Nidderdale
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| Regions \ Yorkshire Dales \ Wharfedale and the North East \ Nidderdale |
Geology and Hydrology
The geological strata making up the Dales generally dips to the east so the further east one goes, the younger the rocks. Consequently Nidderdale is floored by millstone grit. However there are two main fault bounded inliers which bring limestone to the surface allowing caves to form. The Goyden entrances occur in the northern Limley inlier with Manchester Hole formed where the River Nidd flow onto the inlier. The caves of the How Stean Gorge and the Nidd Risings occur in the southern Lofthouse inlier. The underground flow of the Nidd goes beneath the intervening sandstone cover.
The Goyden System
The water flowing from Scarhouse reservoir flows east and then south with the valley. Not long after turning south it meets the first of several sinks, Manchester Hole. The water entering Manchester Hole flows under the valley through to Goyden Pot. From there onwards through Frog Pot and New Goyden Pot before turning under the hill and resurging at Nidd Head Risings just beyond the villege of Lofthouse. Divers have linked Manchester, Goyden, the Aquamole series (now incorporated into Frog Pot) and New Goyden. They are presently attempting to link New Goyden with Nidd Head Rising. The Black Sheep Diggers in their goal to provide dry connections between all the sinks have so far connected Manchester Hole with Goyden Pot. They have a voice and visual connection between Frog Pot and New Goyden Pot and are presently working on forging a link between Frog pot and Goyden pot.
Note: Flooding. Manchester Hole from the crawl through to the duck can sump off quickly. The whole of Goyden, Frog and New Goyden pots can flood completely. Flooding is not only possible with heavy rain and snow melt but also occurs with a strong westerly wind blowing water from Scarhouse reservoir over the dam wall down the valley to the caves below.
The Howstean Caves
Caves
Howstean Caves
References
- Davis G.M., 1974, "The Caves of Nidderdale", In "The Limestones and Caves of North-West England" (ed. A.C. Waltham), David & Charles, Newton Abbot. pp. 434-439
- Ford, T.D., 1963, "The Goyden Pot Drainage System, Nidderdale, Yorkshire", Trans. of the Cave Research Group Vol. 6 No. 2, pp. 81-90
- Northern Caves Volume 1, Wharfedale and the North-East, (1988) D.Brook, G.M. Davies, M.H. Long, P.F. Ryder. pp. 149-163
- Waltham A.C., 1984, "Caves, Crags and Gorges", Constable and Company, pp. 158-166
- Waltham A.C., Sims M.J., Farrant A.R., Goldie H.S., 1997, "Karst and Caves of Great Britain", Chapman and Hall, London. pp.119-123
