A "Classic Rock" of UK Caves?

BrightAire

New member
Rock climbing cavers will be familiar with Ken Wison's Classic, Hard and Extreme Rock series of coffee table climbing books which have become the basis of "tick lists" for keen rock climbers for many years now.

"Not for The Faint Hearted" probably covers the Hard Rock territory for the Dales (and I've done a few) but what trips, UK wide, would you have in your Classic Rock list?

Now in my middle age, though I've probably still got some Hard Rock trips in me, I'm thinking of easier, "Sunday trips" I might do with my kids (before they get too good), for my inevitable infirmity, or if I'm just feeling a bit poorly.
 

andrewmcleod

Well-known member
Classic Rock covered a multitude of sins. There were some pretty easy but superb routes, then there were some moderately tricky routes, then there was Great Gully (which is indeed great, but deserves an XD grade for 'adventure' ;)

Classic Rock is about 83 routes but some of those are single pitch routes (while others are big mountain adventures) so I'd guess you'd want about 30-50 caves?

Easier stuff:
GB Cavern round trip (albeit currently closed?)
Giant's Hole round trip
Peak Cavern (easy bits)
Cwm Dwr to Confluence
OFD 1 round trip

Middling stuff:
Swildon's Short Round
OFD 1 to 2 through trip

Trickier stuff:
Daren Cilau through trip
Upper Flood
Simpson's Pot pull through (possibly also Swinsto but I haven't done it :O )
Alum Pot
Probably two of the GG entrances (Stream and Disappointment, possibly?)
Lancaster Hole to Wretched Rabbit (currently closed at one end and with issues at the other!)

PS I've done all the Classic Rock routes in England and Wales except a few in the Lakes which I really need to finish off next summer!
 

BrightAire

New member
Classic Rock covered a multitude of sins. There were some pretty easy but superb routes, then there were some moderately tricky routes, then there was Great Gully (which is indeed great, but deserves an XD grade for 'adventure' ;)

Classic Rock is about 83 routes but some of those are single pitch routes (while others are big mountain adventures) so I'd guess you'd want about 30-50 caves?

Easier stuff:
GB Cavern round trip (albeit currently closed?)
Giant's Hole round trip
Peak Cavern (easy bits)
Cwm Dwr to Confluence
OFD 1 round trip

Middling stuff:
Swildon's Short Round
OFD 1 to 2 through trip

Trickier stuff:
Daren Cilau through trip
Upper Flood
Simpson's Pot pull through (possibly also Swinsto but I haven't done it :O )
Alum Pot
Probably two of the GG entrances (Stream and Disappointment, possibly?)
Lancaster Hole to Wretched Rabbit (currently closed at one end and with issues at the other!)

PS I've done all the Classic Rock routes in England and Wales except a few in the Lakes which I really need to finish off next summer!
Thanks for that. I've already made some headway on your list (some definitely worth a return trip) and on Classic Rock too (not as much as you though). It's another project I need to revive.
 

Long Drop

Active member
The Dan yr Ogof round trip would have to be in that list somewhere.

(I have a feeling a well-known caving author based near Abergavenny is currently working on producing a book of the type you describe :) )
 

langcliffe

Well-known member
Thanks for that. I've already made some headway on your list (some definitely worth a return trip) and on Classic Rock too (not as much as you though). It's another project I need to revive.

That same character was actually commissioned to produce a "Classic Caves" in the same series as Classic Rock, in 1989. A number of chapters were written by selected individuals, but the deal fell through. I think that the publisher was taken over, or something.

The text of three of the chapters are available on the web:

Dowbergill Passage, by Terry Trueman and Ian Watson
Juniper Gulf, by John Gardner
Penyghent Pot, by Julian Griffiths

I remember that Geoff Yeadon was given Meregill Pot, because we had a trip together down there at the time.
 

mikem

Well-known member
Nearest equivalent would be this "top of the pots" (although a lot more cave has been found since it was published):
 

rm128

Active member
That same character was actually commissioned to produce a "Classic Caves" in the same series as Classic Rock, in 1989. A number of chapters were written by selected individuals, but the deal fell through. I think that the publisher was taken over, or something.

The text of three of the chapters are available on the web:

Dowbergill Passage, by Terry Trueman and Ian Watson
Juniper Gulf, by John Gardner
Penyghent Pot, by Julian Griffiths

I remember that Geoff Yeadon was given Meregill Pot, because we had a trip together down there at the time.
I wasn't aware of that Langcliffe. Wouldn't it be good if the idea could be revived? Just read the Dowbergill chapter over lunch. A great read. I look forward to reading the others later!
 

andrewmcleod

Well-known member
That same character was actually commissioned to produce a "Classic Caves" in the same series as Classic Rock, in 1989. A number of chapters were written by selected individuals, but the deal fell through. I think that the publisher was taken over, or something.

The text of three of the chapters are available on the web:

Dowbergill Passage, by Terry Trueman and Ian Watson
Juniper Gulf, by John Gardner
Penyghent Pot, by Julian Griffiths

I remember that Geoff Yeadon was given Meregill Pot, because we had a trip together down there at the time.
I suspect all three of them, if they were climbs, would end up in 'Hard Rock' rather than 'Classic Rock' (maybe even sneaking into Extreme Rock, although embarrassing I've not done Dowbergill or Juniper Gulf and I've only done 80% of Penyghent to the sump so I am going off reputation and topos). Classic Rock (originally) topped out at HS (Hard Severe i.e. not that hard these days) although some have subsequently been upgraded to VS.

Equally, I can imagine Ken Wilson putting Penyghent in Classic Rock in the same vein as Great Gully (which is the least climbed of the non-Scottish Classic Rock routes); there was nothing particularly technically difficult in the bits I did; just a big day out!
 
Last edited:

caving_fox

Active member
Nearest equivalent would be this "top of the pots" (although a lot more cave has been found since it was published):
starlessriver.com

Selected Caves of Britain and Ireland - Starless River

Selected Caves of Britain and Ireland, by Des Marshall and Donald Rust. The classic text from 1994, well suited to the travelling caver! A good range of trips in areas from Scotland to Devon and most karstic areas in between, the Selected Caves provides an introduction to the limestone areas of...
starlessriver.com
starlessriver.com
AKA Top of the Pots, or Selected Carparks! I know some of my club members have used it as a ticklist guide, but I've got a many still to do

It would be interesting to think what has changed since this was published, or if indeed anyone would be interested in creating a new version. I believe Des is still with us, living in Vercors?
 

Pitlamp

Well-known member
That same character was actually commissioned to produce a "Classic Caves" in the same series as Classic Rock, in 1989. A number of chapters were written by selected individuals, but the deal fell through. I think that the publisher was taken over, or something.

The text of three of the chapters are available on the web:

Dowbergill Passage, by Terry Trueman and Ian Watson
Juniper Gulf, by John Gardner
Penyghent Pot, by Julian Griffiths

I remember that Geoff Yeadon was given Meregill Pot, because we had a trip together down there at the time.

I was asked to write a chapter about Peak Cavern for that book, which I did. I sent it off and stupidly didn't keep a copy. Presumably that chapter still exists with the person Langcliffe alludes to. I seem to remember he always intended to complete the project but hasn't got around to it yet as other writing commitments (not to mention going caving) have so far taken priority.
 

mrodoc

Well-known member
That same character was actually commissioned to produce a "Classic Caves" in the same series as Classic Rock, in 1989. A number of chapters were written by selected individuals, but the deal fell through. I think that the publisher was taken over, or something.

The text of three of the chapters are available on the web:

Dowbergill Passage, by Terry Trueman and Ian Watson
Juniper Gulf, by John Gardner
Penyghent Pot, by Julian Griffiths

I remember that Geoff Yeadon was given Meregill Pot, because we had a trip together down there at the time.
I was asked to write up the Round Trip in Swildons and it went through multiple drafts then the whole project seemed to fade away. I still have a draft if anybody is really interested!
 

rm128

Active member
I seem to remember he always intended to complete the project but hasn't got around to it yet as other writing commitments (not to mention going caving) have so far taken priority.
I'm pretty sure there would be a significant market if it were ever completed. And I reckon I'd be much closer to completing this particular tick list than I ever got with Classic Rock (although I think I'm reasonably complete re Lakes & Peak). As for the original Ken Wilson series... can I also plug "Cold Climbs". A great Christmas present for anyone who doesn't find caving cold & miserable enough!
 

Flotsam

Active member
Birks Fell Cave must be a candidate for middleing?
On the extreme side, the through trip from Large/New Rift to Notts? I've not done it but I was part of the team that dug New Rift for several years to breakthrough.
 

Pitlamp

Well-known member
Agree Birks is a classic - although it received its own chapter not that long ago in Adventures Underground, so maybe one of the other upper Wharfedale classics would give more variety?
 

Pitlamp

Well-known member
It was preceded by Potholing beneath the Northern Pennines and, even before then Underground Adventure (not forgetting its more recent reprint). Strange how our other much loved caving areas don't seem to have inspired much in the way of books in this genre. Perhaps we should consider ourselvges lucky in the Dales.

But I think this topic is more about a national approach. The problem is, what do you leave out!
 
Top