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The
cave is approximately 12 metres long with a drop of
8 metres.
The
entrance (PHOTO
A) is low and leads to a small increase
in height and a slope going up to the right for 1 metre.
1.5 metres from the entrance the roof lowers again and
there is a flat out crawl for 1 metre (PHOTO
B).
PHOTO
B
Here the
floor steps up but so does the roof so crawling is on
elbows and knees for 3 metres to steps down to a scaffolded
area where the only worthwhile piece of decoration can
be found (PHOTO
C).
Up
to this point the passage had been almost filled to
the roof with rocks and soil, the space above the fill
varying from 35 cm to 20cm.
Where the scaffolding is
situated was predominantly rocks with soil and calcite
infill.
The rocks were removed, scaffolding built and
then some rocks were replaced to fill in the gaps between
the scaffolding and the remaining rock 'walls' - this
means that if any of the rocks try to move they will
have no where to go (PHOTO D).
PHOTO D
PHOTO F
At
the bottom of the slope a large piece of rock was encountered (PHOTO G) - it is not clear if this is bedrock or a piece
that fell from further up during the early life of the
cave.
Grooves indicated that the water had flowed between
this rock and the roof down a now soil-filled 10cm high
slot.
Rock has been removed following the slot down
but the size has if anything got smaller and it is likely
that no further progress will be made here.
In very
wet weather water comes into this area (PHOTO H) and drains
away slowly suggesting that there isn't any 'open' passage
nearby.
Back
up the slope opposite the right hand passage recent
digging has revealed two voids.
Ahead (PHOTO I) is a small chamber,
not big enough to accommodate a person but there is
nothing to suggest a way on.
PHOTO J
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PHOTO
A
PHOTO
C
Apart
from the voids found in June this year the whole of
the cave below the top of the scaffolding was originally
filled by rocks and soil.
From
the scaffolding the cave drops down at an angle of 45
degrees (PHOTO E) to the current limit of exploration following
a roof that has large grooves indicating that a lot
of water went this way.
PHOTO E
Part way down the drop a passage
to the right was started at a point where the roof was
horizontal and calcite ledges suggested this was a significant
point in the cave, but after a couple of metres the
roof turned to become vertical and it would have been
unwise to continue tunnelling under a roof of compressed
soil (PHOTO F).
PHOTO G
PHOTO H
PHOTO I
Back from this to the left
is a 2.5 metre passage that rises at 30 degrees going
back underneath the passage above the scaffolding (PHOTO J).
This is not quite big enough to get through and it is
not clear if it will lead to a continuation of the cave.
Richard
Mercer, July 2008
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