Reyfad-Pollnacrom

Reyfad and Pollnacrom are a connected system of massive caverns situated beneath Reyfad Moor, approximately ten miles from Enniskillen. The caves are full of the worst kind of sticky mud and are almost completely lacking in fine formations; but they still have some strange attraction which makes people go down. I can't understand this motivation but perhaps I'm not sufficiently dedicated.

There are two entrances on the moor: Pollnacrom and Reyfad. Pollnacrom is at the centre of a natural amphitheatre. A moderate stream sinks just short of the entrance but in wet weather this becomes impassable. The pitch can be laddered from the surface as one continuous length of ladder (see survey).

The alternative entrance, Reyfad, is a prominent shaft and is easily found on the fell. The entrance is a series of pitches of 6, 55 and 28 metres and ends in the same system: the trip makes quite a reasonable exchange.

There are two other proven entrances: Waterfall sink and Polltullybrack. Waterfall sink is about 300 metres downstream from Pollnacrom whilst Polltullybrack is further across the moor from Reyfad. We managed to extend Polltullybrack by a further 100 metres, but it is still short of its destination at Main Aven. The water falls about 100 metres down Main Aven and appears at the bottom as a fine spray.

On a direct line between Reyfad and Pollnacrom is a bush with a sink; the Irish call it Bush Sink but after several wasted days digging it was renamed PollnaCrossley! As a dig it showed some promise. We descended two small pitches into a chamber, but nothing further came of our efforts.

As a cave system I do not think it's worth a visit to Ireland, but we enjoyed our four-week stay on the moor. Perhaps it was the Guinness but it could have been the cave.

I. Crossley