cave camping

[maverick]

Hi all,
I just been given the chance to spend a night cave camping I am excited but worried as well. Even though i will probably sleep near the entrance I was wondering if there is anything I should be aware of like dangers or bits of kit that would make my stay a little easier. your thought and advice would be much appreciated.

The cave ( i have not seen it yet) is on my local field archery range so I can have a nice dawn shoot as well

The owner (heavily into the reinactment scene) says he will allow wild camping on his land for bushcrafters at a small cost (a couple of quid a night) so if any archers fancy a shooting weekend (31 targets some 3d) I am sure it could be arranged. the only problem I see is that I cannot find a source of water but there must be some as the site is a abandoned village with a Norman church so water cannot be far away.

 

[outdoorgirl]

I've never done proper caving, but have spent many weekends in and out of caves near the surface, involved in activities similar to re-enactment.

Sleeping in caves usually involves moving rocks to find a reasonably flat place for the thermarest, but other than that you're looking at using a bivvy bag partly becuase of the much colder temperatures in caves, and partly because of the inevitable dripping...

Try and find out if the water level rises overnight, especially during rainy periods - that one caught us out once in some caves at the back of Bath University, and we ended up trekking back to the cars and sleeping damply in the cars overnight!

 

[Moonraker]

The village I live in here in France is set down in a limestone valley with many caves. I have spent some time exploring these (not caving rather than the cave mouths) and an ancient copper mine. The most interesting and most poignant are the hidden caves used by the 'Maquis' or local French resistance during the latter part of WWII. They are incredibly well disguised and some even have an escape tunnel. Very difficult to spot even from close up but giving strategic views across the valley. The Germans used bombers to try to flush them out apparentlybut the caves gave perfect protection.

In them they often built small naturally shaped stone walls to the front to provide additional cover, cut shelves and fireplaces into the limestone walls, so they are actually very comfortable and usable, offering wonderful shelter. As there are still people alive who lived through the occupation and still great sensitivity on this subject it is not talked about lots, but visiting these caves always carries with it an added dimension.

Not forgetting that the same caves have provided shelter for humankind for many thousands of years right back to Prehistoric times, where evidence of our ancestors activities can still be found in the region and even in our little valley they lived and used these same caves, that many years later served to provide a very different type of shelter.

Mostly these caves are dry and well sheltered if a little difficult to reach.

A few things to consider when sheltering in a cave is any potential danger of rock fall. Check for recently fallen rocks or loose rock above you. Also in a thunder storm a cave mouth can be dangerous place to be. "Only find shelter in a Cave if it is deep and dry. Do not stand directly under the cave's overhang. Do check for any existing residents, especially when in Bear country . They are often used by foxes and badgers in Europe too, which may not be dangerous but you will be disturbing their home.

Check out this web page for some nice info on the subject:

Tracker Trail - Wilderness Survival - Shelter - Caves

maverick, you might want to try some water dowsing or divining to find a source there. It works for me I am no expert although I have even seen Water board workers using it around Bath! I have seen gifted diviners and it is wonderful to watch, but even with a bent coat hanger or best of all, forked hazel twigs (used traditionally) have worked for me over known drainage pipes. I am sure there are some seasoned dowsers here

 

[george]

Maverick
do be careful of lighting fires in caves - depending on the rock type etc building too big a fire can cause the rock ceiling to heat up to the point where you can cause a collapse. I recall reading about an incident a year or two ago that resulted in some deaths from a collapsed cave roof after building a big fire.

George

 

[storm]

i spent a week sleeping in a cave in each of two locations (California and Washington State, US). One was in an outcropping of gneiss and epidote rocks, the other in basalt. The gneiss/epidote cave had standing water in portions of it and was quite humid (there were many seeps in the area due to tectonic activity). After the third night i noticed that my feet were getting "pickled" by the humidity (you know--the "dishpan-hands effect"), even though i wasn't wearing any socks at night.

having brought no foot powder, i was very glad that i could locate natural talc rocks to grind and use.

talc:

 

[lardbloke]

Another issure I remember regarding staying in caves in a possible lightning threat.
If lightning hits the hillside you are within, the lightning may use the cave to ground out (generally running across the ceiling of the cave itself). I think this is only a real problem with small caves with low head room and have never heard of anyone being affected by this but is worth bearing in mind.....

 

[Neanderthal]

Hi Maverick,

Be aware that smoke from your fire can fill up the cave and force you to stand out in the rain during the night, or so I'm told...

BTW Candles provide great lighting in a small cave, very atmospheric.

Neanderthal

 

[maverick]

You guys have got me worried now lol,

Thanks for the advice all, much appreciated!!

I have decided to set my basha up just outside the entrance the first night and try and cook and work within the cave. I like the idea of candles very nice.
I was really suprised about the dangers of lighting so a close weather watch is in order I think.

Moonraker one of the head greenkeepers where I work uses dowsing to find drainage systems that have been blocked or damaged as it is impossible to remember where all the drains are on three golf courses (He use welding rods ) so like you I know it works

Once again, Thanks! I will let you know how I get on and hopefully take a couple of pics. might even take a peace of flint I picked up at the M,M moot and do a bit of knapping. very caveman me thinks

cheers