Home Overview maps Locality areas Cheddar Gorge Charterhouse Blackdown Burrington Combe Shipham & Rowberrow Crook Peak & Axbridge Banwell to Churchill Priddy Harptree & Smitham Hill Draycott & Westbury-sub -Mendip Wookey Hole & Ebbor Gorge Wells Great Elm & Vallis Vale Mells & the Wadbury Valley The Vobster area The Whatley area Torr Works & Asham Wood Beacon Hill Stoke St Michael & Oakhill Holwell & Nunney Shepton Mallet & Maesbury Gurney Slade & Emborough The Nettlebridge valley Geology Rocks of Mendips Fossils Geological timescale Ancient environments Geological structure Minerals and mines Minerals and mines Industrial archaeology Quarrying Stone as a resource Employment & the economy Quarrying & geodiversity Quarrying & the environment History of quarrying Caves and karst How caves form Dry valleys and gorges Dolines and sinkholes Mendip caves Going caving Hydrogeology Biodiversity Flora and fauna Typical Mendip habitats Special Mendip habitats Horseshoe bats Appendix of names Biodiversity of western Mendip Biodiversity of eastern Mendip External links Detailed site information Coal mining Mendip quarry companies East Mendip quarries Biodiversity of eastern Mendip West Mendip quarries Biodiversity of western Mendip Acknowledgements Site map	Going caving If you are interested in going caving, one of the best ways of starting is by joining a local caving club or contacting the British Caving Association (BCA) http://british-caving.org.uk. They have the benefit of experienced members, and may be able to provide equipment, training, permits and access to local caves, as well organising trips and expeditions. There are numerous clubs based on or around the Mendip Hills. Many of the larger clubs offer accommodation in huts on or close to Mendip; these are listed below. Alternatively, you can go on an ‘Adventure Caving’ expedition at Cheddar Caves http://www.cheddarcaves.co.uk specifically designed for novices, or book up a trip with a recognised caving instructor. Lists of qualified caving instructors can be found at: http://www.caveinstructor.org.uk/ Major Mendip caving clubs with accommodation. Bristol Exploration Club The Belfry, Wells Road, Priddy, Wells. [ST 5420 5047]. Hut: (01749) 672126 http://www.bec-cave.org.uk Cerberus Spelaeological Society Larkshall, Fosse Road, Oakhill, Somerset, BA3 5HZ [ST 6505 4720]. Hut: (01749) 841072 http://www.cerberusspeleo.org.uk/ Mendip Caving Group Nordrach Cottage, Nordrach, Blagdon, Bristol, BS18 6XW [ST 5150 5605]. Hut: (01761) 462797 http://www.mendipcavinggroup.org.uk/ Mendip Nature Research Committee Research Station, Wells Hill Bottom, Green Ore, Wells, Somerset. [ST 5895 4935] Hut: (01761) 241609 http://www.mnrc.org.uk/   Shepton Mallet Caving Club The Mineries, Wells Road, Priddy, Wells, Somerset, BA5 3AU. [ST 5435 5035] Wessex Cave Club Upper Pitts, Eastwater Lane, Priddy, Wells, Somerset, BA5 3AX. [ST 5367 5092] Hut: (01749) 672310. http://www.wessex-cave-club.org/ University of Bristol Spelaeological Society The Union, Queens Rd, Bristol, BS8 (hut in Burrington Combe). http://www.ubss.org.uk/ For access arrangements contact the Council of Southern Caving Clubs (CSCC). http://www.cscc.org.uk/ This is an association of caving clubs whose main interests lie in the Mendip Hills. Membership is made up of over 40 clubs based all over the southern part of the country and although the council is mainly concerned with Mendip, it is the Regional Body for southern England, and is a constituent member of the British Caving Association (BCA).
| Home | Overview maps | Acknowledgements | Site map | Copyright |
© British Geological Survey, NERC 2013. This site is hosted by the British Geological Survey but responsibility for the content of the site lies with Foundations of the Mendips website not with the British Geological Survey. Questions, suggestions or comments regarding the contents of this site should be directed to Dr Andrew Farrant.