HANG FAST CREATING ADVENTURE

ARTIFICIAL CAVING SYSTEMS

What Are Ar t i f ic ia l Caves?

Artificial Caving Systems provide a fun and exciting replication of real caving, but in a safe and controlled environment.

Similar to indoor climbing walls, Artificial Caving Systems aim to educate, inspire and excite a new generation of subterranean explorers, as well as making caving more accessible to those who otherwise would not get a chance to participate.

All purpose built caving systems have built in emergency exits, and can contain elements of our Freedom Range, which include an emergency lighting system, motion sensor lighting and sound effects, as well as access for all sensory and physical disability users.

We can also deliver artificial cave operation and rescue training, to make the experience as safe as possible.

The most common question asked by potential cavers is “will I fit?”. When we develop a caving system we design the main passage way to allow a caver of the following dimensions to fit through: 6’4” tall, 44” chest, 20” shoulders and 42” waist.

Our caves are built using glass fibre polyester resin. The timber used to create the frame work is always Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified, and the cave is built strong enough to accommodate a rugby team doing the conga.

HANG FAST CLIMBING Ltd.We are Climbers, Cavers, Mountain Bikers, Mountaineers, Travellers, Explorers. The spirit and passion we have for the outdoors are designed into every product we produce, striving to achieve realistic adventure experience in a safe environment and at affordable cost.

With more than two decades of experience in creating climbing walls that simulate real rock, Hang Fast is now the market leader in the design, manufacture and installation of artificial caving systems.

Our team of highly trained designers, engineers and technicians operates from Hang Fast’s dedicated manufacturing facility in Yorkshire. We service and maintain our products and provide operation and rescue training.

John Beers - Managing DirectorThe founder of Hang Fast, John has always maintained a ‘hands on’ role in the design, fabrication and installation of all our products, and was instrumental in developing the production techniques used to manufacture GRP climbing walls. It can be said that John is happiest when he is fibre glassing in the workshop, or climbing a tree to install belays at an outdoor centre. John has climbed, kayaked and mountain biked in nearly every corner of the world...

Christian Turford - Senior Adventure Structure DesignerChristian has worked, studied and played in the outdoor industry for over 8 years. He combines his climbing experience with his design and creative skills to devise new structures for people to crawl through and climb up. When he’s not at Hang Fast he can usually be found eating cake and hanging from windswept and interesting locations.

REAL ADVENTUREWITHOUT WORRIES

USER GROUPS

CHILDRENArtificial caves are adventure playgrounds, a safe environment for kids to play in and explore their abilities. They encourage self-confidence and engage the imagination. As there are only minimal boundaries and ground rules required to get going and have fun, we have found that, in multi activity centres, caving is the preferred activity for youngsters.

ADULTSIt is often assumed that artificial caving is only for small children. Our caves can be designed to engage all ages and abilities, with easy sections for the less confident and more challenging passages for those wishing to push their limits.

PHYSICAL & SENSORY DISABILITIESParticipation in caving activities is not limited to able-bodied users. We develop caving systems that provide an exciting experience for those with physical and sensory disabilities. As with all our products we strive to make outdoor activities inclusive and available to all.

EDUCATION AND TRAININGCaving promotes fitness and health, team spirit and consideration for the environment. What’s more, caves can be designed for specific educational purposes, for example to study geological features. They are also used for training of groups that need to practice restricted access or confined space rescue or evacuation techniques e.g. Fire Services, Ambulance Services, and Search and Rescue Groups.

PLAYIS THE BRAIN’S FAVOURITE WAY OF LEARNING

By designing a bespoke caving system from scratch, we can tailor it to fit your individual space, business plan and operating procedures. Our designers and engineers will work closely with you to create a unique cave based on your requirements. Please contact us directly for advice and pricing.

BESPOKE DESIGNSIMAGINE THE POSSIBILITIES

POPULAR FEATURES

� Briefing Chambers � Chambers � Ball Pool Sumps � Boulder Fields � Squeezes � Columns, Stalactites & Stalagmites � Cave Paintings & Fossils � Up & Under Boulders � Viewing Windows � Boulder Ascents & Descents � Multi Levels � Abseil / SRT sections � Ambient Lighting � Custom art work � Sound modules and movement sensors � Exterior theming � Marketing materials � Supply of equipment

COMPONENTSCaveFast™ 600mm StraightCaveFast™ 600mm 90 degreeCaveFast™ 600mm 45 degreeCaveFast™ 600mm T - PieceCaveFast™ 600mm U - PieceCaveFast™ 600mm S - Piece

ADDITIONAL FEATURES CaveFast™ compatible ball pool sumpCaveFast™ compatible boulderfieldCaveFast™ compatible chamberCaveFast™ compatible squeeze

OFF THE SHELF

CAVEFAST™

Our trademarked CaveFast™ caving sections are a quick and cost-effective way of introducing a Hang Fast caving system to your facility. CaveFast™ consists of standard ‘off the shelf’ modules that you can combine to design your own cave.

CONTAINER CAVE

The advantage of this modular system, fitted inside standard overseas shipping containers, is that there is little to no installation cost. Once the container has been lowered into place and the electrics connected you are ready to go.

A single container offers up to 25m of cave to be explored. Multiple containers can be stacked and combined. Being a completely self-contained unit, the container cave can also be buried underground.

TRAILER CAVE

Whether at a festival, a village show, a private event or just being pulled down the M1, the trailer cave cannot be ignored. Built onto a 7 x 2m flat bed trailer and wrapped in a rock effect shell, it can be hired for any occasion. If you want your own trailer cave we will design and build it for you.

MOBILE AND MODULARFOR COST-EFFECTIVE TRANSPORT

Deciding what you want to achieve from your caving system is key to its success. At Hang Fast we will use our experience and expertise to develop the best possible system for you.Who will use your cave? Do you want an experience or a challenge? Do you want your system to be instructor led or a one way free roam adventure? These are just some of the questions that need to be asked during the development of a caving system.

PLANNINGYOUR INDIVIDUAL CAVE SYSTEM

PHYSICAL & SENSORY DISABIL I T IES

We can design caves to suit users with physical & sensory disabilities. One possible solution is a flat-bottomed cave, that allows access with wheelchairs or custom-built mobility apparatuses. Another option is to create a cave with an abundance of tactile features, such as stalactites and fossils, which can be used as aids to movement for cavers with partial limb disabilities.

CAVE SAFETY

We advise our customers on safe design, construction and operating procedures, and ensure that all manufactured products are supplied with risk assessments.Hang Fast consult with the HSE (Health and Safety Executive), RoSPA (The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents) and independent fire risk advisors (National Examination Board in Occupational Safety and Health qualified). All our designers undertake regular training and are experienced with current regulations and standards. In our caving systems we incorporate a number of different safety elements, which can include the following:

� LED emergency lighting � Predetermined emergency exit points � Maintenance and fire escape routes � Fresh air ventilation � Fire retardant resin � Optional harder sections and easy “escape”

routes within the cave system � Friction coated floors and climbs

TRAINING

Experienced and certified instructors provide site-specific training, covering the operation and maintenance of your cave, as well as rescue and evacuation procedures.

We offer advice on how to manage groups inside a cave and, together with your staff, develop engaging session plans, games and activities.

MAINTENANCE

From a structural point of view caving systems are generally maintenance free. However, through maintenance and vacuum cleaner access points, your system will be easy to clean and maintain.

Hang Fast offers maintenance and safety inspection schemes tailored to your facility and usage.

TAKING CAREHELPING YOU TO RUN A SUCCESSFUL CAVE

OUR PROJECTSIF WE BUILD IT, THEY WILL COME.

From the compact 30 metre single loop cave at Bridge Cafe, to the awesome 120 metre multi looped show piece at Center Parcs, we have mastered the creation of artificial caving systems big and small, and with caving as a preferred activity for youngsters, one of our custom designed exciting adventures will create the illusion and experience of caving for you.

Center Parcs - Whinfell Forest, Penrith

Center Parcs were looking for a new adventurous and exciting activity to offer their visitors at Whinfell Forest, Penrith. After a number of meetings with our designers, we agreed to develop a caving adventure experience that would be usable by a high percentage of Center Parcs guests. It was essential that the caving adventure had a duration of 60 minutes and was instructor led.

Taking what we had learnt from previous caving projects we were able to deliver a looped system, with a main experience passage and optional challenging loops. By designing it in this way we made sure that harder, tighter sections were optional, and the system could be enjoyed by all users. The initial 17 metres were designed to allow the caver to experience the full range of tunnel diameters and prepare them for the adventure ahead. If they could successfully pass through this section, then the caver could comfortably complete the entire system. Exits were strategically placed before any hard sections allowing cavers to escape.

Center Parcs - Sherwood Forest

Our latest cave for Center Parcs in the heart of Sherwood Forest takes its theming from the Legend of Robin Hood.

Expanding on the model of our cave at Whinfell, the Sherwood cave is longer, so can accommodate a greater throughput of users whilst still allowing the full hour's caving adventure.

With the same features found at Whinfell, but with the addition of a ball pool traverse and intricate spider's web to negotiate, the design and theming is used to tell a story from the tales of Robin Hood as the cavers progress through the adventure.

The realistically detailed exterior featuring an archway, waterfall and trees incorporates the waiting and briefing area, and the cave entrance itself echoes the nearby Druid Stone at Blidworth.

Hothersall Lodge

We were approached by a climbing wall man-ufacturer to develop, manufacture and install an artificial caving system for Hothersall Lodge in Lancashire. The design required that the sys-tem could be used by cavers with physical & sensory disabilities, as well as being challeng-ing enough for able bodied guests.

The system was built in two levels with the low-er level being completely flat bottomed. This allowed a specially designed trolley for those with more severe disabilities to enjoy the ad-venture. The upper layer was designed with lots of hand holds and stalactites, for partici-pants with restricted limb operation to pull themselves through.

Interspersed throughout the cave were lots of fossils and tactile features for those with visual and sensory impairments, to guide and illus-trate the experience of caving.

The system was built to fit behind their climbing wall and consisted of a two loop system.

Condover Hall

Condover hall is a residential activity centre, and the cave can be found within the 17th century Elizabethan grade 2 listed building. The cave was installed during a multimillion pound refurbishment scheme in 2011. Designed to contain multiple routes and pas-sageways, the cave draws schools and clubs from all over the UK to the centre.

Weymouth Outdoor Education Centre

The Weymouth Outdoor Education Centre in Dorset is the home of one of our CaveFast cav-ing systems that are quickly growing in popu-larity. The cave features 30 metres of tunnel of CaveFast pieces with one bespoke ball sump piece.

Bridge Cafe

The Bridge Cafe can be found in Blaenau Ffestiniog, Wales and provides an attraction for tourists visiting the area. The cave is built in a singular loop featuring twists, turns, squeezes, ascents and a brilliant sump. The system also features a sprayed high detail plywood entrance chamber, and just next door there is a mining museum.

Robin Wood

Robin Wood is a multi-activity centre that had an existing system that we refurbished and in-creased in length. We added new custom de-signed features and included slides from the upper section to up and over passage ways. The extension and modification of the system provided a boost to the experience of caving for the school groups that attend the centre.

Laches Wood Cave

Laches Wood Outdoor Education Centre lies in open countryside just north of Wolverhamp-ton. Half of the site is woodland that borders the Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal, offering great places for bike trails, bushcraft and canoeing activities. The indoor area now features a Hang Fast Cave and bouldering wall.

Waddow Hall Container Cave

Waddow Hall Girldguiding Centre is situated in a 17th-century manor house set in 178 acres of beautiful Lancashire countryside, overlooking the River Ribble close to Clitheroe. It offers an exciting range of adventurous activities for girl guides and other groups.As you approach the estate you will now be greeted by a Hang Fast Container Cave.

Yeadon Tarn

This project is situated at Leeds Sailing and Activity Centre on the picturesque Yeadon Tarn site in Leeds, West Yorkshire. The project is a container cave, which reduces installation costs.

The caving system itself is made up of both CaveFast and bespoke elements; the low-er level is a wide tunnel with a flat bottom to provide disabled access, with a slightly harder, tighter level situated on the upper tier.

The whole cave is fitted with LED lights as well as realistic rock features such as flowstones, stalactites, stalagmites and loads of boulders!

Hang Fast LtdUnit 18 -19Castlefields Industrial EstateCrossflattsBingleyWest YorkshireBD16 2AG

Tel: 01274 510 448Email: info@hangfastclimbing.co.uk

To see the full range of our Adventure Structures, visit: www.hangfastclimbing.co.uk

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