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Devonian limestone is found in patches throughout the county but mainly to the south and west apart from an area on the north coast near Ilfracombe. There are few areas large enough to possess the karst landscape typical of the Mendips or Yorkshire Dales and most of the caves have been discovered during the course of quarrying for limestone. Where the limestone outcrops on the coast there are some interesting sea caves. Intensive farming in Devon has also made it difficult to recognize the location of limestone features and where they do exist they have probably been heavily modified by stone extraction. One of the most picturesque locations is Chudleigh Rocks and here there are several small cave systems and, quite possibly more exist as is suggested by the relatively recent discovery of Skullcap Cave.

Here are some of my images of caves I have visited in Devon. There are few large cave systems in Devon and those one can visit tend to be muddy. However there are some unusual sites. There are two major clubs in Devon the Devon Spelaeological Society and the Plymouth Caving Group. The DSS is the older of the organisations and has a field hut in Buckfastleigh. The PCG have done a considerable amount of mine exploration and mapping both in Devon and Cornwall.

Buckfastleigh Area

Baker's Pit

Although Baker's Pit is linked to nearby Reed's Cave I have chosen to display them separately. They were discovered nearly a century apart and in a way illustate how caving has progressed from exploration of open holes to planned excavations in search of new cave. Baker's Pit was discovered in a deep limestone quarry on Buckfasteigh Hill extremely close to the local church (gutted by a disastrous fire in 1992) in the mid 19th century, It was systematically explored and surveyed by the then newly formed DSS in the 1940's and some minor discoveries made by digging. In 1968 Plymouth Caving Group made a major find now known as the Plymouth Extension amounting to a kilometre of complex passage which has posed a challenge to surveyors over the last 40 years. The cave is thought to have been formed by the nearby River Dart aeons ago.

Mike Stower (L) and Nick Chichase (R) parked in the quarry at Baker's Pit in 1968	Baker's Pit entrance 1967 (clockwise from rear) Peter Glanvill, Colin Corbett, Wendy Glanvill, Dorothy Smith (now Ball)	Jeremy Vevers outside Baker's Pit entrance 1975	The entrance to Baker's Pit in the 1990's
	Peter Ravenscroft descending the entrance shaft	Bridget Pearce beside the original entrance	The Main Chamber looking down
Stalagmite flow just beyond the entrance crawl	Looking up the Main Chamber	Members of the Devon Spelaeological Society at the 50th AGM in Main Chamber	Members of the DSS at the 50th AGM
Cave Pearls in MainChamber	Passage leading to old entrance	Bat skull at Bat Corner	Crystal floor
Typical Devonshirre stubby helictite	Crystal pools	Cave pearls	Bat bones at Bat Corner
Part of Main Chamber	In Main Chamber	Painted inscription in Main Chamber	Another part of Main Chamber
A rift off Main Chamber	Near the old entrance		P Part of Main Chamber
A crawl off Main Chamber	Crystal floor	Glistening stal
Crystal Corridor	Crystal Corridor	Crystal Corridor
Crystal Corridor	Crystal Corridor	Crystal Corridor	Beyond Crystal Corridor
Beyond Crystal Corridor	Beyond Crystal Corridor	Beyond Crystal Corridor	End of the Cat Crawl
Steve Larcombe looking out of the Cat Crawl		Steve Larcombe in the streamway under Main Chamber	Drain Chamber
Martin's Garden	En route to Dutch Oven	Base of The Pot	Peter Ravenscroft at Crystal Leap
Peter Ravenscroft in Red Chamber
The rift	Graham Bradford in the Rift	Just before Judge's Chamber	Stream Chamber
Stream Chamber	Stream Chamber	Lower Stream Series
Fergus Bradford in Lower Stream Series	The exit into Bullcleaves Quarry	Approach to Waterfall series	Waterfall series
The Waterfall	Traverse in the rift just after entry into the series from just beyond the Waterfall	Angie Glanvill ermerges into the extension
Formations en route to Platform Chamber	Crawl near Platform Chamber
Platform Chamber	Platform Chamber	Platform Chamber	Sally Glanvill near Pretty Chamber
Jason Dean approaching Pretty Chamber	Ben Larcombe leaving Pretty Chamber	Pretty Chamber	Pretty Chamber
Pretty Chamber	Pretty Chamber	Alternative route back to Platform Chamber	Keith Pearson admires formations near Pretty Chamber
Jason Dean and the Aqueduct	Neil Johnson and the Aqueduct		Sally Glanvill
Formations near the Jamjar	Formations near the Jamjar		Botryoidal Stalactites
		Brian Johnson and carrot formations
	The Turkey's Leg

Reed's Cave

Named after Edgar Reed, the prime mover behind digging into the main part of the cave, Reeds consists of the large Easter Chamber, an Upper Series and a series of side passages that conceal the extraordinary Little Man stalactite. There are also two blocked connections to Baker's Pit in this area. The Little Man stands under the Buckfastleigh Church graveyard and is said to be directly under the tomb of the local hellraising squire Cabell (tales of whom are said to have inspired Arthur Conan Doyle's Hound of the Baskervilles). There are some excellent formations in parts of the cave. Access is controlled by the Pengelly Trust outside the cave and the cave is closed from mid autumn to spring to protect hibernating bats. The cave also lies in Higher Kiln Quarry, a Devon Wildlife Trust reserve, which also contains the internationally known Joint Mitnor Cave and it's bone deposits.

View from the entrance into Higher Kiln Quarry	A step ladder is required to reach the gate!	Avelina Kunzel inside the gate	Meta menardii (Cave Spider) with egg case
Alan Brady passes the old gate further into the cave	Angie Glanvill entering Easter Chamber at the original digging breakthrough point	Angie and curtains in Easter Chamber	The late Bob Cawthorne in Easter Chamber
Bob Cawthorne and a translucent curtain	Angie with a curtain	Bob and a curtain	Bob Cawthorne and a general view of the main formtations in Easter Chamber
Bob in Easter Chamber	Some experimental apparatus left in the cave	Alan Brady examines a crystal pool in a corner of Easter Chamber	Crystals
Bones of a deceased bat in Easter Chamber	A fin formation, common in Devon caves	Another view of Easter Chamber with Bob Cawthorne	Otton in the tube leading from Easter Chamber to the Little Man series
Pete Rose in a typical tube	Martin Grass on the way to see the Little Man	Bob Cawthorne in Little Man series	Stalactite
Otton approaches the Hedgehogs	Crystals	The Hedgehogs
More crystals	Brian Johnson in a side rift	Brian and a stalactite	A side passage near the Little Man
Avelina resting	Flowstone in little man chamber	Examining the Little Man	The Little Man
The squeeze into the Upper Series from the top of Strachan's Climb with Alan Brady	Jude Vanderplank in the Upper Series	Unusual wall formations in Upper Series	Passing some formations in the Upper Series
Adrian Vanderplank and the Angel's Wing

Bunker's Hole

This short cave near the hamlet of Dean outside Buckfastleigh is only accessible through a leader system. In the late 1960's a small extension was entered leading to a low tunnel smothered in aragonite crystals. This form of calcite seems to develop on the junction between slate and limestone and is rarely seen except in some caves in South Wales and the Quantock Hills of Somerset.

The Entrance	Looking out	Entrance crawl	Entering Main Chamber
Main Chamber (stream in floor)	The Blasted Squeeze looking in	Olivier emerging through the squeeze into Fin Chamber	Fin Chamber
Fin Chamber	Far end of Fin Chamber
Between Fin Chamber and the Crystal Crawl	In the Crystal Crawl	Crystal Crawl	Crystal Crawl
Crystal Crawl	Aragonite	Aragonite	Aragonite
Aragonite	Aragonite	Near the Cactus	Near the Cactus

Pridhamsleigh Cavern

Situated just outside Buckfastleigh this is the second longest cave system in Devon and has been accessible for at least 2 centuries. It was presumably revealed, like most Devon caves, by quarrying. A large entrance portal leads to an insignificant crawl into the rest of the system - about 700 metres of so of complex, maze like muddy passages through which a variety of routes can be taken. The cave is very popular with outdoor pursuit groups, Scouts, and army cadets and has suffered as a consequence with very few of the stalactite formations first seen by the original surveyors 60 years ago now apparent. Cavers have also excavated many of the mud filled passages by their traffic converting crawls to standing height. The Deep Well, originally a cave diving site plumbed to a depth of 5 or 6 metres has become choked with mud and can now be waded across to the detriment of the formations on its previously rarely visited far side. The cave ends in a clear green lake. The water levels in the lake vary considerably throughout the year and these fluctuations became more noticeable when the A39 dual carriageway was constructed past the entrance. It is known that civil engineers encountered many cavities in the construction of the road and it may be that drainage patterns were interrupted. Eels have been seen in the lake suggested a link to surface waters. It seems unlikely that they make their way in via the cavers route! Divers started exploring the lake in the 1950's but it was not until the early 70's that a route at 25 metres depth was found through an archway into the vast chamber of Pridhamsleigh 2. If drained this chamber would be something like 40 metres high 40 metres long and about 25 metres wide. However it is filled with water to a depth of 34 metres. The size of the void has allowed suspended sediment to settle creating astonishingly good visibility and above water are some of the most spectacular speleothems in Devon. The lake is still being explored and mapped by Devon cavers.

If you wish to visit the cave please approach by approved route through the orchard containing the ancient dove cote, which is just over the bridge crossing the A38 dual carriageway. In 2007 the access fee was £1.50 payable down a chute in the tiny kiosk by the gate. Failure to do this risks removal of access to the cave as well the adjacent Dog Hole. The farmer has considered CCTV to observe trespassers so be warned.

Chudleigh Area

Skullcap Cave

This small system was discovered as a result of a systematic search for new cave in the Chudleigh area.

Although Chudleigh Rock has a number of caves within it, the most noteworthy being Pixie's Hole, the other side of the gorge like valley through which the Kate Brook runs seemed to over prospects for further discoveries. On 30th August 1986 Brian Johnson myself and Jim Durston plus Brian's sons Mark and Neil examined the area around Palace Quarry for potential dig sites. A small draughting hole right on the edge of the quarry was located and Brian later returned with a small team and started an excavation. This rapidly revealed an old stream passage running into the hillside. Two weeks later we returned and escavated a second entrance to facilitate spoil removal. Steady progress was made although spoil removal was difficult as the passage was never larger than a hands and knees crawl. A descending tube took some time to pass - probably a fossil sump - but after ten trips we had reached airspace again and progerssed to a stalagmite obstruction - a draught lured us on. Digging conditions deteriorated oth because of the need to transfer spoil all the way to the entrance but also because the fossil sump started to fill with water creating an unpleasant wallow to negotiate en route. The route became confusiong and the diggers, principally Pete Rose and myself became despondent until on our 43rd trip we broke into a substantial airspace and a low crawl. Dubbed Treason Crawl (it was around November 5th and the crawl was entered before us by Wendy Sampson who lived locally and had helped with the dig) it led to a mud bank and more airspace. Rapid progress to a large obstructing boulder was made and this was removed explosively by Tony Boycott leaving the way clear for Pete and myself to excavate a route into new cave on the 7th December 1989on the 47th digging trip. We found 20 metres of clean washed well decorated fossil streamway ending in another choke. Chris Proctor surveyed the cave and a gate placed. Unfortunately the gate was removed by persons unknown and I am hoping the cave has not suffered unduly from damage as a result. This was the first and only new cave find in Devon for several decades and demonstrates that cave can be found with a degree of determination.

Prospective diggers might take note that there is more cave to be found near the entrance both in back flilled tunnel at a bend before the fossil sump, at a tight aven in the me area and near the original entrance.

Afton Red Rift Cave

Although not particularly long this system offers both a satisfying round trip, some beautiful formations and some sporting traverses. It consists of a winding phreatic rift leading to a large terminal chamber. There are a couple of series of small side passages and a small hard to reach stream passage.

The entrance	Looking out	The gate	Start of the traverse
The traverse	Near the far end of the traverse	Near Flower Chamber	In Flower Chamber
Leaving Flower chamber	Traverse near start of Upper Series	Upper Series	Upper Series
Crystals in Upper Series	Entering Main Chamber	Entering Main Chamber	The famous curtain in Main Chamber
Main Chamber formations	Main Chamber formations	Bottom of Main Chamber	On the route to Watkins Squeeze
Formations near Mud Hall	Near Mud Hall		Watkins Squeeze

Plymouth Caving area

The city of Plymouth lies on a large thick block of limestone and therein lies the problem for cavers. Significant caves have been discovered and lost as a result of building work whilst the need for stone means that large quarries surround the city eating into the remaining rock. Rumours abound of cave systems found in these quarries, of underground lakes and big chambers but I cannot confirm any of them first hand. One published rumour was of a flooded cave system emitting a strong current of water at the base of a submarine cliff off Millbay. The cliff certainly exists but to this day nobody has found a cave emitting water. At Devil's Point small submarine caves certainly do exist but at depths and locations making their exploration challenging. Apart from Plymouth itself the nearby small town of Yealmpton possesses some significant caves systems in the Kitley estate.

Radford Cave

Radford cave lies in woodland between a sewage treatment plant and a housing estate above a small creek. It has been open for many years but was not systematically explored until the 1950's. It is now locked and the key is obtainable from the Devon and Cornwall Underground Council DCUC as can keys to several locked Devon caves. Despite the cave being used for years by outdoor groups there are still some pleasing red calcite formations. The cave offers a round trip starting and ending at the entrance. Bedding collapse near the entrance has caused instability in the area so visitors should treat it with caution. The left hand route offers some awkward crawls and squeezes that debouch into the Red Corridor. From here an upper series can be entered (at floor level (!)). The main route continues through a short section of tube (TheTrumpet) that ends abruptly above a very slippery 4m drop (a metal spike used to provide assistance on the climb down but it is long gone). Beyond the passage descends to open onto a steep stalagmited boulder slope that ascends to a short section of passage back to the entrance.

The entrance in 2004	Michael Glanvill emerges in 1974	Pete Rose at the entrance in 2004
The entrance passage in 2004	Nick Chipchase in Red Corridor	Red Corridor	Mini gours in Red Corridor
	Michael Glanvill attempting to reach Ron's Window in August 1969	End of Red Corridor with Angie Glanvill	Pete Rose emerges from the Trumpet
Last chamber looking down			Nick and some stumpy stalamites near the exit

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