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Pepper Pot

Glen Dochart, NW of Meall an Fiodhain, Stirlingshireshire.

Cave.

About 65 m due east of waterfalls at Sheiling Stream Cave, a grassy stream bed terminates in an obvious sink under a small rock face. Passing through an awkward but not too difficult squeeze, care is needed as the floor is 5 m below with only single small boulder jammed in a crack 1 m below the entrance. The main passage continues as a 0.5 m tube at floor level. After 8 m the cave drops 1.3 m into small vertical rift chamber 1.5 m long, 2 m high and 1.3 m wide. On the right, a chiseled & jagged 2.5 m of passage enters another chamber 3.5 m by 2.5 m, 1.5 m high. The rubble floor slopes down to the northeast corner. A diggable tube is choked with rubble after 1.5 m. The passage can be seen continuing another 2-3 m. From the 1st chamber a second opening above ascends an inclined rift 5 m to end in a 3 m high aven chamber. [Southern Highlands]

A race between two digs, won by Malcolm Stewart, eventually [Sept 1985] gave access to an attractive little Limestone pothole. The entrance dig slopes down for first 10 foot (3.5 m) to a ledge from which a fixed rope is necessary to climb down the next 15 feet (5 m). The floor is flat gravel and the pot is roughly circular approximately diameter 6/7 foot (2.1 m). Some 10 foot (3.5 m) of diggable tube can be seen at floor level but whether it is passable after that is doubtful. [Jim Salvona, Sept 1985]

A dig in the gravel tube gave access after eight feet (2.5 m) to a solid tube crawl some 30 foot (10 m) to a 4 foot (1.5 m) pitch into a 6 foot (2 m) high 'chamber'. Hammer & chisel work opened access to a right angle crawl (with jagged edges) which after 10 foot (3.5 m) drops over a 20 inch (0.5 m) high ledge into a chamber 10 foot (3.5 m) long, 8 foot (2.75 m) wide, 4 foot (1.5 m) high, gravel floored and dipping down on the left to a tube that again looks diggable. [Jim Salvona, Dec 1985]

Dig in chamber, widened stream passage which allowed access to a low section where eventually we were reduced to trying to kick a way on, but only succeeded in reducing what had been a 8 inch (225 mm) hole which went for 7 or 8 foot (2.6 m) to a 6 inch by 2 inch slot that looks even less promising than before. Total gain about 9 foot (3 m). Water falling down entrance. [Jim Salvona, May 1986]

Alternate Names: None recorded.

Notes: Successful dig, one of four attempts (hence cave name) found entrance. Explored by Jim Salvona, Malcolm Stewart & Alasdair McPherson, 1985.

Needs a 5 m ladder and a long belay, or fixed rope.