Wheres Dale Barn gone?
- Thread starter Deek
- Start date
Now that's a coincidence! I had a similar experience back in October. Spent a fair while looking for the entrance (had no intention of going down but wanted to re-locate it for future reference) and failed to find it. As it was getting dark (ended up wandering around with a head-torch) and I hadn't been in the vicinity for over 20 years I put it down to my own incompetence. Even considered posting a topic such as this when I got home but decided against it. I did come across a large pile of scree that had the appearence of having been put there on purpose but couldn't be sure it was the right place. Thought about starting to dig at that point but didn't really have the time (would take a fair bit of work) and was concerned about upsetting the farmer in case it had been filled in deliberately.
Perhaps someone local to the area could shed further light on this? (Pitlamp where are you?).
Perhaps someone local to the area could shed further light on this? (Pitlamp where are you?).
Robert Scott
Member
Did you ask at Twislteton Dale House as to why?
Peter Burgess
New member
It's all to do with the concept of 'being helpful'. If you provide me with some helpful information today, then if you ever need me to help you sometime in the future, I will gladly oblige. It's a form of communication that humans have learned to use to mutual advantage.
Note to ChrisJC and Peter Burgess:
Read my post carefully. Am I asking for anyone's help to find the cave? No I am not. I do not need anyone's help in finding the entrance because I have been down it many times in the past. The fact that I could not find it on this occasion simply means that it has either been deliberately concealed (even more so than it always has been) or that I was looking in the wrong place. If the latter is the case that's no real problem - I'll go back and look again. If it's the former - i.e it has been filled in by the farmer or landowner - I would prefer to clarify the situation before risking causing further access problems. Hence my appeal to anyone living locally.
Note to Deek:
You say now that it seems like it has been filled in - have you any information as to why this has been done and by whom?
Read my post carefully. Am I asking for anyone's help to find the cave? No I am not. I do not need anyone's help in finding the entrance because I have been down it many times in the past. The fact that I could not find it on this occasion simply means that it has either been deliberately concealed (even more so than it always has been) or that I was looking in the wrong place. If the latter is the case that's no real problem - I'll go back and look again. If it's the former - i.e it has been filled in by the farmer or landowner - I would prefer to clarify the situation before risking causing further access problems. Hence my appeal to anyone living locally.
Note to Deek:
You say now that it seems like it has been filled in - have you any information as to why this has been done and by whom?
Peter Burgess
New member
The cap fits then? I do read interesting posts carefully, and make a considered response if I so choose. If you think my comments were directed specifically at you, then so be it.
Nigr
Hi. No. We've been down it twice before a while back. We were sure we were at right spot. Went down to car, came back up again. Only guessing. Perhaps the landowner objected for one reason or another and took the situation into his own hands. Shame. I would imagine someone would have more info.
Hi. No. We've been down it twice before a while back. We were sure we were at right spot. Went down to car, came back up again. Only guessing. Perhaps the landowner objected for one reason or another and took the situation into his own hands. Shame. I would imagine someone would have more info.
Cheers, Deek - will ask around a bit more but have already heard back from one person who has his finger firmly on the pulse of the Dales caving scene and he is unaware of any fresh access problems other than the ones which have always existed - i.e. don't go down the cave if the nearby bungalow is occupied. If anyone has anything further to add I would be most interested to hear it.
Personally, I will be back up north in a little while and will take another look - hopefully in daylight. Will also have an exploratory dig at the scree slope I mentioned earlier unless anyone can give me a valid reason not to.
Finally, might I suggest that this thread be moved to the Yorkshire section where it might elicit more response.
Personally, I will be back up north in a little while and will take another look - hopefully in daylight. Will also have an exploratory dig at the scree slope I mentioned earlier unless anyone can give me a valid reason not to.
Finally, might I suggest that this thread be moved to the Yorkshire section where it might elicit more response.
L
LoneRanger
Guest
I went down it about 2 yrs ago one summer evening. I spent half an hour looking for the entrance. When I found it, it was cleverly concealed under some rocks. You had to move a few small ones then a couple of slab shaped ones that were spanning the hole and hey presto.
After my trip, I carefully put everything back as it was. Maybe I did such a good job that no one has been able to find it since.
Incidently, the nearby Dry Gill cave also offers a very good short trip.
After my trip, I carefully put everything back as it was. Maybe I did such a good job that no one has been able to find it since.
Incidently, the nearby Dry Gill cave also offers a very good short trip.
Thanks, LoneRanger - sounds as though my initial assessment regarding my own incompetence may prove to be correct. Will look harder next time.
Yes, I agree that Dry Gill cave is worth a trip as well. Less access complications too - an obvious entrance and just ask at the farm if I remember correctly.
Yes, I agree that Dry Gill cave is worth a trip as well. Less access complications too - an obvious entrance and just ask at the farm if I remember correctly.
antmcc
Member
looking at the feedback on http://www.notforthefaint-hearted.co.uk/Caves/dalehead.html would imply someone has managed to find it in the last week!
Though I can't add any helpful info on how they found it! :thumbsdown:
Though I can't add any helpful info on how they found it! :thumbsdown:
Trog
New member
The link above is about Dale Head Pot, the original post in this thread asks about Dale Barn. Having done parts of Dale Barn in the past the Dale Head description is clearly a different hole.
Incidently, when I did Dale Barn in April 05, we arrived to find the oil drum entrance had been completely filled in with rocks. We removed the rocks, went caving and then left the entrance covered with a slab and a few small rocks for camoflage. It could be that whoever filled it in then has done it again.
Incidently, when I did Dale Barn in April 05, we arrived to find the oil drum entrance had been completely filled in with rocks. We removed the rocks, went caving and then left the entrance covered with a slab and a few small rocks for camoflage. It could be that whoever filled it in then has done it again.
Trog said:
Hi Trog,
I could be wrong but I'm pretty certain that the oil drum (in the grassy area between the road and the fence below the limestone scars) is in fact the original entrance to the cave and was filled-in very early on. I remember finding this from the inside of the cave many years ago, looking up and seeing the oil drum full of rocks (we considered digging our way out but decided against it). The entrance being discussed here is just over the fence at the base of a small scar and was opened up because the other one was filled in. Is the oil drum entrance you went down in the position I have described?
Trog
New member
It's a long time ago and my memory is a bit hazy, but I think the oildrum entrance was just at the base of a big rocky outcrop. Lots of broken rock around, definately no grass. The entrance went in at about 45 degrees and just one oildrum. After this was a section of small passage (dry mud) that wiggled about a bit before opening up into bigger cave. I don't know of any other entrances. It took a group of us about an hour to remove the rocks that had been chucked down the oildrum and when we finnished we tried to make it look like nothing had been altered.
A
Alistair S
Guest
We had similar problems trying to find the entrance too. We were very certain of our position having been there before and found lots of loose rubble where we thought the entrance should be. We dug for a bit and found evidence of human activity - work gloves etc in it. miserable conditions meant that we didn't stay long though. looks very much like it has been purposefully filled in.
http://www.thursday-night-club.co.uk/2007/12/wheres-dale-barn-gone.html
has a picture of the "entrance".
http://www.thursday-night-club.co.uk/2007/12/wheres-dale-barn-gone.html
has a picture of the "entrance".
