1338 Shaft
South Vega VN50989514 Alt. 430m Length 389m  Depth 141m

Updated 17th December 1999; 14th May , 17th September 2000

This site is a fenced shaft with 2 openings and a tree. The lower entrance is a scramble down to the top of a 16m pitch (belay 8mm stud and tree). The pitch slopes down to a pot / deviation off a stud on the opposite wall. At the foot, a route to Santi's Grotto crosses an undescended drop that may be traversed to where a junction leads to 2 short choked passages.

From the foot of the pitch a slope drops down past a hole on the right, and past a low opening on the right onto Centipede Pot, to an aven and a tight draughting inlet which needs hammering to proceed.

Centipede Pot is a 13m broken pitch rigged for ladders. At the foot, a passage runs up-dip and quickly chokes.

The way on from Centipede Pot is a grovel over white mud to the top of Dog's Bollocks Pot (p27, rigged from bolt and wire around stal; beware loose blocks at the top; rebelay at -9m). At the foot, traversing above the stream passes an aven then reaches the top of The Spice Pot (p54m). This pitch is narrow at the top and has rebelays at -10m and -20m. At the foot, an inlet passage leads to some climbs yet to be pushed and downstream has been explored about 20m to where it continues narrow.

Several large openings can be seen in the north wall of the shaft. Swinging off 8m above the floor into the obvious window enters a large passage. A rope is recommended for a traverse on the right hand wall, beyond which the passage (20m high and 10m wide) contains numerous holes in the floor. After 50m a drop is reached where a traverse on the right hand wall reaches a 20m pitch into a huge chamber containing a stalagmite 10 - 15m high (The Sentinel).

The chamber contains deep holes in the floor and will probably require a bolt traverse to fully explore at the higher levels.

The cave was left tackled up at the end of the summer 2000 expedition for further exploration in October.

Reference: anon., 1998d (logbook); anon., 1999c (logbook); anon., 2000b (Easter logbook); anon., 2000c (Summer logbook)
Entrance picture: yes
Underground picture(s): Photos by Phil Papard. Click to enlarge.

Detailed survey: 1:1000
Line survey:
On area survey:
Survex file: