Garden hole

[whatsreallygoingon]

My back garden is 2/3 slate chippings, 1/3 decking (was like that when I got the keys 10 months back, no immediate plans to change).

Over the last week and a half I've noticed two of these mysterious holes appear in the slate. I've tried to dig further to see if there's anything untoward but the slate runs down quite deep.

Anyone any idea why this would be happening? I can obviously just buy more and top up the holes but this doesn't seem... normal. We have had some heavy rainfall, but that also isn't uncommon (in the North West)

Cheers.

 

[jj4091]

Seen any rats?

 

[whatsreallygoingon]

I haven't.. is that a potential cause?

 

[Why Not Indeed]

Yes - I guess that's decking just off the bottom of your second picture?

 

[whatsreallygoingon]

Yeah, decking.

A number of people have said rats now, including a gardener. Not sure what would attract them to mine, though one of the neighbours is... scruffy, shall we say.

Operation get rid of rats then, I guess

 

[Ron0z]

Abandoned mines have resulted in surface subsidence. Is there anything like that where you live?

Have you noticed any additional use of water or trouble with drainage? Do you think there are any pipes under that area? A damaged pipe may influence the soil around the pipe.

 

[endecotp]

A number of people have said rats now

Could be worse, could be squirrels.

 

[Munroast]

could be the beginning of a sink hole

 

[whatsreallygoingon]

To answer the above:

Drainage - yes, my sink gully/drain has been blocked twice in the last 4 months. I checked this yesterday and it was backed up just under half way so I had the rods down. Not ideal. Last time was July. It's an old property and part of a combined/shared system, so I am gonna ask United Utilities if they can check for anything going on further down the line.

Past mining - did show up on the survey. Said nothing detected since 1962, but I guess there is still a danger of that.

Sinkhole - doesn't bear thinking about

 

[Odds]

Could be worse, could be squirrels.

A squirrel is now't but a rat-in-a-tree: a tree rat, if you will.

On the bright side, they make good eatin'.

 

[foxhole]

Cats frequently dig to use as toilet .

 

[Why Not Indeed]

Can you pull up one of the decking planks and see what is going on underneath? Rat runs have a characteristic look to them, they smooth the soil and remove the vegetation [or their incontinence kills it, not sure] as they move about.

Following a rat-run – Pestend

www.pestend.co.uk

 

[whatsreallygoingon]

There are two boards I can get up (for drain access) but the rest are, difficult, to say the least. I did have a look under said two boards, will look again based on what you've sent there (thanks).

I believe rats under decking isn't the most uncommon thing, though I can only see one entry point to under the decking for them (little gap between a shed door and decking); there was also a small pile of soil I discovered there. What I don't get is how the soil 'fell down', as there's a vertical wood block (not sure on the technical name) that separates the decking and the slate, where the holes are.

It's all very odd.

 

[endecotp]

You need cameras.

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

Cats frequently dig to use as toilet .

Sometimes but wouldn't there be poo in the hole?