Month: July 2026

By Tom C In Day Trips

Scanty Lardos

Ami, James, Klaudia, Sophie (OG), Tom

Possibly the last time this one will be done as an evening trip! With tantalising rumours of major extensions to this already fun trip, we made the hefty drive to the furthest evening trip in our patch – only really doable as it’s just metres from the parking spot.

Rain was due at about 10-11ish so we kept tackle at a minimum – just to cover the original trip then a nosey along to the first new pitch, we promised ourselves. Ami rigged us expertly down the awkward entrance pitches, making false claims of being rusty. The diggers’ ropes were in-situ, pointing the way to the deviation flake we’d failed to find last time (even though it’s ‘right there’). Onwards through the twisty turning Ann Summers, which is a knackering mixture of different heights (especially when dragging 60m of rope) and a good soaking, and we were at the next pitch. The rigging’s a little unusual, taking you round a corner to a ledge making for an acrobatic little manouevre (especially on the way back up) but on to a lovely drop from there (and much drier than straight down the waterfall like we did last time).

We reached the old final chamber in under an hour from the surface, and while we waited for James and Klaudia to catch up we spent a few puzzling minutes trying to figure out the route through the boulder choke. Sophie sniffed it out, and dropped her signature dump of jelly babies as her and Ami dove enthusiastically into the choke. With the others down we squirmed through delicately to join them – the hanging death rating in here is a solid 8/10. Once through into the new stuff there were various comments along the lines of ‘ey this is alright isn’t it?’ and we headed down new streamway, before reaching a step up to the groin-splitting traverse to the first new pitch. The temptation to use the in-situ rope was overwhelming, particularly since the note left in the entrance stated that use of these was at your own risk, rather than forbidden, which we deemed an invite. This pitch is lovely! You’ll see when you get there.

At the bottom we couldn’t be held back, as we headed further down the fantastic new streamway sections, before we remembered our plan to avoid drowning by the forecast rain. Some turned back to make a start on the pitches, while others may have snuck a bit further ahead, unable to contain themselves. Back at the old final chamber, the prize of jelly babies was consumed by the passing cavers, and we moved back up the cave surprisingly (to me, anyway) knackered, with Ann Summers passage feeling triple the length it felt on the way in. 

Back upstairs the rain had arrived, and it’s gone dark again 🙁 Summer is over. We made a pact to get it booked in as a weekend trip on the next meets list. 

By Sophie H In Day Trips

Gavel


Sophie H, Billy, Jason, Klaudia
The plan for the weekend was Fossil Pot, but with a fair bit of rain forecast we decided to be sensible and go for somewhere less flood-prone. Gavel seemed like a good suggestion, and meant we could check the KCC cleaning station installed by Jason a month earlier. We arrived at Leck Fell on a drizzly Saturday morning, shortly followed by a group from another club heading the same way. I rigged the first pitch, and with several more cavers arriving, Billy headed off to quickly rig the next pitch. After a short down-climb and a bit of crawling, soon enough we were at Glasfurds. Its a great chamber, with curtain-like formations, straws, crawls and squeezes. After a good look around we headed to the newly discovered Echo chamber. I’d been here a couple of months earlier, and it was still equally as impressive and definitely has some of the longest straws i’ve ever seen. It is particularly muddy on the entrance though, so Jason re-stocked the cleaning station and we cleaned a few of the formations nearest to the path. Next, the two big pitches. I’d been to the top of these once a couple of months before with Billy and Scott, had looked down, got nervous, and waited at the top whilst they explored. Having since gained considerably more confidence with my caving, I was keen to give it another go, and it did not disappoint. Billy was very smooth on the rigging, and after a re-belay, exposed traverses, a precariously positioned pipe and a big deviation, we were at the sump. Klaudia and I shared de-rigging duties and we both complained about the weight of the bags. Klaudia did a particularly great job de-rigging the exposed traverse. The weather was even more miserable on the walk back to the cars, but we had a great day. Thanks all. Photo 1- Klaudia in Glasfurds chamber, photo 2- looking down from the top of pitch three, photo 4 – straws in Echo chamber, photo 5- the sump.

By David L In Day Trips

Rowten Pot and Sumps

Tall David, Scott, Sophie, Ami, Connor, Will

 

A day to remember, the 23rd of July

The summer sun beaming, not a cloud in the sky 

The scene will be set, you’ll remember the tale

The boldest of feats down in darkest Kingsdale

Participants gathered and prepared for the task

Gear donned, bags packed and ready at last

They nodded encouragement and shouldered the load

Through the gate, up the hill, to the Turbary Road

 

Now they were not the first to scale the height 

A tall, lonesome figure was already out of sight 

Pressing on through the limestone, high up on the slope

Carrying a hundred odd meters of rope

 

David reached the lip of the cavernous abyss

The roar of the water far below, a deep rising hiss

Ropes prepared, gear on, figure eights on a bight

He dropped over the edge into eternal night

Down to the bridge, daylight glimmered above

Threading one bolt to the next, a labour of love

Traversing the ledge, the main chamber yawns

Below in the darkness the headlight adorns

the rock with a glow as it drops out of sight

The hanging rebelay does not fail to excite

 

Dropping through darkness, shouts overhead!

Lights twinkle down, ropes like spiders thread

Shouts, calls and whistles, the cavalrys arrived 

The adventure continues, the plan they’ve contrived 

 

The heroes converge on a water lashed ledge

Some toiling in wetsuits but they must keep their pledge

More ropes have arrived and the group presses on

Down to the depths where glory is won

 

With two final pitches, the end is in sight

The crystal clear water they’ve come for this night

The test of the brave, the feared Rowten Sumps

Are they true and wise men or absolute chumps?

Mixed views were had by those who observed 

But the chaps were all in and would not be deterred 

 

Scott, Will and Connor each took their turn

Slowing their breath, showing no self concern 

The water splashed up as they dove through the gap

A fearful few seconds but they all had the knack

The rope was pulled taught, for that was the sign

For the next and the last to follow the line

Through sump after sump, a long winding streamway

Find the warm metal hatch and stumble out into day

 

Back at the sump, the others turned back

So far to the daylight, up there through the black 

They climbed and they swung, higher and higher 

The darkness and mist could not quench the fire

Ami, Sophie and David pushed on for the top

Weighed down and weary, but not willing to stop

 

The cave had been conquered, at least for that night

It filled them with fear, awe and delight 

The sun it had set across the valleys and farms

And they drove like the wind to the old Marton Arms…

 

By Billy F In Day Trips

Gaping Gill – Stream Passage Pot


Billy, Sophie H, Paddy
The original plan for Saturday’s trip had been Juniper Gulf, but without the man and woman power required to lug 250m of rope up the hill, we decided Stream Passage Pot in Gaping Gill would be a better option. None of us had been down this way before, and it was a first Gaping Gill trip for Paddy. It was still a lot of kit to carry, and we were grateful to reach the entrance after a nice walk up the hill – we even spotted  a white grasshopper on the way.

A quick kit sort, some lunch and off we went. None of us were a huge fan of the mid-way squeeze on the first pitch, but after this things got big, dangly and great fun. A few swingy deviations and traverses later and we found ourselves at the bottom. The route described several waterfalls to pass here – today they were not much more than a trickle. Navigation went smoothly. We scrambled up muddy slabs and down various twists, turns and crawls to the main chamber. It was as spectacular as ever.  A quick flapjack and off we went back the way we came. I must admit, I struggled a bit with the bags on the way out – do bags ever not get stuck? A great trip and I hope to be back again soon. Thanks to Ray for being the call-out. Report written by Sophie H.

 

By David L In Day Trips

Hurnel Moss Pot

Tall Dave, Billy and Sophie 

In the midst of the great heatwave of July 2026 (which I’m sure we used to just call “summer”), Myself, Sophie and Billy met at a slightly earlier time than usual in Clapham to head up to Hurnel Moss Pot on the side of Ingleborough. Starting the walk up in a cool 25°C we had opted for the longer but more gradual and shaded route up via Clapham beck rather than from Newby Cote. This proved to be a wise decision, and definitely not just because of the cafe halfway. The showcave was just opening up as we passed so an already very welcome can of pop was bought and then we continued the sweltering trudge up through Trow Gill and on to the moss, to a very welcome breeze.

The shakehole was easy to find, being at the foot of an obvious stream cutting diagonally down from Ingleborough and we were greeted into it by a dozen beautiful dragonflies of quite an impressive size, whirring around, pondering the new arrivals.

I went first into the snug entrance, rigging the first short but awkward pitchhead and sliding like an unathletic seal off the edge into the first small drop.

From here a boulder slope drops down towards the main chamber and another very short rebelay swings you out over the abyss and onto the first traverse. This is described as being technical and lacking footholds however we all agreed that the perfectly placed crack at foot height all the way along seemed to suffice just nicely and we were soon at the Y-hang. From here the view is dramatic with the full height of the upper chamber on show, the anchor on the side of a huge hanging buttress of rock and the start of a stunning fluted shaft within the end of the chamber. In normal conditions when there is more than a tiny trickle of water, the stream drops 30m down a perfectly eroded shaft and hits a seemingly impenetrable flat layer of rock, flowing off over the lip into the final drop.

From here, an upwardly angled ramp on the left wall took us to the next pitchhead, Billy taking over the rigging with a new rope and expertly facilitating the next descent. Once again we enjoyed another straight drop down a picturesque fluted and layered wall with the lower chamber opening up as we descend.

The water at the bottom descends through a huge boulder choke which we down climbed and then rigged a short rope from a natural thread to reach the streamway. An awkward downclimb took us through to almost the furthest limit however not to be outdone I could see a large space through a gap in the boulders up a 6 foot climb. My first attempt consisted of me grabbing what turned out to be mud and not rock, my foot slipping and landing in an unceremonious heap back down in the stream way. Attempt number two, this time spotted by Billy allowed me to see further on both above and below but both options were a bit tight for me.

Admitting defeat but knowing it didn’t go much further we returned up to the main chamber and began the climb back out. Derigging went like a dream and we soon found ourselves unceremoniously thrutching and grunting through the awkward pitchhead and into the sunlight. 

The walk down was much more pleasant but we still felt obliged to support the local businesses and fill up on fizzy drinks and ice-creams on the way back to the cars.

Another great trip.

By Billy F In Uncategorised

Sell Gill Exchange

Billy, Sophie H, Tom, Maz, James and Paddy.

It was a beautiful evening in Horton in Ribblesdale and a delightful walk up the hill to Sell Gill, albeit through some extremely tall grasses. I had been trying to think of some trips me and Billy could lead together, and decided a Sell Gill exchange would work perfectly. With encouragement from James and Paddy, I rigged the dry route, shortly followed by Maz and Tom, whilst Billy headed off to rig Goblin. All went smoothly, and I even managed to beat Billy to the bottom and watched him glide down the final pitch.

We had thought about rigging the elusive pitch at the bottom, but decided to head out sooner and enjoy the sunshine whilst we could. One for another time. A quick switchover and James headed up Goblin, followed by me and then Paddy who kindly de-rigged. He wasnt too keen on the efficient packing. 2 bags next time. It was exceptionally dry and its a brilliant bit of cave. Billy, Maz and Tom went out via the dry.

Once out we had a lovely walk back down the hill, collecting sheeps wool and looking at owls and moths on the way. A lovely evening and really enjoyable trip.Written by Sophie H.