Skirwith Cave
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| Regions \ Yorkshire Dales \ The Three Peaks \ Skirwith Cave |
Contents |
Location
Grid Reference: SD 709 738
Altitude: 256 m
Entrance above the crag and a short distance back, a small hole and not immediately obvious.
Description
Easy caving suitable for novice parties.
The entrance described in Northern Caves ends at a blockage rather than emerging into daylight.
Down the slope and past the wedged open gate you enter a rift passage which is followed along level floors, the stream is joined and old wooden duck boards are sometimes usable, others have been dislodged and some are marginally rotten.
At the choke the steps once used to bypass it can be seen below! The continuing passage soon arrives at a pool and waterfall. This was the end of the old show cave, but the fall can be climbed to enter further streamway before reaching a sump.
Access
For permission call at; Landale, Cold Cotes, Clapham, Lancaster, LA2 8HZ.
History
It was due to open to the public in Easter 1965 after a preliminary run attracted 2000 sight-seers; Speleologist1
Open hours were to be 10.30 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. weekends, Admission 2s.
It was also likened to Bagshawe Cavern being closer to actual caving than other show caves.
Closed - 1974.
References and Further Reading
- Stainforth R H A, Speleologist 1, January/February 1965, page 23.
