Easegill System
Encyclopedia
The Ease Gill Cave System is the second longest, afer Ogof Draenen
, and most complex cave system in Britain
, with around 41 miles (66 km) of passages, including connections only passable by cave diving
. It spans the valley between Leck Fell
and Casterton Fell. The water resurges into Leck Beck
.
The first-discovered entrance, Lancaster Hole, was found by George Cornes and Bill Taylor on 29 September 1946. A small draughting opening on Casterton Fell, Cumbria
, opened immediately onto a 110 feet (33.5 m) shaft. Passages from the base of the shaft were explored over the succeeding weeks and months by members of the British Speleological Association. The underground course of the Ease Gill (the local master cave) and high-level fossil passages above it were found and followed upstream to a series of complex inlet passages. In succeeding years, these have been connected to surface caves, including Top Sinks, County Pot and Pool Sink.
The cave passages adjoining the Ease Gill main streamway were connected to Link Pot and Pippikin Pot in 1978, and Pippikin was itself connected to Lost John's Cave
by diving in 1989.
With its many entrances, the Ease Gill system offers cavers a wide variety of through trips; the Ease Gill streamway is regarded as one of the finest in the UK.
In November 2011, after several years of digging through a loose boulder choke,n underground connection was finally made between the Easgill caves and the Leck Fell
cave system.
Ogof Draenen
Ogof Draenen is, at 66 km , the longest cave system in Wales and now probably the longest in Great Britain .The cave was known only as a small entrance on a steep...
, and most complex cave system in Britain
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, with around 41 miles (66 km) of passages, including connections only passable by cave diving
Cave diving
Cave diving is a type of technical diving in which specialized equipment is used to enable the exploration of caves which are at least partially filled with water. In the United Kingdom it is an extension of the more common sport of caving, and in the United States an extension of the more common...
. It spans the valley between Leck Fell
Leck Fell
Leck Fell is a Site of Special Scientific Interest in Lancashire. An area of typically heavily grazed open moorland of rough grass and remnant patches of heather with little or no tree cover, it is characterised by the virtual absence of surface drainage and an extensive subterranean drainage...
and Casterton Fell. The water resurges into Leck Beck
Leck Beck
Leck Beck is a watercourse in Lancashire with its source on Crag Hill in Cumbria between Leck Fell and Casterton Fell.For several kilometres near the start of its course, the water flows into the Easegill Cave System, the longest cave system in Britain via 14 major sink holes to converge at a...
.
The first-discovered entrance, Lancaster Hole, was found by George Cornes and Bill Taylor on 29 September 1946. A small draughting opening on Casterton Fell, Cumbria
Cumbria
Cumbria , is a non-metropolitan county in North West England. The county and Cumbria County Council, its local authority, came into existence in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972. Cumbria's largest settlement and county town is Carlisle. It consists of six districts, and in...
, opened immediately onto a 110 feet (33.5 m) shaft. Passages from the base of the shaft were explored over the succeeding weeks and months by members of the British Speleological Association. The underground course of the Ease Gill (the local master cave) and high-level fossil passages above it were found and followed upstream to a series of complex inlet passages. In succeeding years, these have been connected to surface caves, including Top Sinks, County Pot and Pool Sink.
The cave passages adjoining the Ease Gill main streamway were connected to Link Pot and Pippikin Pot in 1978, and Pippikin was itself connected to Lost John's Cave
Lost John's Cave
Lost John's Cave is the most extensive cave system on Leck Fell, North Yorkshire, England. With its three major vertical routes it is a popular place to practice SRT because of the opportunity for exchange trips...
by diving in 1989.
With its many entrances, the Ease Gill system offers cavers a wide variety of through trips; the Ease Gill streamway is regarded as one of the finest in the UK.
In November 2011, after several years of digging through a loose boulder choke,n underground connection was finally made between the Easgill caves and the Leck Fell
Leck Fell
Leck Fell is a Site of Special Scientific Interest in Lancashire. An area of typically heavily grazed open moorland of rough grass and remnant patches of heather with little or no tree cover, it is characterised by the virtual absence of surface drainage and an extensive subterranean drainage...
cave system.
Entrances
Entrances include:- Top Sink
- Pool Sink
- The Borehole
- Slit Sinks
- Wretched Rabbit
- Corner Sink
- County Pot
- Cow Dubs II
- Cow Pot
- Lancaster Hole
- Link Pot
- Mistral Hole
- Pippikin Pot
- Bull Pot of the Witches