About us
Dudley Caving Club is a welcoming and active group of cavers based in the Midlands region of England. We meet on the 1st and 3rd Thursday evening of every month at the historic Old Ruiton Windmill in Upper Gornal. Our members range from experienced cavers to beginners, and we are always happy to welcome new members who share our passion for exploring the underground world.
We organise regular caving trips and expeditions to various locations in the UK and abroad, providing opportunities for cavers of all skill levels to challenge themselves and discover new caves. Our club also offers training and equipment for those interested in learning more about the technical aspects of caving.
Dudley Caving Club meets at:
The Old Ruiton Windmill
Vale Street, Upper Gornal, Dudley
DY3 3XF
WHAT3WORDS ///demand.slows.wants
The windmill is 40 feet high, an abseil frame has been fitted to the roof and DMM resin-bonded hangers have been fitted to the outside wall. This makes the mill an ideal venue for electron ladder and SRT practice - including rigging "Y" hangs, re-belays and deviations.
We meet on the first and third Thursday of each month at about 8.00pm. Access to the Mill is gained via a ramp from the car park off Vale Street.
PARKING
There is now a new car park accessible off Vale Street - see below.
Please DO NOT PARK anywhere in Stone Mill Walk as it is a private road.
Meet the Team
Meet some of the members of Dudley Caving Club and witness how much fun caving can be!
With apologies to Tommy Boyce, Bobby Hart and The Monkees.
A Brief History of DCC
Dudley Cave Rescue Team
The club was originally called Dudley Cave Rescue Team and it was formed in 1966 as part of the Dudley Auxiliary Fire Service after a number of incidents in the underground limestone caverns around Dudley. In its early years it was called out on several occasions. Soon the activities of the team spread to mine and cave exploration throughout the UK.
Leslie Whittle/Black Panther
In the 1970s the majority of the limestone mines were filled in and so there was a much reduced need for the Club's services. The last callout was in 1975 when the Club was asked to carry out an extensive search of the remaining underground workings. This was to do with the infamous Leslie Whittle/Black Panther case.
Cave Rescue
Cave and abandoned mine rescue in the Midlands is now covered by the Midlands Cave Rescue Organisation (MCRO), but the club has always maintained its rescue links and 18 members of Dudley Caving Club are also members of MCRO. Members of DCC assisted in a successful rescue in Snailbeach Mine, Shropshire on 16th November 2011 when a member of a party exploring the mine suffered an epileptic fit resulting in her falling from the top of a short ladder on the slope up from the 40 yard level. She complained of neck, back and pelvic pain and subsequently suffered a number of further fits. Once she was comfortable and stable in the stretcher, she was hauled 90 metres up Chapel Shaft to the surface
DCC Today
In 1999 the name of the club was changed to Dudley Caving Club. The Club these days is a general caving club and members regularly visit all of the main caving regions in England and Wales: the Yorkshire Dales, Derbyshire, North and South Wales and the Mendips.
