Mining on the moors above Malham and its Cove in the Yorkshire Dales was known from way back in t’18th Century. Then in 1944, a bunch of bold potholers recently returned from WW2 and looking for exciting things to do happened upon a reference to natural cave entered by miners, which they promptly set out to find. And find it they did.
The entrance lid opens directly on to the 19 metre entrance pitch. This isn’t a place to be fannying around if you’re not properly equipped – always cave with experienced buddies.
Passages both natural and man-made lead off in three directions from the bottom of the entrance shaft, each with a different character – from crawling through narrow sandy tubes…
… to dodgy propped-up creaking roofs …
… to tall well decorated avens and abandoned roof tubes above
And throughout this mish-mash of cave and mine are relics from days gone by.
Adorned with some stunning hues from the minerals, the reason people first bothered to come down here.
As well as some more recent additions…
