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.
Duração: Curso residencial de 5 dias
Localização: CCAT Halton perto de Lancaster, Lake District & Yorkshire Dales National Park
Preço do curso: £50
Elegibilidade: Cadetes com mais de 15 anos e CFAVs
Pré-requisitos: Não existem pré-requisitos para os CFAV, mas os cadetes devem ter concluído o seu programa de duas estrelas.
Certificação do curso: 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: Este curso também cumpre os requisitos da secção Residencial Gold DofE.
Se estiver interessado em frequentar este curso, dirija-se ao comandante do seu destacamento ou contingente.