Gaping Gill
entrance shaft viewed from the Main Chamber
Location	Ingleborough
Depth	105 metres (344 ft)[1]
Length	11. Ingleborough is the second highest mountain in the Yorkshire Dales. The metre or meter is a unit of Length. It is the basic unit of Length in the Metric system and in the International A foot (plural feet or foot; symbol or abbreviation ft or sometimes &prime – the prime symbol) is a non-SI unit 6 kilometres (7. The kilometre ( American spelling: kilometer) symbol km is a unit of Length in the Metric system, equal to one thousand 2 mi)
Coordinates	54°8′58.07″N, 2°22′57.25″W
Geology	Limestone
Number of entrances	19[2]
Difficulty	Grade 4
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^[3] deep pothole with the stream Fell Beck flowing into it. A mile is a unit of Length, usually used to measure Distance, in a number of different systems including Imperial units United States A geographic coordinate system enables every location on the Earth to be specified in three coordinates using mainly a spherical coordinate system. Ingleborough is the second highest mountain in the Yorkshire Dales. North Yorkshire is a non-metropolitan or shire county located in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England, and a ceremonial county in After falling through one of the largest known underground chambers in Britain, the water disappears into the bouldery floor and eventually resurges out of Ingleborough Cave. Ingleborough Cave is a Show cave close to the village of Clapham, North Yorkshire, England adjacent to where the water from Gaping Gill

The first recorded attempted descent was by J. Birkbeck in 1842 who reached a ledge approximately 55 metres (180 ft) down the shaft which bears his name. Year 1842 ( MDCCCXLII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Common The metre or meter is a unit of Length. It is the basic unit of Length in the Metric system and in the International A foot (plural feet or foot; symbol or abbreviation ft or sometimes &prime – the prime symbol) is a non-SI unit ^[4] The first complete descent was achieved by Édouard-Alfred Martel in 1895. Édouard-Alfred Martel ( July 1, 1859, Pontoise - June 3, 1938, Montbrison) the 'father of modern Speleology Year 1895 ( MDCCCXCV) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year

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. Year 1983 ( MCMLXXXIII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays the 1983 Gregorian calendar) The Cave Diving Group (CDG is a United Kingdom -based diver training organization specialising in Cave diving. Ingleborough Cave is a Show cave close to the village of Clapham, North Yorkshire, England adjacent to where the water from Gaping Gill

A view of the crater around the mouth of Gaping Gill.

The Bradford Pothole Club around Whitsun May Bank Holiday^[5] and the Craven Pothole Club around August Bank Holiday^[6] 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. In Rock climbing, Mountaineering and other Climbing disciplines climbers give a climbing grade to a route that concisely describes the difficulty It was first pioneered in 1972 with ten points of aid. Year 1972 ( MCMLXXII) was a Leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The first free ascent was made in 1988. Year 1988 ( MCMLXXXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Friday (link displays 1988 Gregorian calendar) ^[7]

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. Titan is located at Castleton in the Derbyshire Peak District and is the largest shaft of any known United Kingdom cave being some 141 History The area that is now Derbyshire was first visited probably briefly by humans 200000 years ago during the Aveley Interglacial as evidenced by a Middle ^[8] Gaping Gill still retains the records for the tallest unbroken waterfall in England and the largest underground chamber naturally open to the surface.

References

1. ^ http://www.bpc-cave.org.uk/gaping_gill.htm
2. ^ Gaping Gill - A list of entrances. Retrieved on 2007-09-30. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 1399 - Henry IV is proclaimed King of England. 1744 - France and Spain defeat the
3. ^ http://www.bpc-cave.org.uk/gaping_gill.htm
4. ^ Marshal, Des; Donald Rust (1997). Selected Caves of Britain and Ireland, 47. ISBN 1-871890-43-8.  
5. ^ BPC Gaping Gill. Retrieved on 2007-09-30. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 1399 - Henry IV is proclaimed King of England. 1744 - France and Spain defeat the
6. ^ Craven Pothole Club Gaping Gill Winch Meet 2007 Open to the public. Retrieved on 2007-09-30. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 1399 - Henry IV is proclaimed King of England. 1744 - France and Spain defeat the
7. ^ Paul Eastwood (1989). Year 1989 ( MCMLXXXIX) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link displays 1989 Gregorian calendar) NPC Newsletter 23, January 1989. Retrieved on 2006-07-21. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Events 356 BC - Herostratus sets fire to the Temple of Artemis in Ephesus, one of the Seven Wonders of the World
8. ^ http://www.grough.co.uk/content/view/164/2%20

Sources

• Farr, Martyn. The Darkness Beckons : History and Development of Cave Diving. Gardners Books. ISBN 0-906371-87-2.  
• Beck, Howard M. (1984). Gaping Gill: 150 years of exploration. London: R. Hale. ISBN 0-7090-1552-6.  
• Brook, D; et al. Northern Caves 2 - the Three Peaks. Dalesman Press. ISBN 1-85568-033-5.  
• Mason, E J (1977). Caves and Caving in Britain. Robert Hale,. ISBN 0-7091-6195-6.  

External links

• Googlemap of location of all the entrances into the Gaping Gill system
• Website that includes details of several caving routes in Gaping Gill and Ingleborough Cave