Updated 9th, 16th January, 2nd February, May, 20th September, 27th December 2022; 22nd September 2023

   The original description from 1992 reads: "A rift to the northwest of site 2080. A large boulder hangs over a hole where rocks can drop about 30m." Most ropes and maillons were removed from the system in August 2022. Rust was present on the maillons and there was only a faint draught. There was no draught noted at the end of July 2023.

The description below has been written by Simon Cornhill and Diane Arthurs (December 2022).

   The entrance is a rift in a rocky outcrop 4m up from the track on the opposite side of a large sinkhole containing a tree decorated with a giant ball of mistletoe.
   On December 26th, 2021, a large boulder was removed to gain access into the rift by squeezing between boulders. Care should be taken upon entering as a gentle slope leads directly to the top of a scaffolded 24m entrance pitch: Himalayan Balsam. The entrance pitch drops onto a ledge after 8m and following a re-belay 14m down, the shaft opens up and drops into a fine passage. Heading NE and up a slope chokes after 12m whilst downslope the passage continues for about 25m where the floor drops away in a partially choked rift.
   A bolt traverse reaches a good place for both the descent down Euphorbia and ascent up into The Botanical Highway.

   Descending Euphorbia, two pitches of 7m and 10m, land in a small chamber containing a few bones. The only way on is through a dig in the floor where a large block was pulled out. (On the last trip into this section, a portable Hammond organ and microwave-sized boulders moved as the exiting explorers slid over them and extreme care is required - maybe blocked?). A wriggle between the boulders soon opens out into a sloping chamber to a drop down a vertical slot and the rift reaches a tight hammered out pitch head, Bramble Pitch p7.
   A squeeze under the base of the Bramble Pitch leads to a crawl and a 10m deep pit, Ghost Orchid with two too-tight rifts at the bottom. A traverse over the top of Ghost Orchid reaches a ledge where a hole at the top was excavated. This revealed another tightish pitch, 0.5 - 0.75m wide, which drops into one of the too-tight rifts from the neighbouring shaft.
    More digging is required to enter this. However, it is guarded by a huge wall of steeply overhanging mega death choss above the opening, which is topped by some big precarious looking boulders. It all appears to be very loosely attached to the wall and 'ready to go'. Maybe this could be brought down safely with a long crowbar, maybe not. Attempts to climb up and over it were thwarted when seemingly good hand and foot holds kept giving way.)
    Returning to the base of Bramble Pitch, the cave opens out festooned in popcorn calcite with a 4m diameter, 12m deep pit, Sombre Bee Orchid. Traversing round the top of this, a good passage is reached but it soon ends in an aven, Ivy Climb, and a short crawl. The aven has been climbed for 8m: high level passage closes up and, back in the direction of entry, the aven ascends steeply and seems very likely to connect to the rift at the top of The Botanical Highway.
    At the base of Sombre Bee Orchid, 12m pitch, a parallel 7m shaft was excavated after a short slope up. At the bottom of this 7m drop, yet another good looking horizontal sandy passage also choked up too soon.

   Back at the top of the 2nd pitch another series, The Botanical Highway, is reached by climbing up to the roof above Euphorbia and traversing at this level. This is a continuous roped traverse which consumes 105m rope and 26 hangers (removed). The first major obstacle is tiptoeing past three very large sleeping rhinos wedged in the top of the rift which are seemingly levitating. The roof traverse continues with deep holes in the floor and the rock becoming increasingly poor, necessitating excavating a hole in the wall to try and find hard limestone for each bolt placement. Descending a sloping 7m pitch the traverse reaches the Venus Flytrap - a 5m diameter 13m deep shaft, with the roof tunnel continuing on the other side. The rock here is incredibly poor, resembling a cross between Manchego and crumbly Lancashire cheeses.
    The 13m pit Venus Flytrap, required much gardening, placing two high bolts and gaining the far side of the shaft which provided a suitable free hang. The walls of this shaft largely comprise of massive sheets of detached calcite crust so carefully tiptoeing down and up the rope is highly recommended. At the base, a short climb down back under enters a roomy chamber. The rift from the passage above drops in down the left-hand wall and so does any falling debris. A pile of half-buried bones was found just at the step down into this chamber, so they have been moved to a safer location in the chamber. It is guessed that these are the remains of a bear.
   Back at the top of the Venus Flytrap, the high-level traverse continues to a neighbouring pitch of 13m, Audrey II, this descends into a chamber with a large, old calcite flow blocking progress and a rift back towards Venus Flytrap is also choked.
   The high-level rope traverse continues over the top of Audrey II through a squeeze, leading to a small chamber in the roof with very fragile false floors and walls leading to another squeeze up, emerging into caveable passage, where the lengthy continuously roped Botanical Highway traverse ends. After negotiating a snug rift and a wriggle over a large slab, the top of Shitehawk Pitch, the passage continues for around 80m in very friable rock. Following a loose climb down over a blind pit and on a left-hand bend, a small well decorated passage on the right becomes too tight.
   Continuing, the main passage ends abruptly at a window into a large, drippy 3m diameter 38m shaft, 15m up and 24m down, The Perihelion. (A side passage was surveyed which also had a small slot overlooking the shaft.) Descending The Perihelion, a short muddy climb down leads to a traverse to the top of Petticoat Pitches, p19 leading straight on to the hammered out pitch head of a p20 and p7. The water here disappears through thick mud banks into a tiny impenetrable slot.
   Returning to the foot of the large slab and the top of Shitehawk pitch, which starts as a 9m descent down a loose shaft (care required) immediately followed by a p24 split with a re-belay a short way down, penduluming onto a traverse 5m above the bottom of a blind pit lands on a broad ledge. Clambering up a slope at the back of this the passage gains in size, which leads to a small hole down at the end of it which takes the draught. Descending a steep boulder slope passes the remains of a bat and a short hands and knees crawl which ends at the top of Sparrowhawk p6. This drops into a larger tunnel where an area of several interconnecting shafts/avens is met - Terrahawk.
   A traverse along the right-hand wall as far as possible gains a saddle with a short descent, teetering across a rock bridge and a climb up the other side gains the continuation of the large horizontal passage. This continues finely decorated for around 70m which ends abruptly at a 3m climb down into a blind pit/aven.
   Part way along the traverse on the right-hand wall a descent of the 44m Terrahawk can be made, a re-belay just over the lip and a y-hang 4m below provides a grand free hang to the floor.
   Landing in the Sandwich Streamway, upstream passes a few squeezes before becoming too tight after 50m. A few metres downstream it is possible to climb up into the base of another large impressive aven. Continuing downstream, progress is mainly made in the water, climbing out at one point onto a higher sandy ledge on the right to be deposited back into the water and a low watery squeeze, The Great Northern Loon. After this the passage quicky gains in size, passing a giant column and a hidden aven before emerging into Wild Cat Passage. The water sinks at the start of this into a flat-out crawl, cascading over a tight wet 4m undescended drop into what looks like a larger continuation.
   Above the stream sink is an inlet, all attempts to access this have been thwarted as the rock is far too soft to take a bolt and even digging big steps disintegrate when weighted. Either a scaling pole or a Matienzo acrobatic human pyramid squad is required.
   Wild Cat Passage is a large tunnel traversing over several holes in the floor to end at a well decorated balcony overlooking Lynx Pitch p7, to a larger chamber below. The lowest point of this chamber is another well decorated grotto which ends in a too tight slot on the floor.
   Up to the Lynx Pitch area the general passage direction has been mainly trending South-West and the way on and subsequent passages suddenly head South-East. Further investigation of this area would be worthwhile; however, any progress would likely be via creative bolt climbing.
   From the bottom of Lynx Pitch, up a short slope, the main route quickly degenerates to hands and knees then flat-out crawling, passing a couple of squeezes, an enlargement and finally, at a 2m climb down into another enlargement, the streamway is re-joined.
   This is the start of The Log Flume. A short climb up to a too tight sandstone bedding where the water emerges from, would require a reasonable digging operation to get into an enlargement visible beyond this constriction.
   Downstream The log Flume descends on a steady 12 degrees angle and is mostly crawling interspersed with larger sections, deep pools and climbs. After 100m the top of a 3m pitch is met, The Flume Herder.
   A brief enlargement soon degenerates to more crawling in the streamway. At another enlargement a passage on the right enters Real Cat after a 1m climb up. This is a higher level comprising mainly of a wide dry sandy bedding, containing animal tracks and bones. A brief squeeze enters a further dry sandy chamber and another well decorated area with an unentered hole in the roof which is guarded by teetering boulders.
   Back in the streamway, The Log Flume continues to descend with more crawling in water. At a slight enlargement a junction is met, upstream becoming too tight and downstream exploration was halted at a very tight low duck.

Notes:
• Due to the very friable nature of the rock throughout this cave and several near misses, it is highly recommended that entrance pitches are inspected upon each visit and descended one at a time from the surface and calling "rope free" only when well out of the way at the very bottom, as anything falling down the entrance will hit a descending potholer.
• The Botanical Highway rope traverse passes numerous sections of large loose and very dubious rock, so careful and delicate caving is required along its length as hand & foot holds can and have regularly broken off.
• The Sandwich Streamway has not been experienced in wet weather, so it is unknown if low sections such as The Great Northern Loon would be passable.
• The Log Flume was explored during continuous dry and settled weather. A return up the Log Flume can be time consuming and strenuous particularly with a big bag, so any rise in water level would make this very difficult, dangerous or impassable. It is strongly recommended to visit these areas in dry settled weather.

Rigging - all bolts are 8mm thru-bolts:
Himalayan Balsam (entrance P25): 45m rope, 7xhangers
Botanical Highway (lengthy traverse with inclined p7): 105m rope 26xhangers
Shite Hawk (p9+p24): 25+45m rope, 8xhangers
Sparrow Hawk (p6): 10m rope (left in alcove), 2xhangers
Terrahawk (p44): 60m rope, 8xhangers
Lynx Pitch (p7): 15m rope (left at top of pitch) 1xhanger, 1xnatural, 1xdeviation off a thread
Flume Herder (p3): 8m rope (left in alcove in streamway), 1xhanger, 1xnatural
Venus Flytrap (p13): 20m rope
Audrey II (p13): 20m rope
The Perihelion (p24): 30m rope, 3xhangers
Petticoat Pitches (P10+p20+p7) 25+45m rope, 9xhangers
Euphorbia (p7+p10): 24m rope, 5xhangers
Bramble Pitch (p7): 10m rope, 3xhangers
Sombre Bee Orchid (p12+p7): 20+15m rope, 5xhangers, 4xnaturals
Ghost Orchid (p10): 20m rope, 2xhangers, 1xnatural

References: anon., 2004c (Whit logbook); anon., 2021f (Christmas logbook); Scaife C, 2022; anon., 2022e (Christmas logbook); anon., 2023c (summer logbook)
Entrance pictures: 2004, 2021 : 2021 : Nearby,sunset 2022
Underground pictures: Early explorations: 26th December 2021 - 3rd January 2022
• 1st and 2nd pitches • 3rd, 4th, 5th, Ghost Orchid pitches; Ivy Climb • Botanical Highway • animal bones
Underground pictures: 7th - 18th April 2022 explorations
• around Petticoat Pitch • Around Shitehawk and Sparrowhawk pitches • Around Perihelion Pitch (mainly formations)
• The Terrahawk Pitch area and Sandwich Streamway • Lynx Pitch and Wildcat Passage • Log Flume and Real Cat • miscellaneous
Video: Explorations from 26th Dec 2021 to 3rd January 2022 (YouTube)

videos Easter 2022
1	Botanical Highway and a side passage at the top of Perihelion Pitch (16:44)
2	Around Petticoat Pitch - opening up new pitches down to a dead end (5:14)
3	Exploring the new Shitehawk and Sparrowhawk pitches (13:32)
4	The new Terrahawk Pitch area and Sandwich Streamway (11:55)
5	The newly discovered Lynx Pitch and Wildcat Passage (2:44)
6	The new Log Flume and Real Cat (15:41)

Detailed Survey : 2022 Easter Overview survey : Final drawing by Simon Cornhill and Diane Arthurs completed December 2022: plan : elevation : plan & elevation
Line survey:
On area survey: Area survex file (after Easter 2022)
Survex file: Dec/Jan 2021 : Easter 2022