Fairy Holes - Weardale

[petemonk]

This is a delicate subject beacuse Fairy Holes is currently out of bounds. For those who haven't been there it's situated in an unused quarry and access is strictly not allowed. Yesterday (Tuesday 12th June) two members of the Northen Boggarts  Caving Club ventured up there to see if we could recce the cave with a view to a longer trip later in the year. This is one of the finest caves in the country and has been out of bounds since the 60s. We knew there was a steel gate on the entrance but word on the street was that this could be finessed and entry into the cave could be made..
Imagine our surprise when we discovered that the owners Lafarge Cement had carefully placed over a hundred tons of extremely large boulders over the entrance. They had also attempted to bulldoze the cliff behind the cave entrance onto the cave entrance thus making doubly sure that no caver would ever be able to gain entry.
Not sure what, if anything, can be done but this used to one of the best trips in the country.
I have some great photos showing the damage done if anyone can tell me how to attach images.

 

[Speleofish]

This is a bit of a disaster. I thought Fairy Holes was a SSSI - are Lafarge allowed to do this? I also thought there was a plan to develop the area downslope of Fairy holes as a renewable energy village and that there were plans to promote outdoor recreation in the area (including mention of allowing access to Fairy Holes for experienced cavers). This was in about 2008 - the body reponsible called itself the Weardale Task Force - hads this all come to nothing?

 

[mikem]

In 2010 government funding was cut:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eastgate_Renewable_Energy_Village

Further info:
http://www.weardale-works.co.uk/

You need to load photos elsewhere online & then use the "Mona Lisa" symbol around their web address.

Mike

 

[Mark]

Actually the entrance has been stabilised as part of the ongoing planning procedure, with a view to allowing caver access in the future

 

[peterk]

Lafarge Sustainability Report 2009 http://www.lafarge.co.uk/SustainabilityReport2009/2009%20Sustainability%20Report%20p23.pdf
Includes:
2010 targets
? To ensure all SSSIs are managed to ensure their condition does not decline
? To complete access agreement for Fairy Hole Cave SSSI  :-\  :-\
? To submit to the MPA Restoration Awards a completed quarry restoration

 

[petemonk]

This looks quite different from stabilisation. This is an attempt to prevent all entry to this cave. My info is that the proposed village is now not going to take place and to me it looks like the cave has been closed permanently. I'll continue to investigate. Meanwhile I'll attempt to post some photos.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/80336810@N08/7185991647/#in/photostream/

 

[petemonk]

Hi all,
Here are some of the other photos I took - all looks pretty final - doesn't look like the quarry is trying to be friendly to cavers.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/80336810@N08/7371223606/#in/photostream/http:/http://www.flickr.com/photos/80336810@N08/7371223270/in/photostream/http://www.flickr.com/photos/80336810@N08/7371223502/in/photostream/http://www.flickr.com/photos/80336810@N08/7371223606/#in/photostream/

 

[graham]

- doesn't look like the quarry is trying to be friendly to cavers.

To act as devil's advocate for just a moment, why should they be friendly when there is clear evidence of cavers attempting to access their property without authorisation?

 

[Speleofish]

Back to my original question - are you allowed to do this to a SSSI? I suppose the cave is now extremely well-preserved... However, it's a rather drastic solution

 

[estelle]

- doesn't look like the quarry is trying to be friendly to cavers.

To act as devil's advocate for just a moment, why should they be friendly when there is clear evidence of cavers attempting to access their property without authorisation?

personally i'd not be making pictures public online as it does show trespass... I'd be contacting Natural England as it's their job to protect SSSI's - http://www.sssi.naturalengland.org.uk/special/sssi/protection.cfm - and leave it to them to deal with.

 

[IanWalker]

so you've knowingly committed trespass, taken photos of yourselves doing it, written publicly about it online and said you'd do it again?

i sincerely hope anyone reading this doesn't think you represent cavers generally.

 

[graham]

Back to my original question - are you allowed to do this to a SSSI? I suppose the cave is now extremely well-preserved... However, it's a rather drastic solution

If by "you" you mean the quarry owners then, provided that they have not breached any of the PDIs applying to the designation then yes, they are.

There is no right of access to SSSIs.

 

[graham]

- doesn't look like the quarry is trying to be friendly to cavers.

To act as devil's advocate for just a moment, why should they be friendly when there is clear evidence of cavers attempting to access their property without authorisation?

personally i'd not be making pictures public online as it does show trespass... I'd be contacting Natural England as it's their job to protect SSSI's - http://www.sssi.naturalengland.org.uk/special/sssi/protection.cfm - and leave it to them to deal with.

Quite agree.

 

[estelle]

I'd also be asking for this thread to be removed as it is public and shows trespass which may not help any case against this and while damage to an SSSI is wrong, so is trespass...

 

[RobinGriffiths]

Trespass (assuming nothing stolen or damaged) is a civil offence, damage to a SSSI is potentially a criminal offence.

 

[dunc]

Having looked at the pictures, I see there's a picture of a gated concrete tube, what's that?

As for trespass, they were probably going for a look to see the state of play, don't blame them to be honest as nobody seems to know anything about what is happening. What were they to do, pester the owners which might also sour relations, or wait for someone to reveal information - the question about access was raised ages ago on this forum and no answer was forthcoming.
It quite clearly states in their report access might be negotiated by 2010, two years later and as far as a lot of people are aware nothing has happened. Who, if anyone, has been in contact with them, one would assume CNCC should have been? 

 

[petemonk]

Hi Dunc,
The gate is fixed inside a concrete pipe which is the entrance to the cave. It was possible to lower my camera between the boulders and take a snapshot of the entrance.

 

[dunc]

Ahh, so assuming boulders were eventually moved the entrance remains intact, a very faint light at the end of a very long tunnel, but a light nonetheless..

 

[mikem]

As for trespass, they were probably going for a look to see the state of play, don't blame them to be honest as nobody seems to know anything about what is happening.

Unfortunately covering an entrance that was opened up by quarrying would be seen as protecting an SSSI, whilst trespassing is an offence, I suggest you remove this thread & talk to the CNCC...

 

[bograt]

Ahh, so assuming boulders were eventually moved the entrance remains intact, a very faint light at the end of a very long tunnel, but a light nonetheless..

Or even a fairy light