Gaping Gill
| Gaping Gill | |
|---|---|
 entrance shaft viewed from the Main Chamber |
|
| Location | Ingleborough |
| Depth | 95 metres[citation needed] |
| Length | 11.6km[citation needed] |
| Coordinates | |
| Geology | Limestone |
| Number of entrances | 19[1] |
| Difficulty | Grade 4 |
| Access | Ingleborough Estate Office |
Gaping Gill is one of the unmistakable landmarks on Ingleborough Hill, a 95m deep
pothole with the stream Fell Beck flowing into it. After falling through the second largest known underground chamber in
Britain,[citation needed] the water disappears into the bouldery floor and eventually resurges out of
Ingleborough Cave.
The first recorded attempted descent was by J. Birkwith in 1848 who reached a ledge halfway down which bears his name.[2] The first complete descent was by Édouard-Alfred Martel in 1896.
Due to the number of entrances which connect into the cave, many different routes through and around the system are possible. Other entrances include Disappointment Pot, Stream Passage Pot, Bar Pot, Hensler's Pot, Corky's Pot, and Flood Entrance Pot. In 1983 members of the Cave Diving Group made the underwater connection into Ingleborough Cave.
The Bradford Pothole Club around Whitsun May Bank Holiday[3] and the Craven Pothole Club around May Bank Holiday[4] each set up a winch above the shaft to provide a ride to the bottom and back out again for any member of the public who pays a fee.
An extreme rock-climb (graded E3, 5c) is possible up the main shaft which requires very dry conditions. It was first pioneered in 1972 with ten points of aid. The first free ascent was made in 1988.[5]
References
- ^ Gaping Gill - A list of entrances. Retrieved on 2007-09-30.
- ^ Marshal, Des; Donald Rust (1997). Selected Caves of Britain and Ireland, 47. ISBN 1-871890-43-8.
- ^ BPC Gaping Gill. Retrieved on 2007-09-30.
- ^ Craven Pothole Club Gaping Gill Winch Meet 2007 Open to the public. Retrieved on 2007-09-30.
- ^ Paul Eastwood (1989). NPC Newsletter 23, January 1989. Retrieved on [[21 July 2006]].
Sources
- Brook, D. et al., Northern Caves 2 - the Three Peaks, Dalesman Press, ISBN 1-85568-033-5
- Farr, M., The Darkness Beckons, 1991, Diadem Press, ISBN 0-906371-87-2
- Beck, Howard, Gaping Gill, Hale, ISBN 0-7090-1552-6
- Mason, E.J., Caves and Caving in Britain, 1977, Robert Hale, ISBN 0-7091-6195-6
- Marshall, D. & Rust, D., Selected Caves of Britain and Ireland, Cordee, ISBN 1-871890-43-8
External links
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