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Carcass Cave

Digging across the tail end of 2001 has focussed upon a new site on Shute Shelve hill. A small opening was noticed by a novice caver next to Carcass Shaft, an impressive Axebridge dig. Mick Norton and others quickly opened up 15m of dry dusty crawls with several possible leads. Over the next few weeks a combined assault by an agglomeration of MCG, Bracknell and Newbury cavers rapidly extended the cave.

Digging out the sandy sediment was easy enough although extremely hot work. Encouraged by the good air quality we persevered and our efforts eventually resulted in a small breakthrough. After a particularly long days digging Tim forced a typically desperate squeeze to reveal 10m of walking sized rift. The squeeze has now been enlarged to sensible proportions and its removal revealed a nice phreatic meander. The rift is obviously fault contolled and completely different in character to the rest of the cave. The floor is littered with rocks that have fallen off the shattered right hand wall. The left hand side is coated with ancient flowstones.

The draught was found to be coming from a small hole at the far end of the rift. Digging continues (Dec 2001) but progress will now be much harder. We also did a smoke test in Carcass Shaft to see if the draught at the dig face in Carcass Cave was merely coming from the hillside. This proved negative so the theory is that the draught is coming from Shute Shelve Cavern. We'll check this in the spring after the bat season is over. As for the dig, unfortunately we are going to need some more persuasive measures to widen the tube at the end.

Anyone interested in digging at Carcass or at other interesting sites on Shute Shelve hill should contact Mick Norton or Doug Harris.

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Carcass Cave entrance	In the crawl	The break-through

The new rift	Mick in the rift

Crystals	Tim examining the crystals	Smoke testing Carcass shaft

Carcass Cave - sketch survey

Updated 13-11-06