In 1971, in the first of the 'new style Volume 2' Andrew Nichols commented that financial support of CUCC by the university amounted to the equivalent of "4 squares of chocolate and a trip down P8 for each member". The support we recieve is still at a low level and production of a journal is getting increasingly difficult. We are grateful to the firms that have sponsored us by placing adverts in the journal, and I would ask readers to support these and mention CUCC when replying to them.

Obviously there is no point in bringing out a publication such as this if we have nothing to report, and it is quite a job to persuade people to write up what they have been doing. The purpose of CAMBRIDGE UNDERGROUND is twofold. It serves to keep other cavers informed as to what CUCC is doing in the way of exploration (digging, diving, surveying and so on) and it serves as a rather stylish newsletter amongst our members. If the caving, or the writing up, is lacking as it was last year then the journal will be of less interest outside Cambridge. The club's northern branch - EXCS - are currently digging in Penyghent Pot and Rob Shackleton's dive has very nearly connected (or not as the case may be) Little Hull Pot to Penyghent Pot. A report on this will have to wait until the next issue because if I wait any longer this will be the next issue. Progress in the club's North Wales digs Ogof Rhewl and Ogof Ty Mawr is also too minimal to report.

Waiting for articles delays the journal every year, but I anticipate that there will be sufficient material and enthusiasm to bring out the next journal early in 1981. Hopefully next year's journal will include the surveys that are missing this year (I am partly to blame here! - see page 7), and a report of progress in Penyghent. The club is rather low on expertise at the moment and what there has been, has accumulated amongst the ex-resident members which accounts for the lack of original work. In fact, so many ex-members of the university are continuing to cave actively, particularly in the Dales, that they have formed themselves into an associate club - EXCS - The Ex Cambridge Speleologists, to make it easier to buy tackle and book trips. Membership is open to all graduate members of Cambridge University, and details are given on page 55.

If you do not know the address of the current CUCC officers we can be contacted via our new permanent mailing address which is:

Cambridge University Caving Club,
c/o Dr. J.C.D.Hickson,
Pembroke College,
CAMBRIDGE.
CB2 1RF

Because exploration of 106/Eislufhöhle was spread over three years a 'guidebook' style summary has been included, but back numbers of the relevant journals are still available (see page 52). I have also included an index to Volume 2 of the journal. To save money we attempted to prepare the photographic material ourselves. This turned out to be very time consuming and the results are not perfect. The stereo photographs that were to go with the article have had to be left out due to the time problem.

I would like to thank all those who helped with production: Charles Butcher, John Cownie, Brian Derby and Steve Roberts for helping with the typing; Piete Brooks at the Computer Laboratory; Robin Gibson at the BBC Engineering Designs Department; all those who caved and told me about it, and Mr G.Bourne the Chief Clerk at Fitz, to whom we are very grateful for letting us use the college's printing facilities.

David Gibson - Editor
Charles Butcher - Assistant Editor