Hi All

From Cambrian Caving Council newsletter.

Two contracts have just been signed by a new company called Cave Access Ltd
(CAL) to provide access for cavers and mine explorers into eleven sites on
former Forestry Commission Wales and on former Countryside Council for Wales
land for one year. If these arrangements run smoothly then the agreements
will be extended for a longer period and additional sites can then be
considered. A twelfth site was dropped due to an impending land sale by the
government. CAL is envisaged as a dormant and not-for profit company with no
shareholders, no paid staff, and running independently of Cambrian Caving
Council. It serves to provide legal protection to the people who will issue
access permits. CAL will not be charging for permits to use the sites it
manages. Insurance is via the British Caving Association's policy which
covers amateur underground activities only. The nature of the risks that the
landowners wished to transfer to the scheme organisers made it impossible
for the Cambrian Caving Council itself or its officers to sign up to such a
serious legal undertaking personally. We are required to write Risk
Assessments and Management Plans before the permit system can go
operational. This will be done in stages with priority being given to Parc
Lead Mine, Rhiwbach Slate Mine, and Draethen Lead Mines. This
ground-breaking deal completed by the current council officers comes at the
end of a long and bumpy negotiation that was begun by the late Elsie Little.
The new access company has the three directors listed below at present. We
would appreciate a little more patience from potential underground visitors
while we get new systems up and running in what we believe will become a
lasting tribute to Elsie's vision and initiative, as well as being a model
approach which suits the 21st century legal environment.

Directors: Roy Fellows, Stuart France, Dave Tyson

Current schedule of mines:

Gwrych Castle Mines, Abergele; Parc Lead Mine, Gwydyr Forest; Cae Coch
Sulphur Mine, Gwydyr Forest; Rhiwbach Slate Quarry, Penmachno; Bryneglwys
Quarry, Abergynolwyn; Hendre Ddu Slate Quarry, Aberllefenni; Henfwlch Mine,
Nant-y-Moch, Ceredigion; Minllyn Slate Quarry, Dinas Mawddwy; Allt y Crib
Lead Mine, Tal-y-Bont, Ceredigion; Temple Mine, Rheidol Valley; Draethen
Lead Mines, Draethen, Caerphilly.


Kindest regards

Roy Fellows. Director

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