Cave Descriptions

EuroSpeleo 2016 - Cave Route Description

MEREGILL HOLE

MEREGILL IS VERY FLOOD-PRONE AND SHOULD BE CONSIDERED ONLY IN DRY SETTLED WEATHER.

Meregill Hole is a famous Yorkshire classic wet pothole. There are numerous airy, wet pitches and some very technical SRT, leading to over 500m of excellent streamway at the bottom. This is one of the more challenging of the classic potholes rigged for Eurospeleo, and experienced cavers will find this a true pleasure to explore, with plenty of engaging situations and memorable views.

A short trip into Great Douk Cave on the way up the hill provides a fine start (or end) to the day.

Parking:

Park in one of large laybys on the left on the B6255 a few hundred metres past (north of) the Old Hill Inn in Chapel-le-Dale (if approaching from Ingleton).

How to find:

Grid reference SD 7403 7573

On the opposite side of the road to the first layby is the marked footpath up Ingleborough. Follow this for about 1.2 km until an obvious and massive shakehole is seen on the left. After the next wall, turn right to leave the footpath, and cross the field to the far wall. Meregill is at the end of the valley just across the wall surrounded by trees. The Aven Entrance is found in a small depression just before the wall.

Navigation:

The Aven Entrance reaches a right angle bend and tight flat out crawl to the head of the first pitch. Below here a short passage leads to where the stream cuts down and a traverse reaches the second pitch. Four more pitches then follow, some separated by short sections of stream passage, but with no navigational issues. After the final pitch is some splendid stream passage, which degenerates to a long wet crawl after about 500m. This is where most groups turn around.

Additional reading:

Northern Caving (p143) or Selected Caves (p58)