Tyning's Barrow Swallet

Tyning’s Barrow Swallet is a cave in the Mendip Hills of Somerset, England. It lies between the villages of Charterhouse and Shipham in limestone country. The cave is close to two other caves, GB Cave and Charterhouse Cave, which is the deepest in the region. Its entrance opens in a grassy hollow near a farm track. The cave’s passages stretch for 1.29 km and drop to a depth of 132 m. Explorers value the cave for its long passages and vertical shafts. The entrance is locked and the key must be collected from a nearby farmhouse. Inside, the cave contains a mix of walking passages and tight crawls. Water flows through parts of the system after heavy rain. The cave’s depth makes it a serious trip for cavers. Visitors find a locked iron gate at the entrance. Beyond the gate, the cave leads down through a series of chambers and pitches. The main passage widens in places before narrowing again. A short climb leads to the deepest point. The surroundings are quiet farmland and woodland, typical of the Mendip Hills.