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Disappointment Cave

Assynt, Traligill, beside rocky streamway below waterfall, downstream of Lower Traligill Cave, Sutherland.

Cave. 11 m long, dry cave in small cliff at side of generally dry Traligill River between Traligill Rising & Tree Hole. Entrance below small cliff in [north?] bank of seasonally dry section of Allt a' Bhealaich, 100 m upstream of Traligill Rising. Small pool usually found in streambed outside. Tight wriggle under low arch leads to small seemingly blind chamber with sound of river beyond. Tight 3 m squeeze up steeply inclined bedding plane and further tight wriggle to right reaches 'Death by Chocolate', a small muddy chamber where filthy crawl opens into much bigger thrust plane. 10 m slide down slope lands in streamway above downstream sump (dived for 10 m and must be close to furthest upstream point reached in Traligill Rising). Upstream progress initially roomy but after 10 m river emerges from flooded crawl. Step up to left leads to higher, dry section of thrust where 50 m of traversing at various levels eventually regains river flowing below dangerous boulder pile. Cave often sumped at this point. Negotiating 'Compass Sucker' (aqueous floor-level crawl beneath precarious boulders) reaches further roomy section of streamway with small high level passage in roof. After 20 m of comfortable progress roof lowers and 3 m duck leads to sump pool in small bell chamber. In drought sump can disappear and floor level squeeze gains 6 m of comfortable passage which passes shingle slope to right to reach left turn up mud bank into small chamber among stream washed boulders containing strong inward draught. Returning to shingle slope flat-out downhill crawl reaches junction after 3 m. Crawl right leads directly to tantalizing view along too-low bedding plane. To left wet 10 m hands and knees crawl reaches shingle bank with small shallow floored sump pool beyond. Sump less than 50 m from Tree Hole appears roomy but yet to be dived. In wet conditions entrance and probably most of cave impassible. Entrance series excavated by AUPCC in 1975. Majority of cave explored by GSG in 1993 with furthest upstream reaches explored during drought in 2011.

Alternate Names: Bhrisdeadh-Duile (Uamh a'), Uamh a' Bhrisdeadh-Duile, Uamha a' Bhrisdeadh-Duile, Disappointment Cave

Notes: Discovered Oct. 1975 by D. Storey & members or Aberdeen University Potholing & Climbing Club who dug into small chamber & impassable inclined bedding plane, with sound of underground River Traligill somewhere ahead. May at one time been resurgence, probably still active in flood conditions. First visited by T. Jarratt, Aug. 1978 and again in April 1991, re-dug both times to gain access. 1993 project for Grampian Mendip Section (BEC, DSS. UBSS, etc.) to drill & blast along bedding plane on off chance of reaching stream & filling more of Traligill Basin System survey. On May 1st, J. Walford, T. Boycott and T. Jarratt fired first charge of hopeless task. Clearing debris upward section of passage examined & thought worth attempt. T. Jarratt managed to get through squeeze after 4m to tighter, horizontal squeeze of 3m into small chamber with tiny inlet & pile of collapsed boulders above impassable bedding plane. May 2nd, Rich Blake & Robin Taviner also passed squeezes but Tony B. failed. Pete Mulholland later got through upward section but defeated by horizontal 40" Squeeze (being max. chest size to get through). Digging commenced behind boulder pile in continuation bedding full of peaty mud colour & consistency (but luckily not smell!) of baby shit. Four hours of hard work gained 3m. Sound of stream increased. Estimated half hours work would see us in. Exhaustion, cold & cramp drove us to Inch. May 3rd back at "Death by Chocolate" with plastic skip. Rich, digging upside-down in rift & looking like contents of King Kong's nappy, plopped into open cave. More digging along bedding before three filthy explorers clambered down to open streamway where it sumped after flowing along bottom of 10m high inclined thrust plane continuation of entrance bedding. Upstream, generally squeeze through at mid level, after some 50m reached decidedly dodgy boulder choke. Halfway along thrust plane river emerged from sump pool but could be heard beyond choke. At floor level way through noted & T. Jarratt crept through low crawl in river for some 3m to section of 2m high streamway ending in duck & upstream sump after 10m. Cascading river & loose boulders rolling underfoot made this impressive spot & not place to be in flood conditions. 6th May, three "thin men" returned to Uamha a' Bhrisdeadh-Duile with intentions of carrying out grade 5 survey but on fifth leg Tav earned undying gratitude of Tony B. by dropping Suunto compass & clino. into sink below choke. Expensive error, cause of naming of this bit "The Compass Sucker"! Tape measure survived so able to get reasonably accurate length of 119m for cave, 108m of which was new. These two extensions filled a lot of gap in lower part of system. Short dives should link Traliglll Rising through to Tree Hole. With diver's extensions to Lower Traligill Rising providing way upstream, missing link may be gained via Lower Traligill Flood Sink. Accurate surface, underground survey of valley now needed, as are thin cave divers & dry, settled weather.

Hydrographic Feeds: River Traligill

Hydrographic Resurgences: River Traligill