Get Charity Climbs Yorkshire

1. The Subterranean Secrets of The White Scar Caves Your first thought when thinking about the North Yorkshire Three Peaks challenge probably isn’t going to be ‘going into subterranean caves’, but there’s a lot more to see between the Peaks than just mountains. While much of Yorkshire is relatively flat compared to its western neighbour Cumbria, the border between Yorkshire and Cumbria holds some of the most fascinating geological features in the UK, with the White Scar Caves being one of them. Discovered in 1923 by enterprising amateur geologists, the White Scar cave system is something to behold. One of the largest cave systems in the UK, it’s been slowly carved out from softer limestone deposits dating back to the Carboniferous period, the era in which much of the UK’s coal was laid down. As limestone is water-soluble, the spring running under Ingleborough has produced a remarkable cave system over millions of years of gradual erosion. The first thing you’ll hear when you enter the cave system is the distant roar of rushing water, getting louder the deeper you go into the cave. Known simply as the ‘First Waterfall’, it’s the same waterfall that Christopher Long discovered in 1923, and over 50 tonnes of water flow through it every minute.

2. Geology is a complicated field of study, particularly when examining the natural forces that occured over hundreds of millions of years to produce some of the strangest scenery on Earth, including the Witch’s Fingers and Judge’s Head. A curious case of pareidolia, some visitors see a creepy, supernatural symmetry in the rock formations that resemble a wrinkled hand and the face of a portly judge, but the truth is more mundane: the rocks have been crushed and separated over hundreds of millions of years, producing the formations that make up the Witch’s Fingers and the Judge’s Head. Between these and the larger caverns, there’s a section known as ‘The Squeeze’. This section is slowly being closed up with flowstone, sediments produced by running water that manage to cling to walls and ceilings. While it looks cramped and claustrophobic, there isn’t a risk of getting trapped for at least a couple more million years. Throughout the caves, you can see strange orange icicle-looking things hanging from the ceiling, known as ‘Carrots’. These crystallised stalactites contain iron compounds, producing the strong orange colour against a backdrop of ancient black rocks. Air currents shape them, producing some strange-looking crystals. The Battlefield is the largest section of White Scar caves, discovered in the initial exploration of the cave but not entered, as the entrance was blocked. After blasting open an entrance, water has made its way into the cave system. While it lacks the standout beauty of earlier sections, the sheer vastness of the Battlefield caverns should put the fact that many isolated caverns like this exist around the country into perspective.

3. While the White Scar Caves are a very different world to the windy peak of Ingleborough, you should consider visiting if you have an interest in geology and the beauty of nature. North Yorkshire Three Peaks is dedicated to giving both novice and experienced hikers a challenge through the North Yorkshire 3 Peaks Route: Taking you over 3 of the highest peaks in Yorkshire – Pen-Y-Ghent, Ingleborough & Whernside – in the space of a single day. 24 miles in 12 hours. For More Information https://ny3p.co.uk