Surveys

The Mendip Cave Survey Scheme is an informal working relationship between the BEC, CSS, MCG, MNRC, SMCC and the WCC. Copies of the original surveys are deposited at a central location and are then always available to member clubs of the scheme.

The obvious main advantage of such a scheme is that the survey remains accessible long after the surveyor has given up caving, moved away to another area or lost their originals. Cave surveyors are therefore requested to always forward a copy of the survey for inclusion within the scheme and arrangements can be made to have copies produced. The scheme is not entirely restricted to Mendip caves and a full list of available surveys and the prices is available from The Cave Survey Scheme, Joan Goddard, The Meadows, Cheddar Road, Axbridge, Somerset, BS26 2DL. In the Access Guide section of this web site the cave name is followed by an (S) in some instances. This indicates that a survey is available through the Mendip Survey Scheme.

There are surveys of many Mendip caves not included in the Survey Scheme. Copies of these can be inspected in the various club newsletters and journals. The appropriate references will found by consulting the guidebooks:

• Mendip. The Complete Caves and A View of The Hills by N. Barrington and W.I. Stanton (ISBN 0 9501459 2 0) published 1977. (Out of Print)
• Mendip Underground, A Caver’s Guide by D.J. Irwin and A.R. Jarratt, (ISBN 0 95361 0 6) published 1999.

Or by checking through the annually produced Speleological Abstracts now incorporating Current Titles in Speleology available from BCRA Publication Sales