• The Derbyshire Caver, No. 158

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Caves that don't flood in Yorkshire

Lu

Lu

Member
I intially added this post for South Wales caves but as I am going to Yorkshire within a weekend one 2 the same question applies...

With all the rain pouring down recently and set to continue at least to the end of the month which caves can I safely go to (including SRT pots) in Yorkshire without worrying if it's going to flood and that I can still get out even if it rains profusely for 24/7?

Non key/code gated would be even better.

I can't book anything as I am not sure which days I will be going.

 
TheBitterEnd

TheBitterEnd

Well-known member
I assume by non key coded/gated, you mean just turn up and do it? Very little in the dales is gated, but many require permission or a permit - for example see http://www.cncc.org.uk/caving_access_three_peaks_area.html for Bar Pot and surrounding caves.

I believe anything in West Kingsdale is open access,Swinsto, Bull Pot, Jingling, Rowten, Heron, Valley Entrance, etc. there is also Ireby. A lot of these can be done in all but the very wettest conditions and should be fine at the moment (except in thunderstorms).
 
Alex

Alex

Well-known member
Non key coded gated? This aint the Mendips lol Only 1 or 2% I think is actually locked up here.

The weather is suppose to have been rubbish this weekend its not been too bad up here, a few spots of drizzle and foreboding skies that did not release the contents at least in Lancashire.

Mystral - Is one that comes to mind its a novice cave that needs no rigging, though is considered grade 3 and lots to do.

Rowton - if rigged well out of the water is another.

Stream (permit required) near bar (also permit required) is doable in all but the wettest of weather again but has to be rigged well though. Flood is another one despite its name, though in real wet weather the main last pitch would be impassible but you could always crawl to bar at that point.

Boggarts Roaring - If you want a harder trip - needs a dam building half way down when really wet. (Not sure on permit requirements)

There are more caves but that is all I can think of at the moment.
 
B

Blakethwaite

New member
Pikedaw's a safe bet.
Not the most exiteing of places by any means but no need to worry about the weather and also no need to waste time worrying about route finding or anything once you get to the bottom of the shaft so its a good spot if you're just wanting a dash out.
 
F

Fulk

Well-known member
Be warned I've been on rescues down Swinsto, Rowten, Valley Entrance and Ireby on account of flooding!

Take care!
 
D

damian

Active member
TheBitterEnd said:
Swinsto, Bull Pot, ... , Heron, Valley Entrance, etc. there is also Ireby.
Click to expand...

I agree with Fulk - suggest you give ALL these a wide berth in even averagely-wet weather.

Valley Entrance will be alright as far as the pitch in most weather, Rowten will be fine in above-average wet weather following the correct route.
 
TheBitterEnd

TheBitterEnd

Well-known member
Oh FFS, as I understand the original question Nat is intending to visit within the next couple of weeks. Are you really suggesting, given the current showery weather, you would not do any of these caves?
 
D

damian

Active member
Not necessarily (but I can't guess what's going to happen in the coming weeks). In any case my real concern would be somebody else seeing the title in the thread and reading that Ireby, Swinsto etc can be done in "all but the wettest of weathers".
 
F

Fulk

Well-known member
I was making a general observation about those systems, not a specific comment on the prevailing conditions ? as I am sure was damian.
Are you really suggesting, given the current showery weather, you would not do any of these caves?
Click to expand...

The original question was:
which caves can I safely go to (including SRT pots) in Yorkshire without worrying if it's going to flood and that I can still get out even if it rains profusely for 24/7?
Click to expand...

Sure, under the currently prevailing conditions, these caves would be OK . . . although, on the other hand, the forecast has consistently spoken of ?showers that may be heavy and thundery?. But the showers have been light and scattered round here, and, as you know, heavy thundery showers haven?t materialized.

Still, there?s plenty of scope for change over the next two weeks and it could rain profusely for 24/7 by the time the OP gets here.

 
Alex

Alex

Well-known member
The guy did ask what to do in the wettest weather, Damian and Fulk were merely responding to the particular request.

Aye Ireby can flood as the 20 odd people who got trapped in there can attest to. Swinsto becomes interesting at average but yes more then average (what is average anyway?) and I imagine that place can become more then sporting.
 
TheBitterEnd

TheBitterEnd

Well-known member
Caving Nat said:
even if it rains profusely for 24/7?
Click to expand...

I thought raining profusely 24/7 was average for the dales, it's always raining when I'm there  ;)

Go on then - worthwhile, non-permit caves where you won't get your tootsies wet even if Noah is building an Ark  :-\
 
D

dunc

New member
TheBitterEnd said:
Caving Nat said:
even if it rains profusely for 24/7?
Click to expand...
Go on then - worthwhile, non-permit caves where you won't get your tootsies wet even if Noah is building an Ark  :-\
Click to expand...
Very few!

Mistral (the Wallows become dodgy in very wet weather, I believe), Link Pot (not Serendipity though), Pippikin etc can be done without a permit (call at Leck Fell House) and should generally be ok in the wet.

A few ways in to the GG system, depending how bad the weather is, needs permission from Ingleborough Estate Office, easy enough to obtain though.

Jean Pot - for a little bit of a challenge, permission as above.

Pillar Holes - the various entrance pitches. Beyond that I don't know. Permission as above.

Cherry Tree Hole (not upstream as cascade is a swine to climb and the duck probably sumps) - downstream to top of pitch is usually ok in wet weather. Permission from Darnbrook.

Boggarts or Trapdoor if you fancy a bigger/harder trip.

 
jarvist

jarvist

New member
I usually head towards King Pot when it's wet (permission at Braida Garth, on the way up). The first pitch gets a bit splashy, and when I was there in pretty apocalyptic conditions a few months ago I found the final pitch impassable. Take a compass / GPS for the way home (it often clags out up there).

Lost Johns' (Leck Fell, CNCC permit) down the Centipede or Dome route is pretty bombproof. Valhalla is passable by the 'long traverse' but communication is almost impossible (whole cave fills with a thunderous booming from the Valhalla waterfall). Approach to the final pitch is treacherous in the extreme (water flows extremely fast and deep down the cascades), but if you can get to it it's rigged splashy but not wet, and then the master cave is usually a much more sedate place.

I'd avoid all of West Kingsdale (bar Rowten, which is extremely 'impressive' when wet), unless you think breathing is overrated.
 
Lu

Lu

Member
Hey thanks a lot guys I appreciate all answers/ideas and will check some of these out as potential places to check over the next weekends.

Nat
 
D

damian

Active member
To add to Dunc and Jarvist's extremely wet and no permit list:

Pikedaw
Large Pot (as far as Colossus)
SRT / Ladder & line Practice in Bull Pot of the Witches
Thistle
Tea & Cake in Inglesport / Bernies!
 
D

dunc

New member
Alex said:
Isn't Inglesport a flood sink ;) ?
Click to expand...
It's them big mugs of tea you have to be wary of....


Further to the above; Sell Gill Holes dry route, although in very wet weather it becomes a little wet..

And on the subject of West Kingsdale, how wet does it have to be before Bull Pot becomes dodgy (excluding last pitch!) and the same question for Aquamole (quite a few deviations on the big/last pitch)?
I've not done Aqua in very wet weather but have been in Bull when it's been fairly wet.
 
F

Fulk

Well-known member
The fourth pitch in Bull Pot, Kingsdale can get very soggy; I imagine it could become impassable.
 
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