Presentation Speech

Juan Corrin (English) and Carolina Smith de la Fuente (Spanish) read out the following on behalf of the Matienzo Caves Expeditions during a break in the dancing on the Saturday night.

This weekend we're celebrating 50 years of organized caving around Matienzo. We're very pleased to celebrate with everyone here including our invited guests, Jesús and Emilio.
The Fiesta couldn't have happened without the work of many English people who have willingly taken on board the various activities over the weekend and all the preparation that is involved. There are far too many to read out here - but you know who you are and can bask in the glow of a job well done.
We would like to sincerely thank all the people of Matienzo who have helped in many ways with the organization of the event: the mayor of Ruesga, Jesús Ramon; Guadalupe; Teria, Palmira and Mer; Telmo, Tiano and Pablo. Tilde and Milagros; Vitor, Rufino and helpers and José.

Matienzo is a fabulous place with limestone hills and magnificent scenery. But fifty or so years ago only the largest cave entrances were known - caves such as Coquisera and Emboscados.
In the 1960's organized caving started with Juan Carlos Fernández and friends as they explored the larger caves with candles and carbide. This culminated in a set of Spanish SESS expeditions from 1963 to 1966, led by Juan Carlos and Alfonso Pintó. Over this time they explored and documented caves such as Cueva del Agua, Cueva de Tiva, Torca del Sedo and the Risco cave system, Cueva Bollón and Cuatribú. Cueva Coquisera was explored down the 95m pitch and they also explored Rascavieja, Sima del Requilón and Patatal.
The Cuadernos de Espeleología, containing surveys, cave descriptions and scientific accounts was published in 1966. This book attracted cavers from Barcelona to the area in 1967 and they explored new caves such as Torcón de Cubija and Simas del Picón.

In 1969, Lank Mills with some friends, on their way to Amieva in the Picos, camped overnight at Alisas and saw the mist-filled Matienzo depression when they woke the next day. They later bought the Cuadernos and realized that Matienzo could be an important area for caving exploration.

Over the next few years Lank's persistence and persuasion culminated in major caving expeditions from the UK in 1974 and 1975. Teams from Manchester University, Kendal and Bolton re-explored and extended the SESS finds and started to make new discoveries, often by digging out draughting entrances. Major finds included Cueva-Cubio de la Reñada, Cueva Hoyuca at Riaño and the cave beyond the river sinking at Carvavuezo. Many caves were pointed out by the locals and friendships forged. In 1976, Cueva Llueva was dug out and entered.

By 1978, Juan Corrin was organizing and coordinating the expeditions but the presence of Pete Smith in Santander and Matienzo meant that caving permits were more easily obtained and cave sites for future exploration were discovered. In the early '80s Peter also motivated some young people of the village to explore and survey a number of caves around the depression. Around this time, he joined various regional and local caving and archaeology groups. Cave archaeology is now a passion and, along with Jesús Ruiz, he is a major contributor to the archaeological literature of the region.

The British continued to make exciting new finds throughout the eighties: Cueva Mostajo was explored, Torca de Coterón and Torca de Azpilicueta linked down into Reñada and the Four Valleys System created with the linking together of passages in Carcavuezo, caves in Riaño and Cueva Llueva. The combined waters flow out to Los Boyones at Secadura.
The explorations also resulted in tragedies. Giles Barker died in Reñada in 1992 and Alan Box two years later while exploring in Cueva Hoyuca. We remember them as friends and talented cavers.

Through the 90's and up to this year the Matienzo Caving Expeditions have grown to include cavers from Cataluña, the Basque country and Denmark with occasional visitors from other countries. New caves are found and documented every year and the larger ones surveyed and photographed. This has always been the case since the seventies but nowadays the results can be seen across the world on the Internet. More than 302km of cave passages and 3400 entrances have been documented by the expeditions, involving over 900 people. Some caves have been entered and extended by diving sump pools and resurgences. The largest cave is the Four Valleys System at about 53km with Cueva Vallina at Arredondo (explored with the Catalans) and the South Vega System both reaching over 32km.

50 Years ago, the exploring Spanish cavers had homes nearby - the British, when they arrived in the seventies didn't, so the first priority was a place to camp. The village council kindly provided the use of the oak wood. They also needed a place for refreshment - and Casa Germán provided that in abundance.
But, over the years Bar Germán has been much more than that. As well as food and drink, Germán, Cuca, Pablo, Ana and their families have supplied all kinds of guidance and assistance and have allowed the use of their facilities for an "office" stocked with computers, logbooks and surveys. When the old camp site was no longer useable, they established a new one on their land and built the shower block and tackle store. It is no exaggeration to say that the expeditions would not have happened had it not been for the hospitality of the locals and, especially, the support and friendship of "Bar Germán".

On behalf of the Matienzo Caving Expeditions I would like to present this small engraved crystal to Pablo for his and his family's friendship and hospitality over the years.

Read engraving: (It has the Matienzo 50 logo)

Las Expediciones Espeleologicas de Matienzo
En agradecimiento al Bar Germán
Agosto 2010
El bar que siempre dice sí

The Speleological Expeditions to Matienzo
With thanks to Bar Germán
August 2010
The bar that always says yes.