We had been looking forward to it for two years and yes, on September 20th they started our Caving Days again.
Already on Friday evening the participants were streaming in, young and old, who were going to test the acoustics in the hall while eating a hamburger, drinking a cave beer or soft drink. It was a bustle of jewels, speleologists sitting together and catching up with each other. Our barman did golden business.
After breakfast, which was guided by Speleo Nederland, it was cave or menhir time for some who preferred the walk. Both activities were prepared down to the last detail by the guides and we were pampered – provided sufficient effort on our part of course. Those efforts were certainly rewarded.
Our eyes were also allowed to feast their eyes on the photo exhibition that Erik Claes had set up. The FSE (European Speleological Federation), the Workgroup Cave Diving and De Watertoren were put in the spotlight in the large hall. Our wallets could do good business with the sponsors of our event. They had set up a stand in a separate hall. Also well prepared by chairman Karl Willems (and his daughter) of the WSV: a setup to think about. The winner was rewarded with a headlamp from De Berghut!
On the occasion of 50 years of VVS, the reward was extended to our stomachs, where the tasty snacks that the VVS offered ended up. While digestion continued to do its work, we received the proclamation of the photo contest. The jury found the photo of Federico Bruttomesso to be the best and he walked away with the latest new SAR headlamp from Fenixlight. In second place and as the first ranked Belgian, Marc Vanderbruggen became the Belgian champion of underground photography for which he received a unique cartoon by our VVS cartoonist Marc Swolfs. The prize for the cover photo Spelerpes went again to an Italian participant: Sara Costa. You will be able to admire her beautiful photo on the cover of the December edition of Spelerpes
There was no shortage of prizes this year, we awarded a Golden Spelerpes to Marnix Buysse and Francis (Cis) Vervoort respectively for their years of dedication to the VVS.
On the occasion of both 50 years of VVS and 40 years of UBS, gifts were exchanged. Speleo Nederland also presented our chairman with a nice check.
By then the snacks had been digested and our stomachs were asking for more of it. We were served as the fresh ingredients in the two pans on the playground were slowly starting to cook. They were tasted and found to be delicious. In the meantime, not all the rewards had been given away. If you had one or more lottery tickets, you could help yourself as an ordinary speleologist to a chance to go home with a nice prize. The FSE (Europese Speleo Federatie), Scurion, Aventure Verticale, De Berghut, Librairie Spéléo, en Spéléoroc sponsored beautiful to very beautiful prizes! Two innocent children's hands drew the prizes and their dad the photos.
With eyes still full of cave fun, well-filled stomachs and handfuls of prizes, it was time to treat the ears as well. And to let loose the legs again. The Speleo Night was started with DJ Gino and in the laser light we went for it again. Or we huddled together under the moonlight to just talk quietly and make plans for the next cave trips.
At the Sunday breakfast it became clear how much fun it had been that night, little eyes quietly prepared themselves for the speeches that were still to come that morning. It was difficult to choose between those lectures that were all interesting but were going on at the same time or how a speleologist can also suffer from choice stress.
Traditionally, the Caving Days were concluded with a delicious meal. And thanks to the many volunteers, we could consider this edition a success again. We are already looking forward to the next edition.
Mark your calendar now: September 19-21, 2026, Caving Days in Ferrières.
But first enjoy the photos of this edition:
