Long Drop Cave

Long Drop Cave is a vertical cave on Leck Fell moorland in Lancashire, England, close to Lancaster. It forms one of the entrances to the Three Counties System, a network of more than 87 km of passages beneath the borders of Cumbria, Lancashire and North Yorkshire. It is a trip for experienced cavers carrying full rope gear, not a casual visitor attraction.

What kind of cave is it?

The cave is roughly 61 m deep, with just under 300 m of surveyed passage, and was found in 1965. You begin with a short, tight crawl, followed by a dry shaft. A pitch of about 29 m drops into Fault Chamber, where a vertical rock fault is exposed in the walls.

How does it connect to the wider system?

Long Drop leads into Death's Head Hole. The link was forced in 1981, when Gritstone Club members bailed out a short flooded section. Death's Head Hole in turn joins Lost Johns' Cave, which makes Long Drop a route into the whole Three Counties network. The stream running through Long Drop travels the same route and finally resurges at Leck Beck Head near Cowan Bridge.

How do you get there, and do you need to book?

The entrance sits on Leck Fell, north of Leck village and east of Casterton Fell. The approach crosses open moor where weather can turn quickly and fog makes navigation hard. Since August 2019 the Cave Net Caving Club (CNCC) has managed access to Leck Fell caves on behalf of the Leck Estate. Book ahead through the CNCC online calendar or by email, and wait for confirmation if you use email. One booking is allowed per entrance per day. Rules can change, so check the current CNCC page before you travel.

Who is it for?

Cavers who are fluent in single rope technique (SRT), can judge water levels for themselves and have shaft experience. The stream rises quickly after rain. Go with a group and leave a call-out time with someone on the surface. If you lack that experience, the show caves of the Yorkshire Dales, such as White Scar Cave or Ingleborough Cave, or a trip with a licensed guide, are a better choice.

When should you go?

Access runs all year, with a booking. Settled dry weather is the safest time, since rainfall raises water flow throughout the system. Winter on the fell is cold and exposed, so dress for it.

Frequently asked questions

Can a beginner enter Long Drop Cave? No. It has a shaft of around 29 m and demands rope skills and your own equipment.

Do I need to book? Yes, through the CNCC. One booking per entrance per day is permitted.

What does the cave connect to? Death's Head Hole, and through it Lost Johns' Cave, so it is part of the Three Counties System.

Where does the water from the cave emerge? At the Leck Beck Head spring above Cowan Bridge.