Do you fancy the opportunity to come face to face with the

creatures of the night and learn about endangered wildlife?

Mervyn Hancock meets a man who can help

HE'S not Bruce Wayne, and doesn't wear a mask or drive a

black car with wings on it, but once a week from June through

to the end of August, Jon Hill becomes Batman!

And thanks to the man from Kingswood, near Bristol, hundreds

of people now have more of an insight into rare and endangered

creatures which live in the West Country.

In fact, Jon, who started his working life as a clerk, is

now the conservation officer at the famous Caves and Gorge in

Cheddar, Somerset, ensuring that the wildlife isn't disturbed

too much by the thousands of visitors who arrive there each

year.

But every Monday from June through to August, he has a very

special job, organising the Monday night bat patrols, when

visitors get the opportunity to learn about the creatures of

the night which live in the caves during the day, and then

emerge into the darkness to hunt for food.

“Many people don't realise just how rare some species of

bats have become,” explained Jon, who begins his tour with an

hour-long talk and then equips his guests with special sonic

detectors so they can follow the flights of the fascinating

creatures.

“In the past century, the numbers of greater horseshoe bats

living in Britain has gone down by 98 per cent, and even though

they are protected, they are still being killed. The fact is,

most people regard them as a nuisance and get rid of them

secretly.

“The colony we have here has increased from 40 to 400 in the

nine years since I have been the conservation officer, and

hopefully, they will continue to flourish.

“They mainly live in the old show cave discovered by Mr

Gough and, during the day, find the darkest parts to sleep in.

But during the evening they emerge to hunt for food and that's

when the public get the chance to see them.

“We actually have 10 of the 17 species of British bats

living in the caves and we are still monitoring to see if we

have any others. I get people of all ages from around the

country joining the Bat Patrols, although we try to limit

numbers to about 20 each week.

“They not only get to learn about bats but also the other

creatures which live in and around the Gorge. We have greater

crested newts, dormice, peregrine falcons, water voles and

otters, as well as the usual birds and small mammals.”

Unsurprisingly, Cheddar Gorge, the Caves and surrounding

area have consistently been voted one of the UK's foremost

tourist attractions year after year. Surprisingly, the entire

area was almost unknown until 200 years ago, when scientists

began taking interest in caves, and the treasures within them –

stalactites, stalagmites and evidence of huge animals and

prehistoric man.

Previously, locals had avoided the Gorge, which was reputed

to be haunted, and practically impassable. Indeed, it wasn't

until 1800 that the first carriage road was constructed.

The owner of a local watermill, George Cox, decided to widen

the road to improve access to his business some 37 years later,

and during the work accidentally broke into a cave, which was

eventually named after him. His nephew, retired sea captain

Richard Gough, decided to explore further, and agreed to show

people around. The main obstacle in his path, though, was not

the huge slabs of rock but an old woman who lived in the cave

mouth, and he had to wait until she agreed to move out.

In 1892, Gough and his sons found a vast cave a quarter of a

mile long behind the former home of the old lady, and after

almost seven years of hard work, they uncovered spectacular

chambers which could be illuminated by another great invention

– electricity.

Bat patrols cost £10 per person and can be booked by calling

01934 742343. There's free parking and you need to wear warm

clothing and walking shoes. Patrollers meet outside Gough's

Cave in Cheddar Gorge each Monday from June 2 until August 18,

at either 7.30pm, 8pm or 8.30pm depending on sunset (check

times when booking).