Know Before You Go
The top of the main shaft is normally reached by walking up a path from the village of Clapham (in North Yorkshire). Initially follow the signs to Ingleborough Cave but after that there are usually a lot of people walking to the entrance in good weather at weekends. A map will be needed at other times and is advisable in the Yorkshire Dales even if following a well marked path.The path starts as an easy stroll but gets more strenuous after passing the entrance to Ingleborough Cave (a commercial show cave, itself worth a visit). This includes a spectacular, but steep, limestone gorge called Trow Gill. The walk to the top will take about an hour but the spectacular scenery makes it worth it. It is a real part of the overall package.The charge for the winch in 2016 was £15. For more information look at the Craven Pothole Club link for the August meet and the Bradford Pothole Club link for the May meet.Waiting in line for the descent and ascent can get to be a long time so warm clothing is a must. The floor of the main chamber is very wet so waterproof boots are advisable. You can rent helmets and lamps in the nearby village of Ingleton if you want to explore a little farther than the main chamber. When you reach the top of the well trodden path to the plateau near the top of Ingleborough you should be able to hear the engine which drives the winch.At one (if not both) of the winch meets the chamber is spectacularly lit from time to time. Plans of the system can be easily obtained from the internet (try: http://www.braemoor.co.uk/caving/ap.shtml ). Climbing up the steep East Slope up to Old East Passage or ,at the other end of the chamber, walking (sometimes needing to stoop) towards South East Passage are very popular and when the winch is running there will usually be people around there to help you find your way back to the chamber if you need it. In Old East Passage are the remnants of some once spectacular stalactites and stalagmites which are now, sadly, rather badly damaged. However take care not to wander too far unless you are experienced.
Dr Alan P Newman
