The site is situated 115 metres NNW of Foxholes Farm and 457 metres South of Farlow village and is found adjacent to the Western side of a rough track leading up to the village from the valley bottom. It is best approached by taking the farm lane at GR SO 6448 8014 sited on the NW side of the road from Clee Hill to Oreton village. This property is strictly private and permission to visit must be obtained from the owner of Foxholes Farm, At present, no digging or exploration is allowed on this property (17 May 1979).
Description
At the head of a large dry valley a small stream sinks in the stream bed near a small rock outcrop situated on the stream's north bank. The outcrop contains a small fissure from which running water can be heard. This site was first recorded by a South Wales Caving Club member in 1967, who sold the digging rights for 'a pint' (after discounting it as a 'B..... hopeless dig' to Duncan Glasfurd, Northern Pennine Club. This was subsequently excavated by Glasfurd and colleagues (1967) by following the line of the main sink into a passage 'of sorts' between boulders and water-worn limestone which led into a very tight bedding plane and then into a fair sized passage, well blocked by silt. A collapse of the bedding plane roof ended any further excavations at this site. Water from this sink is believed to emerge at Truckhill Resurgence some 1645 metres away to the east and 50 metres below.
History
Site also visited and recorded by Hereford Caving Club 1973
Hydrology
Conservation
Survey
References
Proc.Geol.Soc., Jan 8th 1962: The Carb. Limestone of Oreton and Farlow, Clee hills, Shropshire by Prof. John Morris and Mr G.E. Roberts. p.96 ref. to "in one of the deepest of the Oreton quarries, quarrymen struck an underground stream about 50ft from the surface, describing it as a constant stream, occasionally greatly swollen by floods. The source of this "Mole River" is a stream which loses itself in a hollow called 'Foxholes' and that last year 1861, an accidental stopp.at the inlet caused a great flood.
