25-28 September, Wojcieszów, Poland
This meeting was organized by GOPR and GRJ on behalf of the European Cave Rescue Association (ECRA) in the small Polish town of Wojcieszów on the Kwisa River. It is renowned for its speleological significance, featuring notable caves like the Wojcieszówska Rift – the second deepest cave outside the Tatra Mountains. The town has a strong caving tradition, having hosted the Polish Championships in Cave Techniques for years, and it serves as a hub for training and exploration through a local club’s cottage base.
Gruszka Quarry, Zimnik Quarry and Nowa Cave
These quarries and cave were used for the meeting exeercises. Due to the growing need for cooperation between teams specializing in cave diving, cave rope access techniques and medical procedures, a joint training exercise was organised that integrated the work of the subcommittees (technical, diving, and medical).
There were also exercises with rock destruction and passage widening, giving participants the opportunity to use specialist equipment and age-old methods of rock breaking.
Accommodation for the event was in heated tents with temporary camp beds supplied by the State Fire Service.
Prior to the ECRA event there were a series of optional excursions, which included:
- The Riese Complex – a mysterious system of underground tunnels and halls excavated by the Germans in the Owl Mountains during World War II. Visitors can explore the dark adits in Rzeczka, Włodarz, and Osówka, it was one of the largest Nazi construction projects.
- Grodno Castle in Zagórze Śląskie – a picturesque medieval fortress from the 13th century. It offers tours of the tower, dungeons, and chambers with historical exhibits, along with beautiful views of Bystrzyckie Lake and the Owl Mountains.
- The tourist route in the Bear Cave in Kletno. This is about a 40-minute, easy-to-walk path that leads through the most beautiful parts of the cave. Visitors can admire impressive rock formations, underground chambers, and corridors highlighted by lighting that emphasizes the natural karst shapes.
- Trip to Szczelina Wojcieszowska Cave is one of the longest and most well-known caves in the Sudetes, located in the Kaczawskie Mountains on the western slope of Mount Połom.
The Main Training Event
This gave a rare opportunity to be involved in a multi country rescue practice, taking in medical, diving, communications, hauling, stretcher management and Tyrolean ropework.
ECRA Ceremony
During the ECRA ceremony the Irish Cave Rescue Organisation (ICRO) were welcomed into the ECRA community. After a short presentation by ICRO Warden Adam DeEyto to the assembly on the structure of the organisation, ICRO were unanimously voted in as full members of ECRA as the cave rescue organisation covering the island of Ireland.
They stated that “ICRO will benefit from direct cooperation with other National cave rescue groups in addition to maintaining close working relationships with UK cave rescue teams through their continued membership of BCRC.”
The UK caving was well represented at the event:
