First visit ever today. Can’t believe I have never been there after all the time I have spent in the Lakes.

Atmospheric with the mist rising out of the main cave.

Bravo to the three MTBers – two cotics and the “light” scott (!) who made it up and through the long tunnel! I wimped out as my son didn’t fancy it as we only had one v weak headtorch!!

Bashed a trail up over the fell side. Gets v exposed on the edge of the massive “hidden” quarry. Scary section that looks like a classic corniced ridge in the Alps. Very obvious crack in the rocks one metre on the “wrong side” of the tiny track. Horrible accident waiting to happen

Don’t know quite where you mean about the crack. But think the national trust own the land. May be worth telling them.

Right up at the very top. There is a tiny track that skirts the rim of the massive hole. It’s pretty exposed and the crack is near the highest point.

Good call on the NT! Slightly freaked me out.

What a ridiculously small world…! I’m calling in to say hi

I was in the group of 3. I had the duck egg blue Solaris – was a bit of a lump with all the bikepacking kit strapped to it

The cave and tunnel were ace

Did you spot the two goldfish in the pool inside the cave ??
(They’ve been there for years !)

Apparently goldfish don’t die of old age. This may or may not be true and adds nothing to the thread. I’ve never been to this place but it sounds fascinating.

Ben. Yes another hi and nice to meet you guys in passing.

51lbs or something?!? Were you guys bivvying somewhere or do you just ride with a lot of kit 😉

Still impressed that you got your bikes up to the final tunnel. Must go back and do that with a headtorch with full batteries. I hope you exit was less eventful that ours!!

DP

It was indeed good to put a face to a STW name!

A few piccies-

The torch is also a very lame excuse for not paying the tunnel a visit, i’ve been through a few times & this is the first time with any sort of light!

Was a really good couple of days 🙂

First time I went in was in a group, no torches on, told to follow the right hand tunnel wall (going in from the central quarry). Could tell when we reached the dead end and doubled back, then follwed the wall right into the big chamber (which is now closed off due to stability concerns), at which point the leader switched on a torch. Nice way of doing it.

Belated Hi then wotsits – is the second cave still closed off? What happens at the end and where do you exit?

Looked on Google Earth and seems you can come out near the massive hole and go down the old road that pops out near the straight route back of the Tilberthwaite path to Hodge Close.