Eden Sike Cave

Eden Sike Cave is a small, wet cave in Mallerstang, at the head of the Eden valley in Cumbria, northern England. Since 2016 the area has belonged to the Yorkshire Dales National Park. This is a site for experienced cavers, not a show cave for casual visitors.

Where is Eden Sike Cave?

The cave sits in Mallerstang, a glacial dale at the top of the Eden valley, close to the North Yorkshire border. Its entrance is roughly 400 metres north of Hell Gill, the limestone ravine where the Eden drops towards Aisgill. The opening hides in a shakehole, where the Eden Sike stream sinks underground. The grid position is about 54.368 N, 2.337 W.

What is inside?

From the shakehole you drop into a stream passage. Downstream, a low wet crawl heads for the resurgence, which lies a little under 400 metres from the entrance. Upstream the passage starts out roomier but soon turns awkward, with a short, tricky climb into an inlet on the right. The main route ends at a sump about 9 metres long, which divers have passed for a further 15 metres before it became too tight. The right-hand branch crosses sharp, steeply tilted rock into a chamber, beyond which a narrow, wet squeeze leaves almost no air space. Surveyed passage totals roughly 772 metres.

The cave formed where underground drainage captured streams flowing over the limestone. Several small caves lie nearby, and a 1967 caving club account also mentions neighbouring Jingling Sike Cave.

Can visitors go in?

No lighting, paths or guides exist here. The cave is cold, wet and cramped, needs competent crawling and climbing, and its far ends are flooded or very narrow. Going in without experience, proper kit and someone who knows the system is risky. Stream levels can rise quickly after rain, so check the weather. For current access, contact local caving clubs or the British Caving Association. Part of the published material on the cave is archival, so some details could be out of date.

What can you see nearby instead?

Hell Gill is the better choice for non-specialists. This narrow, steep-sided gorge cut through the Main Limestone was formed by surface river erosion, not by a collapsed cave. A 1967 club write-up called it a pleasant "pseudo caving" outing that needs no lamps. Mallerstang also offers fell walks and open views over rural Cumbria.

When to go?

The area is most pleasant from late spring to early autumn, when paths are drier and days are long. Because the stream depends on rainfall, underground exploration is especially dangerous after wet weather.

Frequently asked questions

Is Eden Sike Cave open to tourists? No. It is a small cave for experienced cavers, with no visitor facilities.

Where exactly is it? In Mallerstang, Cumbria, about 400 metres north of Hell Gill, inside the Yorkshire Dales National Park.

How long is the cave? Known passages total about 772 metres, with a sump at the end of the main route.

What is a good alternative for walkers? The Hell Gill ravine and walks around Mallerstang, none of which need caving equipment.