tim.rose2
Active member
Thought I'd start a thread titled 'elsewhere in Dorset' to post info about underground sites in other parts of the county (i.e. not Portland). Please feel free to add to this...
So the obvious question why start this? Well today I finally got around to something I've been meaning to do for about 15 years. Sas was out with her band marching up and down the square and blowing her trumpet in Bridport. With nothing better to do I thought I'd go with her and do a walk in the area which just happened to pass the location of Walditch cave. The Portland book mentions the cave but until today I'd simply not got around to going and having a look. With no idea whether the cave was still accessible and nothing other than a grid reference to locate it I didn't know whether I'd even find the entrance. Turns out it's fairly easy to find, sufficiently discrete, however the entrance is a little overgrown and I'm guessing nobody's been in there for some time. You also need to be nettle proof.
I might have had a head torch and helmet in my bag just in case, however was otherwise not dressed for caving so today was just a quick glance inside. The entrance is a narrow slot. The cave then opens a little before a squeeze into a respectable sized bit of passage - unlike the Portland caves, this is something water worn which you can stand in. After about 20 m I would have had to grovel around on the muddy floor, possibly do a bit of clearing and then shove myself through to progress so called it quits at that rather than get filthy. I believe I got as far as the choke reported, roughly halfway through the cave, which according to the Portland book is 46 m long. A return trip with proper kit, a Richard and a couple of tools is in order to get to the end.
With regards to the end. Is there anyone out there who's seen it? The Portland book states it's a choke - is it worth a discrete poke & prod? The cave goes the right way into the hill so in my mind there's certainly potential for more than 46 m.
A couple of photos:
The entrance
Looking back towards the entrance
The bit you can stand up in
Where I retreated today
I'll add some more to this after I get around to the return trip.
I'll also try to post some bits about a couple of the sea caves along the Purbeck coast when I get a chance.
So the obvious question why start this? Well today I finally got around to something I've been meaning to do for about 15 years. Sas was out with her band marching up and down the square and blowing her trumpet in Bridport. With nothing better to do I thought I'd go with her and do a walk in the area which just happened to pass the location of Walditch cave. The Portland book mentions the cave but until today I'd simply not got around to going and having a look. With no idea whether the cave was still accessible and nothing other than a grid reference to locate it I didn't know whether I'd even find the entrance. Turns out it's fairly easy to find, sufficiently discrete, however the entrance is a little overgrown and I'm guessing nobody's been in there for some time. You also need to be nettle proof.
I might have had a head torch and helmet in my bag just in case, however was otherwise not dressed for caving so today was just a quick glance inside. The entrance is a narrow slot. The cave then opens a little before a squeeze into a respectable sized bit of passage - unlike the Portland caves, this is something water worn which you can stand in. After about 20 m I would have had to grovel around on the muddy floor, possibly do a bit of clearing and then shove myself through to progress so called it quits at that rather than get filthy. I believe I got as far as the choke reported, roughly halfway through the cave, which according to the Portland book is 46 m long. A return trip with proper kit, a Richard and a couple of tools is in order to get to the end.
With regards to the end. Is there anyone out there who's seen it? The Portland book states it's a choke - is it worth a discrete poke & prod? The cave goes the right way into the hill so in my mind there's certainly potential for more than 46 m.
A couple of photos:
The entrance

Looking back towards the entrance

The bit you can stand up in

Where I retreated today

I'll add some more to this after I get around to the return trip.
I'll also try to post some bits about a couple of the sea caves along the Purbeck coast when I get a chance.