Reading University Caving Club 
Preparations are now in earnest for the start of next term, when we have lots of exciting things planned – both for our new and current members! The dates and locations of all the trips next term have now been announced:
Day Trip: Mendips – Sunday 6th October
We realise that joining a new club is a big commitment, particularly for a sport as unusual as caving! We’re therefore running a day-trip at the beginning of the Autumn Term to allow people to try it out. All are welcome to come on this taster session with us before they become a member – regardless of their level of experience. What’s more, it’s an absolute bargain, as the trip will only cost £10! If nothing else, it should make for a fun day out 😉
If you’re still not convinced, here’s a video of last year’s taster session, to show what fun you could be having!
You can sign up for a day trip at the Fresher’s Fayre or the presentation afterwards, or by emailing our president. Also see our Facebook event:
View this event on Facebook »
First Weekend Trip: South Wales – 11th–13th October
A club tradition of several years’ pedigree, we begin the Autumn term at the Chelsea Spelaeological Society hut, Whitewalls Cottage, overlooking the town of Llangattock.
To give you an idea of what we’ll be doing, here and here are some photos from our trips in years gone by, and here are some professional-quality photos of the caves within walking distance.
We’ll definitely be visiting Agen Allwedd and Eglwys Faen, and probably send some more confident oldies on the Daren – Cnwc though-trip, and as always a couple of people will flake out and go for a walk in the mountains or something. There really is something for everyone!
Second Weekend Trip: South Wales – 18th–20th October
Our second trip of the term will be to the upper reaches of the River Neath and River Melte, staying at the Croydon Caving Club hut, Godre Pente, in the delightful Welsh village of Ystradfellte. Any new member who can pronounce it (who isn’t Welsh) will win a mystery prize!
Here are some photos from our visit in 2011, to give you a feel for the sorts of things we do, and if you’re really keen to do your homework, here are some professional photos of the caves nearby.
For complete beginners, we’ll do a short trip into Town Drain and Bridge Cave, which will be a very gentle introduction to what caves are like, but there’s plenty more on offer if you feel up to it!
Third Weekend Trip: Mendips – 1st–3rd November (With Fireworks!)
Alas! The famous annual Priddy Fireworks Display has been cancelled, and is unlikely to ever return, due to the over-zealous application of Health & Safety legislation. In defiance of this sentiment, the BEC are having their own fireworks at the Belfry, which will of course be MUCH safer and far more healthy.
I couldn’t find any recent good photos of our times at the Belfry fireworks, but here’s an album from aaaaaaages ago which is well worth a look.
Come along for a weekend of caving, partying and pyromaniacal debauchery.
Fourth Weekend Trip: CHECC (in Derbyshire) – 22nd–24th November
The caving event of the year! Organised by CHECC (the Council of Higher Education Caving Clubs), this is the annual meetup of almost all the university caving clubs in the country, with around 400 students in attendance! Expect lots of wild partying, dancing (not always fully clothed!), competitions including the Annual Beer Pong and Squeeze Machine championships, exhibitions and displays, etc, etc! We might even get around to doing some caving at some point… 😀 This year it’s being held in the Rotary Centre at Castleton, in Derbyshire.
You can sign up for any of these trips by speaking to Emma (our president) or Laura (our secretary) at one of our social events, sending us an email, or joining one of the Facebook events linked to above. See the Trips page for more details about our trips.