Esoteric Classics

[BCMCXIV]

Hi all, newbie here. Actually, bored newbie, because I have been reading this for a while but have never been arsed to register until I got as bored as I am today.

Erm, anyway, I am one of those cavers who likes to search out the type of cave that is rarely visited, but nonetheless unique and worthwhile. The reason for this is that I get fed up of the pitch-pitch-pitch-bottom cave that many clubs seem to do. It seems to me that if you've done one trip of this nature then you've done them all. Give me interesting horizontal crawly stuff any day. That's not to say that I don't like SRT, more that I don't like sitting about at the top of pitches in the cold, broken up by boring stomping passage. SRT is good if it is a bit more technical, with some complications, otherwise it is just dull. A means to an end.

But anyway, do any of you have any suggestions for the sort of cave I might be interested in? I am based mainly in Yorkshire if that helps. I'll start the ball rolling with examples of rarely frequented caves which may (or may not) look a bit crappy from the guidebook description, but are actually ace are:

Ogof Ryd Sych: This is a quality cave. There is an interesting inclined bedding plane crawl which is a lot of fun.

Tutman's Hole: One of my favourite caves, and we only did it because we couldn't find the cave we were going to do. Basically, a very long duck leads to a canal with the finest straw formations I have ever seen! Literally thousands of them hang from the roof of the passage and glisten untouched.

Whirley Gill Pot: Supposedly has an "inclined series unique in Yorkshire", though my one attempt to do this was thrwarted by the entrance being in flood conditions. Anyone know if it is worth a return journey?

Cliff Force Cave: This one would be great for novices. Varied and exciting; and it has the "Room Of Dangling Doom" too!

Coppice Cave: A fantastic Sunday trip. If feeling tired can come out half way along before it gets a bit harder. The duck had blocked up with cobbles last time I was there though.

Knock Fell Caverns: Bizarre to say the least. But very interesting.

Snatcher Pot: Nice practice if you like rigging from naturals. And a good cave too.


And I bet there are many more that are just as interesting. Often you see one in the guidebooks, but are put off because it might be a long journey for only a very short/disappointing trip.

Anyone have any suggestions? :shock:

 

[diggerdog adam]

Why not have a look in nidderdale Plenty to do in nice settled weather
Manchester hole to goyden pot then exit via church pot for example
(ive not been down since the floods) so the connection to goyden might have debris im not sure.

good cave sytem tho

 

[BCMCXIV]

Cheers. I quite fancy having a look around Nidderdale over the summer. I've not heard of Church Pot though. What's it like?

I did go to do Lower Eglin's hole a few months back, but it was rubbish. The crawl at the bottom was full of slurry and smelled horrible. We were gagging (ooh er!). Though one of the people we were with had a cold and so couldn't understand why we hated it so much.

 

[diggerdog adam]

Church pot, Basiclly is just another way into or out of the goyden network short and sweet To find it look for the steel chain in the main stream way(river right) short climb up and just follow your nose Church pot has some bits of scaffold and ledges to aid the climb out although only small it makes a good round trip at the top theres a heavy duty lid made from a huge wheelie bin

If you have never been in before its handy to take a survey and a compass then you can explore all the small crawly bits

Capleft crawl is always entertaining especailly if you meet another group coming the other way

Have fun and enjoy
IF ANY WATER IS RUNNING INTO THE MAIN GOYDEN ENT KEEP OUT THIS SYSTEM FLOODS COMPLETELY TO THE ROOF !!