Birks Fell Cave

Another excellent trip to Birks Fell!

After an early start in Buckden, we were underground by 11:30am. The cave is very easy to find - simply follow the tack up past Redmire Farm, and then after going through the gates, come off the path and follow the wall on the right steeply uphill. At the top, the cave entrance is only 50m ahead in the shallow valley.

We quickly got down to the Bradford Crawl, which required only minimum excavation, and then the connection crawl seemed much more pleasant than last time. From the first pitch onwards, Birks Fell really does have something for everyone, with minimum routefinding issues (follow the water all the way down), and some fantastic stream passages and formations. The Block and then the free-climb down beyond it provide an interesting challenge (particularly on the return journey). For future reference, Cascade pitch can now be rigged from higher up, which avoids the difficult free-climb down beyond The Block. Therefore, for future reference:

After The Block has been negotiated, continue along the large passage. Ignore the usual route down through the floor on the left, and continue along a short distance until hangers allow for Cascade pitch to be rigged from a higher up position. A 25m rope should be adequate.

We made very quick progress indeed to Shale Pitch, however, once again, the rigging dilemmas posed by this got the better of us. Gary went to the rebelay but found it to be very loose and dangerous indeed. Rich examined the possibility of an alternative Y-hang at the top but nothing would clear the waterfall. By now we were all pretty cold, and with a nights camping ahead we were keen to get out in time for pub food and to pitch our tents. So we turned around and headed out. The outward journey seemed pretty efficient, but very tiring indeed. It's not until the outward journey that you realise how far you've travelled and how much hard work this cave really involves! The last hour after passing Shooting Box Aven seemed to go on for ever and sapped every last ounce of energy out of me!

We arrived to the surface at about 7pm, absolutely knackered! A pub meal in Starbotton was followed by drinks in Kettlewell and a much needed nights sleep at the campsite.

Birks Fell really is a superb caving trip, even only as far as Shale Pitch (and by then you've done 90% of the cave), with a really sense of adventure and journey. The return trip is sure to put your stamina to the test, and the satisfaction to have completed the trip is immense! I'd happily do Birks Fell every year, and maybe one time we may even get to the terminal sump!