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Black Keld The CavesLast revised: 1/3/01
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| Access to Black Keld Is Not Allowed!
'...the integrated system will present the greatest British challenge to both the sporting caver and the speleologist.' D. Brook 1974 Together the known caves draining to Black Keld total some 21 km. None of these caves have yet been explored into the Great Scar Limestone and their known ends lie some 180 metres above Black Keld. In fact the dip of the limestone and the Yoredale Limestones are actually channelling the water further away, so the present limits of exploration are several kilometres from Black Keld. |
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| Mossdale Caverns has been explored for 10 kilometres. Langcliffe pot has been explored for 9.6 kilometres. Both caves are arduous and contain long crawls through small passages, (as well as large passages). Both caves are potentially dangerous. In Mossdale the most obvious danger is flooding. In Langcliffe the greatest danger is while negotiating the 'Nemesis' boulder choke. Several parties have been trapped by movement of the boulders, although fortunately no one has been injured. In addition flooding of the entrance crawls can also trap cavers in the cave.
Proper account of the dangers needs to be recognised, if the risks are to be minimised. 'Boulder chokes' with water passing through them like these, are especially subject to movement. The greatest care is needed when passing through them.
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Entrance to Langcliffe Pot on Great Whernside. One of the caves feeding water into the Black Keld system. 'A trip into the far reaches is one of the most serious undertakings in British caving.' |
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Phil Howson
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It's fifty years since the first dives were made into Black Keld. Nearly thirty years have passed since the last major breakthrough in the caves of the Black Keld system. In the spring of 1997 Phil Howson and Brian Judd set about a systematic under and above water search of Black Keld.
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Click on pictures to enlarge them and get more text. |
 1997 Breakthrough
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