UKC

Hello everyone,

When i was a wee lad i went away with the local youth club to Smelt Mill in the Trough of Bowland - near Dunsop Bridge.

Anyway, we went out climbing and caving nearby, the climbing from what i remember was an exposed cliff/crag atop some high grassy hill and the caving we had to slide down a series of end to end barrels in the side of the hill landing in an enormous cavern.

I don't think they were far from smelt mill, any ideas where these are?

In reply to GoneFishing111:

You might have climbed on the Sugar Loaf http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/2870079 and http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/4647155

There are a few caves down the valley a little way at Whitewell http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/740049 and http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/684672

In reply to Lankyman:

That Sugar Loaf is amazing, what a lovely wee thing. Smallest mountain in the world?

In reply to Lankyman:
Neither of those I'm afraid, might have been further afield thinking about it. I seem to remember driving for maybe an hour to get to the cave.

Apparently the victorians used it back in the day, you can either access via abseil, down a waterfall or thought the barrell-tube/tunnel.

I live in chipping and i never knew that there where caves at whitewall, I'm going to have a look at that hell hole!

In reply to GoneFishing111:

The cave sounds like Old Ing?

In reply to Kid Spatula:

I don't remember the entrance to Old Ing having end to end barrels at the entrance.

In reply to petegunn:

Good point! Can't think of anything else. Sounds like a mashup of Valley Entrance and Old Ing.

In reply to Kid Spatula:

Probably a trip down valley entrance followed by a quick visit to Yordas cave further up the valley. Popular with groups

In reply to petegunn:

I think it was the valley cave, kingsman cave? I just had a quick google and came up with this...

http://oldfieldslimestone.blogspot.co.uk/2013/02/a-three-peaks-blast-from-p...

And at the bottom of this page......

http://www.lancasterdistrict.co.uk/underground-adventures/

Pretty sure this is it, cheers!

I can't remember how we got out of that cave though?

In reply to GoneFishing111:
The Valley Entrance cave with the barrel entry is part of a huge cave system in West Kingsdale with passages extending over 9 km, with many flooded passages. Most novice parties venture in as far as the West Kingsdale Master Cave.
You would have come out the same way as you went in, as trips through from different entrances would be beyond the novice group trip.
Further up the valley is the Yordas Cave which was used as a former show cave in years gone by. You can walk straight into a huge chamber approx 60 m long and 15 m wide so maybe you popped in here after having a look in valley entrance.
Pete

In reply to petegunn:

Hi Pete, i think you are right.

I remember absolutely loving the trip out which i find strange as now-a-days i suffer from claustrophobia, i very much doubt i could slide down those barrels!

Thanks for your help.

In reply to GoneFishing111:

Not sure about the caving but my immediate thought for the climbing was Trough of Bowland Quarry