The latest issue of Descent includes an article on cave access. As part of the research for the article I corresponded with the Head of Profession for Access and Rights of Way at Natural England to better understand their position on caver access under the Countryside Rights of Way Act (CRoW), which applies to England and Wales. An extract from the article follows below,
?What they [Natural England] have conceded is that cavers do have a right of access (under CRoW) to open caves and potholes on the sides of mountains etc., because they are in effect open to the air. I believe this is the first time that anyone has obtained this view from Natural England or certainly realised the full implications.
This means that cavers have a legal right of access to certain limited caves, on access land. Although these caves do not offer the 'whole' caving experience they are a good place to practice skills and visit if time does not allow a longer caving trip. So what caves are we talking about, certainly Hull Pot, Rowten and Jingling but there is little access restriction anyway on those caves. More importantly this covers certain caves on fells that have a restricted permit system in place such as Leck and Casterton Fells. It now seems clear that cavers have a right of access to the open shafts of Deaths Head Hole, Gavel Pot, Rumbling Hole, Cow Pot etc. Where the exact line is drawn between open pot and enclosed cave is not clear and the reality is that it will be up to cavers to decide just how far they go.?
Access under CRoW does not require a permit or permission from the landowner. There is no ?closed season? on the above mentioned fells under CRoW and members of the public may exercise their right to walk to all cave entrances and now to descend those that can be described as ?open caves and potholes?. Anyone with an interest may like to read the rest of the article.
?What they [Natural England] have conceded is that cavers do have a right of access (under CRoW) to open caves and potholes on the sides of mountains etc., because they are in effect open to the air. I believe this is the first time that anyone has obtained this view from Natural England or certainly realised the full implications.
This means that cavers have a legal right of access to certain limited caves, on access land. Although these caves do not offer the 'whole' caving experience they are a good place to practice skills and visit if time does not allow a longer caving trip. So what caves are we talking about, certainly Hull Pot, Rowten and Jingling but there is little access restriction anyway on those caves. More importantly this covers certain caves on fells that have a restricted permit system in place such as Leck and Casterton Fells. It now seems clear that cavers have a right of access to the open shafts of Deaths Head Hole, Gavel Pot, Rumbling Hole, Cow Pot etc. Where the exact line is drawn between open pot and enclosed cave is not clear and the reality is that it will be up to cavers to decide just how far they go.?
Access under CRoW does not require a permit or permission from the landowner. There is no ?closed season? on the above mentioned fells under CRoW and members of the public may exercise their right to walk to all cave entrances and now to descend those that can be described as ?open caves and potholes?. Anyone with an interest may like to read the rest of the article.