The Ghar Parau Foundation

A 100% voluntary-based charity providing grant-aid assistance for British caving expeditions to all corners of the world.

Photo: Sunbeams in Doline 1 Hang Son Doong, Vietnam. (Ryan Deboodt)

Apply for fundingThe Ghar Parau Foundation

About us

The Ghar Parau Foundation is a 100% voluntary-based charity. Through the management of an investment fund, the GPF provides grant aid to British caving expeditions, in particular those that include an element of innovative exploration or scientific study.

Since 2007, the GPF has awarded £136,450 to 215 expeditions travelling to 49 different countries.

We are also particularly keen to encourage young cavers into expedition caving. Over the last 17 years, the GPF has additionally awarded 107 individual grants to cavers going on their first foreign expedition.

Photo: Alum Pot, Yorkshire Dales, UK (Mark Burkey)

Splendid Formation Found In Northen Balkonhöhle (© Nat Dalton)

CUCC Totes Gebirge Expedition 2022

Posted on By Henry Patton

Exploration in 2022 was focused on two caves: Balkonhöhle and Fischgesicht Höhle. Over 1.5 km of passage was discovered in deep Balkonhöhle. Meanwhile, Fischgesicht Höhle (discovered in 2017) was connected to Glückliche Schmetterlingshöhl (1623/291), also discovered in 2017; 2.2 km of passage was discovered and surveyed here.

Read the report here | Photo: Northern Balkonhöhle (© Nat Dalton)

Sistema Sara Heinous Shaft (© Helen Fairclough)

Treviso 2022

Posted on By Henry Patton

Treviso 2022 extended Cueva del Nacimiento to over 16 km and new 250 m section of cave and multiple ways on. The Road to Certain Death Sump also passed after 400 m to second and third sump. Sistema Sara, a deep and daunting pothole, was re-rigged and a dive of the sump completed. Depth of cave was pushed to over 600 m deep.

Read their report here | Photo: Sistema Sara (© Helen Fairclough)

Matienzo Valley In Mist Looking To The South (© Philip Papard)

Matienzo 2022

Posted on By Henry Patton

The Matienzo Cave Project is exploring an area around Matienzo in Cantabria, Spain. The aim is to identify, explore and record the caves. This year 8 km of new cave was found in 4 sites, with a further 68 new sites identified. One of the major finds linked to a cave system we have been exploring and brings its length to over 70 km.

Read their report here | Photo: Matienzo Valley (© Philip Papard)

Christine And Mitchell Between Sumps 1 And 2, Izvor Licanke. (© Mark Burkey)

Izvor Licanke 2022

Posted on By Henry Patton

On a return expedition to Izvor Licanke in Croatia, Christine Grosart and Osama Gobara explored and mapped the un-dived sump 5, before Osama and Mauro Bordignon passed sump 5 to discover sumps 6, 7 and 8 with large canyons and significant dry chamber beyond, before locating a new and undived sump 9. Total new cave 938m.

Read their report here | Photo: Izvor Licanke (© Mark Burkey)

Wessex

Ian Timney Award

Posted on By Henry Patton

Ian Timney was a keen caver and member of the Wessex Cave Club. Following his untimely early demise his caving friends held fundraising events in 2021, and for the next 10 years the GPF will award £150 to the exped we believe will have the most impact on its young participants. For 2022, GPF decided that the CUCC Totesgebirge exped would be the first winner of this award.

Read more on the award

Spring2022

Spring ’22 funded expeds

Posted on By Henry Patton

With covid restrictions continuing to relax, eight applications received GPF grant aid during the latest round of funding. The GPF Committee allocated £7,150 – their largest distribution yet – plus 6 Alex Pitcher awards of £100 each for young cavers going on their first expedition abroad.

Browse the archive map to find out more about the funded expeditions’ objectives.

Newly Discovered Passage (© Robert Eavis)

Mulu Caves 2021

Posted on By Henry Patton

Due to covid, the 2021 expedition was delayed. It therefore took place in November 2022. During this expedition 10.8 km of cave was surveyed in over 42 survey trips, 6.5 km of this was newly discovered cave, and much of this was done using underground camps within the Clearwater system, primarily entrances Snake Track and the main

Read the exped report | Photo: Newly discovered passage (© Robert Eavis)

'bfg9000', Cueva De La Marniosa (© Tom Smith)

Tresviso 2021

Posted on By Henry Patton

This year’s expedition continued cave exploration in the Urdon Gorge (Tresviso, Cantabria). With the coronavirus enforcing a reduction in participants, >2.6 km of new passage was surveyed, with still strong potential for further discoveries to be made.

Expedition report | Photo: Cueva de la Marniosa (© Tom Smith)