Thrupe Lane Swallet is closed until further notice, due to a flood pulse ripping the gate* off its hinges and buckling it. The entrance, which has a temporary barricade, is currently taking the main stream, meaning that the Ferret Run and Plaster Passage are almost certainly impassable.

* the gate is there to protect the entrance shaft and is not locked.  There's another unlocked gate further in which (provided that the last party out closed it) will prevent stream debris from being washed in too far.

CORRECTION: The second gate should be left open otherwise it may block up and divert water down the Railway Series.

I don't intend to be obnoxious - but what exactly is the purpose of the second gate ?

Andyj23UK said:

I don't intend to be obnoxious - but what exactly is the purpose of the second gate ?

Click to expand...

It is a relic from when the cave was first opened (and before the adit entrance was dug).  As soon as we can get to it, we will remove it and relocate it somewhere more useful (in another cave).

The gate shown in the photo is the one provided by CSCC to replace an earlier version (that withstood many floods).  Unfortunately it is damaged and will need to be repaired or replaced.

Under the current weather conditions it would not be wise (or possible) to visit the rest of the cave so no-one is missing out.

Forgot to say, the photo was taken today by Darell Instrel.

Taken today. Hobnail Hole on the left and Thrupe entrance on the right.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mendipcaveregistryarchive/11756446536/#

A) Quattick
B) Where
C) Sense and leave

Is there any news on Thrupe yet as to whether access has been restored?

A few weeks ago, when the stream had abated and sinking before the adit, spike & I went down to have a look.
Then on Sunday 13th April Duncan descended the entrance shaft.

A couple of reports from our (ATLAS) log:

Feb 13th & 19th
Straightened and remounted gate, installed new top gate stop.

Sunday 23rd March.
Down the shaft to a showery ledge with possible undermining below the adit. The stream back against the surface cliff is reappearing here.
On to the railway series junction and faced with a sumped blockage to the ferret run. Old gate not visible. Tried to loosen a 3" dia log (estimated ~4ft long) jammed in said blockage to no avail. Clearly some water is sinking here as only approximately one quarter of the flow seems to be entering the railway series.
Off down railway series - lots of flood debris on walls/floor/roof. Shrimp and other water creatures in stream pools. A few loose rocks to be gardened along with the storm debris. Reached a further blockage at the base of bamboo aven which marked the end of our journey.
There have been three or four rocks placed across the entrance to the railway series which neither of us recognised.

Working assumptions thus far:
1. The main route must be blocked at the gate. If it was closed then this blockage will have been pretty much instant, and the whole stream (and accompanying debris) will have been going down the railway series. If not, it may have taken a little longer to block and there will be debris to remove from the ferret run.
2. The blockage at bamboo aven may have prevented too much debris from flowing down the wells road and on. The water will have risen through this though so there will have been an impressive cascade in to high atlas.
3. There is much work to be done to recover the cave. As it is however you can "bottom" Thrupe Lane Swallet and be back on the surface in 15 minutes.

Sunday 13th March
Duncan went down the shaft and cleared the blockage, but a lot flood debris still needs to be removed.

Obviously there is a lot of work to be done, both underground and on the surface (to try and prevent reoccurrence). The ATLAS team is planning to clear as much of the flood debris as we can in the near future.  I'm sure that any offers of help would be most welcome.

Maj.