Cave Hole, Portland

Cave Hole and the Broad Ope Crane.

Cave Hole (and the Blow Hole) is a large cave on the south east side of the Isle of Portland, in Dorset, England. It has a blow hole and a wooden crane (Broad Ope Crane) situated on the cliff top. It is found half a mile (800 m) north-east from Portland Bill. The interior cavern is 50 feet (15 metres) square and 21 feet (6.3 m) high.[1]

Background

Cave Hole was originally known as "Keeve's" and often appeared in many of Portland's smuggling tales.[2] The cave represents the first stage in cave collapse.[3] Cave Hole is made up of a series of caves with steep roof sections, tunnels and ledges. The cave is also the prime Deep Water Soloing (DWS) area on Portland, as well as being a well protected site.[4] The cave is popular with climbers.[5]

A local tale has long believed the cave is home to Roy Dog—a black dog, as high as man, with large fiery eyes, one green, one red. It is said that the creature emerges from the watery depths to seize any traveller passing by Cave Hole, and drags them down into his dark watery domain.[6][7]

The Blow Hole of Cave Hole.

The cave's blowhole stretches far into the solid rock, and allows people to look down through an iron grill into the cave. The roof of the cave had broken through to the surface, lying in a hollow for decades. Whenever a powerful easterly gale occurs, the sea snorts up through the fissures. Soon after the blow hole was created, visitors have been protected by the placing of steel bars over the hole.[8]

Various small craft have been driven into the cave by south easterly gales. The largest of which was a 40-ton vessel from Cowes in 1780.[9] Frank and Ann Davison were shipwrecked at the cave in 1949. The pair had set sail for the West Indies, but met a gale. Frank drowned but Ann managed to scramble ashore.[10]

References

  1. ↑ Legg, Rodney (1999). Portland Encyclopaedia. Dorset Publishing Company. pp. 22, 23. ISBN 978-0948699566.
  2. ↑ Legg, Rodney (1999). Portland Encyclopaedia. Dorset Publishing Company. pp. 22, 23. ISBN 978-0948699566.
  3. ↑ "Portland Bill - Geological Field Guide". Southampton.ac.uk. 2012-10-19. Retrieved 2013-07-10.
  4. ↑ "Cave Hole". Climb Dorset. Retrieved 2013-07-10.
  5. ↑ "UKC Logbook - Cave Hole". Ukclimbing.com. 2008-11-03. Retrieved 2013-07-10.
  6. ↑ "Cave Hole on Portland in Dorset and the ghostly Roy Dog". Visitweymouth.co.uk. Retrieved 2013-07-10.
  7. ↑ Lovegrove, Benjamin (2009-03-12). "Atmospheric & Haunted Places: Portland Isle Sea Caves & a Ruined Church". Atmospherichauntedplaces.blogspot.co.uk. Retrieved 2013-07-10.
  8. ↑ "Portland Blowhole and Waterfall". Geoffkirby.co.uk. Retrieved 2013-07-10.
  9. ↑ Legg, Rodney (1999). Portland Encyclopaedia. Dorset Publishing Company. pp. 22, 23. ISBN 978-0948699566.
  10. ↑ Davison, Ann (1956). My Ship Is so Small. London, Peter Davies.

Coordinates: 50°31′11″N 2°26′41″W / 50.5198°N 2.4446°W / 50.5198; -2.4446

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