Gaping Ghyll EarthCache

This cache has been archived.

Geocaching HQ Admin: It has now been over 30 days since Geocaching HQ submitted the disabled log below and, unfortunately, the cache owner has not posted an Owner maintenance log and re-enabled this geocache. As a result, we are now archiving this cache page.

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Hidden : 5/28/2009
Difficulty:
2 out of 5
Terrain:
3.5 out of 5

Size: Size: not chosen (not chosen)

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Geocache Description:

Gaping Ghyll's is a famous pothole on the limestone moors flanking Ingleborough just above Clapdale and the village of Clapham in the "Three Peaks" area of the Yorkshire Dales.

Situated at the bottom of a large crater, Gaping Ghyll's is a yawning abyss which engulfs Fell Beck, the stream crashing down into a cathedral sized main chamber at 365ft deep Gaping Ghyll's is probably Britain's highest unbroken waterfall.

A network of tunnels lead off from the main chamber, and the stream eventually reappears as Clapham Beck at Beck Head Cave a short distance from the main (dry) entrance of Ingleborough Cave in Clapdale. Although this was proven by florescent dye tests many years ago it was only in the 1980s that the connection was finally discovered by cave divers.

The main shaft and main chamber of Gaping Ghyll's are obviously extremely dangerous, and their exploration is usually available only to experienced potholers. On some bank holiday weekends, however, local caving clubs set up a special platform and winch which for a fee lowers intrepid members of the public into this yawning abyss.

Formation of Gaping Gill

Water dissolves the limestone surface by chemical weathering, specifically carbon dioxide dissolved in rainwater (which produces carbonic acid), initially this results in the formation of clints and grykes. The rainwater then dissolves further along joint surfaces until a swallow hole is formed. As more limestone is dissolved, a chasm of Gaping Ghyll's proportions is produced.

To log the cache please upload a photo of you or your GPSr with Gaping Ghyll in the background and E-Mail me the answer the following question

1)Estimate the width of the entrance to the pothole

Any logs without a photo will be deleted

Additional Hints (No hints available.)



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