Gaping Gill

Infobox Cave
name = Gaping Gill
photo = Gaping_Gill.jpg
caption = entrance shaft viewed from the Main Chamber
location = Ingleborough
depth = convert|105|m|ft|0|lk=on [http://www.bpc-cave.org.uk/gaping_gill.htm Gaping Gill ] ]
length = convert|11.6|km|mi|1|lk=onFact|date=September 2007
coordinates = coord|54|8|58.07|N|2|22|57.25|W|display=inline,title
discovery =
geology = Limestone
difficulty = Grade 4
number of entrances = 20 [cite web|url=http://www.braemoor.co.uk/cavingtrip/ggentrances.shtml|title=Gaping Gill - A list of entrances|accessdate=2008-08-13]
access = Ingleborough Estate Office

Gaping Gill (also known as Gaping Ghyll) is one of the unmistakable landmarks on the mountain of Ingleborough in North Yorkshire, a 105 metre deep pothole with the stream Fell Beck flowing into it. 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.

The first recorded attempted descent was by J. Birkbeck in 1842 who reached a ledge approximately convert|55|m|ft|0|lk=on down the shaft which bears his name. [cite book|last=Marshal|first=Des|coauthors=Donald Rust|title=Selected Caves of Britain and Ireland|pages=47|isbn=1-871890-43-8|year=1997] The first complete descent was achieved by Édouard-Alfred Martel in 1895.

Due to the number of entrances which connect into the cave, many different routes through and around the system are possible. Other entrances include Disappointment Pot, Stream Passage Pot, Bar Pot, Hensler's Pot, Corky's Pot, and Flood Entrance Pot. In 1983 members of the Cave Diving Group made the underwater connection into Ingleborough Cave.The [http://www.bpc-cave.org.uk Bradford Pothole Club] around Whitsun May Bank Holiday [cite web|url=http://www.bpc-cave.org.uk/gaping_gill.htm|title=BPC Gaping Gill|accessdate=2007-09-30] and the [http://www.cravenpotholeclub.org Craven Pothole Club] around August Bank Holiday [cite web|url=http://www.cravenpotholeclub.org/gg_contentpage.aspx?Group=gapinggill&Page=gapinggill.winchmeet|title=Craven Pothole Club Gaping Gill Winch Meet 2007 Open to the public|accessdate=2007-09-30] 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.

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. [cite web|author=Paul Eastwood|date=1989|url=http://www.pennine.demon.co.uk/NPC/NEWS/23GG.HTM| title=NPC Newsletter 23, January 1989|accessdate=2006-07-21]

The shaft was believed for a long time to be the largest in Britain, until the existence of Titan in Derbyshire was publicised in 2006 following its discovery in 1999. [ [http://www.grough.co.uk/content/view/164/2%20 grough - Battle of Titan's proportions after news of biggest cave ] ] Gaping Gill still retains the records for the tallest unbroken waterfall in England and the largest underground chamber naturally open to the surface.

A detailed 3D model of the chamber has been created using an industrial laser rangefinder which concluded that its volume is comparable to the size of York Minster. [cite news|url=http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/Laser-scan-provides-the-first.4429527.jp|title=Laser scanner provides first 3D view of legendary Dales Cavern|date=27 August 2008] [http://www.mdl.co.uk/news/MDL_CREATES_FIRST_COMPLETE_3D_MODEL_OF_GAPING_GILL.html]

References

ources

*Cite book | author=Farr, Martyn | authorlink= | coauthors= | title=The Darkness Beckons : History and Development of Cave Diving | date= | publisher=Gardners Books | location= | isbn=0-906371-87-2 | pages=
*Cite book | author=Beck, Howard M. | authorlink= | coauthors= | title=Gaping Gill: 150 years of exploration | date=1984 | publisher=R. Hale | location=London | isbn=0-7090-1552-6 | pages=
*cite book | title=Northern Caves 2 - the Three Peaks| last=Brook| first=D| coauthors=et al| publisher=Dalesman Press| isbn=1-85568-033-5
*cite book | title=Caves and Caving in Britain| last=Mason| first=E J| date=1977| publisher=Robert Hale, | isbn=0-7091-6195-6

External links

* [http://www.braemoor.co.uk/cavingtrip/ggmap.shtml Googlemap of location of all the entrances into the Gaping Gill system]
* [http://www.braemoor.co.uk/cavingtrip/ Website that includes details of several caving routes in Gaping Gill and Ingleborough Cave]