We would firstly like to thank the Ghar Parau Foundation for their very much needed and appreciated financial support. Without them this expedition would have proved a much greater financial strain on expedition members.

We are greatly indebted to the Federacion de Espeleologıa del Principado de Asturias (FESPA) for their support with the permit application, and to the Picos de Europa National Park for granting permission for this expedition to proceed.

Aside from these, we would also like to thank the following people and companies:

• Snugpak, whose sponsorship of excellent sleeping bags was invaluable for keeping expedition members warm in underground camp.
• Lyon Equipment for their continued and extremely valuable support.
• Oxford University Caving Club (OUCC) for continued support, and loan of expedition equipment.
• Martin Laverty (OUCC) who spent a considerable amount of time and effort on producing up-to-date maps of the caves of the Ario bowl for use on this and future expeditions.
• Chris Jewell, for the loan of expedition kit (sleeping bags and mats) from the Huautla expedition store.
• Craven Pothole Club, for the loan of ladders for the last pitch in C4.
• the wardens and staff of the Refugio Vega de Ario for whose friendship and hospitality we are very grateful.