Updated 2nd October, 12th November 2022; 23rd May 2023; 27th September 2023
A resurgence which flows in flood conditions. The only passage appears to head off in a constricted, hading bedding with muddy, knobbly sides. It was not investigated in April 2019 due to a decaying, fly-infested corpse in the entrance.
By the summer 2022, the site was dug as a "Wednesday dig". Over 5 sessions, the uncomfortable, narrow route was enlarged to the point where the thinnest and youngest participant could wriggle through.
Forest Hunt wrote in the logbook (24th August):
Past the first tight squeeze passage constricts around a cluster of roots and veers up and to the left. It opens into a rift which extends up at a roughly 130 degree angle in the direction which the caver enters. Directly above is a crumbly aven roughly 15 ft high which probably reaches close to the surface, it looks possible to climb. When the caver looks right the aven ends in a short vertical rift that bisects the 130 rift and raises the ceiling in a straight line for about 24 ft. A further constriction leads back to the right down into a bowl which then curves up on the other side into a beautiful crystal flowstone formation and then constricts into a choke. On the left halfway toward the flowstone formation is a small passage which curves around to the right and opens into a larger space before veering left and constricting into a potentially difficult crawl. Beyond that, who knows!
In October, the route was further enlarged to allow a second person to view the end. Further enlargement in April 2023, offered the chance for a future thin-person team to enter and survey.
The cave was further pushed and surveyed in August 2023.
After squeezing through the entrance passage, using "an Epley manouvre to pass the squeeze" and passing a pool of water and a trench in the floor, another steep ramp on the left can be climbed for 10m - closing down in a well -decorated area. At the base of the ramp an aven rises about 12m. This probably needs equipment to climb. A 3m climb, following an inlet with a trickle of water, quickly deepens to 2 ducks which have udder-shaped stalactites adding to the constrictions - pushing the explorer deeper into the water. The second duck needs a stride over a flooded pot (sump?). Climbing out of the water and a round a corner a small, very clear and deep-looking sump is met. Next to the sump, a climb up to the left through a dig gains a parallel passage. Down the slope ends at a climb up to a calcite barrier which is high above the two ducks.
Up the slope in a well-decorated area looks down to a big, deep, clear sump pool with no draught felt in this area. A partial climb down the stal showed there were no other passages going off.
"Getting a diver in their wetsuit with gear to the sump would be very challenging." [2023 description after Diane Arthurs logbook entry]
References: anon., 2019b (Easter logbook); anon., 2022c (summer logbook); anon., 2022d (autumn logbook); anon., 2023b (Easter logbook); anon., 2023c (summer logbook)
Entrance pictures : April 2019 & August 2022 : 360° photos - 1 2 3 (notes)
Underground pictures : August 2022 : summer 2023
Video : Summer 2022 (YouTube) : exploration August 2023
Detailed survey : sketch, 2022 : summer 2023 in hand
Line Survey :
On area survey :
Survex file : August 2023