Sunday 7 March 2010, Cheddar (Somerset).
Talks and show-cave tour of Gough’s Cave, Cheddar, with an optional science-themed ‘adventure caving’ trip.
This one day field meeting will take place on Sunday 7 March 2010 at Gough’s Cave, Cheddar. The meeting will be hosted by Bob Smart of Cheddar Caves and Gorge. Cheddar Gorge contains many karst caves of archaeological significance in Blackrock Limestone of Carboniferous age. Support will be provided in Gough’s Cave by speakers in the fields of archaeology, speleogenesis and radon studies.
The Meeting Secretary’s notice for this meeting is at http://bcra.org.uk/docstore/sci/10/WFW425.doc
At 10am we will assemble for introductory talks over coffee in the Explorer’s Cafe, followed by visits to the Cheddar Man Museum of Prehistory. We shall then assemble at Gough’s Cave for archaeological explanations and will tour the show cave, where Dr. Andy Farrant will discuss geology and speleogenesis and Professor John Gunn will discuss recent radon work. After a final Q&A session, participants can then lunch in the Explorer’s Cafe. Pre-registration for this part of the meeting is not essential, but prior notification to the meeting secretary, Dr. Trevor Faulkner would be appreciated. (see BCRA events diary for contact details).
It will greatly help the cafe manager and ensure a single group sitting for lunch if all lunches could be ordered in advance via the meeting secretary by Friday 19 February.
In the afternoon, there will be an opportunity to join an ‘adventure caving’ trip to the ‘wild’ part of Gough’s Cave. This will be for experienced adult cavers only, who must pre-register by email to the meeting secretary by Friday 19 February 2010. A maximum number of 20 will be accepted, who will participate in a full 2-hour caving trip, including the life-lined descent of a 12m fixed steel ladder. The geology and speleogenesis observed on this trip will be explained by Dr. Andy Farrant. The charge for this event will be £14 each. More information will be provided by email to those who pre-register.
For further information on this meeting, please refer to the meeting secretary’s notice at http://bcra.org.uk/docstore/sci/10/WFW425.doc