LECK AND
CASTERTON FELLS
Casterton Fell, looking towards Bull
Pot Of The Witches and Bullpot Farm
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Above Kirkby Lonsdale are Casterton
and Leck Fells, home to some of the most
extensive cave networks in the whole of the
British Isles. Straddling three counties, North
Yorkshire, Lancashire and Cumbria this area is
worthy of inclusion in this website due to it's
association with the Yorkshire Dales although
Kirkby Lonsdale is often linked to the Lake
District although it is a good 6 miles (10km) to
the east of the M6 motorway.
These fells offer some of the best walking
country in the Dales as well as extensive cave
exploration. Over 30 miles (50km) of cave now
lies beneath one's feet on Casterton Fell with
many more miles waiting to be discovered. The
caves here are very complex and getting lost
underground is a real danger.Lancaster
Hole
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| Accommodation on Casterton Fell is
provided at Bull
Pot Farm. This remote farm
has been adapted for used by the Red Rose Cave
and Pothole Club, one of the major players in the
exploration of Yorkshire's many caves. Located
high on Casterton Fell at the end of a three mile
(5km) long winding road leading up from Casterton
Village, this outpost of civilisation offers
cheap accommodation to those exploring the caves
or just simply walking. |
| A popular
way into the Easegill Caverns is via Lancaster
Hole, a one hundred foot (30m) shaft accessing the
heart of the system. Cow Pot is another way in
and the system is can also be dived from Bull Pot
of the Witches, entered via a large open pot
behind Bull Pot Farm. Many of the caves resurge
at the remote Ease Gill Beck, about a mile
(1.5km) from Bull Pot Farm. The upper reaches of
Easegill Caverns including Easter Grotto with
it's many stalactites and stalagmites are best
accessed from Easegill Beck. Pool Sink and Top
Sink are the best routes here. County Pot further
down is another popular and and one of the easier routes
into Easegill Caverns. Ease
Gill
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To the east of Casterton
Fell, lying mostly in the extreme
north-east of Lancashire is Leck Fell,
only a short walk way from Bull Pot Farm
and home to some interesting cave systems
of it's own such as Lost John's Cave and
Nott's Pot. Ireby Fell Cavern which is
also on Leck Fell is just inside
North Yorkshire. Cavers hope one day to
link all the major systems on these fells
to produce a major cave system that will
rank alongside the world's finest.
Bullpot Farm
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