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Wezzit with a difference...

langcliffe

langcliffe

Well-known member
There are two photographs in the Rev. Black collection I have tentatively titled as being in Dunald Mill Hole on the basis that the previous two photographs were taken in there. However, I haven't been in there since 1968.

Can anyone positively say whether or not they were taken in Dunald Mill Hole? If not, can anyone suggest where they may be from the photograph and from the captions? They are almost definitely in Yorkshire.

http://archives.bcra.org.uk/index.php?display=black%2Fblack02%2Fblack-2-023.jpg
http://archives.bcra.org.uk/index.php?display=black%2Fblack02%2Fblack-2-024.jpg
 
graham

graham

New member
I've been in Dunald Mill Hole a bit more recently than 1968 (about 1985?) and would say that the first one was almost certainly from there. I've either seen it or a very similar photo before, as well. Not so sure about the second.
 
Pitlamp

Pitlamp

Well-known member
Speaking as a born and bred member of the population from the generous side of the great frontier; if that's Dunald Mill Hole - are you absolutely certain it's "in Yorkshire"?
 
langcliffe

langcliffe

Well-known member
graham said:
I've been in Dunald Mill Hole a bit more recently than 1968 (about 1985?) and would say that the first one was almost certainly from there. I've either seen it or a very similar photo before, as well. Not so sure about the second.
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That's good enough for me, Graham. Many thanks.

grahams said:
Is Dunald Mill Hole worth a visit and what's the access situation?
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It IS worth a visit. The place was first described in the Annual Register of 1760 as "most pleasingly horrible". The access situation in 1968 was that you sneaked in at night after the lights went out in Dunald Mill Cottage.

Pitlamp said:
Speaking as a born and bred member of the population from the generous side of the great frontier; if that's Dunald Mill Hole - are you absolutely certain it's "in Yorkshire"?
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O.K.,  Pitlamp - it's actually in the County Palatine of Lancashire.
 
F

Fulk

Well-known member
Is Dunald Mill Hole worth a visit and what's the access situation?
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I must admit that I've never been there . . . but I'm somewhat put off by rumours/reports of the cave's acting as a sewer for the caravan site beneath which it lies (though it does look quite pleasant in those photos).
 
TheBitterEnd

TheBitterEnd

Well-known member
langcliffe said:
The access situation in 1968 was that you sneaked in at night after the lights went out in Dunald Mill Cottage.
Click to expand...

"Snook" in a couple of times in broad day light as a lad (a bit more recently than 1968), but I could not confirm that those photos are Dunald Mill; could be, just can't remember. The farmer used to run a hydram from there so the sewage can't have been that bad back then.
 
D

dunc

New member
Does look a bit like what I remember (10 or so years back) and as for the sewage, yes there was a certain odour when we visited so didn't bother with a low wet crawl and thus didn't get to the end (not that we were bothered!), upto that point it was easy caving. If I recall, access was gained easily from the cottage opposite, though that was 10 years ago so might have changed sice then.
 
graham

graham

New member
It's a nice little cave & well worth a visit. There was no problem with camping site effluent when we were there, but that was a few decades back.

& yes, it does a have tendency to not be in Yorkyshire.
 
Pitlamp

Pitlamp

Well-known member
I was introduced to the delights of Dunald Mill about 10 years ago by Rick Stanton. I was very impressed by the cave's size, although it's a fairly short trip. There was no evidence at all of sewage on our visit. It was definitely in Lancashire!  ;)

The cave can take a substantial stream so, given the aweful weather this "summer", do take care.
 
Pitlamp

Pitlamp

Well-known member
I've just studied those two photos and they do look exactly like the large entrance passage in Dunald Mill Hole. (I can't absolutley be sure that they are definitely there but that's exactly how I remember the dimensions, floor cobbles and rock texture.) Not sure if this helps but it's the best I can do.

To add a bit of interest for those considering a trip - I also remember pondering afterwards why such a grand passage should suddenly degenerate into that small crawl. Is there something up aloft which might have been missed? Just a thought . . . .
 
Robert Scott

Robert Scott

Member
Pitlamp said:
Speaking as a born and bred member of the population from the generous side of the great frontier; if that's Dunald Mill Hole - are you absolutely certain it's "in Yorkshire"?
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"The huge county of Yorkshire was a successor to the Viking Kingdom of York, and at the time of the Domesday Book in 1086 it was considered to include what was to become northern Lancashire, as well as parts of Cumberland, and Westmorland."
 
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