When you mention caving to a regular person, the first thing that will almost always come to their mind is crawling through narrow, tight spaces. It’s the natural put-off to the sport and Ogof Y Daren Cilau, located on Llangattock, is no stranger to it. It is one of the longest cave systems in the UK, spanning an impressive 27km (16.8 miles) and containing incredible formations that cannot be found anywhere else in the country. It is the caver’s dream. However, there is just one problem... It’s guarded by a 517-metre long entrance series consisting of crawling, squeezing, thrutching, wriggling and splashing in confined passages. This lengthy and arduous start acts as a barrier, preserving the beautiful formations and passages which lie beyond it in the depths of the cave.
Now to the real reason for this article, South Mid Wales Cave Rescue Team (SMWCRT) is a volunteer rescue organisation that assists cavers in need when they are stuck, lost, injured, or hypothermic. They’re funded entirely by public donations to pay for the necessary kit and training to maintain the service. Members of the Caving and Canyoning society have personally experienced the support of rescue teams, and many more experienced club members have become part of the Cave Rescue Team.
This year to help raise money to support SMWCRT, the Cardiff University Caving and Canyoning Club will be completing a tag-team marathon inside the entrance series. To finish the marathon distance of 42.195km, members of the club would have to complete the entrance series, which is 0.517km long, eighty-two times! It takes the average person two hours to do the full round-trip, so it will be a long day for the group of twenty cavers attempting this challenge. While doing this, the team will also be removing any rubbish and camping equipment that has been left behind by previous cavers, to help keep the cave in good condition. The club is undertaking this challenge on Saturday the 15th of March and all donations go to South Mid Wales Cave Rescue Team. They have currently raised £433 and their overall goal is to reach £1000.
We wish them the best of luck with this immense challenge!