Depth through thought

Editor: guilford@ermine.ox.ac.uk

Editorial

Its all admin this week. Does anyone in this club go caving anymore? Anyway, thanks to all the Committee for the jobs they've done this last year. Next week: the new lot....

Calling lard arses

Finding the Draenen/Dales trips a bit tough? Not looking forward to the physical exertions of the expedition? (The below ground type that is) Or, like me, just plain lardy? Fitness training will sort you out. Seems to have gone out of fashion of late. Can't think why. I really looked forward to haring round the streets of Oxford combating the dual threats of a stitch and the smells emanating from Balliol kitchens, to be followed by blacking out after 10 (Yes. Ten! Hard, I was) chin ups. Seems to be an institution worth resurrecting now that the evenings are returning. Does your college have access to a multigym which does not see much action or can be booked for about an hour on Wednesday evenings and is within easy access of somewhere to change (i.e. your college room)? If so, how would you like to have slightly sweaty, but over the weeks increasing fit and muscley caving pals invite themselves round once a week. Hopefully something will get off the ground this term, otherwise I'll probably start running up to the training circuit in the park besides Headington Hill (chilly and the locals hardly ever laugh at you). In short is anyone interested, and do you have any ideas as to suitable venues.
JC

PS The best bit was refuelling on chips and wine and making daisy chains in the Meadows afterwards.

And So to Bog

If you can't stand the thought of all the stress of a week caving in Yorkshire, then come to the Burren in Ireland. Yes, its another in the highly acclaimed series of Easter time caving club holidays. For those who don't know, the Burren is a gorgeous bit of carst in South-West Ireland. There is a lot of bog, but also some spectacular cliffs and rolling countryside. The caves are almost all river / stream caves, which sink in a bog and you follow in from one end to the resurgence a few kilometres away at the other end. One cave, Pol an Ionain, claims the longest stalagmite in the world (though we guessed that's blarney). From what I remember of the last club trip to the Burren about 5 years ago, most trips were a few hours long and lots of fun, not difficult, and wetsuits were not necessary (cross fingers). You can also apparently go rock climbing a few miles away, you can go horse riding, and there are some bracing cliff walks, sea walks, and walks along 'green roads'.

We have a cottage booked just 2 minutes walk away from O'Connors bar in Doolin, from Saturday 22 March - 31 March (Easter Monday). O'Connors is famed not just for very fine Guinness but also for itinerant musicians who turn up & play some fantastic Irish folk music most nights there. The people in Doolin were really great, and there are usually plenty of English cavers there too.

Costs: Accommodation plus Ferry: min. £60 per head. Food + booze + petrol: probably less than a week in Yorkshire.

Anette & I are taking bookings from tonight onwards, so please let either of us know as soon as possible if you might be interested. No firm commitment is required yet, but viable numbers will be in the range of 5 - 10 people.

Come to the Burren, it's great!

Chris Densham

Draenen Meeting

There will be a meeting of the Pwll Du Cave Management Group (Pwll Du is the hillside containing Ogof Draenen) on Saturday, 1 March 1997, Brynmawr. This will mainly be to discuss the land coming up for sale. But if anyone in the club can think of any other topic to do with Draenen that needs a mention, then please tell me, e.g. Anette has suggested putting a bat grill (SGR - I assume she means a bat grille, no toasted bat on the menu...) in the new entrance gate.
CJD

Unconfirmed Madness

I am looking into the possibility of holding a Mendip Madness at the end of term - we're going to Mendip anyway and Nobby and I are pretty keen on organising a mad and amazing party down one or more caves. Neither of us have been to any previous "Madnesses", but they sounded fun and we reckon we could do just as well. Whether this happens depends on how many people are interested and are available on the weekend in question. I need to know the level of interest very quickly if we are going to have a Mendip Madness, so PLEASE could you e-mail me, phone me (01865 559938) or pigeon post a note to me at Jesus if you have any thoughts or queries about this, or if you can come. Thank you!
Jo "Unconfirmed Madness" Whistler