Archived News 2014
Above - Formations in Ogof Draenen. |
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Officers reports for 2014 CCC AGM. CCC Accounts for 2014 - Click here |
Craig y Cilau Rock fall /Land slide - 13th November 2014
Significant sized rocks, maybe upto 3m square, rolled and bounced down the hill, knocking into trees and crossing the small track that makes it way up the hillside through the woods to the tramroad below the escarpment.
Caving group approaching the lower path junction from cattle grid road end heard loud thundering noise and saw rocks bounding towards them, fortunately they were far enough away not to cause any harm.
A465 dualling Clydach Gorge going ahead - October 2014
On 1 October 2014 Welsh Transport Minister Edwina Hart announced her acceptance of the Public Inquiry inspector's findings and recommendations that the dual carriageway should be built subject to some minor modifications to the original plan. The announcement is here: http://wales.gov.uk/topics/transport/roads/schemes/reports/?lang=en
The main engineering contractor Costain Ltd have contacted Stuart France, Conservation Officer, looking for a meeting fairly soon.
Little Neath River Cave - September 2014
On Saturday 27/9/2014 the cavers entrance to LNRC still smelled strongly of diesel. This problem subsides the further that you go in, and at the Bridge Cave confluence it is only slight. Bridge Cave itself is not affected. Visits into LNRC at the present time are not advised for safety reasons and further announcements will be made when matters improve. For information about diesel, see this:
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/317389/HPA_Compendium_of_Chemical
_Hazards_DIESEL__v3.pdf
The sandstone rocks and boulders seem to have absorbed it, being somewhat porous, while the harder limestone rock is relatively unscathed. Some rocks now have a shiny veneer on which round water droplets form like water in a greasy frying pan. Many little pools have got a waxy film floating on top (see photos) which I guess has been left behind when the volatile hydrocarbons evaporated off.
The large banks of pretty gour pools near the confluence are also affected but it is not clear if this is because some pollution arrived via the small upper stream that feeds the gours or from recent cavers’ movements. This is another reason not to go in there right now. However, if you must, then launder your caving gear well afterwards.
The earliest of these diesel incidents that I can find on the forum was in April 2008. If you experienced any of these incidents personally, then please email me at conservationofficer@cambriancavingcouncil.org.uk with your contact details plus a few sentences about your findings. I will call you back later as I work through the process of building up the big picture and feed information through to NRW who have begun their own inquiries. I would especially like to hear from anyone who has explored in LNRC in the past 6 weeks or so.
Many thanks
Stuart France
Cambrian Caving Council letter to PDCMG - July 2014, Click here to view copy of letter presented to PDCMG.
Tunnel Cave - June 2014, For the present Tunnel Cave will only be accessible from the top entrance, as the airlock doors have developed a fault and have now been sealed.
Porth yr Ogof - April 2014
Please be aware that the Main entrance and Tradesman’s entrance into Port yr Ogof will be closed to access on Tuesday 8th April so that loose rocks can be saftly removed from cliff face. All lower entrances will remain open as normal.
Hospital Cave - January 2014
No access to Hospital Cave until further notice.