Caving for Nature - Event info

Date TBC for March 2025 - register interest by emailing fundraising@somersetwildlife.org and you'll be first to know when the date is confirmed.

Your arrival time and 30 minute caving time slot will be assigned to on the weeks leading up to the challenge.

Time slots will fall between 9:30am and 1pm.

If you require a specific time slot, you need to change it, or you’d like to confirm your time sooner, please email fundraising@somersetwildlife.org or call 07549 031738.

Upon arrival, please head straight to the Goatchurch Cavern parking area to check in at the Somerset Wildlife Trust gazebo.

You’ll wait to be called forward by your instructor for your safety brief and to be fitted with an oversuit, headtorch and helmet.

Our instructor will talk through what you're about to do, and will guide you to the entrance of the cave, in groups of 6-10. It’s about a 15 minute walk up a rocky path to the entrance.

From there you follow a rope through the cave; there will be a qualified instructor at strategic places to ensure you don’t get lost or struggle with a climb or tight bit.

There is a short climb of approx. 6m at the end, which will be manned. The whole trip underground can last from 15-30 minutes, depending on how fast you go!

It’s about a 15 minute walk up a rocky path to the entrance, then you'll spend around 15 - 30 minutes underground depending how fast you go.

Places are limited and expected to fill up quickly, so register your interest today by emailing fundraising@somersetwildlife.org to be first to know when the date is confirmed and bookings go live.

Participants aged 9-17 to be accompanied by an adult underground.

Park at either Goatchurch Cavern parking area where we will meet, or additional parking at Burrington Coombe public car park, BS40 7AT.

You will walk, slide, crawl, scramble, shimmy and get an all over workout as well as a unique experience, but if you have medical issues then please talk to us first to find out if caving is OK for you.

Toilets are located on site at our meeting point at Goatchurch Cavern parking area.

Bring your own refreshments. 

Please ensure you bring the following with you on the day:

• your booking confirmation
• a hair bobble to tie back long hair
• comfortable clothing and footwear (wellies or walking boots) TRAINERS ARE NOT ACCEPTABLE. You’ll be provided with an oversuit.
• nothing in your pockets that may fall out - phone/keys/money.
• If you require any medication on the day, please bring it with you - especially asthma inhalers.
• We’ll provide you with a helmet and a bright, long-lasting, head-torch.

Yes! At the time of writing, we will need to limit spectators to one spectator per person abseiling so that we can ensure social distancing. 

If anything changes, we will update you. 

Our Caving for Nature is suitable for complete beginners, even if you have never done anything like this before.

There may be small spaces but claustrophobia is rarely an issue – you’ll be so fascinated by the environment around you that you won’t think about the squeezy bit! If you are worried, please do call our instructor Ian at Aardvark Endeavours on 07976 315121 or email aard.endeavours@hotmail.co.uk

Climbing, caving and other outdoor activities are risk sports. Aardvark Endeavours are fully insured and have an excellent safety record which they intend to keep. However you are advised to take out a personal accident insurance policy to cover you in the unlikely event of an accident. Aardvark Endeavours and Somerset Wildlife Trust staff and representatives cannot be liable for loss or damage to personal belongings, injury or death during activities which do not result from our negligence.

We think £100 is a good target to aim for, but there is no minimum sponsorship - every penny helps! 

If you are struggling, contact Kate who is always happy to share ideas and offer advice - fundraising@somersetwildlife.org  No matter how much you are able to raise, every penny helps us continue to protect our wildlife and wild places - thank you for your support.

No. Your registration fee covers the cost of your caving experience, allowing all of the funds you raise to go to Somerset Wildlife Trust.

The money you raise will help Somerset Wildlife Trust protect our wildlife and wild places here in Somerset.

Somerset Wildlife Trust is:

- increasing habitat connectivity across the county

- increasing wildlife's resilience to current and future pressures

- working to influence Somerset's policy-making and planning decisions which affect the county's wildlife and wider environment

- engaging people and communities to value and take action to protect wildlife

- allowing nature to recover in our nature reserves and beyond

Thank you for helping us!