Chance to be winched down into 365ft cave system

Gaping Gill  Image source, PA
Image caption,

The Gaping Gill system is one of Britain's longest and most complex cave systems

  • Published

People wanting to take a look inside one of the most famous caves in the Yorkshire Dales have the chance to make the descent this weekend.

The Gaping Gill cave system is one of the longest and most complex in the UK, below the moors near Ingleborough.

Bradford Pothole Club has set up a winch to allow non-cavers to be taken into the chamber between 25 and 31 May.

The main shaft is about 365ft (111m) deep, which is the same height as St Paul's Cathedral.

Image source, PA
Image caption,

Bradford Pothole Club has held a "winch meet" at the site for more than 60 years

The club has held a "winch meet" at the site for more than 60 years, to allow members of the public to experience the cavern.

The club said pre-booking was not available and people wanting to be taken down should arrive early to book in on the day.

The service opens at 08:00 BST and there is an entrance fee which is cash only, it said on its website.

Craven Pothole Club holds a similar event in August, but for the rest of the year the underground network is only accessible to cavers.

Follow BBC Yorkshire on Facebook, external, X (formerly Twitter), external and Instagram, external. Send your story ideas to yorkslincs.news@bbc.co.uk, external.

Image source, PA
Image caption,

The winch is in place at the site twice a year, but at other times is only accessible to cavers