Indoor Caving Experience

[Evan G]

This is a rather interesting article. Of course many people have heard of a indoor rock climbing gym. But I have personally never heard of a indoor caving gym, it is a very interesting idea. In Japan they have indoor downhill skiing, so indoor caving gym ... Hmmm ... Food for thought.

Young people in night of honour
By Samantha Shale

A GROUP of teenagers who designed an indoor caving experience which all young people can use had their achievement celebrated last night.

The seven young people, who met at Blakewater College, formed an Adventure Learning Club based in Shadsworth, Blackburn, to help young people prepare for the real thing.

The group take part in a variety of adventure sports such as snowboarding and archery and decided to make three-storey caving an adventure experience all young people could enjoy.

Their achievement was recognised at The Blackburn with Darwen Youth Service Awards at King George's Hall, Blackburn.

The group are Dominic Wright, 16, Anthony Hargreaves, 17, Laura Hillary, 16, Luke Parker, 16, Kim Chapman, Leigh Nicholson, 17 and Mark Parkinson, 18.

Dominic said: "We wanted to do caving and it's expensive so you cannot expect people to pay for it, so this will be free.

"We applied to the Youth Opportunities Fund to help us build it ourselves."

The project was funded by £2,000 from the government's Youth Opportunity Fund and Youth Capital Fund.

Luke said: "We have seen the plans and we can't wait to see it done and work with other youth groups."

Chris Spencer, acting deputy youth service manager at the council's youth service team, said the group won because the project was innovative and something for everyone.

He said: "They were building something for all young people across the borough and it was very much young person led."

Some 65 projects in the borough shared £85,000 from the government project which aims to provide young people with things to do and places to go.

Other projects honoured at the ceremony included a programme of summer activities in Darwen and a refurbishment plan for a flood-hit rural youth centre. More than 200 young people aged between 11 and 25 received certificates.

Coun Maureen Bateson, executive member for children's services at Blackburn with Darwen Council, said: "This event highlights just how many young people are doing positive things in our borough.

"All too often we only hear about the negative. We can be proud of all their achievements which is the real cause for celebration."

Link: http://tinyurl.com/27udme

[killian]

Sounds cool love to see some pics in the future Even..

[cob]

At the "City Museum" in St louis they have an "indoor" cave. A freind of mine was working there at the time and tried to enlist my help. I declined. Why? It can't be done.

Where's the mud? Where's the water? where's the cold? Where's the loose rocks? Where's the ceiling sucks? The sudden 30 ft pits? The chest squeezes?

While what they ended up with is fine for inner city 8 yr olds for whom the closest to a cave they may ever get is a storm sewer... It is still pretty lame for the likes of us.

tom

[Evan G]

Sounds cool :Kewl: love to see some pics in the future Even..

Groan Roll of the eyes! Lets see what I can find.

[center]{Music starts "Welcome to the internet jungle we got fun and games"....click ... change channel, ahhh much better
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0LKEdx8n2Jk}[/center]

BTW Killian - Even will not always be greater than odd, but Evan equals me.



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Looks like the idea around the project is too create a 3-D modeling of a cave system that integrates into an existing structure.

http://www.outdoor-resources.co.uk/ropes_cave.html

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[center]Wolf Mountain
Black Country’s world class climbing venue[/center]
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Home Page is: http://www.wolfmountain.co.uk/[/center]

Boasting six rooms and including an indoor caving system – where a central cavern complete with fossils, stalagmites and stalactites is entered using a mine shaft entrance – Wolf Mountain has been designed and created by specialists.

These specialists need to be slapped silly. You'll understand when you see the pictures: http://www.wolfmountain.co.uk/indoorclimbingcentre.html


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Now the Welsh have it right (with a bit of pride , Hey what the heck we invented everything >>> roll of the eyes (the Brits will understand that joke)

Welsh International Climbing Center Link: http://www.indoorclimbingwalls.co.uk/indoor/caving.htm

The world's first simulated pothole, a unique facility at the Welsh International Climbing Centre, our artificial caving complex is built in sculptured concrete and designed to resemble a real cave with pothole features. Situated in the Taff Bargoed Valley, Wales' first simulated pothole includes: 150 metres of tunnel, vertical pitch, 4.5 metre waterfall, water course throughout, squeezes, letterbox, simulated sump and stalactites.

An unexpected bonus our caving complex has generated a variety of real stalactites, for example, fingers, straws and helectites.

Our artificial caving complex is a great introduction to the thrills of underground exploration.

If you enjoy this experience then why not book onto a real caving trip & explore the underground world in South Wales with a professionally instructed trip by WICC staff. A real adventure not to be missed!

But I have to admit "The world's first simulated pothole" just does NOT sound right!!!

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An interesting idea: If the NSS wants to continue to buy caves why not build a cave education center complete with a artifical cave.

At least all those homeless, starving, and broken speleothems would no longer be lost in someones house:
http://forums.caves.org/viewtopic.php?p=32199#32199