Coastal Caves

Cookie

New member
This is to do with the consultation on extending Countryside Access (CROW) to our coasts.

I need to get an idea of the number of coastal caves (or mines/adits) we have and whether the access is public or private.

I guess the first category are solutional caves which meet the coast. These tend to be more interesting and have individual names. E.g. Beachy Head Cave, Blacknor Hole.

The second category is where the caves have been formed by the sea. These tend to be smaller, more numerous and better described by and area. E.g.  Berry Head, The Gower.

I'm also interested those that aren't in limestone (if any).

Anyone know a good reference?

My list so far.

Category 1
Beachy Head Cave  - public
Blacknor Hole, Portland - public
Sandy Hole, Portland - public
Tilly Whim Caves, Dorset - Private
Merlin's Cave, Cornwall - public

Category 2
Brean Down - 3 - Public
Portland - many
Dorset - a few
Berry Head - many
The Gower - many

Not many, but a start.  :-[




 

gus horsley

New member
I know of loads of sea caves and adits in Cornwall.  Do you want grid refs?  It could take some time to categorise them all but I could give them to you in chunks.
 

graham

New member
Cookie

Someone somewhere I am sure has done research on sea caves in the UK. One thought is that something had been published by Oldham, but he'd have put an advert up by now if that has been the case. ;)

My second thought is that you should ask Charlie Self who has done a fair bit of stuff on non-karst caves. I'll pm his phone number to you.
 

Peter Burgess

New member
Beachy Head Cave is in chalk, not limestone.
Merlin's cave (assuming this to be at Tintagel) I thought was an erosional cave, in killas.
Not in the list - Canterbury Cave, at St. Margaret's Bay near Dover is a solutional cave in chalk. Public.
Some caves in the chalk cliffs of Thanet, Kent. Some man-made, some erosional caves. Public.


 

Cookie

New member
gus horsley said:
I know of loads of sea caves and adits in Cornwall.  Do you want grid refs?  It could take some time to categorise them all but I could give them to you in chunks.

Broad brush approach at this stage. So areas of interest with highlighted notable caves is best.
 

Cookie

New member
Peter Burgess said:
Tilly Whim Caves are definitely in the wrong category as they are simple stone quarries and not natural solution caves.

Your entirely correct. I need a category 3 - Mines, Adits and other subterranean features.

:( No modify button.
 

Cookie

New member
Peter Burgess said:
Beachy Head Cave is in chalk, not limestone.
Merlin's cave (assuming this to be at Tintagel) I thought was an erosional cave, in killas.
Not in the list - Canterbury Cave, at St. Margaret's Bay near Dover is a solutional cave in chalk. Public.
Some caves in the chalk cliffs of Thanet, Kent. Some man-made, some erosional caves. Public.

Thanks for the additions. I'll post a revised list presently.
 

Peter Burgess

New member
The broad brush approach would suggest including the Purbeck coast, with Tilly Whim, and the cliff-quarries at and around Dancing Ledge - Winspit area. Some private, some public.

 

gus horsley

New member
North Coast of Cornwall:
Cathedral Cavern (pub)
Seal Hole (pub)
Tea Caves (pub)
Holywell Cave (pub)
Sally's Bottom Caves (priv)
(All non-solutional)

Adits:
Whipsiderry Adits (gated)
Mawgan Porth Adit (pub)
Wheal Golden (priv)
Gravel Hill Mine (gated)
Wheal Ramoth (pub)
Wheal Droskyn (pub, some gated)
Wheal Perran (pub)
Great St George (pub)
Cligga Mine (pub)
Wheal Prudence (pub)
Trevaunance Adits (pub)
Polberro Mine (pub)
Wheal Coates (pub)
Wheal Charlotte (pub)
Wheal Tye (priv)
Carbis Bay Adits (4-pub)
St Ives Consols (gated)
Carnelloe Consols (pub)
Pendeen Consols (pub)
Geevor Deep Adit (gated)
Levant Adits (pub)
Botallack Adits (pub)
Kenidjack Adits (pub)
Cape Cornwall Adits (pub)
St Just United (pub)
Wheal Bellan (pub)
Wheal Hermon (pub)
Wheal Letcha (pub)
Pol Pry Adits (pub)

I'll get together a list for the South coast later.




 

Ed W

Member
Stair Hole (next to Lulworth Cove) has an interesting set of sea caves connecting the two large natural arches.  The through trip has several entrances, and provides a pleasant swim/desperate duck/sumps depending on the state of the tide and swell.

Never had anyone suggest that access here is anything other than public.
 

Cookie

New member
Ed has reminded my that the landowners currently deny access to Blacknor Hole and Sandy Hole. So they are private.
 

Les W

Active member
graham said:
One thought is that something had been published by Oldham, but he'd have put an advert up by now if that has been the case. ;)

Complete caves of Devon (Oldham) lists many sea caves.

 

graham

New member
Peter Burgess said:
Les W said:
Peter Burgess said:
Beachy Head Cave is in chalk, not limestone.

Chalk is Limestone!!  :read:

Oh no it isnt.

In a list of definitions of limestone, the first was:

a sedimentary rock consisting mainly of calcium that was deposited by the remains of marine animals

And the Concise OED gives, for chalk:

'white soft earthy limestone used for burning into lime and for writing and drawing.

So I would say that "Oh yes it is!" would be a reasonable response at this point.
 

Cookie

New member
From The Concise Caves Of Devon

North Devon Coast
Baggy Point
Burrow Nose Cave
Saunton Cliff Caves
Watermouth Cave

South Devon Coast
Berry Head Sea Caves
Devils Point Sea Cave
Durl Head Cave
Hope Cove Caves
Ladram Bay Caves
Madeira Road Sea Caves
Mackeral Cove Sea Caves
Man Sands Sea Cave
Slater's Cave
South Sands Cave
Thunderhole Point
Thurlston Rock Cave
Tom Grolier's Hole

No idea about access
 
Top