Providing better equipment opens up more challenging caving trips for scouts
It might not be to everyone's taste but there's something mysterious, challenging, daunting and often beautiful about exploring the world beneath our feet.
James Harrison from 1st Keynsham Scout Group was looking to provide additional caving equipment to enhance their current level of caving activities for the 1000 young people in the Scout District. These caving activities are provided at very low cost by unpaid volunteers who give up their time to share their passion for caves, caving, geology and nature.
“Better caving suits would allow us to run more challenging trips in wet caves. This further develops teamwork, self confidence, self reliance and a better understanding of the environment and ecology of caves. We will inspire the next generation of cave explorers, ecologists, earth scientists and outdoor educationalists.”
A grant of £300 from the Alpkit Foundation went towards the equipment needed and along with other fundraising and grants they have managed to become well equipped to provide challenge and adventure for many years to come. James got back in touch after they had managed to spend some quality time underground to let us know how things were going.
“We have been successful in offering caving trips to the more advanced caves we wanted to, each with 6 young people from 12-16. The more experienced cavers in the Group and District have enthusiastically embraced the opportunity with several trips run so far and more planned. We have had adventures in tight squeezes, following underground streams, climbing underground waterfalls and visiting less-frequented locations with superb formations.”
It’s great to hear the impact these subterranean adventures are having and that it is also far reaching as not only have they provide activities for the whole scout district of Wansdyke but opened up oppurtunities nationally when asked.
“We have run trips for Scouts from London, Weymouth, Salisbury as well as across Bristol and our local area off Wansdyke. We run at least 12 trips a year, each with between 6 and 18 participants.
It really has allowed the young people to advance their understanding of the cave environment and why it is worth careful conservation for future generations. It also develops their teamwork skills by helping each other through challenging sections of the caves and by checking their team mates are doing well and having a good time. All trips we run are fully booked and we are frequently asked when they can go underground again!”