Testimonials

"I took Martyn's Intro to Cavern course in October 2010 with a mind to improving my overhead environment skills for wreck penetrations.  As a trimix diver and PADI instructor I have taken many diving courses in the past, and can say without question that this straightforward, two day course has expanded my perspective on diving more than any other. 

Martyn's gentle introduction to the underground world builds confidence and awareness, teaches the importance of self-sufficiency and sensible equipment configuration, and has not only furnished me with the concepts and practices to be able to conduct overhead wreck penetrations safely but has also opened the door to the astonishing world of cave diving and underground exploration. 

I had little interest in this prior to the course, but Martyn's enthusiasm and experience is obviously infectious - I have been reading his beautifully written, highly informative books constantly since the course, and am excitedly looking forward to the Intro to Cave course that I start in two weeks time.  I fully intend to follow that with full Cave - I'm hooked!  I would unreservedly recommend Martyn's teaching to anyone, whether they wanted to improve their all-round diving skills or take their first steps in exploring the astonishing world beneath our feet."
 

Nick Franglen

November 2010 London

"Over the last couple of years I have done the Cavern, Intro Cave and Full Cave courses with Martyn. At first my buddy and I didn't really have any intention of doing all the courses. The Cavern Course seemed appealing just as something different, and an interesting way to learn new skills... However on completion we found it was all that and more. So it was from that first brilliant experience that we ended up returning to Martyn again and again.
 
There seem to be a lot of big egos within the diving community and Martyn is definately not amongst them, you would be hard pressed to find a more humble, relaxed, and approachable guy. I think that Martyn has a unique teaching style, so that you are being taught things constantly without really realising that you are learning. He lets you come to your own conclusions and then make your own decisions, gently nudging you in the right direction when you are way off the mark. He will quite often sit in the background while you and your fellow students argue the pros and cons of a particular action, quietly pondering your arguments. It is no wonder that we often refer to him as Yoda.
 
The courses themselves all follow a similar pattern, with a bit of background, history and geology thrown in with theory and the all important practical. Briefings are thorough and you won't ever find yourself not knowing what is expected of you as you begin a dive. On Martyn's courses you will find that you have very full days, but without feeling too rushed around. You'll also see a fair bit of beautiful South Wales, (if you can keep up with him... both driving and lugging your kit over fields to obscure holes in the ground). A debriefing in the pub is a nice end to the day, and while totally informal, you probably learn as much there as when on the course proper. Martyn has a cheeky sense of humour too, but you'll have to work on him a bit to get him to reveal it...
 
If you are contemplating any training of this type I wouldn't only recommend being taught by Martyn, but I'd ask you why would you consider doing it with anyone else? The training is absolutely first class and the satisfaction gained from his courses is second to none."

Blair Welch

New Zealand  2010

 

"I undertook one of Martyn's Overhead Environment Courses in the summer 2010 as a means of gaining experience in the techniques and kit requirements to be at least a safe overhead environment diver, after having independently caved and dived for several years.  I found the course so useful that I then booked myself onto an Introduction to Cave Diving course, which I recently took; this gave me a solid grounding in the up-to-date techniques used in British cave diving.  I now plan to build on that experience before going back to attend a Full Cave Diving course with Martyn."

Dan Curnow 

 RAF Leeming, Yorkshire

"I took Martyn's Intro to Cavern course in October 2010 with a mind to improving my overhead environment skills for wreck penetrations.  As a trimix diver and PADI instructor I have taken many diving courses in the past, and can say without question that this straightforward, two day course has expanded my perspective on diving more than any other.  Martyn's gentle introduction to the underground world builds confidence and awareness, teaches the importance of self-sufficiency and sensible equipment configuration, and has not only furnished me with the concepts and practices to be able to conduct overhead wreck penetrations safely but has also opened the door to the astonishing world of cave diving and underground exploration.  I had little interest in this prior to the course, but Martyn's enthusiasm and experience is obviously infectious - I have been reading his beautifully written, highly informative books constantly since the course, and am excitedly looking forward to the Intro to Cave course that I start in two weeks time.  I fully intend to follow that with full Cave - I'm hooked!  I would unreservedly recommend Martyn's teaching to anyone, whether they wanted to improve their all-round diving skills or take their first steps in exploring the astonishing world beneath our feet." 

Nick Franglen 

November 2010  London

 
"I recently attended Martyn's Overhead environment course at Crickhowell. I can't say how much I enjoyed the course and learned so much from it. Martyn's wealth of knowledge really comes across in his teaching and his calm manner when explaining the fndamentals of the overhead enviornment/cave diving. I enjoyed it so much that I sigend up straight away for intro cave coming up in January. I enjoyed diving in the Scillica mines but didn't enjoy the walk! One fundamental piece of advice I would give to anyone considering the course, don't take too much gear!"

Mark Hines

Birmingham  October 2010

"I completed the Cavern, Intro Cave and Full Cave courses with Martyn Farr. Using the skills and knowledge I acquired, I have gone on to dive cave systems throughout the UK and across the world. I found that the skills I learnt completing the courses with Martyn within UK cave conditions have enabled me to approach, with confidence, all subsequent cave dive conditions I have experienced in the UK and abroad.

Martyn’s attention to detail within the courses and the vast experience he can reflect on, combined with practice and assessment in the actual cave environment, proved immensely beneficial and differentiates and elevates the learning experience from any other diving course I have completed. The overhead environment skills I learnt were directly applicable to open water wreck penetration and improved the safety of my diving, my equipment configuration and my awareness in the environment.

Thank you Martyn, for improving my existing skills and opening up a whole new world of diving to me!"
 

Adrian Dorney

PADI Open Water Scuba Instructor,
BSAC Open Water Diving Instructor
Full Cave Diver  London 2010

I chose to learn cavern diving in the UK because as the saying goes if you can dive in the UK you can dive anywhere. The last thing I wanted to do was learn in warm water and to have my course and knowledge based on that style of diving, which wouldn't apply in cold UK waters.
 
My cavern course opened my eyes to a lot of flaws in my diving and how I believed I was taking precautions when wreck diving. On the second day an exercise was carried out in complete darkness. Trying to follow a 6mm line wearing 5mm gloves I realised that what I thought I knew beforehand about over head diving was of no real use.
The configuration of torches and knives is some thing I will be using in open water diving, as these simple placements of equipment make so much more sense from a convenience point of view as well as a safety one.
 
I believe its important to learn from some one who is well known and respected when it comes to cave diving as you are relying on them to keep you safe now and in the future, when you only have your experience to rely on.
 
The cavern diving course will help you build confidence and illustrate techniques you can use in your every day diving.
Since completing the course I have gained a new respect for cave diving... how it continues to evolve and change, learning from mistakes of others and a lot more besides.
 
After completing the cavern diving course and learning so much more than I thought was possible to gain from it, I am looking forward to seeing what new skills and technique I will learn from the introduction to cave diving course. I originally thought it was just a case of ticking the boxes and passing an exam but there is much more to it.
 
Stuart Hughes  Chester: February 2012

Overhead Environment Cavern Diving Course    December 2011

Why?    A yearning to respond to that increasingly insistent little “come to me” voice, echoing from inside all those wrecks, caves, mines: - from all those places under water that gave you the feeling that you had to ignore their beckoning, and just not go there. The realisation that there was exciting, challenging diving available in Britain in the “close” season, whole new, dark, enclosed world offering a buzz of exploration and achievement, so much more than the routine trip to the inland dive site.

Encouragement from a mutual friend whose description of back to back Cavern and Intro courses with Martyn were so compelling that they overcame a deep rooted scepticism of diving courses, honed over the years by some distinctly unpleasant experiences.

So the darkness was really beckoning. It might be possible to access this world without screwing up, looking like an idiot, and above all without putting anyone, including ourselves at risk. We booked the initial Overhead Environment Cavern Diving Course.

It was only a two day course. It seemed to be over in minutes, while learning years’ worth of knowledge and skills. It wasn’t easy physically or mentally but it was pitched exactly right for an introduction to an unforgiving environment.

All misgivings about courses were completely unfounded. Did we screw up? Oh yes!  Some major, some minor, but never, at any time, did we feel like idiots. The message was clear, problems even mistakes will happen, stop; sort them out; learn; and make sure they never happen again.

The overall feeling from the course was one of privilege to be in a position to learn from the awesome experience that Martyn has accumulated and genuine gratitude that he is prepared to pass it on to others with so much insight and enthusiasm and in such a clear calm and effective way.

Like so many others who have had this taste, we are hooked. The next course is already booked.

Iain Dredge & Dave Menzies  Oldham

"I attended the Overhead Environment Cavern Diving Course at Farrworld primarily to learn about Cavern Diving. I was very pleasantly surprised to find I learned a whole lot more than expected and gained knowledge and skills that will no doubt come in very useful in my normal diving, particularly in wreck diving and in more challenging environments.  Martyn brings his wealth of experience to the course and his calm and structured delivery makes the course both interesting and fun. I will certainly be back to continue my learning into the full cave environment."

 Kevin Phillips,  Sandbach 2012