Wellington Hole

Overview

A linear phreatic tunnel typically 0.4 to 1.0 m high and 1.5 m wide discovered in July 2018 located in Wallsend Cove. The cave was named after a manky old welly found within. This is the first water worn cave known in this part of Portland and the furthest South by quite some distance. The entrance is located just above sea level and the cave has been found to be tidal further in. Visits should be made between mid and low ebb tide with calm seas.

Cave length: 162 m

Entrance: SY 67730 69438 (50.52383, -2.45658)

Location

WARNING - The route to the cave must only be attempted during calm seas and probably best avoided during high spring tides (unless you are happy to get wet feet).

From Portland Bill car park head North West around the Northern side of the MOD enclosure. Follow the cliff top Northwards; just before the coast guard look out tower, take the climbers path down a grassy slope off to the left. You'll find a rope (hand line) marking the route down over the cliff which starts as a steep stepped descent. At the end of the rope turn right (heading North) and follow the gully down to the boulder beach below. Boulder hop along the beach rounding the next mud slope / gully feature and then boulder hop a bit further following the cliff line past a grassy area halfway up the cliff. Just beyond this, the entrance is at your feet under a sizeable shelf beside the cliff. For the climbers out there, the entrance is directly below the route 'Face in the Chert'.

Description

WARNING - The entrance is likely to be partly flooded at high spring tides, though this is yet to be confirmed. The end of the cave has also been found to be tidal, with the water appearing to rise from within and flooding to the roof. Under no circumstances should you attempt to enter this cave if the weather is unsettled or if you do not understand the local tides. Failure to observe this guidance may result in you crawling into a death trap. Along the entire cave there is plenty of sea detritus demonstrating that no part of this cave escapes the full force of the ocean during a storm.

The cave consists of a linear tunnel heading roughly South East and slightly down hill. From the entrance, follow the route though boulders into a wide but low area. After about 10 m a wriggle right then left through more boulders at a cross rift drops into a slightly higher section of passage created by a dip in floor level. Unfortunately this is only a few metres long and is immediately followed by a flat out crawl on gravel. As you emerge into larger passage (approx. 0.8 m high) great care must be taken to avoid damaging some extremely vulnerable stalactites hanging from the roof. Keeping central at this point will avoid the best of these. The passage continues for 30 m as a hands and knees crawl passing another small cluster of stalactites on your left and a calcited boulder on your right to arrive at an area littered with boulders. The easiest route around these is to the left after which more hands and knees crawling is found. This continues for 50 m with the occasional boulder obstacle and an attractive 'flakey' ceiling. Look carefully (especially above the ledges) and you'll find white crystals amongst the flaking. The next obstacle is 'Lord Wellingtons Claw' a large sharp flake ready and waiting to catch the unobservant. Particularly upon return, care must be taken not to catch your back on this feature - it could be nasty. Beyond this, the cave continues as a crawl getting muddier and sandier as you progress. Mud banks emerge at the sides. The final 20 m become damp as you meet pooling water left by the previous high tide and the last ten being a flat out crawl in wet sandy slurry until the roof lowers making further progress impossible. The end of the cave is a truly miserable place. The mucky coating on the walls and roof clearly demonstrate this area completely sumps on high springs.

Trip time - approx. 45 min.

Kit

Knee pads.

Additional Photo's by Peter Glanvill