The Three Counties System

[Scoff]

I can read any of the three books anytime with great pleasure.

But I am with Pitlamp - that 'Potholing Beneath the Northern Pennines' is a bit special.

I came across it in the Dewsbury Road Library, South Leeds, when it first came out, nigh on fourty years ago.

I read it from cover to cover and thought: "Potholing sounds brilliant, but I could never do anything as hard and dangerous as that."

I relished the descriptive phrases (and I rely on memory here...) such as "the walls had the texture of cheap brown paper" and "the cave passage was the colour of an old gabardine raincoat". If nothing else, it's still worth a read just for the chapter on 'future potential'.

Soon, when I am no longer capable/ willing to drag my lazy, fat arse undergorund,  books such as these and 'Underground Adventure' will still bring back fond memories to an (even more) doddering old fool...

Scoff

BPC/ CDG

 

[langcliffe]

I concur with Scoff and Pitlamp. I think that David Heap's book is the finest book written about British caving.

I'm not that keen on 'The Adventures of Another Pooh' - it's a little egocentric for my liking. But that was Pooh all over - he never was a wilting flower.

 

[gus horsley]

Heap's book came out the year I started caving.  Funnily enough I remember everybody slagging it off at the time, saying it was no substitute for Underground Adventure.  For some reason I was so inspired by UA that I went and did a trip into Lanteshop Cave.  Both books are classics (unlike Lanteshop Cave).

 

[gus horsley]

Sorry - wandered off topic there.  Didn't someone once suggest a possible (tenuous) link with the Three Counties System and God's Bridge?  Probably including Dale Barn or Drygill Cave?

 

[Pitlamp]

Gus - the "East Kingsdale" caving area (King Pot / Growling Hole etc) is connected physically to Keld Head (which of course also drains the West Kingsdale System and Marble Steps area - very near Ireby).  It is possible - though not proven - that some water sinking just over the wall in the "Scales Moor" caving area travels up valley (down dip) before passing along the strike eastwards to resurge at God's Bridge.

In invaluable publication for both the above areas is the Lancaster University Speleological Society's journal "LUSS 3".

Many years ago Phil Murphy and I were in Chapel-le-Dale after a terrific thunderstorm in very hot summer weather.  With God's Bridge resurging strongly we shoved a thermometer into all the sumped holes in the riverbed from Hurtle Pot downstream, which connect with the main phreas.  Each was consistently around 13 degrees C.  God's Bridge was only 9 degrees C however, suggesting that there may be a separate feeder just behind the resurgence coming from a long way away (possibly Scales Moor?).  This is why we've pushed God's Bridge so hard over the years but despite our best efforts it's not given us a huge amount of passage so far.

 

[gus horsley]

Pitlamp - thanks for that.  I think I might have seen the LUSS journal you mentioned.  I'm going to go off on a flight of fantasy and see if I can get the system as far as Malham.

 

[Pitlamp]

Gus - it's east of Fountains Fell where you'll find you might need to be a bit more creative. 

Best of luck with it - and if you've any top tips for where to dig as a result, you will let us know won't you?!

 

[gus horsley]

Gus - it's east of Fountains Fell where you'll find you might need to be a bit more creative. 

Best of luck with it - and if you've any top tips for where to dig as a result, you will let us know won't you?!

Right, you're on!  It might take a bit of time and it might stretch the limits of feasibility but I'm confident I can come up with a Mega system which will be based on sound geological principles.  Watch this space...

 

[Mr Fell]

I concur with Scoff and Pitlamp. I think that David Heap's book is the finest book written about British caving.

I'm not that keen on 'The Adventures of Another Pooh' - it's a little egocentric for my liking. But that was Pooh all over - he never was a wilting flower.

Yep - its a great book and Dave was a great guy.I have a copy of his book which he kindly signed for me before he passed away

 

[dunc]

Both books are classics (unlike Lanteshop Cave).

Noo, don't say things like that, I'm planning a visit to these "classic" caves at some point this year all being well!

As for the books, never read Pooh, but the others that have been mentioned were good reads.

Right, you're on!  It might take a bit of time and it might stretch the limits of feasibility but I'm confident I can come up with a Mega system which will be based on sound geological principles.  Watch this space...

Look forward to reading the results!

 

[gus horsley]

Gus - it's east of Fountains Fell where you'll find you might need to be a bit more creative. 

Best of luck with it - and if you've any top tips for where to dig as a result, you will let us know won't you?!

Right, you're on!  It might take a bit of time and it might stretch the limits of feasibility but I'm confident I can come up with a Mega system which will be based on sound geological principles.  Watch this space...

Erm, ok, I was a bit too optimistic there.  I've studied the maps and racked my brain for several evenings now and come to the conclusion that it's highly unlikely there is a connection between the Three Counties System and the Malham area unless it went around Littondale way and got truncated by glaciation, which is also a bit far-fetched.  However, that got me thinking about the Parson's Pulpit area with its intriguing closed depressions and lack of caves.  Anyone done any work in that area that they want to share?