Fairy Holes (Weardale)
Issued: 4 July 2017
Fairy Holes is a very wet cave (typically with waist deep pools and long wet crawling sections). The entrance pipe and several sections become impassable in high water. In-situ rope at Vein Chamber is a useful indicator of the simplest route back down to the water but is not maintained in any way so should not be relied upon.
Access
Permits for Fairy Holes can be issued to any BCA-registered club, or to named Club or Direct Individual BCA member (CIMs/DIMs).
The cave lies in a privately-owned quarry and access is subject to the following conditions:
(1) Permits only on the first Saturday of every month.
(2) Maximum eight people.
(3) The visit must take place between 8am and 10pm
(4) Keys to the entrance locks will be posted to permit holders before your trip. You will be required to either post the keys onto the next permit holder immediately after your trip or to return them to the Permit Secretary, as requested.
(5) Details about gaining access to the main gate and where best to park, and a navigation guide for the cave will be supplied with the permit. This overland route indicated and any restrictions on vehicle access must be followed.
(6) The Keeper must be telephoned (details supplied with permit) at a reasonable hour at least 48 hours ahead of your visit to alert him to your intended presence.
(7) The cave is an SSSI and the Natural England conservation statements supplied with the permit must be read and understood by all visiting cavers.
Apply for a permit
Your permit secretary for Weardale is Ric Halliwell and you can apply by the following methods...
Book Online
Sorry, Fairy Holes is not part of the online booking system yet. We hope to expand it to include more areas in the future.
By Email
adsrah@outlook.com
Club applications:
Where possible, should be sent from an email address associated with your club (e.g. officer@cavingclub.co.uk), or from an address that can be easily validated as being associated to your club (via your club website for example).
DIM applications:
Should include the name and BCA number of the applicant.
CIM applications:
Should include the name and BCA number of the applicant and the club through which insurance is obtained.
By Post
Postal applications should include the information specified above and should include a stamped self addressed envelope for the reply.
Ric Halliwell
23 Hull Road
Cottingham
East Yorkshire
HU16 4PN
Anchors
Fairy Holes is not equipped with any BCA approved anchors. Any placed anchors should be treated with extreme caution.
- More information about CNCC resin anchors
- Report a defective anchor or other hazard
Please note that the CNCC only maintains resin anchors installed by an approved installer as shown on the rigging guides and does not maintain any other fixed aids at present. Read our fixed aids information for more details.
Rigging Topos and Descriptions
There currently aren't any rigging topos or descriptions for Fairy Holes.
Do you have a route description? Please click here to send us it so it can help others.
Surveys
No surveys have been added for this cave yet.
Last updated: 5 Jul 2017
