02/06/2026
New discoverys in Freda's hole update.
Surveyed and Waiting for it's first visit from cavers.
Small sporting stream passage section.
Freda’s Hole & Pegleg Pot
History of Discovery and Information
Parking and Access
Parking is available at the side of the road. Do not block gates. Park opposite the old ruins.
From the road, pass through the gate on the opposite side, ensuring it is closed behind you. Follow the track down into an open field. At the rear-left corner is a second gate.
Proceed through this gate and head west for approximately 50 m, where Pegleg Pot is located. The entrance is covered with a metal gate-style grid, which should be replaced after use to prevent livestock from falling in.
Continuing approximately 20 m northwest (NW) beyond Pegleg Pot, a doline surrounded by trees and enclosed by a wire fence with a stile marks the entrance to Freda’s Hole.
History of Discovery and Exploration
Freda’s Hole was originally blocked with rubbish, old wire, and collapsed material. Pegleg Pot was similarly lost, having become completely filled with boulders and soil.
Between 2021 and 2022, both entrances were re-opened through significant clearing efforts. Multiple caving clubs and individuals contributed to the digging and restoration of both sites.
Exploration began around the same period but was slow and difficult, with repeated collapses hindering progress.
In 2023, a major breakthrough was achieved by the old Ulster caving group, who reached the passage known as “New Way”. However, further progress was halted due to tight rifts and extensive boulder choke conditions.
On 16/08/2024, Raymond Bell and Justyna Ksiazek successfully capped and dug out key sections of the rift, allowing further progress. Additional small-scale digs in the streamway eventually led toward Sump 1.
In July 2025, severe flooding in Fermanagh significantly impacted the system. Freda’s Hole was heavily affected, with the Scaff Dig collapsing, bending scaffold supports and fully infilling the excavation.
Shortly afterward, the CCDC caving team re-entered the site and began re-dig and stabilisation works, restoring the dig to its previous extent and installing additional supports to mitigate future collapse risk.
A subsequent expedition by Bryan Murphy and Mark (CCDC) successfully removed remaining boulder obstructions, re-establishing access down to Sump 1.
On 03/05/2026, Nathaniel Laplaud and Raymond Bell, operating in favourable conditions, successfully pushed beyond Sump 1 using 3L cylinders, revealing further passage leading to Sump 2.
On 16/05/2026, Sump 2 was dived by Nathaniel Laplaud, who completed approximately 15 m of low crawling-style diving, encountering an airbell early in the passage. A further 10 m of slightly more open passage followed, reaching up to 4 m in width at a depth of approximately -2 m, with clear evidence of continuing passage beyond the explored limit.
Freda’s Hole to Pegleg – Route Description
Freda’s Hole
Freda’s Hole is a doline surrounded by trees. A 10 m handline descends through mud and boulder slope into the main chamber. At the rear of the chamber, the passage closes off in mud-filled sections.
Continuing south, a spacious squeeze leads to another handline descending a slope supported by scaffold bars. Beyond the feature known as “Back Breaker”, a connection to Pegleg Pot is reached to the east, approximately halfway down. A bag-lowering/hauling line may be in place here for Scaff Dig.
At the base lies “Scaff Dig”, a scaffold-supported excavation. Proceeding through boulders for approximately 2.5 m, cavers encounter a constricted backward squeeze (approximately 22 cm) entering “New Way”.
Following the passage to the rift, a handline or bag-hauling line may be found along the south wall, shortly followed by “On Ray’s Head Rift”. This narrow rift constricts to approximately 21 cm at its larger point and becomes increasingly loose toward the northern end.
At the bottom, the route reaches the Lower Stream Passage, where upstream progress is blocked by loose boulders beneath New Way and the Scaff Dig.
Continuing downstream, crawl beneath the lower section, to the right, avoiding the honey-pot features. The passage becomes a low crawl, reducing to approximately 35 cm in height. Beyond “The Falls”, boulders remain loose throughout the section. Keep to the more solid right-hand wall of the passage while descending toward Sump 1.
Sump 1 and Lower Stream Passage
After passing The Falls and pocketing out beyond a small pool of water, Sump 1 is reached. Bag-hauling line/pull guideline is installed for the short 5.5 m sump/duck.
During low or dry conditions, water levels can drop sufficiently to make the section a challenging but passable low duck, with an airspace varying between 0–10 cm.
Beyond Sump 1, the passage opens into an oxbow chamber, with the stream flowing to the left. At the rear of the chamber, the stream is encountered again through a low bedding-plane passage, approximately 21 cm in height, with a cobbled stone floor.
The passage gradually increases in size before reaching another pool, occasionally requiring a duck, and then opens into a more spacious section where standing is nearly possible.
Toward the rear right-hand side of this passage, forward progress leads into a short, low duck with approximately 10 cm of airspace, opening into a broader cobbled/stone banked passage approximately 0.5 m in height.
Continuing a few metres further downstream, an Aven approximately 4.7 m high and measuring roughly 1.9 × 1.2 m wide is encountered. High-level tubes terminate quickly in this section.
Following the stream further downstream for several metres and passing another pool, the stream disappears toward the right-hand side. A mud slope to the rear left provides access to “Nat’s Way”, descending via a mud squeeze slide.
Sump 2
At this stage, passage continues in a reverse or awkward progression, requiring shuffling around the oxbow for several metres before any significant passage is regained. The stream is then re-encountered flowing into a pool known as Sump 2 (a true sump).
Sump 2 was dived in May 2026 by Nathaniel Laplaud, who completed approximately 15 m of low crawling-style diving, encountering an airbell a few metres in. Beyond this, the passage opened slightly for a further 10 m, reaching a width of approximately 4 m at a depth of around -2 m.
A total of 25 m of line was laid using a Derbyshire-style tube system. The sump continues beyond the explored point.
Pegleg Pot – Route Description
Pegleg Pot
Pegleg Pot is best rigged from two bolts and natural anchors in rock or trees for a ladder and line descent of approximately 8 m.
The entrance pitch is initially narrow but quickly bells out into a more comfortable chamber.
At the base is a sloping chamber with a mud-covered floor. To the back left (west), muddy crawls lead toward Freda’s Hole. A few metres in, the route passes through the “Frog Push”, a small pool usually filled with water and mud. Exiting this, a short crawl emerges beneath the Back Breaker area and into scaffold-supported passage. Care should be taken due to low overhead bars.
Pegleg Back Chamber and Upper Levels
Returning to the main chamber at the base of the slope, the north-east side leads to a slippery 2 m free-climb, descending into a rear chamber system. This area contains further mud-filled passages and a smaller terminal chamber.
Nearby is a capped open rift leading to a downward drop, though it becomes too tight to pass.
High-level tubes are also present within the main chamber and correspond to similar features found in Freda’s Hole.
Route Notes & Hazards
• Loose boulders are present throughout several sections, particularly At Scaff Dig,Left in New way & Rift, The Falls, Lower Stream Passage, and constricted rifts. Exercise caution when moving through these areas.
• Several sections involve tight squeezes, including constrictions of approximately 21–22 cm, requiring careful body positioning.
• Handlines and bag-hauling lines may be in place but should not be assumed serviceable without inspection.
• Water levels significantly affect accessibility, especially around Sump 1, where conditions may range from a manageable duck to impassable without cave diving equipment.
• Flooding ,Also the whole stream way passage shows sign of flooding.
21/08/2026
23/07/2026
21/07/2026
19/07/2026
05/07/2026
15/06/2026
15/06/2026
08/06/2026
02/06/2026