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Best caving region in the UK?

What is the best caving region in the UK?

  • Yorkshire Dales

    Votes: 72 48.6%

  • Peak District

    Votes: 20 13.5%

  • North Wales

    Votes: 3 2.0%

  • South Wales

    Votes: 32 21.6%

  • Mendip

    Votes: 11 7.4%

  • Forest of Dean

    Votes: 2 1.4%

  • North York Moors

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Assynt

    Votes: 2 1.4%

  • Applecross

    Votes: 2 1.4%

  • Other (Portland, Northumberland, Argyll, etc)

    Votes: 4 2.7%
  • Total voters
    148
thehungrytroglobite

thehungrytroglobite

Well-known member
I'm sure this has been done before but I'm curious to see the stance of current UKC users on this age-old debate :)

Sadly, poll options were limited so I couldn't include Portland, Northumberland etc as separate regions - but I guess if you pick one of these you can comment so we know which one.
As we all know, there are no caves in Mendip (or so goes the tale) but I thought someone would complain if I didn't include it.

Feel free to discuss / justify your preferred region in the comments, and remember to be kind to each other when disagreeing. I am a hardcore die-hard staunch resolute unwavering steadfast Dales enthusiast but even I can accept that other cavers are allowed basic human rights (even Portland cavers)
 
So much depends on what flicks your switch. For caves I prefer the SRT of the big Dales pots. For mines it has to be the Peak, N Wales and Nent!
 
All I'll say is this.

There is no Aggy southern streamway in Yorkshire therefore it can't be a 'proper ard' caving region.
 
Well, it's so subjecrive that I don't really thnk that it's possible to come to a definitive conclusion. I love the SRT trips (well, some of them) in the north, but equally I feel that there's nothing to compete with the OFD Streamway 'oop north . . . and there's nothing ('oop north) quite like a trip down to Sump I in Swildon's.
 
The truth is that the "best" caving region is the one you can get to regularly, where your friends are, and where you have projects that excite you.
We cave for pleasure and these are the things that bring us pleasure.

I don't think that many people would argue that for sheer number and size of caves, the Yorkshire Dales wins (some might argue for South Wales on these grounds), and I have cast my vote thus. However, if I could choose only one caving region to survive a nuclear/concrete-pumping attack, it would certainly not be the Yorkshire Dales. I'd save Mendip or the Forest of Dean first, as they are the regions closest to home, where I am involved with projects that excite me. Does that make them the "best" regions? Probably not, but that is because we are answering the wrong question.
 
rm128 said:
What about Fermanagh? Surely it at least warrants full option status?
Click to expand...
Ah yes, you're absolutely right. I've never been caving over the sea so it passed my mind - in all honesty I thought it was in the Republic of Ireland rather than northern Ireland but that's a fault of my poor geography!!
 
Fulk said:
Well, it's so subjecrive that I don't really thnk that it's possible to come to a definitive conclusion. I love the SRT trips (well, some of them) in the north, but equally I feel that there's nothing to compete with the OFD Streamway 'oop north . . . and there's nothing ('oop north) quite like a trip down to Sump I in Swildon's.
Click to expand...
Yeah, despite my love for the Dales I'll accept the streamways in S Wales are generally better. Although I was pretty impressed with the White Scar streamway this weekend, definitely one of the best in the Dales
 
thehungrytroglobite said:
Ah yes, you're absolutely right. I've never been caving over the sea so it passed my mind - in all honesty I thought it was in the Republic of Ireland rather than northern Ireland but that's a fault of my poor geography!!
Click to expand...
It's a tricky one, as the caving area straddles the border. Indeed, some of the caves straddle the border! But geology doesn't respect geo-political boundaries. I'd say it's definitely one of the top caving areas in the UK though. However, being based in Kendal, my single vote has gone for the Dales. Had I lived further south, S Wales would almost certainly have received my vote.
 
PeteHall said:
The truth is that the "best" caving region is the one you can get to regularly, where your friends are, and where you have projects that excite you.
We cave for pleasure and these are the things that bring us pleasure.

I don't think that many people would argue that for sheer number and size of caves, the Yorkshire Dales wins (some might argue for South Wales on these grounds), and I have cast my vote thus. However, if I could choose only one caving region to survive a nuclear/concrete-pumping attack, it would certainly not be the Yorkshire Dales. I'd save Mendip or the Forest of Dean first, as they are the regions closest to home, where I am involved with projects that excite me. Does that make them the "best" regions? Probably not, but that is because we are answering the wrong question.
Click to expand...
And the consequence is the 'best' area is the one with the largest UKC cavers population, which is an unavoidable bias in these sorts of polls.
 
There is no such thing as "best" unless its your suit. All too variable regarding taste and ability and your own particular motive for going caving. Mr O ' Doc might even vouch for the Quantocks.
 
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