Long Drop Cave

General description

BTH - 13/03/2026

The entrance is below a small cliff in a shakehole. From the wide overhanging entrance, a short crawl leads onto an 8 metres (26 ft) dry shaft. At the bottom, an excavated route leads into a narrow stream passage, with a narrow 5 metres (16 ft) pitch a few metres downstream. Below this, about 20 metres (66 ft) of narrow passage leads to the top of the third pitch, where the system enlarges dramatically. A 29-metre (95 ft) pitch passes a ledge, and lands in Fault Chamber, where a vertical geological fault can be seen to have a 150 centimetres (59 in) throw. A further 8-metre (26 ft) pitch leads to a final chamber and a stream passage. Upstream, the water emerges from an impenetrable fissure, downstream passes through a low crawl before the going eases, passing under some avens. After 60 metres (200 ft) the passage becomes a waterlogged tube which is normally sumped. This can be baled from the downstream end, to allow a through trip to Dolphin Passage in Death's Head Hole. In Fault Chamber, an easy climb up the eastern rift reaches a small window, that can be forced to an 8 metres (26 ft) pitch that drops into an independent streamway - High Stream Passage. Upstream leads to an aven with an inlet entering, and a narrow 20-metre (66 ft) long passage leading to a second aven. Downstream leads into High Stream Chamber where the water sinks in boulders to emerge from the impenetrable fissure mentioned above. A 22-metre (72 ft) pitch drops into High Stream Chamber from Humble Inlet. Two passages can be reached from the top. Upstream, 100 metres (330 ft) of decorated passage ends in a mineralised choke on a fault in the area of Humble Pot. The downstream passage is smaller and wetter, and finishes in a blind 18-metre (59 ft) pit. Short Long Drop is an alternative entrance located 10 metres (33 ft) from the main entrance. A tight rift leads to the top of an 8-metre (26 ft) shaft. At the bottom, a tight crawl connects with the bottom of the first pitch in the main cave. Source : * Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia, in English, > article "Long Drop Cave" : en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Long_Drop_Cave