Descent Caving Magazine

14/11/2025

Our December/January issue has a publication date of 6 December, so there is still time if you want to take out a subscription or need to renew your current one.

Photo: Stone Horse Cave, Mulu. Winner of the Digital category in the Hidden Earth photo salon, by Chris Howes.

https://www.descentmagazine.co.uk/shop/descent-subscription/

13/11/2025

Fantastic news!

UNESCO Proclaims the International Day of Caves and Karst!

At today’s General Conference of UNESCO in Samarkand (12 November 2025), 13 September was officially proclaimed the International Day of Caves and Karst — a global recognition of the significance of the hidden world beneath our feet.
The initiative was proposed to UNESCO by the Republic of Slovenia, following the proposal of the International Union of Speleology (UIS), in close cooperation with the Slovenian National Commission for UNESCO, the Permanent Delegation of Slovenia to UNESCO, and the Karst Research Institute ZRC SAZU, where the UIS headquarters has been based in Postojna, Slovenia.
Caves and karst cover nearly one quarter of the Earth’s land surface and provide drinking water to over a billion people. They preserve unique subterranean biodiversity, geological archives, and invaluable cultural heritage. Yet, they remain among the least understood and most fragile ecosystems on our planet.
The International Day of Caves and Karst will help raise global awareness, promote research, education, and international cooperation in science, environmental protection, culture, and sustainable tourism.
The UIS warmly thanks all UNESCO Member States that supported the initiative, as well as the UNESCO scientific programmes (IGGP, MAB, IHP) and international partners including the International Science Council (ISC), IUCN, and more than 150 organizations worldwide that endorsed the proposal. Our sincere appreciation goes to the Slovenian National Commission for UNESCO and the Permanent Delegation of the Republic of Slovenia to UNESCO in Paris for their dedicated diplomatic efforts and continuous support.
From now on, September 13 will unite the global cave and karst community in celebrating and protecting these vital landscapes — for science, for nature, and for humanity.
Don’t forget, in 2026 we will celebrate the first ever International Day of Caves and Karst on 13 September!
Nadja Zupan Hajna, UIS Past President

To learn more, visit:
International Day of Caves and Karst website: https://www.caveskarstday.org/
UIS official website: https://uis-speleo.org/

12/11/2025

Great beers and caving photos, what's not to like! Our photo exhibition will be on display at Fell Kendal for the next three weeks. Enjoy!

11/11/2025

'Sometimes I wonder where he is now. In my mind, he’s perched upon a kindling woven bar stool, drinking avian mead with his Fulmar friends, squawking about the craziest and scariest adventure of his life.'
You can read Stanley Lewis's report of an unlikely animal rescue in Descent 306.
In the photo: Dan Rose, Felix Arnautovic, a Fulmar and Stanley Lewis, by Daniel Runcan

https://www.descentmagazine.co.uk/shop/descent-306-october-2025/

07/11/2025

Calling all CHECC member clubs! There is still time to be creative and film a short-form video for a chance to win some prizes for your club.
The T&Cs: All CHECC member clubs can take part, with a max of 3 entries per caving club. The videos need to be brand new (never shown or displayed in the past) and we will not accept any videos that show any damage to caves, so please abide by all relevant conservation guidelines!
To take part, the videos need to be published on Instagram or Facebook (make sure you tag us and CHECC or we might not see it!) by the 12th of November, just before Big CHECC.
All entries will be judged by the Descent team (and may be used by Descent and CHECC in their social media profiles in the future).

Artwork is by the CHECC Committee.

This competition is in no way endorsed by or affiliated with Facebook.

06/11/2025

We have a winner! Glenn Costin's name was drawn out of an almost clean caving helmet and wins two tickets to the Underground Session at Kendal Mountain Festival. Thank you to all who took part and don't fret, there are still a few tickets on sale.
Carolina, our Publishing Manager, will be on stage talking about the Matienzo Caves Project, so, if you attend, see you there!

https://tickets.kendalmountainfestival.com/schedule/6863c75721112a8ad1f9382e

03/11/2025

'In Cueva de Rascavieja, we found 663m of big and exciting new stuff, with some large chambers, much walking passage and speleothems everywhere.'
This summer, cavers celebrated 65 years of underground exploration in Matienzo, northern Spain. In Descent 306, Chris Scaife recounts the Gran Fiesta and summarises the major cave discoveries.
In the photo: Zane Pilch in Lloyd's Grotto, Cueva de Rascavieja, Matienzo, by Chris Scaife

https://www.descentmagazine.co.uk/shop/descent-306-october-2025/

30/10/2025

There is still time to enter!

We have a little competition for Descent readers, based on articles in issue 306. For a chance to win two tickets for the Underground Session at Kendal Mountain Festival, send us your answers to the following questions by email ([email protected]) or private message on here (obviously don't post them as a comment or you'll ruin it for everyone!):

1. In which Matienzo cave was 663m of 'big and exciting new stuff' discovered this summer?
2. Which English cave is home to Blind Optimism Chamber and One Nostril Chamber?
3. What was the first underground trip for Daniel Simpkins, the director of The Lost Boys of Carbis Bay?
The Ts and Cs: One entry per person. All entries must be received by the 31st of October and all correct answers will be entered into a draw. The winner will be announced shortly after.
This competition is in no way endorsed by or affiliated with Facebook.

27/10/2025

'Dan was tempted to say, "Just do a splay", as he thought that it didn’t go anywhere, but he knew there was a bit of a junction at the end, so slipped down again to do the complete survey. He peered around a previously missed corner that led to a new passage heading north.'
Redhouse Lane Swallet in the Forest of Dean continues to be a treasure trove of underground glory, and recent discoveries in this cave are summarised by Tim Nichols in Descent 306.
In the photo: George Tolley in the Redhouse Lane Swallet entrance series, by Bartek Biela

https://www.descentmagazine.co.uk/shop/descent-306-october-2025/

20/10/2025

'The pristinely decorated caves could challenge any in the world for their beauty.'
The 19th International Congress of Speleology was held this year in Belo Horizonte, Brazil. In Descent 306, Chris Howes reports on the congress, as well as the stunning caving trips on offer.
In the photo: Judith Calford in Caverna Santana, São Paulo, Brazil, by Chris Howes.

https://www.descentmagazine.co.uk/shop/descent-306-october-2025/

17/10/2025

We have a little competition for Descent readers, based on articles in issue 306. For a chance to win two tickets for the Underground Session at Kendal Mountain Festival, send us your answers to the following questions by email ([email protected]) or private message on here (obviously don't post them as a comment or you'll ruin it for everyone!):

1. In which Matienzo cave was 663m of 'big and exciting new stuff' discovered this summer?
2. Which English cave is home to Blind Optimism Chamber and One Nostril Chamber?
3. What was the first underground trip for Daniel Simpkins, the director of The Lost Boys of Carbis Bay?
The Ts and Cs: One entry per person. All entries must be received by the 31st of October and all correct answers will be entered into a draw. The winner will be announced shortly after.
This competition is in no way endorsed by or affiliated with Facebook.

16/10/2025

The SUI welcomes the contribution of younger cavers to the caving community and is delighted to announce the Young Cavers Award to support expeditionary caving by younger cavers! For more details on all our funding Read more…