SWCC Fixed Aids

The Members of South Wales Caving Club can accept no responsibility for any loss or injury caused to any caver using a Fixed Aid in any cave administered by them.

Below is a list of Fixed Aids in the caves in this area. These are the only Fixed Aids approved and maintained by SWCC and are recognisable by the presence of a metal disc stamped SWCC, similar to the one shown here, which is attached to each approved Fixed Aid. All other aids within the caves are unauthorised. You are strongly advised not to use them, as they are mostly of uncertain age and origin. You are also asked not to leave ropes etc. in place, where they may be used by other cavers.

Fixed Aids should always be carefully inspected before use. The user is entirely responsible for assessing whether they are happy to use any fixed aid in the caves, whether official or otherwise. The use of additional safety measures such as lifelines or cow’s tails is strongly recommended wherever possible.

It is the responsibility of all leaders taking parties into the caves to ensure that all members of their party have read and understood this notice. If you discover any issue with a fixed aid in a cave controlled by SWCC, please report it to the Permit Secretary as soon as possible by phone or at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Rigging Topos

Click here for OFD Rigging Topos

Current Fixed Aids issues

OFD:

• The fixed rope on the 'Diver's Pitch climb' is somewhat worn; users are recommended to check the state of the rope before use.

Cwm Dwr:

• The original timbering in the entrance shaft is rotten. Please take care to avoid disturbing any loose fill, particularly in the lower section of the entrance where it has not yet been scaffolded.

Tunnel Cave:

• Tunnel Top entrance has been resin anchored by Caving Wales/Ogofa Cymru (topo to be produced in due course). All fixed ropes have been removed.

OFD I: Entrance gate; entrance ladders x 3; Pots 1 to 4 scaffold poles; Maypole chain; Maypole traverse wire; Low's Chain (steps); Bolt Traverse wires, ladder and bar; Airy Fairy traverse wire
Cwm Dwr: Entrance series
Cwm Dwr II: Entrance
OFD II: Entrance; Divers' Pitch line; Fault Aven bar; Streamway markers (Fault Aven, Marble Showers, Great Oxbow, Maypole Inlet), Brigadier Glennie's Ladder; Maypole Inlet foothold and ladder
OFD III: Maypole Bridge
Tunnel Cave: Top entrance

There are also a number of anchor installations throughout the caves, some of which are now very old. These are listed separately as, while they are SWCC Fixed Aids, they are in many cases life-expired and not up to modern standards. The user is strongly encouraged to use their own judgement as to whether they consider these anchors safe enough to use after careful inspection and judgement. These anchors may be replaced by resin anchors under the BCA/CCC anchor scheme in the future (see below).

OFD II: Letterbox bolt; Fault Aven bolts

The following anchors have recently been removed from the Fixed Aids list; their stamped tags may not have been removed from the anchors yet; this will be done in due course. These anchors are life-expired and are no longer maintained or inspected.

OFD II: Midnight Passage P30 bolt; Maypole Inlet bolt; Arete climb bolts

Caving Wales/Ogofa Cymru Fixed Aids

A number of anchors in local caves are resin anchors placed under the BCA Anchor Scheme through Caving Wales/Ogofa Cymru. These anchors are not maintained by SWCC and do not undergo regular inspection. For further details please contact Caving Wales/Ogofa Cymru. These anchors can be found (for example) in Pwll Dwfn and the entrance anchors in Pant Mawr.

In OFD these anchors can be found:

• on the Nave pitches
• on the Columns pitch
• at the top of Low's Chain (for lifelining)
• on the Bedding Chambers pitch
• on the Chasm pitches
• on the Swamp Creek pitch
• above the Skyhook pitch
• on the p20 and p8 pitches in the upper Great Oxbow series
• On a pitch on the bypass to Lavender Way on the route to Northern Lights
• On the Crevasse

In Tunnel Cave these anchors can be found on the entrance pitches.

Rigging topos can be found here.

Test page for 75th Publication Distribution

Samples

P70-71-HQ-D

Ogof Ffynnon Ddu Cave Advisory Group (OFDCAG)

Following the withdrawal of NRW (National Resources Wales) from the direct management of OFD via the OFDCMC (OFD Cave Management Committee), a new committee of SWCC was set up, in conjunction with NRW, to advise both SWCC and NRW regarding various aspect of the cave and caving in the OFD area. This is the Ogof Ffynnon Ddu Cave Advisory Group, as detailed in the Terms of Reference and the Memorandum of Understanding below. For information about access to OFD, click here.

Memorandum_of_Understanding_SWCC_NRW_signed.pdf

OFD CAG Members

Chair: Tony Baker
Secretary: Allan Richardson
OFD Wardens (up to 10)
SWCC Conservation Officer: Dave Dobson
SWCC Fixed Aids Officer: Andrew McLeod
SWCC Permit Secretary: Luke Ashton
Cambrian Caving Council representative
Two club representatives from the Annual Permit Holding clubs
South and Mid-Wales Cave Rescue Team (SMWCRT) representative

OFD Annual Permit Holding Clubs

Click here for the list of 2025 Annual Permit holders

Upcoming Meetings

The next OFD CAG meeting date is to be confirmed.

Meeting Minutes

• December 8th 2019
• December 5th 2021
• June 5th 2022
• December 4th 2022
• May 28th 2023
• December 3rd 2023
• May 29th 2024
• December 9th 2024

The Columns

Access to the columns is restricted in the interests of conservation. On Columns days, access is managed by OFD Wardens. Columns days are New Year plus the Sunday of every bank holiday weekend.

Obituaries of Past Members

John Lister - Tributes to John Lister read at his funeral [6/5/17]

Nig Rogers - Nig Rogers Obituary by Paul Tarrant [Aug 2018]

Mick Day - Mick Day Obituary by Jem Rowland and Fred Levett

John Harvey - John Harvey Obituary by Jem Rowland [Oct 2024]