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 The Black Rose on Storrs Common

Down by the River

Dead Rabbit Cavern

NGR SD 698 735    Altitude 140m    Length 18m

Location :- Hard to find. There is only one point on the Waterfall's Path where it is possible to traverse down to the cliff face and the cave. Our Duncan shows the way.

In wet weather one should use a lifeline. The exposed traverse is grassy and slippery and many an unwary caver has already gone helmet over boots down into the river, far, far below.

Duncan lays down the hand line

Ged navigates the Dead Rabbit traverse

The tiny man-sized hidden entrance is uphill of the obvious rock shelter.

Ged points the way

Duncan says :"You must be joking."

Duncan disappears into Dead Rabbit Cavern - but unless you know exactly where to look the small entrance is hidden from view..

History :- One dark night in 1959, after the consumption of considerable ale, Ged decided to explore the cliffs below Steam House Mansions by torch light, on his own. Traversing down he soon found a small hole which opened up into a larger section inhabited by a smelly dead rabbit. Ahead was a wide low bedding plane which became very low and extended out of sight into the darkness. The air in the cave was stagnant - there was no draft.
     Returning next day, in daylight, cold sober, the traverse proved extremely difficult to locate, and to navigate, and the small hole was even more difficult to find. There's a moral in this somewhere. Several cavers have unsuccessfully attempted to extend the cave, and many have yet to actually find the cave ... it isn't easily found.

Saturday 14th August 2004 - Ged and Duncan decided to upgrade our knowledge of "Down by the River" and we took a few photos and scratted about in a few of the many small holes in the cliff face.

Happiness around here is a tiny grass ledge above the river. - photo Duncan Jones

Description in NC 2 :- Small Hole at back of sloping ledge 8m above river. Crawl into slanting passage which becomes tight. Below at river level is Black Rising - a short choked sump which is probable outlet for Storrs Common water.

Prospects at 2004 :- Very little - solid rock - stale air.

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