was glad to have a separate space to retreat to when the weekend late night drinking was in full swing.

 

[cavermark]

Grampian Speleological Society definitely has the best hut in the world.
Sleeps lots, camping space, hot showers, drying room, wood burner. A fine view of Suilven (look it up) from the conservatory..

?2.50/night Members
?5/night Non Members

Membership
?15 or ?10 students/unemployed/retired

Plus ?17(caving) ?6 (non caving) or ?8(student) BCA membership.

If I take my young daughter to a caving hut I think I am responsible for her safety, not the club.

SUSS used to have the second best hut - a railway carriage behing the Old Hill Inn in Chapel Le Dale (sadly no more after new pub owners went for posh restaurant clientele and drove the cavers, walkers and bikers away).