Caving is an amazing activity that gives you the chance to see a stunning natural world usually hidden beneath our feet. The north of England alone has hundreds of kilometres of water-formed cave passages, chambers, interesting geology and stunning formations.
It’s not all about the horror stories you might hear of tight spaces, crawling in water, coldness and rescues, caving, even just within the UK, can offer a vast range of environments, including those much more conventionally enjoyable.
The Caving Foundation course provides participants with the essential skills needed to safely explore and navigate moderate cave systems. The course covers planning a caving journey, including cave selection using guidebooks and surveys, hazard evaluation, and route planning. Participants will develop navigation skills both above and below ground, learning to interpret maps, use compass bearings, and understand cave surveys. Practical training also includes mastering key knots—such as the overhand knot, figure-eight, and Italian hitch—and securing themselves with harnesses and rope management techniques.
In addition to journey planning and navigation, the course focuses on hands-on cave movement skills, teaching participants to walk, stoop, crawl, and wade safely. They will also practice ladder and lifeline techniques for ascending and descending, belaying, and rope handling. Safety is a core component, with training on group control, hazard recognition, and emergency management. By the end of the course, participants will have gained a solid foundation in caving techniques, environmental awareness, and equipment use, preparing them to be confident and responsible members of a caving group.
Duration: 5 day residential course
Location: CCAT Halton near Lancaster, Lake District & Yorkshire Dales National Park
Course fee: £50
Eligibility: Cadets aged 15+ and CFAVs
Prerequisites: There are no prerequisites for CFAVs but Cadets must have completed their Two star syllabus.
Course Certification: Successful participants will be awarded the appropriate CCAT Cave Foundation Certification. Additionally for cadets, this meets the requirement of the three star AT element of the Army Cadet Syllabus.
DofE: This course also meets the requirements of the Gold DofE Residential section.
Please speak to your detachment or contingent commander if you are interested in attending this course.