It only took me eight years of walking in and around Wharfedale to
discover this fantastic location!! About 1.2 miles outside
Kettlewell on the road to Leyburn there's a fairly non-descript
footpath sigh to 'Park Head via E. Scale Lodge' on the very steep
incline at Park Rash. Follow the footpath and cross the footbridge
over the river. Don't follow the footpath sign through the gate on
the left but bear right along a footpath leading into a narrow
valley (Caseker Gill Beck). A short distance along the path you'll
see a lovely waterfall. The gravel path stops at the river but if
you look right to the opposite bank of the valley you'll see a well
worn track leading up to some large boulders - this is the massive
entrance to Dow Cave which can't be seen from the river. To get
across the river you have two options, (1) Bring some wellies and
paddle across or (2) about 20 yards before the gravel track ended
at the river there's a spikey tree on the right. Opposite the tree
is a faint, narrow path leading up the embankment and back down to
the base of the waterfall. The river is easy to cross at the
waterfall and you can proceed up the embankment to the spectacular
cave entrance. Dow Cave is the entrance to the notorious Dowbergill
Passage, a mile long passage though limestone to Providence Pot in
Dowber Gill Beck. For obvious reasons, DO NOT enter the cave unless
you are suitably equipped and experienced. Because of the location,
getting a GPS signal is very difficult. For this reason the
coordinates given are not the exact location of the cache - you'll
have to read the hint for that. There's an awesome 'First to Find'
medallion enclosed for one lucky geocacher! Parking is limited but
not far from the Footpath Sign - Please do not park close to the
'Garage-Like' building but a little bit further up the road will be
OK (see photo).
And there's more
.......
If you liked this cache there are many
more
'Sykesfamily' caches in similar,
awe inspiring locations scattered around the Yorkshire Dales
National Park and surrounding valleys. So grab your walking boot,
pack your sandwiches, leave your troubles behind and head for the
hills .... Enjoy!!
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