The Rediscovery of Grey Wife Hole
G. Campion.
The large shake hole of Grey Wife, above the West Branch of Cote Gill was first excavated by Harry Long and friends around 34 years ago. Their dig was more or less at the point where the stream sank. Unfortunately, the excavation became blocked by a large boulder and the project was abandoned. In November 1968, members of the Kendal Caving Club adopted a more systematic approach to the site and chose an opening in the south-east end of the shakehole of a couple of metres above and away from the stream sink. Two weekends of persistent work revealed a narrow rift which eventually allowed access to 400 metres of passage comprising of two streams, a sump of modest proportions and impressive formations.
This was a both unique and significant find on Newby Moss, revealing the highest horizontal streamway in the whole of the Ingleborough drainage. Not long after the exploration of Grey Wife was completed the initial narrow rift became silted up and the entrance collapsed making the prospect of reopening the hole and keeping it open, a major project. However, ready for the major project, the YRC decided to re-open the cave. It was felt that not only would this constitute a worthwhile rediscovery but further investigation of its sump and adjoining passage might go some way towards solving the mysteries lying below the slopes of the South Ingleborough area. Permission was obtained from Ingleborough Estate Office and the necessary scaffold, tools and general equipment were carried up to the entrance. Locating the exact site of the old entrance dig was difficult at first but artefacts of the late sixties soon gave clues to the direction of the excavation. After only two weekends of hard work a breakthrough was made, the direction probably slightly different to the KCC route. In less than half an hour, two of us were at the base of the entrance rift confronted by a blockage at the bottom of a steeply inclined crawl. Records indicate that it only took the original explorers 20 minutes to break through this section, however, it took us four hours to clear the crawl. Once through this we were into the stream passage and after decades of dormancy, the cave was once again wide open.
Easy passage leads to a 2 metre drop, the way below continuing as a high twisting rift with a few constrictions. After 60 metres an impressive aven is reached with a 12 mitre pitch straight into the sump. The sump, (paradox pond), appears to be more like a canal and forms the confluence of two streams. Across the sump, the upstream section of Grey Wife sports the most interesting and well decorated part of the cave. Small cascades lead along the twisting streamway through a larger passage ending suddenly in a large chamber. The stream spouts impressively from a small passage 7 metres above. Access to this passage can be gained via a leftwards tending traverse (Jim’s Traverse) but getting to the traverse line is quite difficult having to overcome a overhanging wall with little protection at the start. Once up the initial crux however, a sling was threaded which protected the more exposed section of the traverse.
Sizeable ledges can be used as handholds but they need to be treated with care due to their friable nature. On the otherside of the traverse, a low wet but decorated crawl leads after 80 metres to a chamber adorned with incredible straws 2 metres long! The way on is a 3 metre duck and beyond the passage rises steeply but ends disappointingly in a mass of large boulders from where the stream flows.
Back in the late 60’s a diver from the University of Leeds Speleological Association made two attempts at the sump in Grey Wife but only got down 4 metres and penetrated 10 metres horizontally because of the lack of visibility. In 1971 further dives were made by Geoff Yeadon and Olivia Statham and a low wide bedding was entered and followed for approximately 20 metres until it became depressingly low with poor visibility. In June this year, Joel Gorrigan, of Mendip Caving Group, also an active caver with the YRC, was easily persuaded to enter the sump after 20 years in inky stillness. Everyone including Joel was optimistic that the technical advancements in cave diving over the years might help unlock the secrets deep in Grey Wife. Unfortunately, the sump proved to be considerably more full of silt than previous dives had recorded. A possible product of gripping on the Fells. He estimated only being able to get down for 3 metres with virtually no horizontal penetration. In December this year, Dave Morris of the Craven Pot Hole Club, agreed to give a second opinion. Unfortunately, his dive only confirmed what Joel had already reported.
The upstream passage of Grey Wife trends Northwest and its source is still a mystery. Looking at the topology of the area logically, P2b, 60 metres north-west of Grey Wife would seem to be the source. This sink taking a sizeable stream but no significant cave development, has been dye-tested to Moses Well and Clapham Beck Head with no proven connection with Grey Wife.
The sump of Grey Wife, paradox pond, still lives up to its name, at such a high altitude at 387 metres is probably a perched sump. It has been positively dye-tested to Moses Well and Clapham Beck Head and during times of excessive flow, Cat Hole. According to D. Brook, Moses Well may have a flood relationship with Cat Hole similar to that of Brants Gill Head to Douk Gill over in Horton-in-Ribblesdale. During flood Moses Well increases in flow to about 1m3/s but continues to run clear, whilst Cat Hole, 300 metres distant and 20 metres higher, suddenly discharges a torrent of turbid water. It is likely that the waters of Grey Wife follow a southerly route towards the Newby Moss fault and then take a southeasterly direction, possibly using the fault towards Moses Well.
If there is a master cave beneath Newby Moss then clearly the Grey Wife sump may hold the key. Theories expounded in the past attempting to explain why the area has been so reluctant to yield more cave passages have concluded that a link between sump and resurgences may be paraphreatic in nature. Indeed, it has been argued that the bulk of the Newby Moss drainage may have originally accounted for the advanced nature of the White Scar cave system, now with only a small stream flowing from the entrance. At a later time the watershed probably shifted to the west and this could partly account for the large flow size emerging from Moses Well. However, the generally consensus in the YRC team developing Grey Wife is that a master cave does exist. Although this might be inspired romanticism, it hasn’t stopped productive thinking about how the sump may be eventually turned sometime next year.
A dig site has also been established upstream of the sump and already 30 metres of new passage has been found. The aven above the upstream side of the sump has sported an impressive climb but sadly no horizontal passage was found. Although efforts have been made to climb the aven “this side” of the sump, the attempt was cut short when the cave suddenly started to flood!
The reopening of Grey Wife Hole has already caused quite a stir in caving circles further developments will hopefully take place over the next few months.
YRC members of the team.
G. Campion
G. Salmon
B. Bensley
R. Sealey
A. Renton
Non club members
S. Walker
E. Edkins
H. Green
M. Green
Bibliography.
The Limestone and Caves of N. W. England, by Tony Waltham.
1971, Journal of Kendal Caving Club. Geomorphology of the Carboniferous Limestone of the Ingleborough District, by M. Sweeting.