Can anyone tell me if the dig in Starting Handle Hole is active or is the pile crap down there abandoned digging paraphernalia??

The lid is held semi captive by a padlocked chain and although passable it is awkward.  Who has the key?  A few links more slack on the chain would be helpful.

If you use the back up spit, 20m of rope will not get you down Klunk Pitch: you need 25m ,or a knot pass

I'm minded to start a clean-up here but it will be a big job, and need a trailer to get the rubbish? off the Fell.

Any info gratefully received. 

TC

Hi TC, I've never been down but suspect it is a long abandoned dig.  The main digger there passed away many years ago and he had abandoned the dig long before then.  Being next to the road he had always claimed it was not part of the Leck fell ownership but part of HM Highways and it's position required some security hence the attempt at a lock. 

If you'd like to have ago at clearing up the junk then CNCC would help remove it from the fell I'm sure.  I suggest you get in touch with Kay via conservation@cncc.org.uk.  We have excellent relations with the ownership of Leck Fell these days so this sort of thing can easily be arranged and promoted as a good news story.

Please do it 

If the padlock has been unused for that long it's unlikely to work with the key, unless it's a very good quality one.

topcat said:

The lid is held semi captive by a padlocked chain and although passable it is awkward.  Who has the key?  A few links more slack on the chain would be helpful.

Click to expand...

That entrance is also 'orribly loose - especially when trying to negotiate the lid.

Thanks for that information.  I know it's a very minor hole by Leck Fell standards but it is still worthy of some TCL.

Now that I've finished the Calcite Way clean up this seems like my next conservation project .

Some of the work I can do solo, but there is too much to haul out for one person, and I'd appreciate someone looking at the entrance lid.  It needs one for sure, but a more access friendly one: damned lid nearly squashed me on the way out.

I'm hoping to get accommodation for September so a weekend mid month seems likely.  I'll have a look at putting in place some temporary fixed rigging and fix the rope rub issues, and cut the chain so that the lid can open fully.  I'll attach it to a rope to avoid dropping it down the shaft.  I have a rep. for blocking caves..... see Craftsman Pot 😊

The big effort will have to be coordinated post Covid but I'll see what I can do meantime.

I remember nearly being dragged down Starting Handle Hole, for an evening dig, donkey's years ago. But after a days caving I decided I'd rather go to the pub instead. After seeing photos of the place in Caves and Caving, in the report on the breakthrough, I think I made the right choice!! 

Update:

I have made a number of solo trips, and some more with the much appreciated support from Meg S.

The access issue re the lid has been sorted and a back up bolt fitted.  The lid is attached to this via the original chain and a stainless steel maillon.  It now lifts out of the way to give clean access to the shaft.

The entrance shaft is loose, and the scaff poor ( hence the bolt) but better scaff is encountered a short way down.

We have the cave rigged to the bottom of the penultimate pitch.  The ropes will be removed when the job is finished, and will extend to the bottom sometime very soon.

A lot of rubbish has been moved up cave and now resides at the bottom of the entrance pitch.  The aim is to get everything there for 'easy' extraction post covid as a team effort.

I hope to have everything to the dump ( in the cave, not the council dump) by Christmas.

Progress is being hampered by the need to rescue frogs!  5 out to date, with two more evading capture!

****There are two things I'd appreciate someone with suitable experience having a look at for me.
1:  the state if the scaff at the entrance.  It is in good condition but poorly ' attached' to the cave.
2: the state of the shoring in the chamber below the second or third pitch.  (Depends on how you rig it)
The shoring is a mixture of scaff and very rotten wood.  I think it may be better to remove all and then grade the spoil down towards the pitch head, but I have no experience of these things.

If you are heading down there, please take a frog rescue box!

well done Topcat and Meg