Depth
110m Length 1971m,
but part of Two Counties systemDepth
110m Length 1971m,
but part of Two Counties system
|
Prominent double shakehole with fence in middle of Leck Fell. An important system whose active flooded levels provided the bridge between the Leck Fell and Ease Gill systems. The fossil levels are associated with the abandoned high level passages in Pippikin Pot. |
WARNING
Path descends from stile to natural bridge and
short chock stone pitch. Through canyon beneath bridge is window into
final pitches of SHORT DROP CAVE.
Floor of open pot is steep
boulder slope to Second Pitch which may be climbed (rope advisable)
which was original limit of exploration. See photo of original
digging.
Climb down walled shaft into rift passage with
stream rising from low bedding plane to the right. Downstream is
variable stream passage of variable height 
to a
chamber with a crawl on the right into OCTOBER SERIES. Mudbath leads
through this crawl into easy going for 61m to traverse beyond aven
and climb down. Main rift continues beneath aven and becomes too
tight 91m forward but low crawl on right enters the main stream in a
wide crawl. Upstream becomes too low, then tight fissure leads to
blockage and constriction at upper level. Downstream emerges below
the wall climb near the entrance.
Beyond October Series the Gavel streamway cuts
down a narrow canyon and drops quickly to the the two final pitches
and a sump forming part
of a flooded level. the sump having upstream and downstream
continuations.
Going upstream from the sump pool, the first submerged section is an easy, meandering tubular passage that heads generally south east. A number of side passages have been examined in this first section of sump: two get too small after only 2m and a third has been followed for 6m to a choked slot above a silt bank. Other side passages appear to be oxbows and two impassable holes have been noted at about 4 m from base on the left. These appear to lead into a wide bedding. At 6m from base an undercut on the right hand (north) wall gives the false impression of a junction where the passage turns to the south east. After 11 m, a rift airbell is reached from where the continuing underwater passage is followed for 24 m to a complex area with a 2.4 m diameter pot in the floor. There is an awkward rift leading off from here but this soon ends abruptly as does a low bedding plane nearby. The main way on is down the pot in the floor and this descends vertically and passes a ledge at -24 m depth. It bells out to 4.5 m diameter after passing through a window and the shaft finally bottoms out at -60 m depth. Here a low, gravel-floored passage can be followed for 10 m to a depth of -64m. A constricted 30 cm high bedding plane continues and this has been followed feet first for another 2m. The water here comes from the Notts Pot's downstream sumps.
Downstream from the sump pool, a roomy passage at -5 m depth heads generally north east. After 152 m it reaches a junction at a flake where the Lost John's Cave water enters from the right (east). From here it is a further 15 m dive to the downstream sump pool in Lost John's Cave. From the junction the main downstream route now heads generally northwards still at around -5 m depth. It remains roomy and continues at this depth until the floor starts to shelve downwards at 60 m from base. By 64 m a depth of -2 m is reached. Here the passage becomes very muddy and the way on is complicated further by roof pendants and low arches. Finally at 740 m from base and a depth of -25 m, the connection point is reached with the line from the downstream sump in Pippikin Pot. Beyond here a further 470 m of atrocious diving through interconnected roof arches above thick mud leads to a junction where the Pippikin water joins from the right (north east). The combined Leck Fell and Pippikin waters then turn to the north west and flow towards Witches Cave and Leck Beck Head . The total length of the sump from Gavel Pot base to Pooh's Revenge in downstream Pippikin Pot is 1700 m.
Above the final pitches is a roof passage leading to SOUTHBOUND PASSAGE a rift with two branches, one choked and the other becoming too tight.
Just before the steam starts to cut down
towards the final pitches there is a dry oxbow on the right with a
narrow passage leading off into GLASFURD'S CHAMBER. 
Inlets
enter from an aven and a tight duck, beyond which is 10 m of larger
passage ending in a mud choke. Glasfurd's Passage 
runs east through a
series of well decorated chambers 
and crawls to a choke of
mud and boulders.
An inlet sump that used to exist above Glasfurd's Chamber was removed by digging. However, blasting in the outlet passage from Glasfurd's Chamber revealed a sump. This is very tight: there may be an airspace after 2.5m but the narrowness of the sump prevents it from being reached.