Hypogenic caves in the UK?

Pitlamp

Pitlamp

Well-known member
Here's one for the serious students of karst science; do we have any hypogenically formed caves in the UK? I have only a very basic idea of how these are formed (there's loads of info from overseas on the 'net) and I'm vaguely wondering if this method of formation was implicated in a few places I know underground here in Blighty. There are certain key individuals who use this forum regularly who know a lot more than me about speleogenesis - and who I hope will respond to this request. (Even if the answer is a considered "no".) Can anyone help?
 
langcliffe

langcliffe

Well-known member
I'm not a serious student of anything, but Klimchouk's paper on Hypogene Speleogenesis argues that Knock Fell Caverns, although modified, have all the signs of hypogenic formation. He puts forward the argument that rising hydrothermal systems are usually located near thrust and strike-slip faults. Many of our candidates are actually located close to major normal faults, but the adjacent  rapidly sinking basins provided the hot fluids for the mineral deposits, so I don't see why they should not also have been responsible for the development of cavities.
 
graham

graham

New member
Les W said:
Isn't the formation of Pen Park Hole (in Bristol) considered to be Hypogenic?
Click to expand...

I believe that to be the case, yes. When I took Willie Stanton down there, he agreed. Indeed it was he who pointed out some of the key features.

There are a number of smaller caves in Bristol/South Glos which show similar features and there are a number of springs in and around Bristol - as well as the famous ones in Bath - where some of the water, at least, is hydrothermal.

You'd have to ask someone who understands speleogenesis in Derbyshire far better than I do, like Trever Ford, but isn't it the case that a number of Derbyshire caves are two phase, being originally formed under hypogenic conditions & then later (much later) rejuvenated by epigenic water? 
 
O

owd git

Active member
graham said:
Les W said:
Isn't the formation of Pen Park Hole (in Bristol) considered to be Hypogenic?
Click to expand...

I believe that to be the case, yes. When I took Willie Stanton down there, he agreed. Indeed it was he who pointed out some of the key features.

There are a number of smaller caves in Bristol/South Glos which show similar features and there are a number of springs in and around Bristol - as well as the famous ones in Bath - where some of the water, at least, is hydrothermal.

You'd have to ask someone who understands speleogenesis in Derbyshire far better than I do, like Trever Ford, but isn't it the case that a number of Derbyshire caves are two phase, being originally formed under hypogenic conditions & then later (much later) rejuvenated by epigenic water?
Click to expand...
Yuo beat me to it  Graham (y)
 
Pitlamp

Pitlamp

Well-known member
Thanks very much for those useful responses so far. (I suspect Langcliffe has a pretty good idea why I'm asking this question.)

Any other possible examples anyone?
 
Rob

Rob

Well-known member
Not any experience in this so only applying knowledge after a quick read around, but how about Oxlow/Maskill. It's a group of unusually big solutional rift chambers with blind avens and no massive cave passage formation off. When you break out of the mined section in both caves and hit the top of the natural it just seems too big and random to be completely epigenic...
 
TheBitterEnd

TheBitterEnd

Well-known member
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top