Lydden Spout Battery Deep Level Shelter, Dover 08/10

[mc_nebula]

A little bit special and probably the least visited shelter in Dover. The original entrance is capped, but because of fairly recent cliff movements, the shelter can be accessed half way down one of Dover's famous white cliffs. We are not aware of any visits since 2003, and the writing in the chalk down there would help confirm this; We saw no dates beyond '03.

Initially, we wern't certain of the exact location of the entrance, and to descend the cliff we had to rig an abseil. I dutifully scrambled down and up the cliff, searching for the entrance. In true style, the third spot we chose, we struck lucky. I shouted to Patch to follow, and down he came.

Now off the rope, we started the crawl into the shelter. The roof at the entrance is held up by large twigs and railway sleepers which look like they would crumble to dust if you looked at them in the wrong way. Being extra careful and not wanting to touch walls, supports or the ceiling, we crawled and slithered through the narrow gaps offered, there had obviously been a cave in at some point in the past and the space we had to play with was minimal. After about 20m, we were able to stand in an unlined tunnel, with a split into two passages, forming a lined shelter. In we went.

Having taken photo's, we realised that the ascent back up the slippery chalk cliff (which wasn't quite vertical, around 80 degrees) would be much harder than the simple descent. But up we went. Patch first, scrambling up the face, followed by me, both of us sending chunks of loose cliff scurrying down behind us as we climbed, slipping and relying on our rope and ascenders rather than the cliff face on multiple occasions. Back on top of the cliff, it was nice to be able to relax. Being in a shelter dug in soft chalk, with a sizeable collapse potentially blocking our exit, and the slippery, crumbly scramble back up to the top had taken it out of us.


Looking from the middle of the collapse, to the cliff face entrance of the shelter

Looking from the middle of the collapse towards the split in the tunnel, into the shelter

The split in the tunnel

The best preserved shelter tunnel I have ever seen. *No graff, no fires... just natural decay

Looking from the top of the first flight of stairs down to the main shelter tunnel. *Behind is the original shelter entrance (heavily backfilled, and invisible from the field above)

Obligatory macro-close-up of rust...

 

[night crawler]

All I can say is you were brave going in there, none of it looked safe at all. Well done on the recording of that one.

 

[crickleymal]

Well done. Nice photos. It does look a bit dodgy in places but at least it's well preserved and unlikely to get chavved.

 

[smiffy]

Now thats what I call a serious explore......great stuff.....but don't think I'd have done it......thats some shaky looking tunnels...............

 

[kaboom]

one word sum's this up dude........................SWEEEEEET

 

[godzilla73]

Nice stuff. I'm glad you took the "fixed line only" route. A local guy bought it a while back trying to do this one. Part of the Lydden Spout/Hougham complex - a fella has just bought the Hougham one and is excavating it I believe.
GDZ

 

[chinc]

Nice work, I was scouting around there today but I was on my own so couldn't climb down the cliff as it was too risky. It has been entered more recently than 2003, there are loads of photos and videos floating around the net.

I couldn't quite manage to remove the lid to the Lydden Spout plotting room on my own, which was slightly annoying, but I did see one of the Lydden Spout magazines.

I also found the entrances to Fan bay battery deep shelter and Langon hole battery deep shelter, which I am very pleased about - after many hours searching - so not an entirely wasted day

 

[mcspringzy]

Interesting, thanks. I watched a programme a few years back about a signals base and hospital where the Wrens used to work deep in the dover cliffs somewhere, there wasnt any mention specifically I dont think. It'd be interesting if anyone knew anymore about these?

 

[mc_nebula]

Nice work, I was scouting around there today but I was on my own so couldn't climb down the cliff as it was too risky. It has been entered more recently than 2003, there are loads of photos and videos floating around the net.

I couldn't quite manage to remove the lid to the Lydden Spout plotting room on my own, which was slightly annoying, but I did see one of the Lydden Spout magazines.

I also found the entrances to Fan bay battery deep shelter and Langon hole battery deep shelter, which I am very pleased about - after many hours searching - so not an entirely wasted day

Trust me, you won't get down safely, unless you have a death wish, or rope. If you go to check it out, take it easy, and stay (in urbex terms) safe...

 

[chinc]

Trust me, you won't get down safely, unless you have a death wish, or rope. If you go to check it out, take it easy, and stay (in urbex terms) safe...

Yeah, the lack of rope is another reason I didn't go down - I didn't do Fan bay for the same reason (45 degree chalk slope) I was surprised to see what seemed to be a few footpaths leading down at least some of the way however.

Other than a rope, did you use any other climbing equipment like a belt?

Cheers.

 

[mc_nebula]

Yeah, the lack of rope is another reason I didn't go down - I didn't do Fan bay for the same reason (45 degree chalk slope) I was surprised to see what seemed to be a few footpaths leading down at least some of the way however.

Other than a rope, did you use any other climbing equipment like a belt?

Cheers.

A belt? Oh my. Right. We rigged a single rope, for ascent and descent. The rope (not just any old rope, proper climbing rope) was properly anchored at the top of the cliff. Everyone using the rope had experience with ascending and descending as well as climbing. Two people were waiting at the top of the cliff, and we had a strict time limit in the complex. Going over this time limit would have caused them to contact emergency services. (in case of being trapped by a collapse). Sit harnesses, ATC devices/figure 8's and shunts were all used for going down and up. Almost goes without saying, slings and 'biners too. Some of the cliff at Lydden is walkable. The last ~15m down is definitely not. Well, you might get down... but it's near vertical, and crumbly chalk going back up. It comes away in your hands, and under your feet when you try climbing it. A proper harness really is essential here for safety. It's a hell of a long way down if you don't have one to fall back on. Believe me, the way the chalk crumbles, we needed the rope, harness and ascending gear.

Sounds to me like you don't have climbing or abseiling experience, or the equipment. If you are at all doubtful, or do not know what any/some of the things I have mentioned are, STOP. The last thing I would want would be for someone to go to B&Q and grab a 50m length of blue rope, tie it to something and try to walk off the cliff with it. I was harnessed to the rope with a proper climbing harness, and other gear.

I'm sorry if I'm wrong and being patronising, but I wouldn't like to take that chance and feel responsible for you being injured, or worse. Don't take the risk if you don't have the safety gear and precautions in place.

Inside the complex, we left our climbing harnesses on. This is a trick used by miners (mining belts) professional sewer workers and the like. It's easier to move a body/unconcious/severely injured person when they are wearing a harness, than when they are not. Gives something reliable to grab.

Stay safe...
A.

 

[godzilla73]

Interesting, thanks. I watched a programme a few years back about a signals base and hospital where the Wrens used to work deep in the dover cliffs somewhere, there wasnt any mention specifically I dont think. It'd be interesting if anyone knew anymore about these?

There were a number of facilities like this that you might be referring to:

1) The Fixed Admiralty Defences - these occupied part of the tunnels under Dover Castle (levels A for Annexe and B for Bastion) which contained both a telephone exchange and a hospital. These are now part of the Tourist attraction that is Dover's Wartime Tunnels, run by English Heritage.
2) There was an extensive communications/radio facility at Long Hill in Dover, which was a mirror of the D for Dumpy Level at Dover Castle. Both entrances to this have recently been filled in, although there is apparently a third entrance.
3) A large number of Wrens and ATS women were stationed at St. Margarets Battery where they operated machines called Kine-Theodolites, which were used to track German Artillery and V2 movements. There is an excellent book about this called "The Girls Behind the Guns" by Dorothy Brewer-Kerr.

Hope this helps!!!
GDZ

 

[chinc]

I'm sorry if I'm wrong and being patronising

Only a bit The fact that I don't really like heights pretty much guarantees that I'm not going to start climbing down without proper safety equipment. I am aware of some of the concepts behind climbing, having watched others do it on many occasions.

Safety is my number one priority, which is why I wear proper protective clothing and a respirator if I'm going into somewhere with asbestos, for instance.

Thanks for the info.

 

[Maniac]

We are not aware of any visits since 2003, and the writing in the chalk down there would help confirm this; We saw no dates beyond '03.

I hate to piss on your bonfire so to speak, but there's been a lot of visits since 2003, and if you look on certain other urbex forums, you'll see mine and others report dating from earlier this year, and on my website a report from August 2009 - http://www.curiousplaces.co.uk/inde...ry&id=55:lydden-spout-deep-shelter&Itemid=121

Also as a side note, you don't have to use abseiling gear to reach it as there's a perfectally useable, if a little steep path that leads straight up to the entrance. I wouldn't do it in the wet, but in the dry it's really no problem walking down to the entrance, I've probably visited here at least 3 times in the last year.

However good work on doing it, and you're right it is one of the lesser visited shelters in Dover.

Maniac.

 

[mc_nebula]

We couldn't find a safe way down the cliff without the rope. I am under the impression that more of the cliff has moved in the last year or so; the path goes part way down, and disappears to an almost sheer chalk drop.

It was also a wet weekend when we did it. Making things more slippery.

 

[Maniac]

Must have been very recent if it has slipped, as I was there in the middle of July with a load of people and it hadn't changed a bit from my previous vist about 6 months previous.

Still Abseiling makes it more fun I suppose and gives you an excuse to use your gear

Maniac.

 

[Newage]

Deep level shelter

Hi There

Much much respect to you, me and Fluffy had a look at the shelter entrance last year and due to it`s location
decided to "B***** that", well done on the pictures.

Cheers Newage

 

[chris]

Impressive report Mc Nebula. Did you use ground anchors to fix the rope to? I was looking for firm anchorage points and short of the Plotting Room lid or a cow couldn't see one

 

[Potter]

Amazing work. I love that big bendy piping. Is it made of rubber or something?