Caving Sessions in The Yorkshire Dales National Park. Sunday, April 20th, 2014

The final post from Iain's varied Easter Weekend concerns Caving in The Yorkshire Dales National Park - still work of course, but completely different work from the previous two days and in a completely different environment.

Rebecca Tayler booked a half day Caving Session in The Yorkshire Dales National Park with us for herself & her mates Gary, Mark & Chris as part of a birthday treat. Rebecca had been to the venue for our Introductory Caving Session - Long Churns, before; and wanted to introduce the lads to this adventurous sport.

Iain met the group at Inglesport as usual where he found them enjoying some lunch in the cafe. Inglesport is a favorite start point for many caving excursions underground in the Yorkshire Dales National Park and as well as having a renown cafe, also has an excellent shop selling all manner of outdoor sports equipment.

Photo one sees the group a few minutes after we had entered Long Churns via Middle Entrance. Conditions were dry and the main stream (also in the photo) was very low - ideal conditions for an introductory caving trip!

Photo two sees Gary "going for it" in The Cheese Press. This is a famous tight horizontal crawl over a distance of only around 18 feet - but a real challenge for anyone vaguely claustrophobic! The Cheese Press is well remembered by all who attempt it - in many cases school children who get introduced to the delights of caving in this very place.

Another part of Long Churns that is often well remembered is Doctor Bannister's Washbasin. For many people this is the last place that they visit during a four hour Introductory Caving Session in Long Churns. It is also the biggest chamber holding a pool of water the size of a small swimming bath.

Alum Pot Beck crashes down into the back of the pool via a water-slide which would be great fun if it were not for the fact that the water at the foot of the fall is only a metre deep. There is however, a ledge running all the way around the pool which allows one to squeeze behind the waterfall without getting wet - although by this point you'll be doing well to still be dry! At least you'll still be enjoying yourself - just like Rebecca in Photo three.

Climbing out of Upper Long Churns via the Water-slide can be tricky if there is any amount of water coming through the cave system and if there is quite a bit then we will rope you up for safety.

However, on this occasion, water levels were so low that it was merely a case of Iain spotting everyone up the foot of the fall and it was easy to scramble up to the top. 50 metres beyond this point you find yourself coming out into daylight again in the canyon where Alum Pot Beck enters the cave system. Take care because it is generally slippery! Our final photo was taken on the Limestone pavement above Upper Long Churns with one of the Yorkshire 3 Peaks - Penyghent, in the background.

Rebecca, Gary, Mark & Chris all thoroughly enjoyed their half day (four hour) Introductory Caving Session in the Yorkshire Dales national Park with Iain and you can too! Prices start at £45 per person but next weekend we are doing the same trip with 12 persons only paying £35 each. Now that has to be good value for money! If you are interested in trying out your very own caving trip then contact us here and we will be happy to make arrangements for you.