It had to be an early wake up call of 4.30am to avoid any queueing. It would take me around two hours to drive to Clapham from Leeds with a further one hour hike to Gaping Gill for the first descent at 8am.
I waited in the queue for my turn to take the winch chair into the dark depths of Gaping Gill!
It cost me just £15 to be winched down the largest natural cave in Great Britain and it took approximately one minute to glide down the 340' drop from the main shaft in the winch chair. The journey down to the cavern floor is extremely wet due to spray from a nearby waterfall. Fortunately my camera survived the trip!
Initially the descent is dark and doesn't offer much to the eye until eventually it opens up into a magnificent cavern. The sound from the nearby waterfall is deafening and falls at such force that it creates a constant cold blast of wind! (Waterproofs essential!)
When my feet finally touched the pebbly cavern floor I was directed to a guide who showed me various points of interest inside the cavern. It was at this point I was able to truly enjoy this beautiful yet wild place!
I only stayed inside the cavern for approximately 20 minutes so that the people above could also enjoy the spectacular journey down into Gaping Gill.
The Craven Pothole Club team were brilliant with their dedication and their knowledge. I would like to say a special thank you to them for organising such a breathtaking experience.
For details of their next winch meet visit: http://www.cravenpotholeclub.org/gg_contentpage.aspx?Group=gapinggill&Page=gapinggill.winchmeet
I can guarantee you won't be disappointed!!
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