The three main caves of the Upper Nidderdale Valley ( up the valley from Pately Bridge ) provide an excellent day’s caving. At the upstream end, Manchester Hole is a classic river cave which leads directly into the complex and sometimes intimidating Goyden Pot. New Goyden Pot is the downstream continuation of Goyden Pot, entered via a couple of pitches, and has a magnificent river passage as well as a set of worthwhile inlet passages.
The route from upper end of Manchester Hole, through Manchester hole and direct into Goyden Pot with a good explore of Goyden Pot gives in my opinion an ace caving trip, one of the best in Yorkshire.
Never to difficult, but with a wide range of interesting caving including accessable and interesting crawling, walking through chambers, descending down winding streamways, vertical pitches which can be descend by insitu ropes or insitu ladders and interesting boulder chokes.
The trip through Manchester Hole starts with chambers and a stream-way, as this stream-way then narrows and the cave roof drops a varied and mixed section of caving has to be carried out. This involves crawling, shuffling down small vertical rifts, stooping and mixing it up through boulder chokes. You then enter Goyden Pot into an impressive main stream-way. Following this gives you access to Five Ways Chamber and then off you go again linking up passages and rifts with lots more traditional caving.
This trip is achievable for those that have never caved ( but who are taken around by a cave guide ) but are reasonably fit, agile, not scared of enclosed spaces and who love to take challenges. It this sounds like you, then get in touch we me and lets make it happen.
If you do decide to visit without a cave guide – One should note It does, require that water levels are average or below, and that water is not flowing down the entrance of Goyden Pot. The system floods drastically, in certain conditons and its in those conditions, that need to be avoided.
Credit is given to John Gardner for the use of his text and check out his very informative and interesting website https://braemoor.co.uk/caving
On any given good condition day, then flooding is not a concern. Hence visiting with someone who knows the system.
The BCA have published a publication which outlines the factors to be taken into consideration before committing to a trip.
You should also take a survey with you and know how to read it as Goyden has a repustion for getting cavers confused and lost.
One last key piece of information to to check with Yorkshire Water regards there reservoir scour testing. As this will have dramatic effects on the water level within the cave system.
https://www.yorkshirewater.com/about-us/reservoir-scour-testing/#nidd
Left photo- entrance to Manchester Hole
Right photo – entrance to Goyden Pot
Survey of Goyden Pot
