Hi Simon,
Mossdale Caverns -well then - its an excellent cave
located miles from anywhere (10m from a public bridleway)
A trip to Rough Chamber in dry and settled weather is a brilliant introduction to this fantastic system.
The best reference to the system is undoubtedly ULSA Explorations Journal 2 still available from shops or the club.
Here's my last trip report from May 2004.
Mossdale Caverns
Sunday, 16 May 2004
Excellent trip to the far reaches of the cave. Had a nice (if not late - 10.30am) Breakfast in Grassington - does anyone know where you can get an early breakfast here?
Lovely walk up from above Yarnbury - parked in the dry valley where fossil pot is then walked up along the wall to a Landover track that heads directly to Mossdale Scar. If approaching this cave you are advised to do so discreetly (i.e. as a walker with caving gear in rucksack) .
A slow change in the sunshine left us no option other than to enter the cave at lunchtime via the new entrance.
Once the entrance choke was behind us we flew through the Drown or Glories and enjoyed the splendor of Boulder Chamber. We made a detour to Confusion Cavern, as I'd never been there before. After 20 minute from entering the cave we stood in Rough Chamber at the end of the easy bit.
Before long we were involved with Kneewrecker, Near & Far Marathons. A short dig was required at the aven at the base of the mud caverns & soon we were exploring these. A short foray into the mud caverns north was enjoyed before heading for our objective the extensions at the south end of the mud caverns. Its quite a long muddy way along here to the old final choke and the squeezes through this seemed tighter than back in 1995. After 2hours 20 minutes we stood in Anniversary Chamber an impressive chamber we a strong draught is in evidence. The steeply sloping floor is made entirely of limestone boulders and the draught seems to be strongest up in the roof. Enthusiasm for further digging left us and we decided to head out.
Back at the streamway I decided to tick stream end cave as on my previous visits this passage had been sumped at Mini Cow. Today however I could crawl from the aven beyond the previously sumped sections to a get to a large cross rift where the way on was solidly choked some several hundred feet beyond mini cow. Crawling back as fast as I could I eventually met Mr. Davies in Rough chamber (he'd waited 48 minutes for me). The two of us headed out with sore knees and emerged after a pleasant six hour trip
Beardy
As for access to the cave - the accident was 37 years ago, talking to the some of the deceased's caving friends who were active in the cave in the 60's & 70's i'm sure that they would all want the exploration of the cave to continue safely. I have great respect for Dave Adamson, Geoff Boireau, William Frakes, John Ogden, Michael Ryan and Colin Vickers, long may they rest in peace. The reason that they were there on that fateful day in 1967 was to try and discover the vast as yet undiscovered caverns that lie beyond the known cave and that is why future generations of cavers will continue to visit this cave in the future.
The cave itself is undoubtedly flood prone - but is probably no more dangerous than other places in the dales - Marble Steps Pot The Intestines Route for example.
The entrance will I hope shortly be on open access land and although that doesn't give a right to descend freely but at least there is no access agreement to destroy. - Why caving wasn't given the same status as climbing in these areas is beyond me - you will be able to leagally climb on Mossdale Scar but not enter the cave hmmm - don't get me started.
And Langcliffe another classic - only been a few times - carrying diving gear to the Posiedon Sump and visiting the New Fearnought Streamway .
We manged to get permission for the Langcliffe Trip, via the WRPC but permission in these parts does seem to be a bit of a "closed shop"
I hope you enjoy you visits here
Cave Safely
Regards
Beardy