New to caving (NW), can anyone recommend a club?

DHB

New member
Hi there. Apart from a bit of potholing with school (a long time ago), I'm pretty new to caving. I've been in a couple of easy caves and found that I really enjoyed it. I'd love to learn more so I can do more varied trips. I'm based on the Fylde coast in Lancashire. Can anyone recommend a club that's welcoming to beginners? I'm hoping to get out pretty regularly once lockdown restrictions are eased, I'm super keen haha. Many thanks, DHB
 

JoshW

Well-known member
Hi DHB,

Awesome that you found us here!

Sure they'll be some club members that reach out to you on here, but in the meantime the following links might be useful:
https://newtocaving.com/contacts.php
https://british-caving.org.uk/about-bca/caving-clubs/

Clubs currently are unlikely to have any 'meets' planned until the guidance advises that larger groups can meet (and club huts can open again), but that shouldn't stop you reaching out and asking!
 

tdobson

Member
Come join The Caving Crew's facebook group - https://facebook.com/groups/thecavingcrew / https://cavingcrew.com

We cave in Derbshire and are extremely welcoming to those finding their feet in caving :)
 

JoshW

Well-known member
tdobson said:
Come join The Caving Crew's facebook group - https://facebook.com/groups/thecavingcrew / https://cavingcrew.com

We cave in Derbshire and are extremely welcoming to those finding their feet in caving :)

Time to de-rail the thread (in typical me style), but tim, someone from your club reached out to me by email, and I?ve sent two back and heard nothing, can you give a gently nudge  (y)
 

tdobson

Member
JoshW said:
tdobson said:
Come join The Caving Crew's facebook group - https://facebook.com/groups/thecavingcrew / https://cavingcrew.com

We cave in Derbshire and are extremely welcoming to those finding their feet in caving :)

Time to de-rail the thread (in typical me style), but tim, someone from your club reached out to me by email, and I?ve sent two back and heard nothing, can you give a gently nudge  (y)

Haha. Nudging engaged. Thanks Josh - I appreciate your help with this!
 

Steve Clark

Well-known member
I?m a member of the Fylde Mountaineering club. We have a small group of cavers, that get out a bit in (normal) caving season. We are probably less well set up than the bigger Yorkshire clubs for routinely teaching beginners caving, but we are quite welcoming and local. We do a lot of climbing / mountaineering / walking meets and have a couple of nice huts in the lakes if you?re into any of that. We have a website & Facebook group. Look us up if you?re interested.
 

tomferry

Well-known member
Are their any members of the Gss on here as that?s who I go out with sorry to go slightly of topic
 

Badlad

Administrator
Staff member
The Craven Pothole Club have been very actively recruiting new members in recent years.  They appear to have lots of regular meets for cavers of all abilities.  The Yorkshire Speleological Society (YSS) also seem to be active as are the Bradford Pothole Club.  My advice would be to make contact with all three and see what's on offer and what kind of welcome you might get.  No harm in trying out a few.  I'd also get in touch with the Fylde as although they don't appear to do too much caving you can't beat local contacts.  Good luck
 

skippy

Active member
Badlad said:
The Craven Pothole Club have been very actively recruiting new members in recent years.  They appear to have lots of regular meets for cavers of all abilities.  The Yorkshire Speleological Society (YSS) also seem to be active as are the Bradford Pothole Club.  My advice would be to make contact with all three and see what's on offer and what kind of welcome you might get.  No harm in trying out a few.  I'd also get in touch with the Fylde as although they don't appear to do too much caving you can't beat local contacts.  Good luck

As Badlad has said, take a look at the club websites of those mentioned and get intouch via the contacts if you like what you see.
I'm the members sec of the CPC and usually I respond within a couple of days of an enquiry. I must advise that the CPC..along with other clubs have currently suspended their activities and closed the cottages...However, as soon as the meets list resumes off the back of Gov advise and the various caving bodies, we will be active again as a club. Our website has a diary of all proposed meets their suitability for experience etc.
 

DHB

New member
Many thanks for the replies, plenty for me to look into. Derbyshire is a little further away for me so will probably be looking at Lancashire and Yorkshire clubs. Cheers for all the recommendations, some really good info there!
 
Ucet caving club is in north wales. We are a very active group and have weekend trips quite regular etc. we organise trips to suit all members often have two trips a week for srt and non srt people. You’d be more than welcome to come join out club if you wanted.
 
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