Dead tree at Deaths Head Hole, Leck Fell
Yet another casualty of Ash Dieback has been brought to our attention. The tree at the top of the Deaths Head Hole entrance on Leck Fell, used as a belay for the start of a steep downward traverse to the main drop, has died and is severely rotten and losing branches. The trunk is no longer suitable as a belay.
This leaves very few options for rigging of a traverse line down towards the main pitch, and for now, cavers are urged to use their own judgement in identifying appropriate alternatives.
A sound belay for the traverse down the side of the shakehole is essential, as it is steep, slippery, and leads directly onto the main pitch. Cavers could consider bringing their own ground spike and a longer or additional rope to allow the rope to be belayed low-down, some distance back from the shakehole.
The tree itself is scheduled to be cut down in early April, with thanks to a new volunteer who has come forward to help and take the pressure off Martin Holroyd (who has dealt with so many similar issues over the past year and continues to support us). A conversation is already happening amongst our regular anchor installers about how CNCC should address the lack of safe belay for the approach to the entrance pitch.
Current options include the installation of a permanent metal ground spike as a belay, although the exact construction and format of these is still being decided. Clearly, Deaths Head Hole is not going to be the first pothole to require such a surface anchor where no exposed limestone allows for resin bonded anchors to be installed - Alum Pot may soon follow, and Barbon Pot already presents a challenge since trees were cleared there.
Hopefully we can identify an appropriate, safe and sustainable solution in the near future.
Photography credit to Steve Clark, who posted these photos on UKCaving.
UPDATE 4TH APRIL 2023: We have been contacted to confirm that the affected tree is actually rowan, meaning it has not been affected by Ash Dieback - Our mistake! Nonetheless it is still dead (from some other cause), and rotten, all the consequences of Ash Dieback, so the conclusions of our news article are the same.