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About this place
Long Kin East Cave – Rift Pot System is a limestone cave network on the southern slopes of Ingleborough in the Yorkshire Dales, North Yorkshire, England. It is a destination for experienced cavers rather than casual visitors. Even if you stay above ground, it is a good place to see how water has shaped this karst landscape.
What is the system?
Two caves, Long Kin East and Rift Pot, join underground. Together they run for about 1.5 km and reach a depth of 116 m. The system was discovered in 1904. It lies within the Ingleborough Site of Special Scientific Interest, which protects the area for its geology and wildlife.
What is underground?
Long Kin East begins as a winding stream passage. It then ends at a 58 m shaft, where the cave meets a shattered fault that Rift Pot also drops into. At the bottom the water crawls through low canals and sumps before it reaches daylight at Austwick Beck Head in Crummackdale. Streams draining Simon Fell sink into several caves, including Long Kin East and Juniper Gulf, and return to the surface at the foot of the limestone.
How do you get there?
The closest approach is from Crummack Dale, where you can park. The road runs through the village of Austwick. From there you walk across pasture and limestone pavement on the flank of Ingleborough. The entrances are vertical shafts, hard to find without a map and local knowledge.
Who can descend?
You need rope-work equipment, experience and companions who know the system. Long Kin East is an active stream cave, so it is only suitable in dry weather. Rift Pot copes better with wet conditions. Check access rules and any booking requirement with local clubs such as Craven Pothole Club or Bradford Pothole Club, or with the British Caving Association, before you go. In 2016 the Cave Rescue Organisation was called out when a caver became suspended and stuck during a descent of Long Kin East. He freed himself before the rescuers reached the shaft. Even a short pitch demands proper preparation.
What can you see without going underground?
A walk around Crummackdale and Simon Fell takes you past limestone outcrops, shake holes and spots where streams vanish into the ground. You can also visit Austwick Beck Head, where the cave water comes back out. The land lies in the Yorkshire Dales National Park, so the usual rules apply: close gates, take litter home and keep to paths.
Frequently asked questions
Is this a show cave?
No. The system is for cavers with rope experience. It has no lighting and no prepared route.
How deep is it?
About 116 m deep and 1.5 km long. The largest single shaft in Long Kin East is 58 m.
Where does the water come out?
At Austwick Beck Head in Crummackdale, at the base of the limestone.
When is the best time to visit?
Long Kin East should be descended in dry weather, since it carries an active stream. Check the forecast and contact a caving club before the trip.
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