Your first year of caving

[BCA Membership]

Nessa Balogh wrote a great article about her first year as a caver for the 2025 BCA Annual Report.

From my first year of caving I also have vivid memories of bunkrooms full of colourful sleeping bags and numerous bruises with some in ununusal places after CHECC.
But even more so the sense of excitement and adventure from my first trips underground and realising what a the great community of slightly bonkers people I had found (and discovered I fitted in well with!)

What are some of your best memories from your early caving? Was there a moment you knew you had found a hobby you would be doing for the rest of your life?

Are there particular caves that are responsible for hooking a large number of new cavers into the hobby?
For the Peak District I suspect Giants Hole might be that cave.......

Full report available on our website, or order a printed copy:
BCA 2025 Annual Report

 

[BCA Membership]

Well I've had an interesting reply on FB - a gentleman says he saw the coverage of the Neil Moss rescue on television in 1959. Whilst a sad event it brought caving to his attention and he realised it might be something he would enjoy - he took up caving and by 1964 he was on a trip down the Berger