Application for Grant Aid

Submitted on: 31 Jan 2010


Expedition details (GPF2010a-010)

Expedition Name (& Club): Matienzo 2010
Destination country: Spain
Region:
Lat: 43.3148 Long: -3.5851 Elevation: m
MEF funding: none

Leader: Juan Corrin
Total cavers: 25
Cavers ≤25 yrs old: 0
Cavers 25-35 yrs old: 0
UK/nonUK cavers: 20/5
Eligible for grant aid: 0
Alex Pitcher nominations: 0
Expedition dates: 17th Jul 2010 - 21st Aug 2010
Duration (days): 36
Man-days in field: 560 Man-days travelling: 0
Brief Expedition objectives:

List a short summary of the main Expedition objectives.

Continued cave exploration, survey, photo, etc and surface prospecting within our 96sq km area.
How can the GPF support your Expedition?:

Please explain the aspects of the trip which make it eligible for Ghar Parau funding.

This summer expedition is one of a number that will occur during 2010. In particular, Easter is likely to see >200 man-days of cave exploration. Costs are based on an average 20 people for 4 weeks. As always, at this date, exact numbers and personnel are not known. Between 20 and 40 cavers are expected and turn up every year. (In 2009, 90 cavers and associates sat down for the expedition meal at Easter.) Of these, some 10 - 20% would be new to caving abroad. Spanish and Danish cavers were involved on a number of occasions in recent years; we expect the same participation this year. We are also celebrating 40 years of British-led expeditions to Matienzo along with 50 years of speleology started by Spanish groups.
Detailed description of objectives:

Give a more detailed account of the purpose of the trip, including any particular known caves you intend to visit, specific areas where you will explore for new cave, and scientific experiments you will attempt.

Numbers correspond to numbers on the enclosed area map 1: Pushing upstream and above in Torca La Vaca, to reach Cobadal depressions and ..? 2: Continue exploration in the Sistema de los Cuatro Valles. 3: Continue exploration in the Sistema de Cubija: Torcón de la Calleja Rebollo, Torca de Mostajo and Torca de Regaton aiming to link with Cobadal. 4: Pushing above and to the west of Cueva de Bollón; exciting possibilities of extending the Four Valleys System west towards the Cubija and Cobadal systems. 5: Pushing in the Sumidero de Cobadal to possibly link with the Cubija and Four Valleys Systems. 6: Continued exploration in Cueva del Torno at Fresnedo. 7: Continue exploration in Fuente Aguanaz. 8: Exploration of open entrances on Mullir and other areas. (Over 560 unexplored sites from 3330 to investigate). 9: Pushing in Cueva Vallina, S Vega System and other sites above the expected area of connection. 10: Continue training of younger team members in expedition caving skills. 11: Continue investigation of "new" 6.5sqkm in permit area to W of Alisas. All caves mentioned have going leads.
Previous work in this area:

Give details of any previous work in this area by your own and other teams. Include references to reports and articles published on the area, and the names of any local cavers or academics with whom you have discussed the Expedition.

We're the major explorers. Some references: Cuadernos II, VIII, IX-X; Matienzo 74; Matienzo 75; MUSS Journals 8, 9, 10; Articles in Caves & Caving 8 11 14 18 22 26 32 35 41 44 49 55 58 63 66 70 75 79 83 87 89; Speleology 2, 3 & 5. Trans 8.1 and article in 10.3; articles about the explorations and archaeology in Spanish journals by Peter Smith. Most recent major overview in Spanish is in Actas del V Congresso Español de Espeleología (1990), pp345 - 355 (Federación Española de Espeleología). Annual summaries published with Federación Cántabra de Espeleología. A major work is Ruiz Cobo Jesús and Smith Peter et al, 2001. The Archaeology of the Matienzo Depression, North Spain. In BAR International Series 975, 224 pages. La Cueva de Cofresnedo en el Valle de Matienzo, a 198 page colour book summarising a 6 year archaeological project by the same authors, was published 4 years ago by the Cantabrian Government. Expedition reports for 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 have appeared in recent Speleology issues. The 2009 report is with Erin Lynch. A "complete" history & cave descriptions are at www.matienzo.org.uk.

Expedition Finances

Travel

Travel plans:
Plymouth/Portsmouth-Santander ferry, or cross-channel then drive. Or plane to Santander or Bilbao.


# from UK: 20 Travel costs breakdown (for personnel leaving from the UK):
Total costs from UK: £8,300

# from outside UK: 0 Travel costs breakdown (for personnel leaving from the UK):
Total costs from outside UK: £0

Travel total: £8,300 Travel p.p. from UK: £415
Travel p.p. from outside UK: £0

Subsistence

Total: £4,700 Comments:
Subsistence p.p.: £188 Other costs

Gear

Total: £0 Comments:
Gear p.p.: £0
Exped Total: £13,000 Exped cost p.p. travelling from UK: £603
Exped cost p.p. travelling from outside UK: £188
Mean Exped cost per person: £520

Other Funding

Total: £0 Comments:
Total shortfall: £0 Mean shortfall per person: £0

Referees and Report

Please give the names, addresses and phone numbers of two suitably qualified people whom the Committee can contact. You should ensure that they are aware of the objectives of your trip, and that you have their permission for the Committee to contact them.

Referee 1:
Affiliation:

Reason:

Permission obtained?: No
Referee 2:
Affiliation:

Reason:

Permission obtained?: No

Expedition report author: