Ah, yes, you need to click on Surveys, not maps. I assume Maps was intended to have surface maps showing the entrances but didn't get finished. Surveys is where the interest is, for example http://cavemaps.org/cavePages/Gaping Gill__Bar Pot.htm
Srt recommendations in the dales
- Thread starter Rikaaay1
- Start date
snebbit
Active member
It used to fully work and was excellent - as well as markers for all the entrances (filterable by NC region and chapter), the creator had begun to add line survey overlays too so you could see the extent of multiple caves under Ingleborough at once.
It's sadly built with GMaps API v2 which has been deprecated now, so is erroring. I continue to worship Cavemapper for their efforts and entirely relate to a project becoming too much of a burden when circumstances change.
It's sadly built with GMaps API v2 which has been deprecated now, so is erroring. I continue to worship Cavemapper for their efforts and entirely relate to a project becoming too much of a burden when circumstances change.
Rikaaay1
Member
Ah that's a shame, that's exactly what I was looking for.
Rikaaay1
Member
That sounds like it could be a good future trip. The next one we're wanting something a bit more technical to practice the rebelays etc. however this does sound like a strong contender for a standard trip. None of the main people I go with are on the lager side, although one does get a little claustrophobic, so sometimes has to have a moment on the tighter squeezes. If we do this at some point I'd give him warning and let him make a decision if its for him. Thanks for the info.Providing you and others in your party aren't on the larger size (because of a short narrow bit at the very start of the first pitch) Bar Pot is one to consider. If you have 1*40m, 1*60m ropes and an optional but very useful 2 * 5m bits of rope. One as a hand line for the "greasy slab" and the other to help pull sideways to get off the first pitch when you exit (can explain that is you decide to go). an optional but recommended! hand line on greasy slab will be welcome on your way out. IMHO the benefits of Bar Pot are:
* Nice big car park, with loo
* Very pleasant walk up (especially if you pay the £2.50 and walk up the nature trail, although you can walk up a lane past a farm instead of you don't want to pay)
* A "watering hole" by the car park
* Easy navigation, follow a big path
* Good route description available in CNCC website with rigging guide
* Simple SRT, this is "chuck a rope down a hole" territory, no rebelays or rope ninja skills
* Videos and info on YouTube so you can research what the entrance looks like and no worries you're starting off down the wrong hole
* Main chamber is <bleep> impressive and worth going to see
* Only 2 srt pitches involved
* The "big pitch" is only 30m (vertically but more rope needed) so if you can climb out of Eldon you have this one covered for sure.
*Everyone and their dog has been down bar pot at some point so lots of advice on route etc, ask anyone
Opinions will differ, but I think it's a fine intro to Dales that is a "big adventure" but actually easy SRT.
There is a notable caveat (warning) that the first pitch is a bit narrow in the top 2 metres. Nothing extreme and fine for normal proportion people, but if you or members of your party eat too many pies, it will bite you on the backside.
Beyond that, look at Ari's rope calculator already linked above
Rikaaay1
Member
No worries, thanks, I've just been going through the website and it's got lots of useful info, not quite sure how I'd overlooked it before.Sadly yes... our website administrator spent a long time creating this but Microsoft have made quite a lot of changes to their mapping which has meant it no longer functions. He is currently looking into alternative options, although as he is also the Hidden Earth lecture secretary, website administrator and PR/Comms, he will be a little busy for the next month.
Rikaaay1, good luck identifying a suitable trip and hopefully the topos and descriptions on our website will still help
Cave Route Descriptions
A selection of free navigation route descriptions for caves around our northern England and Scotland.cncc.org.uk
Free Cave Rigging Topos
Download free rigging topos for caves around the north of England and Scotland.cncc.org.uk
langcliffe
Well-known member
There's a Deepzoom version of the Bar Pot / Flood Entrance here if anyone is interested.
alanw
Well-known member
Sell Gill is an excellent intermediate trip. Goblin is wet, the dry route isn't. The top of the first pitch has a nice daylight hanging rebelay.
On the subject of maps, Cavemaps has copies of json, kml and gpx files for caves in Northern Caves vols. 1, 2 and 3.
There are instructions for getting them into OSMAnd (Openstreetmap) on my website. Instructions for Google Maps are on the Internet, e.g. https://helpdeskgeek.com/how-to-add-gpx-files-to-google-maps/
Cantclimbtom
Well-known member
Ahhh... You want a few deviations and re-belays (but nothing too technical) ?? That changes it then
You should try Dihedral. (On Gaping Gill)
Most of my previous comments above apply about easy navigation, big car park, follow a path, watering holes, everyone and their dog etc, etc. Except this is a bigger more SRT route, and nobody is going to suffer from claustrophobia on that one
I have nostalgia for it as it was my first caving trip and I went with an arborist old friend who was claustrophobic himself (so he didn't cave). The route was chosen to avoid triggering that.
Make sure everyone is happy with jumaring back up
rm128
Well-known member
I would second @alanw 's suggestion of Sell Gill. The dry route is simple enough. If you find that easy (and if it's sufficiently dry) try the Goblin route.
I would also recommend a day on West Kingsdale. There are 4 excellent SRT trips quite close together: Jingling, Bull Pot, Aquamole and Rowten. You could manage 2 of these in a day. Maybe start in Jingling and if you need a bit more then try the Big Gully Route in Rowten.
Jingling is all fairly easy, with short pitches (unless you take the direct descent) and quite a bit of rigging. It can be done in any weather.
Rowten BG Route has a lot more going on and is a big impressive place. If you want to bottom Rowten, maybe do the Direct Route first. You can always come back to do the Eyehole and the Flyover on a later date once you have a feel for the place. Don't try the Big Gully route if it's wet. There are routes to the bottom of Rowten in almost all weather conditions, but they are a bit more technical.
Bull Pot is easy enough to the bottom of the 3rd pitch. Don't go below this point if it's wet. The 4th pitch is a bit harder, but not too bad. The 5th is a bit harder still. So you could just see how far you get.
Aquamole has a lot going on on the entrance shaft - lots of rebelays, mostly in a quite cramped (but not too tight) rift. At the bottom, a crawl leads to a spectacular final pitch.
I would also recommend a day on West Kingsdale. There are 4 excellent SRT trips quite close together: Jingling, Bull Pot, Aquamole and Rowten. You could manage 2 of these in a day. Maybe start in Jingling and if you need a bit more then try the Big Gully Route in Rowten.
Jingling is all fairly easy, with short pitches (unless you take the direct descent) and quite a bit of rigging. It can be done in any weather.
Rowten BG Route has a lot more going on and is a big impressive place. If you want to bottom Rowten, maybe do the Direct Route first. You can always come back to do the Eyehole and the Flyover on a later date once you have a feel for the place. Don't try the Big Gully route if it's wet. There are routes to the bottom of Rowten in almost all weather conditions, but they are a bit more technical.
Bull Pot is easy enough to the bottom of the 3rd pitch. Don't go below this point if it's wet. The 4th pitch is a bit harder, but not too bad. The 5th is a bit harder still. So you could just see how far you get.
Aquamole has a lot going on on the entrance shaft - lots of rebelays, mostly in a quite cramped (but not too tight) rift. At the bottom, a crawl leads to a spectacular final pitch.
Rikaaay1
Member
Yeah we do a mix, but wanting some good experience with the technical side. Dihedral does look good, gaping gill has been on my hit list for a bit but previously I didn't have the skill or experience to be comfortable trying it. I think now I'd be fairly happy with it, but I could do with some more rope first, I did have a 60m and a 40m, but I'm down to 2 40s as the 60 got very furry at one end (which was a little concerning and annoying as it's fairly new) so I've trimmed it to be safe. Might be getting another 90m of rope soon (looking at the Cordes Courant Ultima 11mm on starless river), so dihedral could be on the cards soon.Ahhh... You want a few deviations and re-belays (but nothing too technical) ?? That changes it then
You should try Dihedral. (On Gaping Gill)
Most of my previous comments above apply about easy navigation, big car park, follow a path, watering holes, everyone and their dog etc, etc. Except this is a bigger more SRT route, and nobody is going to suffer from claustrophobia on that one
I have nostalgia for it as it was my first caving trip and I went with an arborist old friend who was claustrophobic himself (so he didn't cave). The route was chosen to avoid triggering that.
Make sure everyone is happy with jumaring back up
langcliffe
Well-known member
An excellent bet, in that case, would be either Jingling Pot, the Lateral Cleft Route, or Heron Pot, the High Level Route. Both are marginally technical, but not excessively so. The former can be done with two 40 m ropes tied together, and the latter can be done with a 40m if you use the in situ tat (gasps of horror reverberating around the forum) to get up to the start of the traverse.
alanw
Well-known member
Ahhh... You want a few deviations and re-belays (but nothing too technical) ?? That changes it then
You should try Dihedral. (On Gaping Gill)
...
Make sure everyone is happy with jumaring back up
Here's me coming down at the hanging rebelay under Wingfield's ledge. As for going up, when I do it, there's a chair 2m from the bottom.
There's either a deviation (as shown on the CNCC topo) above and behind me, which is a big reach. It can also be rigged with a rope protector over the lip. More photos at the Settle Photographic Group's gallery.
georgenorth
Well-known member
Great photo!
Rikaaay1
Member
Just an update to this, we're looking at doing alum pot and long churn on Friday (if wether permits). I've looked through the rigging guide, route descriptions the inglesport poster survey and various videos. So far I've not seen any information on if it's possible to do a through route from alum pot and out long churn. Is this something that can be done, or would you have to do one after the other?
Babyhagrid
Well-known member
Rikaaay1
Member
Yeah, that's the conclusion I came to, but having never been there, I thought someone with more experience might be able to offer some insite. Thanks
Babyhagrid
Well-known member
Usually a trip doing both caves would go down long churns and then down dollytubs ,greasy slab and then down to the bottom of alum pot. Or as an exchange with a group coming down the main shaft from the surface
Lankyman
Well-known member
I've done both routes several times but not for a long time. If you have two teams and enough rope then, yes both are entirely feasible. Strangely, I can't ever recall doing an exchange. Both routes are great on their own and well worth doing. There's a lot of fantastic easy caving nearby which you can do to fill in any time you have after either trip. Upper Long Churn doesn't need gear.
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