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Damian W (illustrious leader, driver), Ian W, Hannah W

(I'm not sure this really passes as a trip report, because we didn't go underground, but the intention was there, and we did put our caving kit on, and got thoroughly soaked and battered by wind, rain, and sleet, so it's almost like going caving.)

We spent some time in the library looking at the survey, and trying (and failing) to find the Descent article. Pete kindly wired in the new PC so I could look on Bing maps and get an OS map of the area, using the Grid Reference given on the survey. Since no-one could remember the admin password, which meant that we couldn't install the printer, I copied out the map onto a sheet of A4 paper by hand...

Ian and Damian packed a couple of ladders and ropes, and we were off.

We parked just beyond the cattle grid in the wind and the sleet. Grade 4 change.

The weather was seriously unpleasant, and I was glad I had a plastic oversuit and some Buffalo mitts! There was thick, low, cloud, so the 'most photographed view in the Dales' (according to Nigel) was hidden from us for the time being.

On the way we sheltered behind a convenient wall for what our illustrious leader said would be 'the one and only look at the map', so confident was he of finding the cave.

Battling on, Damian gestured in the direction of a small, shallow valley, telling us with confidence that the entrance was 'over there!'. This didn't match up with the grid reference at all, so we started to wonder whether the grid reference was wrong. However, for the sake of being sure, we headed in the direction of the grid reference first, following a clear track through a few narrow fields.

Occasionally the mist lifted and we scurried about feverishly looking for entrances. Damian scampered ahead, and I reached a very likely-looking shakehole with limestone blocks and a good-sized hole just to the right hand side of the track, so I shouted to Damian to see what he thought. He jogged back, bobbed into the entrance, and spent a few moments looking at it, only to decided it wasn't what he remembered, so we moved on.

There followed about an hour of searching in the area where Damian thought the entrance should be, during which time the weather improved a lot and we were treated to stunning views of Ingleborough, Penyghent, Fountains Fell, and Great Whernside, shining bright in their new covering of lovely snow.

We had to conclude that we had been beaten, and since the weather was so much nicer for the walk back, we didn't mind too much, though we were a bit perplexed.

Needless to say, as soon as we reached the car, it started to rain again in earnest, and I was just as wet when I had finished getting changed as I had been before I started.

On the way back we stopped at Stainforth Force, to gaze in wonder at the mighty river - spectacular it was, too! The falls had all but disappeared, the water was so high.

Back for cups of tea, to put the ropes away, and a quick look on the internet, which confirmed that the likely-looking entrance was indeed the right one, after all. At least we know where it is, now.

It must have been some sort of spell that altered Damian's memory of his previous trip there...

The Wizard keeps his Chasm well guarded!

Great report, poor Damian, not the two days of caving I'm sure he envisaged.

I hang my head in shame!

The only tiny item that can stand in my defence is that there definitely wasn't a raging torrent at the bottom of the entrance climb last time I was there ... but it was raining rather well this time, so that's a pretty poor excuse really!

Glad I went home

Just to be clear, I wasn't having a go at Damian Despite the awful weather I enjoyed the day!

A sterling effort by you brave stalwarts, the weather was truly obscene.

For future reference the cave is at NGR SD 8465 the 6 figure NGR has not been given in the public domain in order to preserve some effort of secrecy (clearly worked on this occasion ).

The article by Lugger is in Descent 147 pg 26 - 28 complete with YSS photo's.

If Damian et al would like another 'Find the YSS cave' why not try and find The Yorkshire Yeti on the flanks of Ingleborough, this is a super severe cave location challenge

hbunyan wrote:

Just to be clear, I wasn't having a go at Damian

nsteel wrote:

For future reference the cave is at NGR SD 8465 the 6 figure NGR has not been given in the public domain in order to preserve some effort of secrecy (clearly worked on this occasion ).

There's an 8 figure one on the survey in the Library (but that still didn't help!)

The article by Lugger is in Descent 147 pg 26 - 28 complete with YSS photo's.

Thanks - we found it when we got back to the hut, of course.

If Damian et al would like another 'Find the YSS cave' why not try and find The Yorkshire Yeti on the flanks of Ingleborough, this is a super severe cave location challenge

No that is indeed a challenge - I spent several hours one very wet Sunday walking all over the relevant area and failed to find it. Rumour has it it even has "Yorkshire Yeti" engraved on the limestone next to it, but I still couldn't find it.

I couldn't even find Yorkshire Yeti, and that was with a description of where it was and a GPS location given to us by Ian Hale. In the end a certain person showed us where it was, and it was well worth doing although we only ventured upstream