Yorkshire, United Kingdom
I simply love Yorkshire and its magnificent scenery. Every season Yorkshire has something magical to offer. There's nothing better than getting my hiking boots on and disappearing into Yorkshire's superb countryside! I take my camera everywhere with me to ensure others can appreciate the many beautiful things that I see on my breathtaking walks. My photography has been featured on ITV Calendar, BBC Look North and has been published in The Yorkshire Ridings Magazine, The Yorkshire Dalesman, Country Walking Magazine and Countryfile magazine. Some of my images have been transformed into beautiful paintings by Yorkshire artists. At the end of 2013 I was selected to be the Face of Ordnance Survey. You can see me in the 'Explore More' campaign. Follow me on Twitter: @NickyLawImages Email enquiries: NickyBusbyPhotography@yahoo.com

Wednesday, 26 September 2012

My descent into Gaping Gill

When a friend notified me that Craven Pothole Club were holding a winch event which allowed the public to explore the huge cavern of Gaping Gill, I couldn't resist!

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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