Walk a Mile with Mick
Walk a Mile with Mick Melvin

Canal Cave Part 2

Mick Bentham returned to the surface at this point and Mick Ormerod and I followed a passage similar to the previous one for approximately two hundred and fifty feet, squeezing passed two very awkward right angled bends, until eventually we reached a point where Mick could just manage to squeeze through to join me. I pressed on alone for another fifty foot to where the passage took the form of an inverted ‘V’ and became impassable due to some stalagmite curtains. I estimated that the constriction was about ten feet long but with no room to wield a hammer it is quite a formidable obstruction. We decided to return and explore the two roof passages which we had seen on the inward journey.  The passage in the aven was followed for fifty feet to a complete roof collapse, and the other passage, near to the first right-angled bend was followed for approximately one hundred foot, heading in a line parallel to the main passage and towards the passage in the aven. This passage also ended in a roof collapse which I feel certain is common to both passages. This being an oxbow passage which has collapsed in the middle.
I have not yet returned to the cave to carry out a survey, neither have I been able to dye test any possible sinks as the water is the drinking supply for Bradford. I suspect that the sink is located somewhere in the area of Howstean Gorge, as I did take a compass into the cave with me and the general direction was towards that area. There is a definite possibility to push the cave further , and an interesting point is, when the new pipeline for Bradford Water-Works is laid from Howstean the cave will certainly be broken into and eventually blocked.
Mick Melvin (2010)
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Links to Content & Topics...

  1. Canal Cave Nidderdale
  2. The Happy Wanderers Pothole Club
  3. Weardale 1963
  4. The Leadmines of Weardale 1963
  5. Langstroth Cave, a first Cave Dive
  6. A Cave Dive with Bill Frakes
  7. Torquay 2009
  8. Walking in Devon & Dartmoor 2009
  9. Walks on the Costa del Sol
  10. Walking in Spain 2009
  11. Our holiday in Kokkari
  12. A Walking holiday in Samos 2004
  13. Six Young Men
  14. A Poem by Ted Hughes
  15. A Circular Walk from Todmorden
  16. A Castle & three Waterfalls
  17. BSA Conference Paper 1966
  18. Cave Diving in the Northern Pennines
  19. A Descent in 10 hours
  20. Penyghent Pot 1964
  21. A Tribute to John Dixon
  22. Remembering John Dixon
  23. Sleights to Whitby
  24. A Walk from Sleights to Whitby
  25. Climbing the Ahornspitze
  26. An ascent of the Ahornspitze
  27. Around the Schlegeis
  28. A Walk by the Schlegeis Reservoir
  29. Trevor Briggs Tribute
  30. A Tribute to Trevor Briggs
  31. Simon Cooke's Scornful blog
  32. Councillor Simon Cooke Scorns Ramblers
  33. The Guernsey Coastal Path
  34. Bradford CHA Holiday in Guernsey 2001