What is special about gaping ghyll?
Gaping Ghyll is a hole in the surface of the yorkshire landscape, long known to the locals. The Fell Beck drops 100 m from the moor into Gaping Ghyll, Britain's largest cavern, and the fall of the Beck into the pothole is Britain's highest unbroken waterfall. The water flows underground to Ingleborough Cave, to reappear in a well near Clapham.
Gaping Ghyll (or Gaping Gill) is not open to the public, as it is not a developed cave. Cavers need a permit to visit it. But every year on the May and August bank holidays, there are so-called winch meets. At those events, everybody can become lowered down for a guided tour. The visitor sits in a kind of swing mounted at a steel cable. It is British humour, that the descent is free and ascent costs 15 Pounds... The spring bank holiday winch meet is organized by the Bradford Pothole Club. The autumn bank holiday winch meet is organized by the Craven Pothole Club.
The first part of the pothole is a narrow shaft, the visitor is hit by some water of the waterfall and the walls of the shaft. Then the Main Chamber opens up, a huge dome 129 m long, 31 m high, and 25 m wide. This is said to be Britain's largest cavern, and probably its most spectacular, with a little daylight falling in from above and the huge waterfall. The amount of water is normally rather small, as the winch is closed on rainy days. Thats a security measure, as the ascent is dangerous or impossible with too much water. The water of the Fell Beck is dammed above the cave entrance, which normally works very well. The water just finds another way into the cave system.
The floor of the chamber is like a riverbed, with pebbles and sand, but almost level. On the winch meet it is full of people walking around, looking, taking pictures. There are small guided tours offered by the cavers, stories told about floods, and about the five alternative entrances.
To visit Gaping Ghyll it is necessary to walk from Clapham to the cave entrance. The trail is called Ingleborough Estate Nature Trail and the Ingleborough Show Cave can be seen along the way. The walk is four kilometers long and uphill, it takes about 1 to 1.5 hours to reach the cave. There is a note at the show cave if the winch is not operating because of bad weather, or you can ask at Home Barn outdoor shop in the village.
The tour requires special clothes, but it is not necessary to purchase cavers gear. If you wear warm, waterproof clothing and boots you are well prepared for the weather on the moor and inside the cave. We would recommend, bring rubber boots and a second set of warm, waterproof clothing for the cave. A big plastic bag for the wet and dirty clothes and a towel are useful after the visit. A good lamp is also a good idea, we recommend a headlamp, helmets are provided. If you want to take pictures bring a tripod, and enough flashes. Be aware that the dripping water inside the cave may damage your gear, waterproof cameras are a good idea.
The winch takes about one minute either way. During busy periods it may be necessary to queue, both down and up, so warm clothes are essential. The winch carries up to 125kg, which includes clothes and equipment. Children are allowed only if accompanied by a responsible adult and the minimum age is 7.
The winch meet in May 2008 was rather extraordinary. After the members of the Bradford PC had set up the winch and the tea tent during sunny weather, a large, dark cloud appeared. In only half an hour the weather changed, violent winds started and 22mm hailstones fell, and finally Fell Beck transformed from a trickle into a brown cataract. And while the weather again changed rapidly and the sun came out, the water of heavy rains was filling the riverbed. The ledge where the winch is mounted is more than 2 m above the normal stream level, but the flood flowed knee deep on the ledge. The winch and its gantry were damaged by the flood, a surreal scene as the weather had cleared and the sun was shining again.
When the first cavers went down into the Main Chamber of Ghaping Ghyll, they discovered that the water had flooded the whole chamber three meters high. The event was no problem, as it happened on the so-called prelim weekend, one week before the winch meet when the whinch is set up. It was possible to repair all the damage and the winch meet was a great success with more visitors than the year before.
Gaping Gill (also known as Gaping Ghyll) is a natural cave in North Yorkshire, England. It is one of the unmistakable landmarks on the southern slopes of Ingleborough – a 98-metre (322 ft) deep pothole with the stream Fell Beck flowing into it.[3] After falling through one of the largest known underground chambers in Britain, the water disappears into the bouldery floor and eventually resurges adjacent to Ingleborough Cave.[1][4]
The shaft was the deepest known in Britain, until Titan in Derbyshire was discovered in 1999.[5] Gaping Gill still retains the records for the highest unbroken waterfall in England and the largest underground chamber naturally open to the surface.
Due to the number of entrances which connect into the cave, many different routes through and around the system are possible. Other entrances include Jib Tunnel, Disappointment Pot, Stream Passage Pot, Bar Pot, Hensler's Pot, Corky's Pot, Rat Hole, and Flood Entrance Pot.
The Bradford Pothole Club around Whitsun May Bank Holiday,[6] and the Craven Pothole Club around August Bank Holiday,[7] each set up a winch above the shaft to provide a ride to the bottom and back out again for any member of the public who pays a fee.
A detailed 3D model of the chamber has been created using an industrial laser rangefinder which showed that its volume is comparable to the size of York Minster.[8][9]
The first recorded attempted descent was by John Birkbeck in 1842 who reached a ledge approximately 55 metres (180 ft) down the shaft which bears his name.[10] The first complete descent was achieved by Édouard-Alfred Martel in 1895.
On 16 May 1937[11] Eric Hensler (1907–1991) explored a low passage leading off Booth-Parsons crawl, finding it to be unexplored. This was later named Hensler's Crawl and was also found to lead into Hensler's Master Cave.[12]
In 1983 members of the Cave Diving Group made the underwater connection into Ingleborough Cave.
An extreme rock-climb (graded E3, 5c) is possible up the main shaft which requires very dry conditions. It was first pioneered in 1972 with ten points of aid. The first free ascent was made in 1988.[13]
Gaping Gill is a famous pothole on the limestone moors flanking Ingleborough just above Clapdale and the village of Clapham.
Gaping Gill can be reached from Clapham by following the footpath through the Ingleborough Estate Nature Trail, passed Ingleborough Cave, through Trow Gill and onto the moorland below Ingleborough.
The walk is 2.62 miles (4.2 km) and takes about 70 minutes
Situated at the bottom of a large crater, Gaping Gill is a yawning abyss which engulfs Fell Beck.The stream crashes down 365ft into a cathedral-sized main chamber - probably Britain's highest unbroken waterfall.
The extensive system of caves 100 metres under the moorland are usually only accessible to cavers. However, for a week in May (with Bradford Caving Club) and a week in August (with Craven Pothole Club) members of the public can be lowered to the bottom of Gaping Gill on a seat attached to a winch.
A gantry is constructed over the open Main Shaft using aluminium scaffolding poles, and a purpose-made hydraulic winch and its diesel power unit are fixed into place. Fell Beck is dammed to divert water away from the Main Shaft. A gas-powered generator is installed to supply lighting in the Main Chamber and guide, power and communication cables are installed.
More information about Gaping Gill and the Winch Meets can be found on the following websites:
Bradford Pothole Club >>
Craven Pothole Club >>
Guide to Gaping Gill - Bradford Pothole Club >>
The walk from Ingleborough Cave to Gaping Gill
The following photographs of Gaping Gill were taken in June 2020 after several weeks of very little rain.
Normally there is much more water flowing down Fell Beck, the stream that plunges into Gaping Gill.
On the gantry prior to being winched to the bottom of the abyss
Inside the cathedral-sized main chamber
Gaping Gill is the largest underground cave chamber in Britain. It's often said, without exaggeration, that this dramatic chamber is big enough to fit a cathedral. It is so big that there has been an attempt to fly a hot air balloon inside the cave.
Gaping Gill (also known as Gaping Ghyll) is a natural cave in North Yorkshire, England. It is one of the unmistakable landmarks on the southern slopes of Ingleborough – a 98-metre (322 ft) deep pothole with the stream Fell Beck flowing into it.[3] After falling through one of the largest known underground chambers in Britain, the water disappears into the bouldery floor and eventually resurges adjacent to Ingleborough Cave.[1][4]
The shaft was the deepest known in Britain, until Titan in Derbyshire was discovered in 1999.[5] Gaping Gill still retains the records for the highest unbroken waterfall in England and the largest underground chamber naturally open to the surface.
Due to the number of entrances which connect into the cave, many different routes through and around the system are possible. Other entrances include Jib Tunnel, Disappointment Pot, Stream Passage Pot, Bar Pot, Hensler's Pot, Corky's Pot, Rat Hole, and Flood Entrance Pot.
The Bradford Pothole Club around Whitsun May Bank Holiday,[6] and the Craven Pothole Club around August Bank Holiday,[7] each set up a winch above the shaft to provide a ride to the bottom and back out again for any member of the public who pays a fee.
A detailed 3D model of the chamber has been created using an industrial laser rangefinder which showed that its volume is comparable to the size of York Minster.[8][9]
The first recorded attempted descent was by John Birkbeck in 1842 who reached a ledge approximately 55 metres (180 ft) down the shaft which bears his name.[10] The first complete descent was achieved by Édouard-Alfred Martel in 1895.
On 16 May 1937[11] Eric Hensler (1907–1991) explored a low passage leading off Booth-Parsons crawl, finding it to be unexplored. This was later named Hensler's Crawl and was also found to lead into Hensler's Master Cave.[12]
In 1983 members of the Cave Diving Group made the underwater connection into Ingleborough Cave.
An extreme rock-climb (graded E3, 5c) is possible up the main shaft which requires very dry conditions. It was first pioneered in 1972 with ten points of aid. The first free ascent was made in 1988.[13]
