Easy peasy caves

bagpuss

Member
Possibly similar to caving with a toddler thread, but can anyone suggest some easy/interesting/dry Mendip caves worth a visit? I've not been well and haven't got much strength at the moment. Not keen on visiting mines and have visited a lot of the more obvious choices before, so looking for some more obscure/collectors piece type suggestions, or if anyone is a leader of an easy cave which is led trips only please let me know. I've got Mendip underground so will give that a trawl too, but it's always good to have suggestions :) I like photography so small caves with interesting things to photograph a bonus  (y)
 

twiglet

New member
Hi Bagpuss,
  Fairy Cave is an easy cave, no keys or permits to worry about. I would compare it to Goatchurch but not so slippery !!! Not many pretties to photograph but good fun for an hour or so.
 
MU5 Appendix 1 says Hillier's Cave and the ungated Fairy Cave are closed to cavers from 1st October until 31st March because of hibernating bats.
 

tim.rose2

Active member
A few ideas...

Out of Bat season there's the other short caves in Fairy - Hillwithy & bits of Balch's.

Brownes' Hole (avoiding nasty tube)

If you can get access - caves in Chelm's combe quarry - nothing too tricky (other than getting to one of the entrances was a bit exciting).  Some nice pretties in one of these if I recall correctly.

Fox's hole in Burrington is worth a poke around - won't take more than 20mins.

Loxton Cave & Loxton Quarry cave - I seem to remember one of those having some pretties in a bedding plane.

There's always a wander round burrington popping in a few entrances.  You could kill a couple hours walking between Read's and Pierres doing the Read's through trip, the entrance area loop in Rod, Goatchurch through trip and loop around the top of Pierres.  You won't be underground for more than 20mins in each.

As well as Denny's hole I seem to remember finding a few other small holes on Sandford hill to get in - don't remember anything getting beyond daylight though.  This is another option for combining a wander with poking around in small holes.

Shute Shelve required little effort but does need a leader.

Off Mendip - there's Prid (Devon) and Flagpole, AKA Grove Cliff Caves (Portland).  They're the respective 'Goatchurch's'.






 

mikem

Well-known member
There are indeed several other holes on Crook Peak apart from Denny's, quite a lot around Sandford Hill as well (I did a "Miner tour" article for MCG News).

Speak to Maj about Chelm's Combe, you could also ask the Capn about a trip to Grebe or Alan Gray for Redcliffe Caves, Winford Redding Pits or Upper Canada.

Compton Martin Ochre Mine or Swiss Valley Cave in Clevedon...

Hope you feel better soon.

Mike
 

Maj

Active member
3 caves in Chelm's Combe Quarry:-
Box's Cave, Reynolds' Rift & Chelm's Coombe Quarry Cave.
All have their own entry in MU5.

We, the Atlas diggers can arrange access with a little advance notice. None of the three caves are that extensive or difficult with a combined length of approx 360m.
Would definitely fit the description of easy(ish)/interesting/dry(ish)/obscure collector type/pretties (certainly in Box's Cave).

The quarry is sub let and has a night security guard on site.
Although there are no restrictions regarding numbers, I would suggest a max 6(ish).

Best to use a builders ladder to access the scramble up to Chelm's Combe Quarry Cave, which should be visited as the last of the three because of its muddy nature.

Maj.

 

bagpuss

Member
twiglet said:
Hi Bagpuss,
  Fairy Cave is an easy cave, no keys or permits to worry about. I would compare it to Goatchurch but not so slippery !!! Not many pretties to photograph but good fun for an hour or so.

As others have said closed for bats. In through Hilliers and out through Fairy is one of my favorite trips and an excellent place for photography during non bat hibernation.
 

bagpuss

Member
dugadig said:
Sandford levvy.  :)
Afraid I've been there a number of times, we had our club Christmas celebration there one year. It's a great place for singing due to the reverb!
 

bagpuss

Member
Maj said:
3 caves in Chelm's Combe Quarry:-
Box's Cave, Reynolds' Rift & Chelm's Coombe Quarry Cave.
All have their own entry in MU5.

We, the Atlas diggers can arrange access with a little advance notice. None of the three caves are that extensive or difficult with a combined length of approx 360m.
Would definitely fit the description of easy(ish)/interesting/dry(ish)/obscure collector type/pretties (certainly in Box's Cave).

The quarry is sub let and has a night security guard on site.
Although there are no restrictions regarding numbers, I would suggest a max 6(ish).

Best to use a builders ladder to access the scramble up to Chelm's Combe Quarry Cave, which should be visited as the last of the three because of its muddy nature.

Maj.

Reading this thread I've realised I've visited rather a lot of the small caves! I've not been to Reads before though so that's on the list :) I've also never been to Chelm's Combe Quarry, so will send you a message Maj
 

mikem

Well-known member
Well, the medium sized caves anyway, MU5 describes most things over 60m, but only a selection of shorter ones - Tav reckons there are over 4000 sites around Mendip, although quite a few have been back-filled or access is denied.

Whilst visiting Read's there is also Rowberrow Cavern to look for...

Mike
 

bagpuss

Member
mikem said:
Well, the medium sized caves anyway, MU5 describes most things over 60m, but only a selection of shorter ones - Tav reckons there are over 4000 sites around Mendip, although quite a few have been back-filled or access is denied.

Whilst visiting Read's there is also Rowberrow Cavern to look for...

Mike
Enjoyed a visit to Rowberrow when my daughter was small :) Did it in conjunction with another one which was just a long tunnel (entrance blocked by leaves) can't remember the name of it though but it was around that sort of area.
 

mikem

Well-known member
Attborough Swallet (to Cotham Hall), Axbridge Ochre Cavern, Balch Cave/Aven Chamber (already mentioned), Banwell Ochre Caves, Bone Hole, Carcass Cave, Tween Twins (see their website), West Twin Brook Adit, Five Buddles Sink, Ham Hole & Nancy Camel's Hole are all in MU5. Draycott Cave & Minstrel Mine are also worth a visit, as is King's Wood by Congresbury, especially when the bluebells are out (although most of the workings have high fences), or come & join us at Cutler's Green on a Tuesday evening for a little light digging (difficult to get access otherwise, as it's pretty much in someone's back garden)...

Mike
 

mikem

Well-known member
Page 146 has a detailed route around Swildon's Oxbows, have you explored them all?:
http://wessex-cave-club.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Wessex-Cave-Club-Journal-Number-330.pdf
 
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