List of caves in the United Kingdom
This is an incomplete list of caves in the United Kingdom, including information on the largest and deepest caves in the UK.
Longest, deepest and largest[edit]
The longest cave system in the UK is the Three Counties System in the Yorkshire Dales, with 86.7 km (53.9 mi) of passageways. It includes the Ease Gill system, the Notts Pot / Ireby Fell Cavern system, the Lost John's Cave system, and the Pippikin Pot system, all of which are connected.[1]
- The deepest cave in Wales and the UK is Ogof Ffynnon Ddu, 274.5 metres (901 ft) deep and containing around 50 km (31 mi) of passageways.[2]
- The deepest cave in England is the Three Counties System which is 252 metres (827 ft) deep between the entrance of Large Pot, and the deepest point reached by diving in Gavel Pot.
- The deepest cave in Scotland is Uamh an Claonaite in Assynt, 110 metres (360 ft) deep. [3]
- The deepest cave in Northern Ireland is Reyfad Pot in County Fermanagh, 193 metres (633 ft) deep.
A sea cave on the north side of Calder's Geo in Shetland was measured in 2014 at over 20 metres (66 ft) high and with a floor area of around 5,600 square metres (60,000 sq ft). This makes it the largest known cave chamber in the United Kingdom.[4][5]
A chamber in Reservoir Hole, Cheddar Gorge called “The Frozen Deep” was discovered in 2012 and found to be 30 metres (98 ft) high and 60 metres (200 ft) long.[6]
England[edit]
By English caving region.
Devon[edit]
See also Caves in Devon
- Ash Hole Cavern
- Bakers Pit, Buckfastleigh
- Chudleigh Cavern
- Kent's Cavern
- Kitley Show Cave
- Pridhamsleigh Cavern, Ashburton
- Reed's Cave
Mendip Hills[edit]
The following are all within Somerset unless otherwise stated. See also Caves of the Mendip Hills.
- Aveline's Hole
- Charterhouse Cave
- Cox's cave
- Eastwater Cavern
- GB Cave
- Goatchurch Cavern
- Gough's Cave
- Lamb Leer
- Longwood Swallet
- Manor Farm Swallet
- Pierre's Pot
- Reservoir Hole
- Rhino Rift
- Shatter Cave
- St Cuthbert's Swallet
- Stoke Lane Slocker
- Swildon's Hole
- Thrupe Lane Swallet
- Wookey Hole Caves
Peak District[edit]
The following are all within Derbyshire unless otherwise stated. See also List of caves in the Peak District and List of caves in Derbyshire.
- Blue John Cavern
- Great Masson Cavern
- Great Rutland Cavern
- Oxlow Cavern
- Peak Cavern
- Poole's Cavern
- Speedwell Cavern
- Thor's Cave, Staffordshire
- Titan
- Treak Cliff Cavern
Yorkshire Dales[edit]
- Alum Pot
- Aquamole Pot
- Bar Pot, Gaping Gill
- Boxhead Pot
- Big Meanie (See Death's Head Hole)
- The Buttertubs
- Crackpot Cave
- Coal Hole Entrance (See Short Drop Cave)
- Death's Head Hole
- Disappointment Pot, Gaping Gill
- Ease Gill Caverns
- Eden Sike Cave, Mallerstang
- Flood Entrance Pot, Gaping Gill
- Gaping Gill
- Gavel Pot
- Great Douk Cave
- Goyden Pot
- Great Douk Cave
- Ingleborough Cave
- It's a Cracker (See Lost Pot)
- Jib Tunnel
- Jingling Caves (See Jingling Pot)
- Jingling Pot
- Juniper Gulf
- Langcliffe Pot
- Long Churn Caves
- Lost John's Cave
- Long Drop Cave
- Long Kin East Cave
- Lost Pot
- Manchester Hole
- Marilyn, Gaping Gill (See Disappointment Pot)
- Mossdale Caverns
- Motley Pot, Gaping Gill (See Disappointment Pot)
- New Goyden Pot
- OBJ Pot, Gaping Gill (See Flood Entrance Pot)
- Oddmire Pot (See Langcliffe Pot)
- Rat Hole, Gaping Gill
- Rat Hole Sink, Gaping Gill (See Rat Hole)
- Rift Pot (see Long Kin East Cave)
- Rift Entrance (See Short Drop Cave)
- Rowten Pot
- Rumbling Beck Cave (See Rumbling Hole)
- Rumbling Hole
- Short Long Drop Cave (see Long Drop Cave)
- Simpson Pot
- Short Drop Cave
- Skirwith Cave
- Small Mammal Pot, Gaping Gill (See Bar Pot)
- Stile Pot, Gaping Gill (See Bar Pot)
- Stream Passage Pot, Gaping Gill
- Stump Cross Caverns
- Swinsto Cave
- Three Counties System
- Wades Entrance, Gaping Gill (See Flood Entrance Pot)
- Weathercote Cave
- White Scar Caves
- Yordas Cave
- Yordas Pot (See Yordas Cave)
Other areas[edit]
- Alloa Lea Quarry Cave, Northumberland
- Creswell Crags
- Excalibur Pot, North York Moors
- Kirkdale Cave, North York Moors
- Miss Grace's Lane, Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire
- Mother Ludlam's Cave, Moor Park, Farnham, Surrey
- Dog Hole Cave, Cumbria
- Pate Hole, Cumbria
- Slaughter Stream Cave, Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire
- Heathery Burn Cave, Stanhope, County Durham
- Pen Park Hole, Bristol
- Clearwell Caves, Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire
Northern Ireland[edit]
The following are all within County Fermanagh unless otherwise stated. See also Caves of the Tullybrack and Belmore hills.
- Badger Pot
- Boho Caves
- Marble Arch Caves
- Noon's Hole
- Portbraddon Cave, County Antrim
- Shannon Cave, County Fermanagh and County Cavan, Republic of Ireland)
Scotland[edit]
- Calder's Geo, Shetland
- Cleeves Cove Cave, North Ayrshire
- Fingal's Cave, Inner Hebrides
- Smoo Cave, Sutherland
- Uamh An Claonaite, Sutherland
Wales[edit]
- Cathole Cave
- Dan yr Ogof
- Ogof Agen Allwedd
- Ogof Craig a Ffynnon
- Ogof Draenen
- Ogof Ffynnon Ddu
- Ogof Hen Ffynhonnau
- Ogof Hesp Alyn
- Ogof Llyn Parc
- Ogof Nadolig
- Ogof y Daren Cilau
- Otter Hole
- Porth yr Ogof
See also[edit]
- Caving in the United Kingdom
- Geography of the United Kingdom
- List of caves
- List of UK caving fatalities
- Speleology
References[edit]
- ^ Allen, Tim (Oct–Nov 2014). "The Longest Cave". Descent (240). Wild Places Publishing: 36.
- ^ "Ogof Ffynnon Ddu - Surveys". South Wales Caving Club. Retrieved 21 September 2015.
- ^ "Scottish Cave and Mine Database. Grampian Speleological Group
- ^ " 'Biggest cave' is Calders Geo in Shetland at Esha Ness". BBC News. Retrieved 28 August 2014.
- ^ "Esha Ness sea cave is 'largest in Britain'". BBC News. Retrieved 28 August 2014.
- ^ "Cheddar cave 'biggest in Mendip Hills'". BBC News online. 7 September 2012. Retrieved 16 September 2012.