Longest cave?

[Joe Duxbury]

It has been stated that, now that Kiln Piece Hole has been connected to Wet Sink, Slaughter Stream Cave is no longer the longest cave in Britain with a single entrance. That being so, what is now the longest cave in Britain with a single entrance?

 

[Cavematt]

I guess Aggie has two entrances, albeit only one is routinely used these days, and they are very close together? So assuming that doesn't qualify, then Hudgill Burn Mine Cave perhaps?

 

[Lankyman]

Wasn't this discussed in a thread a few months ago?

 

[DuncJ]

Wasn't this discussed in a thread a few months ago?

In the Descent 306 thread?

P

Post in thread 'Descent 306'

Oct 10, 2025

The Loss of a Crown…. Slaughter Stream Cave gains a new entrance and loses the distinction of being the longest single entrance cave in the UK… so does that crown now pass to Hudgill Burn Mine Cavern at 13.2 km (of natural passage although the entrance is via a mine) .???

• Peter Ryder

• 

 

[Tritim230]

It was. IIRC DYO was claimed but it does have Tunnel as a second entrance. Redhouse still has only one entrance at 11km....

 

[Stuart France]

No. Tunnel Cave is a completely separate cave to Dan-yr-Ogof. DYO has a surveyed length of 16kms and only one entrance, unless you know better.

 

[Andy Farrant]

No. Tunnel Cave is a completely separate cave to Dan-yr-Ogof. DYO has a surveyed length of 16kms and only one entrance, unless you know better.

Dan-yr-Ogof has two entrances; the show-cave and the resurgence entrance, albeit very close together like Aggy.

 

[asheshouse]

Not sure about the “two entrances” restriction. Shouldn’t longest cave be measured in terms of remoteness. That is distance travelled underground from nearest entrance. So furthest reaches of Daren would be measured from Pell y Cwm, Whereas Aggi would be measured from Ogof Gam?

 

[Badlad]

Once we identify the longest cave with a single entrance, what is the point? As above it is not necessarily an indication of remoteness or anything else really. You could look for the longest cave with a single pitch or anything. Perhaps we could find the longest cave without crawling, or the longest cave without standing up
Just pondering the issue as I wait in a queue

 

[langcliffe]

Shouldn’t longest cave be measured in terms of remoteness.

Or even in terms of length...

 

[Cantclimbtom]

... Perhaps we could find the longest cave without crawling, or the longest cave without standing up
...

There's a can of worms, what if that was tested by a professional limbo dancer, versus an inept like me. We must distance ourselves from this silliness and arbitrary nonsense and keep it testable or it'll descend into anarchy.

How about a ranking of caves with the most vowels in their names? (Separate categories due to differing English, Welsh, Scotts and Irish vowels of course!)

 

[David Rose]

Related question - what is the single longest crawl in the UK with no respite - ie, a passage that requires you to be continuously flat out or on hands and knees?

 

[Lankyman]

or the longest cave without standing up

In the 'Good Old Days' this used to be measured in terms of swinging a cat. Thankfully, we've moved on.

 

[JasonC]

Length of time taken for a standard caver to get from entrance to terminal sump/choke/shithole?

Ah... but how do we find such a being?

 

[Cavematt]

Related question - what is the single longest crawl in the UK with no respite - ie, a passage that requires you to be continuously flat out or on hands and knees?

Thread 'Longest Crawl in the UK?'

Apr 13, 2016

I have just seen an enquiry asking is it true that "ANYTIME A CRAWL MUST BE SUSTAINED FROM 100 YARDS, IT?S CONSIDERED HIGHLY RISKY."  (Sorry for the caps but I can't be arsed to retype it.)  Answer - utter crap but it prompted the thought - what is the longest crawl in the UK?  I will now go away and hide. 

• Bob Mehew
• Replies: 35
• Forum: Caving Chat

I remember first hearing about that during Tim's excellent online presentation of the Portland caves during lockdown.