Long churn water level - Sat 21st Feb 2026

[Rikaaay1]

Hi all, looking for some advice from someone a bit more knowledgeable of the area. I'm taking some beginners caving this Saturday and I'm looking at going to long churn, but I've seen notes saying it can be a bit sketchy after heavy or persistent rain. I'm slightly concerned about the amount of rain there has been recently, can anyone offer some advice on if it might be ok, or better to avoid. Or alternatively if there are any better suggestions (I've looked around previous threads and long churn looked like the best option I could see), I'm looking for something around the south end of the dales that doesn't require SRT and isn't going to get the group soaked so they don't freeze given the cold weather.

Any advice is greatly appreciated.

 

[Brains]

LC sit in a bowl like feature on the hill. Rain clouds can and do dump large volumes of water here and run off is rapid. Flooding can therefore be a very sudden thing. This also means it will generally fall again quickly... The weather during the previous night and morning is therefore critical. Snowmelt can also be a major issue. Asking at Selside about the local microclimate while paying the access fee will be the best information.
Used to be a very popular venue for CRO before common sense was... Common?

 

[JAA]

I was over in the dales today and water levels are currently fairly low.
There will be a bit of water “locked” in the frozen turn and bit of snow on ingleborough currently. The forecast looks to be for some rain Saturday and for the weather to warm up so it’s likely there could be more water about at the weekend and what water there is could be pretty chilly melt water for novices.
I’d suggest a reasonable bet would be to keep a close eye on things like the excellent rainfall data on the CDG website to get a true reflection of how much rain actually comes down, and if you’re unsure on the day or the stream going into the churns looks livelier than you fancy (and you’re right that for a popular beginners cave it can be quite inhospitable in flood), consider somewhere like Thistle and Runscar caves at ribblehead which are pretty weather proof and only a 10 minute drive from long churn.
Other opinions may of course vary; but equally you are a long time drowned.

 

[mikem]

Looks potentially heavy on Friday, Saturday and Sunday:

Long term weather forecast for Selside

Weather forecast for Selside for the next 10 days.

www.yr.no

 

[samueld]

Good advice above. If I were planning the trip for Saturday, I wouldn't be cancelling it just yet - weather looks damp but with drier spells (Friday looks the worst).

If the weather outside is mostly dry on the day, then I'd say have a look in and see how it looks in the streamway. If you enter through the middle entrance (the second fenced area beyond Alum Pot) and head upstream, you should find it easy to make progress upstream. If you're feeling the need to traverse for more than just the little cascades, it's probably too wet for novices.

If it's raining moderately on your journey there or when you arrive, or looks like it's about to, I'd avoid it.

If the churns are a bit too wet but it's not really throwing it down, Great Douk Cave in Chapel-le-Dale might be an option - the water levels in there rise slower. If you can get in the entrance easily enough you should be all right for an in-and-out trip, but might not be able to make the low connection through to Middle Washfold.

If it's very wet, Valley Entrance is probably your safest backup. I've been down there in some really significant flood conditions and it's been a wade, but safely passable. Expect to get wet up to knee-level in the entrance whatever the weather, but it's a short walk to the car once you're out. Keep right on your way in at the junction and you'll come to the ledge overlooking the master cave. This can be pretty spectacular in a significant flood.

 

[alanw]

Coincidentally, this afternoon I was just finishing reading last fortnight's edition of Private Eye. It had a review of Bear Grylls' wife's latest book. Don't be like him.

Rescuers slam adventurer Bear Grylls over stunts in Yorkshire Dales TV show

A YORKSHIRE Dales rescue team has slammed ‘irresponsible and dangerous’ scenes in an ITV programme fronted by adventurer Bear Grylls.

www.thewestmorlandgazette.co.uk