Lat 43° 13' 15" Long 1° 00' 25"
Location - At the bottom of a large inclined depression 275m
below the Beges track. A cairn by the road marks the depression.
Entrance - The gaping hole of the entrance shaft is easily
distinguished amongst the flat, heather covered limestone.
The letters 'LUSS 3.2' written in red paint at the head of
the shaft readily identify the cave as Fallen Bear Hole.
Description - Bolt belays at the top of the pitch permit a
free hang down a shaft of continually increasing dimensions,
to a point where the pitch suddenly bells out into a large
chamber. A fresh bolt is advised here to avoid abrasion,
thus giving a further free hang to the chamber floor.
The last 7m of the pitch is descended within a large snow cone.
The snow cone is in the centre of the boulder strewn chamber.
Following the lefthand wall in an easterly direction, passing a small alcove, a drop down a low scree slope leads to a dry sandy passage. Approximately 10m along on the left hand side there are the scattered remains of a bear skeleton, hence the caves name, Fallen Bear Hole. Continuing beyond the skeleton, the passage branches to the right choking after a few metres, while to the left is a 15m pitch, from which the small passage at the bottom shortly terminates in a calcite choke.
Moving in a westerly direction the boulder slope drops down steeply, and after a few short climbs emerges at the bottom of 3 high towering aven.
The head of the 30m pitch against the right hand wall is particularly loose and care has to be taken when tackling up this free hanging pitch. The 25m pitch follows immediately, landing amongst boulders from which there is no further way on.
