Friday 6 May, Barbon village hall and Easegill Caverns, Yorkshire. 09:30 to 18:00
BCRA and The Red Rose Cave and Pothole Club would like to invite you to a field meeting that will explore the geology, formation, exploration, archaeology and fascination of the Ease Gill cave system.
There will be a morning of talks in Barbon Village Hall, followed by a lunch break and a drive to Bull Pot Farm. For those participants with caving experience and their own equipment, there will be underground trips in County Pot and Bull Pot of the Witches, to look at features associated with the long and complex history of the cave system. For those who do not wish to go caving there will be a guided walk over the moor, to see the various cave entrances and surface geological features. Ease Gill is one of the longest caves in Britain, which has something of interest for everyone, caver and non-caver alike.
Cost: There will be a charge of £6 per person for participation, with reductions for BCRA and RRCPC members. This charge will include tea and biscuits in the morning, but you are advised to bring a packed lunch. For those who don’t manage to bring food, there is a small shop and pub in Barbon village.
Registration: If you intend to participate please register prior to 29 April, particularly if you want to go underground, since the size of the groups will be limited. To register please contact David Checkley by email to bcra-chairman@bcra.org.uk or phone 0161 439 4387
Equipment required: Those going underground need caving gear, but the caves will be rigged with both SRT ropes and ladders. Walkers will need boots and waterproofs.
Programme: The talks at Barbon Village Hall will be
- Dr Chris Thomas - The Dent and Craven faults: their significance during the Palaeozoic evolution of Northern England
- Dr Tony Waltham - Thoughts on the evolution of the Ease Gill caves
- Andrew Hall - A brief account of the history of exploration of the Ease Gill Caverns area from late 19th Century to the present day
- John Thorp - Archaeology of the caves of the Ease Gill / Three Counties System