Aquamole Pot

Aquamole Pot is a limestone cave on the western side of Kingsdale in North Yorkshire, within the Yorkshire Dales National Park, England. It is a serious caving objective rather than a casual visitor stop, with deep shafts and flooded passages below the moor. Still, it is a fascinating piece of Dales underground geography.

What is Aquamole Pot?

The cave is part of a roughly 27 km network that drains both sides of Kingsdale. It reaches a depth of about 113 m. The network joins the underground river associated with the Kingsdale Master Cave, whose water eventually resurfaces at Keld Head.

How was it discovered?

The story is unusual. In 1974, cave divers pushed through 168 m of flooded passage starting at Rowten Pot and surfaced in a tall aven above a river passage. For years afterwards, every major exploration trip began from below, because no route existed from the surface. In 2002 cavers dug a shaft from above and linked it with the aven, known as Aquamole Aven.

What does the route down look like?

The surface entrance is a shaft of about 60 m, only a short distance from the Jingling Pot depression. Below it comes a pitch of around 10 m, then Aquamole Aven, a drop of roughly 40 m that lands in the stream passage. At the bottom are sumps. The downstream one leads to Rowten Pot, while the upstream sump has been explored for about 920 m and exploration continues.

Can visitors go in?

Not without experience. Aquamole Pot is a vertical cave that demands rope-work gear, route knowledge and attention to the weather, since rising water makes it dangerous. The flooded sections are for qualified cave divers only. Newcomers should contact local clubs such as the Craven Pothole Club or the Bradford Pothole Club and check access arrangements before travelling. A gentler option is to walk Kingsdale and look at the shakeholes and depressions from the surface.

When and how to get there

Kingsdale lies north of Ingleton and Thornton in Lonsdale, in the Ingleborough area. The entrance sits on open moorland, so bring sturdy footwear, a map and clothing for changeable weather. The coordinates are 54.1999 N, 2.4625 W. Dry spells, when water levels are low, are the safest time for any underground trip in the valley.

Frequently asked questions

Where is Aquamole Pot? On the west side of Kingsdale in North Yorkshire, inside the Yorkshire Dales National Park.

How deep is it? About 113 m in total. The entrance shaft alone is around 60 m.

Who found it? Cave divers in 1974, who swam a 168 m sump from Rowten Pot. A surface entrance was opened in 2002.

Is it open to tourists? It is a demanding cave for experienced cavers. Visitors can enjoy the valley above, but going underground requires gear, skill and arrangements with a local club.