Wookey cave guides

[chriscastle46]

I've long tried to get the guides at Cheddar to be factual, but some of them - don't get me started. The management don't give a toss, as long as the punters are entertained. I really don't know why we don't get complaints from teachers about inaccurate and ludicrous information but they only ever moan about the bogs and having to queue. If there are any teachers reading this bring a group and complain about the tour. Actually, that may not work as some of the guides give excellent tours. If you come as an individual you'll get an ancient audioguide with a crass commentary, but at least it's more or less accurate.

I hope my boss doesn't read this!

 

[cap n chris]

I did not believe it.  But it is true, I just check with their website.  Even Goughs charge ?18.50 also that also includes Coxes and a bus trip.

I must be living in a different world.    :-\

Yes, it's steep but it's not JUST the cave. Yesterday (here in France) we visited an AMAZING showcave (genuinely fabulous) and it was e9.10 each, about ?9 for the sake of easy maths and was JUST the showcave. It was worth it and I have no quibble whatsoever. Far better than ANY of the UK showcaves I've visited. However, it is a lot more than just a cave so I guess they can justify charging more.

Question for you: how much do you think it should be and would it be enough to stop them from going bust? Laffer Curve stuff, p'raps.

 

[Peter Burgess]

You should hear some of the cringeworthy stuff one or two of our volunteers have come up with on a few occasions in the Reigate Caves - cavers as well! One does one's best to get accurate commentary, but at the end of the day, they are doing it for nothing, doing it enthusiastically, and giving the punters an enjoyable day out. In fact, most tours are factually very good - the ones I hear, anyway. And nothing is scripted either. And if any of you lot come and give my guides a bad time, we will be seeking revenge    :tease:

 

[graham]

Yes, it's steep but it's not JUST the cave. Yesterday (here in France) we visited an AMAZING showcave (genuinely fabulous) and it was e9.10 each, about ?9 for the sake of easy maths and was JUST the showcave. It was worth it and I have no quibble whatsoever. Far better than ANY of the UK showcaves I've visited. However, it is a lot more than just a cave so I guess they can justify charging more.

Knowing (roughly) where you are, which cave was it? There are some cracking show caves in that area.

Question for you: how much do you think it should be and would it be enough to stop them from going bust? Laffer Curve stuff, p'raps.

The Laffer curve is lafferble bollox, but that doesn't mean that the economics of running a show cave are fascinating (to me, anyway). Gough's is a particularly interesting example as it is such an integral part of the economy of the town. The closest continental equivalent that I can think of is Postojna where a town is similarly dependant economically on a single tourist attraction. They both have the same problem which is not so much to increase tourist footfall but to keep visitors in the immediate area for longer. I do not see how Cheddar can do that without having significant hotel space. I, personally, think they need quality accommodation far more than they need the cable car.

 

[cap n chris]

Knowing (roughly) where you are, which cave was it? There are some cracking show caves in that area.

http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grotte_de_Dargilan

 

[cap n chris]

I, personally, think they need quality accommodation far more than they need the cable car.

?Multi-million centre is being built as we type.

 

[graham]

Knowing (roughly) where you are, which cave was it? There are some cracking show caves in that area.

http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grotte_de_Dargilan

Had a feeling it might be. La Grotte Rose, a lovely place.

 

[Pitlamp]

Thanks for your words of support, Tony from Suffolk.

Some of us do try very hard to blend accurate fact with entertainment. Most people who come out of a certain show cave in the Dales (which I'd better not mention, as it'd perhaps not be professional - because all three in the Dales are very good) have big grins on their faces and can't thank the staff enough.

There are certain show caves which do try to employ proper cavers; I think their visitors, in particular, get a very good experience. But don't get me wrong; every time I've been in Wookey it's been great.

 

[Sid]

Thanks to all for your comments. Keep them coming.

Happy to report that our guide today was very informative and entertaining. A full report will appear in the WCC Journal soon.

Sid and Ali C

 

[Aubrey]

Thanks to all for your comments. Keep them coming.

Happy to report that our guide today was very informative and entertaining. A full report will appear in the WCC Journal soon.

Sid and Ali C

So you have been spying on the opposition?

 

[Space Kadet]

When The Frozen Deep opens as a show cave I wonder how much a tour will be?? 

Don't say it won't happen, it could!

 

[graham]

When The Frozen Deep opens as a show cave I wonder how much a tour will be?? 

Don't say it won't happen, it could!

Anything could happen, but the economic case for that is actually rather poor.

 

[cap n chris]

I'd hazard a guess that it couldn't happen for the simple reason that there's bats in there and engineering* a way in which would not upset them in some way or another would be nigh on impossible. Win for the bats.

* Euphemism.

 

[christine]

Knowing (roughly) where you are, which cave was it? There are some cracking show caves in that area.

http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grotte_de_Dargilan

We went last year - did you check your car temp gauge at the top? ;-) Think we lost 12 degrees going up there and an icy cold draught in the entrance. The guide let us hang around at the back to take photos and showed us where the light switches were so we could turn them off on our way out. I turned them off, lost Rich and the pair of us were stumbling round in the dark without any form of light other than cameras and couldn't find the 'on' switch again 
Luckily she didn't notice any of these antics..... :-[

 

[Les W]

Episode 5

12 minutes 4 seconds in... 

 

[graham]

snip
re paying ?18 per adult in Wookey (yes, really..)

snip

I did not believe it.  But it is true, I just check with their website.  Even Goughs charge ?18.50 also that also includes Coxes and a bus trip.

I must be living in a different world.    :-\

I read this morning that the charge to just go to the top of a tall building in London (the Shard) just to see the view is ?24.95 a head. That's just to look across a city.

I'm sure pitlamp is booking his ticket south even as I write.

 

[Pitlamp]

snip
re paying ?18 per adult in Wookey (yes, really..)

snip

I did not believe it.  But it is true, I just check with their website.  Even Goughs charge ?18.50 also that also includes Coxes and a bus trip.

I must be living in a different world.    :-\

I read this morning that the charge to just go to the top of a tall building in London (the Shard) just to see the view is ?24.95 a head. That's just to look across a city.

I'm sure pitlamp is booking his ticket south even as I write.

Nay, that'd feed me for a month and still leave enough for a new pair of clogs and a punt at the whippet races . . .

 

[Duncan Price]

Thanks to all for your comments. Keep them coming.

Happy to report that our guide today was very informative and entertaining. A full report will appear in the WCC Journal soon.

Sid and Ali C

I guided a tour of the show cave for 50 or so divers attending TekCamp at Vobster last year - a write up appears here (316 kB PDF)

The quality of the guides at Wookey is usually good and I've only experienced it as an observer whilst diving there*.  They have to do battle with considerable disinterest from some tourists so it is not surprising if some of their spiel is a little terse.  Generally speaking the guides welcome the added attraction of having cave divers about during their tours though it must also be a considerable distraction fo them.

* except of one occasion in September 2004 following a press call when the cave divers where given tickets to take a tour.  We managed to contain ourselves as the guide informed us about the latest discoveries that had been made by the party he was showing around.

 

[tony from suffolk]

Episode 5

12 minutes 4 seconds in... 

The League! Excellent! I watched the whole thing. Thanks for posting - Daaave.

 

[Jopo]

Many moons ago, when DYO had guides, there was one guide who disliked cavers intensely (Gordon I think) and we had to hang around at the back until we could pass without crimping his style. One question from a tourist was 'Who built these tunnels?'. 'It is the work of God' said the guide - with some reverence. From the middle of the group - in a Swansea Valley accent came the the comment ' Yes with a bloody big shovel and no pit props!'

Jopo