Llygad Llwchwr II access

Rhys

Moderator
Hi all

I'm aware through Facebook that the entrance to Llygad Llwchwr II has been buried by a bit of a landslide. It looks like the current blockage could be shifted relatively easily, but there appears to be a real risk of more stuff coming down. I understand this is going to be reported to Cambrian CC - if they don't already know.

Rhys
 

Stuart France

Active member
Well nobody has mentioned it directly to Cambrian Caving Council.  We will put a warning sign at the roadside gate shortly.

Mary has been for a look this week and took the photos attached.  It seems to be a recent landslide off the steep ground to the west side of the entrance shaft involving substantial rocks and dead trees with the prospect of more debris and trees coming down.  Probably best to let it calm down for a bit while considering what can be done.

2020 has been quite a year for landslides (and much else) starting with the widespread floods in February, then some flash flooding in August which is probably what did for this embankment.
 

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Stuart France

Active member
First the good news:  Tony, Mary and I have been over and sorted out this entrance.  Some big rocks had fallen, one balanced directly over the shaft, and copious amounts of gooey soil all over the place including down the shaft.  The bars across the shaft were well bent and have been replaced with proper scaff and a much smaller offset hole within it to provide caver access while minimising the chance of any more rock etc getting inside.

The bad news is the 30m tall mature Ash trees in this locality have got the dieback disease and there are two such still standing (but dead) within 10m of the hole which eventually will come down and bring more rocks and soil with them.

So this is an 'ongoing situation' albeit a slow moving one.
 

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Pitlamp

Well-known member
Purely for interest, we had a substantial landslide in the Dales not long ago. Many tons of boulder clay (glacial till) became dislodged from the side of the deep P5 shakehole (near GG on Ingleborough). Fortunately this one missed the entrances of P5 or Pay Sank potholes. We think it was caused by all the rain throughout February this year (which included three named storms) unless anyone can tell us they saw it before then?

This is only a stone's throw away from Marble Pot, where a similar boulder clay landslide several years ago completely obscured the entrance to the pothole below.
 

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mrodoc

Well-known member
I think ash die back is going to cause a few problems. Fairy Cave Quarry has the problem.
 

Stuart France

Active member
Of course landslips and collapses can work in cavers' favour too.  A certain well known club has been digging next to a newish sinkhole for the Giedd river for a year+ and this is now fitted with a long run of 110mm soil waste pipe and bits of guttering at roof level to conduit unwanted water.  You've never seen anything like this.  Meanwhile on the other bank of the river there are some very new collapses, the deepest of which at the far right in the photo is untouched despite an intriguing looking black undercut at the bottom.  The photo is the general view of Sinc-y-Giedd which collectively is the main sink for Dan-yr-Ogof.

Upstream near the River Giedd bridleway crossing point is Pwll Dewi Sant which is a deep pothole with internal waterfall that opens and closes itself by slumping in at the neck every decade or so.  This is currently open and rigged for access (in caving gear).  All worth a look and a nice day's walking if you are in the area as is the sinc-y-giedd cave itself which is entered between huge boulders at the leftmost cliff in the photo (in caving gear).
 

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Pitlamp

Well-known member
Yep - landslips certainly can work in cavers' favour Stuart.

Without it there would be no Notts Pot!
 

Mrs Trellis

Well-known member
[quote author=Roger W]
You mean a floaty green dress isn't suitable?
[/quote]

Oh it was you was it in that dress - I did wonder?
 
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