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Tree Hole

Assynt, Traligill, downstream of Lower Traligill Cave, Sutherland.

Cave located in the south bank of the seasonally-dry River Traligill between Uamh a' Bhrisdeadh-Duile (Disappointment Cave) and Lower Traligill Cave. The lower entrance lies slightly above stream level, behind a large tree overhanging the usually dry stream bed.

A 3 m climb down leads into a long breakdown chamber which forms the central part of the cave. containing several blind and unstable avens. Smaller cavers can carefully ascend into an upper rift which emerges through a narrow cleft into the branches of the tree. Upstream 30 m of progress over massive blocks of limestone leads to two parallel crawls.

The right-hand branch closes down at an impenetrable, shallow sump but the left-hand route leads to 'Water Torture' a 10 m long damp and diminishing crawl, the passes through an upward turn to the left to enter a bedding plane where roots are evident. This is the start of the 'Swift Half Series'. To the right of the roots, a steep muddy tube leads down 10 m to a small chamber with two ways on. Straight ahead the passage closes down at an impassable window into the main stream, but to the left a squeeze over a slab enters a roomy, high level passage. 15 m of 'easy going' passage leads to a very awkward squeeze, a short distance beyond lies the terminal boulder choke (just 45 m from Birthday Hole). A descent to the right of the choke, passes a crawl to a blind pool, to reach the main stream flowing back towards the entrance. A tight and intimidating duck in the full flow leads to 20 m of low streamway, which sumps just before the window (mentioned above).

From the entrance chamber the downstream section is easiest reached from a tight awkward descent near the entrance. At the bottom, the stream emerges from boulders to the left and flows through a low tunnel for 5 m to enter a sizeable chamber with a cascade entering from the left wall. The level of water here never seems to drop (even in drought conditions when water from upstream caves seems substantially reduced). Loose chokes to the right of the chamber lie close to Scott Robertson's Hole on the surface. The stream enters a very tight slot with a powerful undertow, beyond which a squeeze through dangerously perched boulders reaches Twat's Temple, a final roomy chamber containing a spacious sump (yet to be dived). This point lies just 50 m from the upstream sump in Uamh a' Bhrisdeadh-Duile.

Alternate Names: None recorded.

Notes: The cave was first explored by Sheffield University Mountaineering Club (SUMC) prior to 1959. The downstream sections were added by the GSG in 1991 and 1993 and the upstream Swift-Half Series was explored by the same club in 1995.

The avens near the entrance are extremely unstable and tight. They should not be attempted lightly and the resulting short through trip is not worth the effort. It has been done a couple of times to prove it was possible. Most visitors can safely ignore them.

In wet conditions the upstream and downstream sections of the cave become impassable.

Hydrographic Feeds: River Traligill

Hydrographic Resurgences: River Traligill