Excalibur Pot

Excalibur Pot is a cave near Hutton-le-Hole in North Yorkshire, inside the North York Moors National Park. It is a destination for experienced cavers, not a sightseeing stop, and it is the only major cave known in this part of England.

Where is Excalibur Pot?

The entrance lies in the normally dry bed of Hutton Beck, roughly halfway between the village of Hutton-le-Hole and Keldholme (around 54.281 N, 0.910 W). The land belongs to a private estate used for farming and shooting, so there is no public path to the cave.

How did the cave form?

It developed in Corallian limestone from the Upper Jurassic. Water disappears into several sinks along Hutton Beck, runs through the cave as an underground stream and reappears at Bogg Hall Rising in neighbouring Douthwaite Dale, near Keldholme. The sinks sit about 30 m above that resurgence, which is why cavers saw the area as promising for a sizeable system.

When was it found, and how big is it?

York Caving Club and Scarborough Caving Club dug their way in during 2007, after only a handful of full weekends working at a hollow in the stream bed. A separate group later located the main streamway. Published figures give a depth of about 30 m and roughly 2.8 km of surveyed passage, and exploration continues, so these figures keep changing. What sets it apart in the region is its large streamway and its calcite formations, far richer than anything else known on the North York Moors. Other entrances connect to the system, including Jenga Pot and Secret Dig.

Can you visit? Access explained

Entry is controlled. A permit from the CNCC (Council of Northern Caving Clubs) is required, and any caving club registered with the British Caving Association can apply; short-notice requests can usually be arranged. Beginners and unaffiliated visitors should not try to enter. The safest route is to contact a local caving club and go with them.

When is the best time to go?

When Hutton Beck is high, the entrance floods and cannot be used. This happens often, especially between November and April, so trips are planned for drier spells after checking the weather and the state of the beck.

What else is nearby?

Hutton-le-Hole is among the prettiest villages in the national park and home to the Ryedale Folk Museum. Easy walks follow Hutton Beck and Douthwaite Dale, and Keldholme is a short drive from Kirkbymoorside and Pickering.

Frequently asked questions

Is Excalibur Pot open to tourists? No. It is a sporting cave on private land, open only to cavers holding a permit.

Who issues permits? The CNCC. The application comes from a club affiliated with the British Caving Association.

How deep and long is it? About 30 m deep with roughly 2.8 km of passage, and exploration is ongoing.

Does the entrance flood? Yes. When Hutton Beck rises above the upper sinks the cave is inaccessible, most often from November to April.