4041: shaft
Navajeda 30T 444652 4800663 (Datum: ETRS89. Accuracy code: G) Altitude 124m
Length 88m Depth 16m
Area position : Site entrance in context : Logbook search

Updated 14th October 2014; 9th January 2018

   A shaft under a pallet in a newly planted stand of trees. It had a narrow section before the apparent bottom and this was opened up in the summer 2014.

   The entrance shaft is 7m deep to a floor of debris and sand. A rift to the northwest had boulders blocking the way after 5m with a cold draught emerging.
    Half way to this choke a passage goes back almost southeast to the head of another drop. The top of this has been enlarged to another drop of 4m. At the base a possible way to the south is blocked by boulders and is too tight with a slight draught.
   The rift to the northwest was opened up through an eyehole to a small pot. At the base, a crawl leads to two ways off: one was choked with calcite with a small hole which sounded 3 to 4m deep; the other leads into a more interesting area. A steeply sloping chamber has lots of rock pendants, formations and bones, including a nearly complete, small sheep skeleton.
    There are two possible, draughting ways on at the low side of the chamber. One route ends at a small boulder choke with a strong draught coming down. This was excavated upwards to allow standing up and a view into passage. Immediately, a short side passage on the right has pig/boar remains and a sheep skull. A walking height passage continues with lots of calcite above and small tracks (cat?) on the floor. A climb up onto a large boulder reaches an end - a steep gully with lots of loose rocks diagonally forward on the left. The draught is still very evident, apparently coming down the gully. Clearing the just-ready-to-fall rocks would be an extremely dodgy operation. Bat droppings were noticed in an alcove near the base of this gully.
   The gently draughting way on at the left bottom side of the main chamber leads into a small chamber with a slot down on the far wall. This was dug to allow kneeling on the floor where a possible low way off is detected. A lot of work is required here to see what is happening
   The small passage out of the decorated chamber has been pushed into a low, small chamber with no way on.
   The continuing passage over the pot has been inspected but further progress was stopped by an awkward protruding rock edge. There is no draught in this passage.

A site up valley from 4041: "Just over fence from field there was a depression with an excellent rock wall on W side. Looks as though it it takes water when wet and ought
to be a likely (major?) dig." (This can be separated out when correctly positioned.)

Reference: anon., 2014b (Easter logbook); anon., 2014c (summer logbook)
Entrance pictures : Easter 2014
Underground pictures : before the major capping work : summer 2014
Video : formation & bones, summer 2014 (YouTube)
Detailed survey : draft survey
Line Survey :
On area survey :
Survex file : yes

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